Aloha 'Oe

 

Aloha 'Oe.  It's a song that will always remind me of Hawaii - and for good reason.  It will always remind me of places where I can relax and chill out, and not just in America's paradise.  But why do I start out with a thought about Hawaii?  Well, I've grown to realize that cruising is my favorite way to disconnect from the outside world for a while, and come out refreshed at the end of my trip.

Today ended a long relaxed weekend with RQS.  I drove her back to Croton-Harmon in the middle of the afternoon, and I killed a little time before returning home due to plumbing repairs that required water being shut off to the building.  By the time I got home, the repairs were complete, and I was able to take care of things at the apartment.

Around 6 pm, I put my dress back on and drove to Wegmans for a shopping trip.  $90 later, I had several bags in my car, and was ready to pack it in for the day.  And yet, my thoughts kept prodding me to do one more thing - plan another trip to Hawaii, and see things I couldn't see the first time around.  For example, it was too windy to visit the USS Arizona memorial when I was there, and it is a site I'd like to see.  Another thing I'd like to do is enjoy the Luau at the Polynesian Cultural Center.  I've seen the Luau on Kauai, and would want a different take on the ceremony.  And then, I'd like to get back to the Halealaka Crater and Volcanoes National Park when it isn't foggy or raining.

As I see it, going back to Hawaii with RQS in tow will be worth it.  The only question will be: How do we afford it?  

Hawaii Vacation - Day 07: Volcanoes National Park

It's hard to believe that my vacation is more than half over.  But it is.  And so far, I've had a relaxing time going out and about as Marian, leaving Mario behind when possible.  People who need to see my identification tend not to bat an eye when I'm presenting paperwork that identifies me as being Mario, when I'm out as Marian. 

 

Why is this so important?  Not having to worry about what people will think of me has allowed me to grow as a person.  The woman inside me has been freed to explore the world on her terms.  

But I digress....

I have had to present both my cruise ID card and my passport card (I could have used my drivers license instead) almost every time I have come back from a shore excursion.  Being transgender is not a big deal - especially in Hawaii.  On this ship, I'm being seen as the female I'm displaying to the world.  And this is a great experience for me.

With my face, I always have to go out with my makeup on.  But once applied, people are seeing me as female.  But I am still forced to do code switching, turning my relationships with women to relationships with men when discussing my past in general conversation.  If people see me adjusting my wig, I mention that I have alopecia, but never mention that it is male pattern alopecia.  Ideally, I will get partial facial feminization surgery, so that I can go out and about without makeup as long as I have my wig on.

Yet, I still digress....

Today was an excursion to the Volcanoes National Park.  Like yesterday, weather played a part in how I would enjoy this trip.  It was in the high 70's when we left the ship, with more than a significant chance of rain.  And it did rain on the way to the park.  One bus had to get unstuck from the mud on the road, and we ended up passing that bus so that we could get to the park on time.

I had forgotten my rain poncho before I left my cabin, so I ended up buying a cheap poncho at the park's visitor center.  When I put it on, I realized I was going to deal with one problem many transgender women have: Keeping my wig in place while putting the poncho on is where I had to be careful, as I didn't want to advertise that I was wearing a wig.

 

 

Once my poncho was on, it was off to the Sulfur Springs Trail.  It was much more comfortable to walk in the drizzle when wearing the poncho, and I made it halfway on the trail.  It was interesting to see sulfur on the rocks, along with the steam coming from the vents with a distinctive sulfur smell.  

 

 

 

Next, we were off to see the volcanic crater pictured in the video above.  Although we couldn't see much, it was an interesting sight.  I only wish that it wasn't raining so that I'd have had a better view.

This was the second time where the weather got in the way of enjoying a view of nature.  I guess this means that I will need to come back to Hawaii again to see these sights.....

Volcanoes!

 

There are two areas of the world that I want to see that have active volcanoes: Hawaii and Iceland.  And I will be in Hawaii soon.  One of the excursions I have booked will take me to Hawaii Volcanoes National Park. However, I don't know if this excursion will take place, as the following message was posted on the park service's website:

HAWAII NATIONAL PARK, Hawaiʻi – Hawaiʻi Volcanoes National Park remains open following a new eruption on Mauna Loa volcano that began in the summit caldera late Sunday night, and migrated to the northeast rift zone Monday morning.

For everyone’s safety, the park closed Mauna Loa Road from the gate at Kīpukapuaulu Monday morning to vehicles. The summit, cabins and high-elevation areas of Mauna Loa have been closed since early October when the volcano began to show signs of unrest and increased seismicity. In addition, Mauna Loa Observatory Road, outside of the park, is also closed to the public.

The new eruption, which is the first time Mauna Loa has erupted since 1984, is expected to draw an influx of visitors to the park who hope to see a rare dual eruption from both Kīlauea and Mauna Loa volcanoes. Viewing areas along Kīlauea caldera before sunrise revealed a massive glow from Mauna Loa caldera, Mokuʻāweoweo (13,677 ft. elevation) and a smaller lava lake within Halemaʻumaʻu (4,009 ft.) at the summit of Kīlauea.

Neither eruption is threatening homes or infrastructure at this time. Kīlauea has been erupting since Sept. 29, 2021 with lava confined to the summit lava lake.

“Hawaiʻi Volcanoes National Park is keeping close watch on Mauna Loa in tandem with our colleagues at USGS and Hawaiʻi County Civil Defense,” said Hawaiʻi Volcanoes National Park Superintendent, Rhonda Loh. “The park is currently open, but visitors should be prepared and stay informed,” Loh said.

Visitors are urged to check the park website for closure updates, safety alerts, air quality and other information including links to the USGS Hawaiian Volcano Observatory webcams and eruption updates.  

The Federal Aviation Administration has enacted a Temporary Flight Restriction encompassing a five nautical mile radius around Mauna Loa summit and 5,000 above ground level. Approved emergency response flights are excepted.

If you were in my shoes, would you think that this excursion will be cancelled?  If so, what should I do, given that all the cruise line's excursions have already been booked to capacity?  One thing I know is that I will get some great photos as we sail along the coast of Kauai....