N 18 Degrees 55.205' and W 155 Degrees 30.237'

Up at 3 AM, uggg, the time change is a bitch.  After a light breakfast and even lighter Kona coffee, we drove to the Southern most point of the US.  From this point we hiked the 2 1/2 miles across terrain never highlighted in the Hawaiian brochures but beautiful in the starkness, a barren coastal plain contrasting against the gorgeous blue sea.

We were buffeted by winds the entire time but enjoyed the sunshine the entire way.  Finally arriving at the destination, the Green Sand Beach (Papakolea), we beheld a true paradise.  A violent upward thrust of this rocky outcropping exposed olivitine, which over decades wore away to a brilliant green sand.

We swam in the bluest water imaginable and managed to enjoy a sea turtle hanging out for most of the day.  I imagine the tattoo shops around here do a lot of sea turtles after the hippy chicks have their very own "mystical" experience.  Frolicking in the waves, everyone managed to tap into their inner child.  Rusty called this our "Green Sand Spa Treatment", consisting of primarily a wind blown exfoliation.  A hike back to the car, and a 50 mile drive back to Kona taking a good two hours...ugggg, this one lane highway.

We rushed back to meet Todd a terrific friend from my formative years, yes, high school days.  we also met Dan, his partner.  We enjoyed $5.00 Mai Tai's in the open air bar of our hotel(the best on the island).  The sunset was absolutely stunning (yet again), before an excellent dinner at the Kona Brewing Company (very good beer with a hint of passion fruit). As with fine wine and everything else of value, Todd has mellowed with age to a gracious and wonderfully witty person (translate that as anyone who laughs at my jokes).  Dan is an equally exquisite conversationalist and we will definitely reconnect.