Babbit the Aloha Rabbit: Day Seven

Let me preface this post by saying that we are not hikers. That's why it's still a little unbelievable to me that the morning of day seven in Hawaii, we climbed Diamond Head, the most famous volcanic crater in the world. I am not kidding.

Babbit enjoying the ride to Diamond Head


Ready to go!


And here, son, is where we're likely to die...

James and the kids went into the hike in very good spirits. I, on the other hand, was not so excited. I'd not planned for much more than some light walking in Hawaii and didn't pack shoes appropriate for hiking. After the whole blister-to-crutches fiasco over the summer, I was quite concerned about the condition of my feet after scaling a volcano.

As a precaution, I layered bandages over more sensitive parts of my feet and toes, wore socks under my sandals, and hoped for the best. Also, after having already spent six days baking under the equatorial sun, I opted to hike in long sleeves and a hat. Let me tell you, I looked KLASSY. (But there's good news: I didn't burn and my feet are fine. Looking dorkish pays off from time to time.)

My Gorgeous Hiking Ensemble


Wait up!


In one of the tunnels


We're going up there?


At the beginning of the steep (and scary!) 99 steps,
the second of four stairways after a very long hike


Looking Back


Babbit finally made it to the top...


... when I realized I left Bub's ADHD meds in the car
waaaaaaay down in the bowl of the crater.


Honolulu from atop Diamond Head

After lunch and one last shaved ice, we went back to the resort. Instead of heading straight to the lagoons, the kids and I walked to a section of natural beach just outside of Marriott property that Gracie called "the wild ocean." There we explored the tide pools and counted crabs and little fishies. We were hoping to wait out the honu (sea turtles) we were told beached there every evening, but the tide came in to quickly and too fiercely for my personal comfort. We explored for about an hour or so before returning to calmer waters.






We let the kids stay in the lagoon until sunset, and then we all swam in the hotel pool for another half-hour or so. After swimming, we went back to the room to have dinner. When we finished eating, we heard a loud Kaboom just outside. The neighboring resort was having a fireworks show, and we had a direct view! The kids insist that the whole island was celebrating James whose birthday was the next day. James has yet to correct them...