Monday, our third day of car traveling.....

 Today was going to be "a check out the beaches down the Kona coastline day".. What we didn't expect was the wind, which blows with much force down the "saddle", an area between two volcanic mountains.  This area has some of the best pristine beaches on the island.  However, you need to be prepared with beach chairs, sunscreen and the ability to swim well...there are places for shade, and laying on a towel on the sand can be a  "blasted adventure"!!  
 

We instead headed to Alii Drive, which takes you through old town Kona which is almost an exact replica of what Lahina, Maui used to be.  Instead, both sides of the streets are lined with shops, outdoor eating and such. It's a narrow adventure drive with the rocky ocean to one side.  There are many hotels and vacation rentals in this area, thus lots of people walking.  We stopped at a park just at the end of the area and enjoyed our poki, veggies & crackers.

 The pictures to the right are a pano of this park place, very peaceful...


















Turtles are swimming here so we'll go back, with shoes, and hike over the rocks for a better view of them another day.

After lunch we continued south driving on Hwy 11.   We decided to take a right down a road that might just get us back out to the ocean - and it did - most of the road was narrow, winding and no shoulders in places,(drive to Hana?) but there were many places of coffee orchards and we organic farms.  There is a place at the end of this road where you can rent kayaks and paddle around the cove-cash only!

Pretty place and busy with lots of adventurists:)

Every place on this island is rocky and mountainous. 

Yep, you have to drive back up that hill to get home!!

We did stop at this Old Kona Coffee Mill and sample the coffee's and mac nuts.  Prices were a bit high, but they offered lots of local fair.  On the way back up the mountain we stopped at a side stand and bought some organic spinach and papaya's.  Then ended up picking up the "farmer boys" and taking them to the top of the hill where they were looking for more work on the island.  We continued on and got as far as the town of Captain Cook.  There are many small coffee and organic farms along the way and everyone either has a small store or stand off the road.  We did stop at another place and bought a dozen apple banana's and pineapple from a couple very nice ladies.  We have already over a dozen apple banana's-the BEST banana in the entire world(at least ours:)

We drove back to our cabin in the jungle, through the "up country" and the old winding highway, not wanting to get on the main highway and climb the hill to get home.  You are either going straight up, or straight down here and once we get home, we don't leave again.  It's not a location for young people that want to be out at night, but perfect for us "oldsters" that enjoy the quiet and birds and "wildlife".  This guy is one of the more friendlier outside residents and wanted to get up close and personal with Paul.  We discovered about eight of them in the plants yesterday afternoon and they entertained us until dinner time.  What a life!

A display of the mac nuts, banana's, papaya's, and avocado's we have to eat everyday...oh man, oh man!!

New adventures tomorrow........