Taking to the Skies

Over the course of the last year, Clare and I played an elaborate game on our morning taxi ride to work: what could you do with your life if you quit teaching? It perhaps felt elaborate due to the lack of caffeine coupled with the vomit-inducing lane changing by Shanghainese taxi drivers at 6:30am. As the year wore on, our list became increasingly fanciful; even Paul threw in his two cents:

Looking back, I think we were giddy with the prospect of a summer holiday and a little desperate to reconnect with the things that made us more than just our jobs. By the time we made it to the Big Island, our woes felt far away. And then something marvellous happened--I found a fanciful job that feels like a bit of a pipe dream but that people actually do. As I sit here today, I debate the merits of becoming a helicopter pilot!

Not kidding. Seriously not kidding.

Pre-end of school year, Gemma organised a tour of The Big Island's waterfalls and volcanoes with  Paradise Helicopter Tours via Hilo airport. She picked us up bright and early the day of the UK Brexit vote and we made our way to the airport for a safety briefing before setting off in our chopper made for six. Karen was gifted with pride of place in the front whilst Clare, Gemma and I squished in the back next to a very friendly American couple.

Up, up and away we hovered towards Kilauea, the world's most active volcano.  On the way, our pilot pointed out the remaining charred volcanic sediments that almost engulfed the town of Pahoa in 2014. Above us, blue, blue sky:

As we got closer, the terrain became noticeably grey and rocky.

And then, out of the descending mist, a volcano appeared! 

And skylights acting as volcanic vents danced and splashed the lava beneath us:

We circled several times and managed to take several hundred pictures to which I will spare you.

On the way back to the airport, we hovered our way over Rainbow Falls, which sounds much prettier in Hawaiian: Wai‘ānuenue Falls. 

And made a slow descent via Hilo, the rainiest city in America:

45-minutes later, as we landed, I was hooked. To be honest, we all were. I think Gemma wins though:

Flight school's in the offing for these tired teachers: