Tag Archives: Travel

Culture, humor, National Parks

Volcano Viewing Etiquette

There is an etiquette to watching the spectacle of molten lava flowing into the ocean (as described in the post “New Vents in Kilauea Volcano Spout Fountains of Lava”). Here are my top five tips for good volcano viewing manners:

  1. Come prepared. Walking out to a recently hardened field of lava to watch another, active field of lava is about as rugged as terrain gets. No one is waiting there with a tray of cool towels and cocktails. Bring your own water, snacks, sunscreen, hat, jacket, tushie cushion, and wear sturdy shoes.
  2. Down in front. Crowding up to the front of barrier erected by the park service seems like a good idea, but it actually just blocks everyone’s view. A lava field isn’t stadium seating. Plus, all those flash pictures of your partner in the dark with the lava flow a mile in the distance will still be dark, even if you take one more.
  3. Aim your flashlight at your feet. Pointing your flashlight up into other people’s eyes does help you to see them, but then they are blinded. If you really want don’t want to trip and fall into a deep crevice of sharp lava, aim your flashlight on the ground just in front of your feet.
  4. Don’t throw rocks. This may seem obvious, but just in case it’s not, lava stones are sharp, jagged and could easily take someone’s eye out. That could put a real damper on watching Pele, the Hawaiian goddess of fire, in action.
  5. Pack out what you pack in. Leaving trash, empty bottles and soiled toilet paper on newly formed land is pretty insulting, as is taking home pieces of it for souvenirs. According to local lore Pele will find you, and in case you hadn’t noticed, she’s pretty powerful.
big island, National Parks

Vents in Kilauea Volcano Spout Fountains of Lava

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The latest eruptions at Kilauea volcano on the island of Hawaii are spectacular. New vents opened up in early July 2008 at Pu’u O’o (shown above) and Halema’uma’u. Molten lava hits the warm ocean, sending billowing plumes of smoke and sparks of rock high in the sky.

Lava is currently flowing from the Pu’u O’o vent, which is outside of Hawai`i Volcanoes National Park. The site is east of the eastern boundary of the park and about 12 miles from the summit caldera of Kilauea.

(Pele’s Hair July 9, 2008; courtesy of Adam Burgasser)

To see the fire goddess Pele in action, Hawai`i County has opened a viewing area in Kalapana at the end of Highway 130 (the Kea`au – Pahoa bypass road; View Larger Map). Visitors may access the viewing area between 2 pm and 8 pm daily. However, vehicles must exit the area by 10 pm when the gates will be locked. For a humorous look at volcano viewing etiquette, see the post “Volcano Viewing Etiquette”.

Suggested Itinerary

Leave Hilo in the afternoon, around 4 or 5 pm, and drive south to Kalapana. There will be some local traffic through Kea’au, so just be courteous and patient.

  • Tip #1: By going later in the day, you’ll hit a little traffic, but you’ll avoid walking across the scorching sun-baked, hot, black lava beds.

Park and take the 15-minute walk across the hardened lava field by about 6 pm, just in time for “magic hour” (that gorgeous light around sunset).

  • Tip #2: Wear sturdy, closed toe walking shoes. Follow all posted safety precautions.

Plan to stay until well after dark to really see the show.

  • Tip #3: Bring a flashlight and a liter of water per person. You may also want to bring a small beach chair or mat to sit on. Lava is not easy on the tush.

Visitors may call the lava update recorded message for more information about the lava viewing area: (808) 961-8093 or visit the National Park Service website .

Got your own great photos of the volcano? Get Your FREE Photo Prints here.

Additional articles on the eruptions have been published in the area newspapers:

Additional information:

Holidays, Lifestyle, Random, Travel

How to Find the Best Seat on the Airplane

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You’ve spent a wad of hard-earned cash on an airplane ticket. Now where to sit? Don’t leave it to the airline to decide because chances are you’ll end up in the middle of a row that doesn’t recline. There are several resources to to use that can help you land the best seat available.

There are two free web sites to visit for seat maps: seatguru.com and seatexpert.com. Seatguru’s graphical interface is slightly easier on the eyes, but both offer seat maps of individual aircrafts operated by most airlines. They show graphical layouts of the cabins and pros and cons for various seats on the plane as reported by passengers.

  • Tip #1: You’ll need to know which type of plane the airline will be using on your flight. You can generally find this information in your reservation.

To see seat maps on specific flights that show which seats are occupied or not, try expertflyer.com. This site is not free (they charge a $4.99/month subscription fee), but you can access the information the first time by using their 5-day free trial. Armed with one of the free seat maps, you can also call the airline directly.

  • Tip #2: Remember FEBO (Front Even Back Odd) — This is how several major carriers, including American Airlines, take meal orders in premium class based on flight number. For Even flight numbers, meal order is taken from the Front, and for Odd flight numbers, meal order is taken from the Back. Pick your seat accordingly if you want to ensure your meal choice.