No trip to the Big Island of Hawaii would be complete without a visit to Volcano National Park. But I recommend a twist to your visit - consider a night hike!

This will surely delight you with an awe-inspiring experience. Drive along the "Chain of Craters" Road until you can drive no further. The road ends where the lava flowed over it. This is where you can begin your hike. Bring a flashlight and wear sturdy shoes as there are NO PATHS - only vast lava fields - much of which is NOT smooth and require extensive negotiation, superb vision and solid hiking skills.

Be patient and ENJOY this hike at a leisurely pace. A word of caution: If you get hurt here, access to or nearby medical assistance is close to zilch - any spills over the lava rocks, I guarantee will draw blood, at the very least! ...and let's not talk about the worst that could happen... To be on the safe side, bring an offering to Madame Pele (Volcano Goddess) in the form of whiskey, rum and flowers and humbly request for her protection. And DO NOT take any rocks with you as you leave the home of Pele!

I recommend a clear night for your adventure (minimal vog - what the locals refer to as volcano fog). To make it even more special, go when the moon is full!

I like to guide my hike toward the orange glow of the lava -the firey magma that continues to birth new real estate. You can see it from afar! It's quite a hike to get there. Keep yourself oriented w/ a compass. I usually try to note the direction of the ocean, but you can easily get disoriented in the pitch dark of the night against miles of lava fields - so only go as far as you are comfortable without feeling completely disoriented. For me, that isn't too far.

Park Rangers will discourage you from going all the way, but will not stop you should you decide to be adventurous.

Here's what I like to do - once I get a sense of the fact that I may be going so far that I won't know the way to get back (that flirty sense just before panick)...that's when I stop. But the excitement doesn't have to end there.

Take a solemn moment to say a prayer of gratitude to Madame Pele. Only the hand of an amazing Spirit...God could create THIS! I usually bring some fresh flowers and whiskey and I make a humble offering. Then I always ask for permission to admire her creation.

After fullfilling my devotion to the "other world," I comfortably lounge on a smooth surface - believe me, there are some amongst the rocky protrusions! Some formations even whimsically take the shape of chaise lounges, beckoning you. How could anyone resist? If you can completely go horizontal, that's even better. This is where packing a towel would come handy.

Get ready for the most surreal experience - open your eyes and your soul and take it all in. Experience your heart as it takes flight. How can your inner spirit not soar!

The black velvety sky above you will frame a gazillion stars! Seek out your favorite constellations. As you do so, you will be thrilled at the number of shooting stars you'll see! The scene is so captivating you will be enraptured in a heady spell. You are that close to heaven!

Then, you'll take note of a misty white cloud that's suspended from one end of the sky to the other - like a rainbow that carries twinkling stars within it. Behold - that's the Milky Way!

The Hawaiian Islands are the most isolated land mass in the world. Coupled with the fact that there is minimal illumination coming from the Big Island, that lends itself to an unobstructed and amazingly clear view of stellar activity and the universe that abounds beyond - as can be seen and experienced NO WHERE else in the world!

Enjoy your journey to a place that lies between heaven and earth! Or perhaps, you'll find this IS heaven!