San Jose Trip Postponed

Thank you to everyone who offered to put me up while I'm visiting San Jose. No fewer than seven people offered me a place to stay!
Unfortunately, late last Friday the trip was postponed. Indefinitely. Budgets and cost cutting and all that. We'll just have to wait and see what happens next.

In the meantime, perhaps these photos will entertain you...

Giant coral knuckle found at Pine Trees beach (5 miles from my house):

Sand from Kekaha Kai (4 miles from my house)
and Pololu Valley (on the Hamakua Coast):

 

Both sand samples were collected by Megan. Our plan is to collect sand from every beach on the island.

Speaking of collecting coral and sand and other beach souvenirs... I'm told that it's bad juju to remove a rock from the island. It angers Pele. Coral and shells don't carry the same curse - you can remove as many of them as you want. I'm also told that people who DO take rocks to the mainland often find themselves cursed and mail the rocks back, hoping to remove the curse. Those who don't have a friend here address the rocks to the Kona postmaster, who displays a pile of returned rocks at the Post Office.

Aloha y'all!