The four mile, “moderate” hike into Kilauea Iki was great. We climbed down from the parking area through rainforest for about a mile until we reached the solid lava lake. The crunchy, black floor as rugged and cracked with a few little plants trying to grow up through the thick rock, and there were several steam vents along the way. I can see why it was such a tourist attraction - because the hike was easy and there were a couple numbered points along the trail that corresponded with numbered pages in a little book. I’m glad we started early too, because we avoided all the tourists and the heat. At 9:00, it was already pretty hot in the sun, and when we got back to our car at 11:30 - the parking lot was packed!
After our hike, we visited a farmer’s market and another coffee mill. I met a cat at the coffee mill who slept in a USPS box, and another cat on the way back to the hotel. Have I mentioned that I like cats?
I am truly amazed that life grows out of that gray ash. Very nice. I'm not 100% sure I would have gone in that cave however.
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