Big Island........adventures?

My time in Hawaii has come and gone, i was home for less than a week and we left for South Carolina. Now im back home and trying to settle in. Hawaii was amazing, my wife and i were on Kauai for 2 weeks and my family was able to join us for one of those ( check earlier posts ) My wife has allowed me to have an extra week on the islands the last few times we have gone, where all i do is shoot shoot shoot. Last year i was on kauai and had a blast shooting different places on the island, this year i decided to go to the Big Island. I was really looking forward to the possibility of shooting the volcano once more and exploring some areas on the Hilo side of the Big Island. Alas this was not meant to be, not to long before i left, the floor at Puʻu ʻŌʻō crater collapsed and the lava stopped flowing into the ocean. Still i was hopeful that it would pick up again, once again it was not meant to be. Still it was not a loss, i would still have to opportunity to explore this beautiful island and get some cool landscapes the lava would just have bene the icing on the cake. Apparently i didn't get the memo that mother nature was royally pissed off at something because from the minute i landed in Hilo it was nothing but rain! EVERYWHERE!! I realize that im in the tropics and the islands can get their fair share of rain, im used to that, but nothing like this. Im used to having maybe an hour or 2 of rain or maybe even an entire day with it. This was constant non stop thick gray clouds and torrential downpours everywhere i went. The rain would stop once in a while but the cloud cover was so thick that the sun came through for a total of maybe a few hours the entire week i was there. Even on the Kona side of the island it was pouring and thick clouds there too, the clouds where very beautiful but there was no light to add drama to anything. What can you do though, sometimes you roll the dice and lose. My shooting strategy just had to be adjusted to shoot whatever i could. On top of it all i had a massive and debilitating headache the 1st 2 days i was there, not to mention the countless injuries and mosquito bites i had received on kauai. This is not me complaining about my trip so please dont take it as such, but it was a little frustrating. The rain did bring some very incredible benefits though, not being able to go out as much i was able to focus a lot more time and energy to developing friendships with 2 great buddies of mine on the Hilo side. My attempts to run away from the rain by going to Kona allowed me a couple of awesome days with Blaine and Bethany Franger, 2 great friends that i had not seen in a long time and their beautiful baby girl Ellary. Such moments where an incredible blessing to have. The rain in Hilo also meant that the rivers where going strong and i was able to go out on my last day and get some shots of beautiful streams and jungles. looking back on it and having had a little time to process things i will leave it at this.......photographically it was an ok trip but personally and relationally.......it was one of the best trips i have taken by myself, i wish that jen could have been there to share it with me. Mahalo to my buddy Tom for his incredible hospitality and Bruce for our many times we got to go get some grindz. Love you brothers! To Blaine and Bethany for putting me up for a couple of nights and for just hanging out and Blaine for finally being able to go shoot with me. Had a great time with you all, hope to do it again soon. Aloha