Good morning from Pio the cat, who until recently had lived in our cabin, we granted her visiting rights.

The day began with a trip to the Mauna Kea volcano, via the Humu'ula trail, a drive to the visitors centre, where we had to acclimatise to the thin air and altitude for 30 minutes, after a list of instructions from the resident ranger, we finished the journey to the top.

The Sci Fi style landscape is home to a collection of observatories, owned by a number of nations including the US, Hawaii and a host of other countries.

At just under 13.5 thousand feet the summit leaves visitors light headed and dizzy, no wonder the native people have certain areas closed to the public for their rituals, like this alter at the highest point.

The lack of light polution here, on this estimated 1 million year old rock, make it an ideal spot for scientific star gazing.

Unfortunately no tours of the observatories are available right now.

A short stroll around Rainbow Falls look out.

A pretty little area, spoilt by the constant coming & going of tour buses.

Akaka Falls, our final stop.

Only part of the loop was available today, with construction crews working on the walkways around the 2nd set of falls.

We are at a new cabin for 2 nights, with a tiny bathroom and not much of a kitchen area. ( No cats either !)

So off to the Thai Restaurant less than a minutes drive away, I tried the Pineapple Cider, not bad ! Another orchestra of birds and rainforest beasts to sing us to sleep, after our long day.

Good night dear reader..Tweet tweet xx