Freezing Volcano

Hawaiian Airlines
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We hopped on a plane on Hawaiian Airlines and flew from Honolulu to Hilo. According to plan, we were going to visit Hawaii Volcanos National Park. Right after we got off the plane, at Hilo International Airport, I purchased my first airplane model, a metal (and really heavy) replica of a Hawaiian Airliner aircraft.

It was US$12, and the first thing I heard was "Why would you spend money like that?" from my mom. It's okay, just a little bump during my career interest in aviation.

That person who took it will be cursed until it is returned.

Close up of red lava
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Since we were going to a volcano, I thought it was going to be really hot. As young as I was, I had no idea about the existence of "lapse rate". Lapse rate is defined as the rate of change in temperature observed while moving upwards through the Earth's atmosphere, which is usually 2°C/1000 ft.

As we got out of the van that took us up the volcano, I was freezing. It was probably around 25°C back in the city, but it was below 10°C up there! I could not put on my jacket fast enough.

It was a different world up there. Everything was reddish and brownish. A strong smell of sulphur lingered around in the air. There were even some slow moving lava that could be approached quite closely. Excited by the different environment, I picked up a volcanic rock, wanting to keep it as a souvenir.

A staff from the park approached me and said, "You can keep it if you want. However, it is believed that any volcanic rock that is taken from Hawaii Volcanoes National Park, that person who took it will be cursed until it is returned."

I dropped it like it's hot.