The Early Days of Our Hawaiian Vacation - Sunday-Monday, March 10-11, 2024

Bob has been ambitious the first few days at the resort. Sunday at 5 am, while I slept in, Bob walked 16 miles. He was exhausted when he came back. He then worked for a while. 

When I got up at 11 am, he was napping. I showered, ate breakfast, and at 1 pm Hawaiian time, I watched the Oscars. He slept for a few hours in the afternoon. 

We had leftover veggie stir fry and broiled ahi tuna for dinner. At 6 pm, we watched part of 60 Minutes. It was a re-run and I hadn't seen one of the segments. We watched more TV and I wrote a blog. This was a low-key day for me. 

Today (Monday), Bob was up again at 5 am, this time to work (in Texas it was 10 am). When I got up, we had smoothies. Bob wanted to snorkel at Kahalu'u Beach Park, 0.6 miles away. We walked over in the afternoon after low tide. It was too chilly and cloudy for me to go snorkeling. The wind was blowing and there was no sun. It was sprinkling lightly. I prefer to snorkel when it's sunny. 

Because of my allergy to cold temperatures causing hives, swelling, and itching, I need the sun to warm me up for 1/2 hour when I get out of the water. Bob said the snorkeling was okay. He saw a moray eel and some of the more usual reef fishes. I read my book. He was only in the water for 15 minutes. Then we walked back to the resort.

The snorkel fins Bob bought on Saturday were too small. He did not use them and he returned them today. Then we went to Walmart where he chose fins with an adjustable back strap that he hopes will fit better. We should be able to try them out tomorrow when we drive to Hawaiian Volcanoes National Park. There is a new-to-us snorkel spot we want to visit near Kealekekua Bay.

The sunset was better this evening and I've included those photos in this blog.

Sunset as seen from the Kona Coast Resort
on Monday, March 11, 2024.

Before sunset - looking across the golf 
course from the Kona Coast Resort.

Sunset as seen from the Kona Coast
Resort on Monday, March 11, 2024.

Gold dust day gecko (Phelsuma
laticauda) Hawaiian invasive species.

The Gold dust day gecko is a small lizard native to Madagascar. It was introduced to Hawaii in 1990 and has thrived in the tropical environment. It's commonly known as the mascot for GEICO insurance and the main character of the video game series, Gex. They are insectivores and herbivores. An interesting factoid: Gold dust day geckos lack eyelids, instead having rounded pupils and a clear, fixed plate covering their eyes which they clean with their tongues.

That's it for the past two days. 

Tomorrow, we will be on an all-day trip to Hawaiian Volcanoes National Park, South Point, Punalu'u Bake Shop in Naalehu, the Black Sand Beach, and hopefully, the aforementioned snorkeling spot.