Hawai'i, Day One

We arrived in Hawaii last night, about 8:30 pm, which is about 1:30 am, Texas time. This means we were traveling for 16 hours, and on 4 airplanes. Yes, it was exhausting. And yes, it was worth it.
Our CouchSurfing(.com) host, Robert, picked us up at the airport in Hilo, and drove us to his house. After a nice meal and some hang out time (complete with dirty jokes and excerpts from the Book of Mormon), we turned in to bed, and with the windows open, I could have sworn we were camping. A light rain, a number of crickets, and noisy Koki frogs, an invasive species from Puerto Rico. There were tons of them, and you could tell by the strength of their calls, from many differing distances. While the sound is nice, apparently they are not welcome here. They threaten a number of bird species, as they share the same diet. Anyway, it was a beautiful way to fall asleep.
Today, Robert took us around the island, and introduced us to a number of beaches and other spots of interest. He is an amazing tour guide, and very hospitable to boot. Turns out he's the couchsurfing king of Hilo, and has hosted over 300 people! Rightfully so. He's awesome.
Anyway, I do wish I could post photos. This place is kind of ridiculously beautiful. Just the amount of vegetation alone is striking. Practically everywhere you look!
For now, though, it's time for a beer and a nap.