So now we’re on the Big Island.
It’s actually called Hawai’i, but (a) who knows whether you mean the
island or the state, and (b) it's twice as big as all the other islands
combined. So Big Island it is.
The vibe here is worlds
apart from O'ahu: very new-age, with roadside stands selling crystals
and gems; farmers' markets where you have to pay for your coconuts with
jokes; and state roads which suddenly devolve into rutted, bumpy gravel
tracks.
Having been on the island three days, we can
already say that lava permeates life here. Locals pay close attention to
VOG (Volcanic smOG), since a change of wind will send a noxious cloud
of hydrochloric acid, sulfuric acid and glass particles wafting over at a
moment's notice. Also in the mix are good old lava flows, which wander
around like herds of 2,000-degree camels, immolating everything in their
path. Even the farmers' market was almost incinerated a few years ago
when the lava lapped up against its fence.
Today we went to
Kilauea Iki, an active volcano crater. The lethal fumes were blowing in
an auspicious direction, so we all hiked down into the lake of lava,
which weighs more than 35 Empire State Buildings or something. It was
like being in Mordor: a square mile of crazed black slabs, with billows
of sulfurous steam emerging from evil cracks, dotted with bright green
crystals of olivine (a green crystal formed by volcanoes) and the
occasional nene tree. Tova's favourite part was standing in front of
steam vents, wreathing herself in the dark breath of the underworld.
Now
in that last paragraph, you surely sat upright and said, "Aha! Olivine!
A great Scrabble word if ever there was one!" Well guess what we saw
next: AA! That's right! The first word in the dictionary, the first
trick in a newbie's game! Seeing AA is obviously a big deal, and was
Jakob's second Scrabble Moment in a year (see Canberra Scrabble
Tournament) and he is feeling quite nostalgic as a result.
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