Big Island Day Three

Today we enjoyed our hotel until we had to check out at noon. And now for a word about where we slept - I feel we hit the Priceline jackpot in the Hilton Waikoloa Village. I have used Priceline almost exclusively when we travel over the last 5 years and it has yet to fail us, but this time we won big time. For $130 a night (room rate on the door - not that anyone really pays those fees, but for comparisons sake, started at $465/a night)we stayed at a 62-acre resort with every amenity that you could imagine in a hotel. Maybe I am just easily impressed (I fully enjoy a clean Motel 6 room just fine - I get that from my mom), but it was fancy nice to the point of being overwhelming. I felt slightly out of place, as I realized that we were now rubbing elbows with women who bring perfume and jewelry on vacation and who also actually use the provided blowdryer and iron.

The Hilton's had even captured dolphins for our enjoyment, which was a huge hit with the kids of course. There was a boat or tram to take you to your room. Not to mention water slides, museum-caliber artwork along a one-mile walkway circling the property, cabanas, a "Diego"-bridge (whatever that is, but that's what A. referred to it as) a lagoon with a waterfall and tropical fish, multiple fitness centers and complimentary classes... I'm getting tired just mentioning it all.

After checking out we started on our way to our next destination - Volcanoes National Park. On the way we saw a windfarm a la Palm Springs and a black sand beach that made Miles' look...well, even whiter than usual. I wasn't sure that was possible. And we saw turtles...which I'm pretty sure we weren't supposed to touch...