Friday Fotos — Big Island along the Mamalaloa Highway

The day we drove to Kona, we took the Mamalaloa Highway. Traveling south on the highway takes you inland from the Big Island’s Upcountry all the way to Kailua-Kona. This particular day, we had gorgeous blue skies.

We were amazed by how brown the grasses were on an island known for its lushness. They’d been having a drought in the area, so everything was dry. To someone coming from Southern California, brown was normal, though disappointing. Still, there was an overwhelming amount of green in many places, just not on this drive.

Here we see Mauna Kea in the distance, which is an awe-inspiring site. We also saw how quickly even someplace as lush as Hawai‘i can turn dry. There was much more to see along the highway, including the lava flows which reigned devastation for miles. For now, though, here’s a chance to enjoy a bit of Big Island Upcountry and the ever-glorious Mauna Kea.