Reviewed by: Elise Wilson
If I could give this more than 5 stars, I would.
My family and I had an absolutely amazing time on this tour - it's a long day, but it's SO worth it. Both of our guides were fantastic; they did an excellent job teaching us about the history and geology of the island while keeping the tour atmosphere casual and fun. They had answers to pretty much every question that was asked, and despite not being Hawaiian natives, they clearly studied extensively about Hawaiian history and cared deeply about Hawaiian culture. The volcano national park was as spectacular as we hoped it would be and the hike out to the lava flow was well worth it.
Some of the highlights of the tour were kind of unexpected. The bakery we visited on the way from Kona was delicious, and walking through Hawaii Volcanoes National Park and learning about the past eruptions was fascinating. The southern area of the island where we had dinner was absolutely incredible. Our guide talked to us about the politics on the island and about the movement for Hawaiian freedom centered in that region. If you take this trip, bring your passport so you can get it stamped! Honestly, the evening portion of this tour was the highlight of our whole vacation - it cast light on aspects of Hawaiian culture we had never thought about and gave us breathtaking views of the ocean and the lava. It was totally amazing in every respect.
Absolutely take this tour if you get a chance!!!
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Packages: | Test Package |
Attended as: | Families |
Posted on: | 2017/06/24 |
Reviewed by: umeco
マウナケアビーチホテルからのピックアップで空港からホテルへ向かう道中に見かけたヘリポートに到着。日本人は私達夫婦だけでした。早口の英語で指示を受けますが、単語が聞き取れればなんとかなります。カメラとペットボトル以外はロッカーに入れて救命胴衣を装着、安全ビデオを見てその時を待ちます。前の時間帯のパーティーを乗せたヘリが戻って来る音でみんな大興奮。前機戻って来てヘリの整備やらでその後結構待ちました。緊張でみんなトイレが近くなるのですが、トイレが男女共用で1つしかないので混雑します。
同じ時間帯の組は20名ほどでした。参加単位と体重で乗る組み合わせを振り分けられ私達はカップル2組と6名で同乗。ヘッドホンと手持ちのマイクで会話します。英語が苦手でも楽しく話しかけてくれるので片言でも大丈夫です。
上昇とともに効果的にBGMが流され、スポット毎に最適なBGMが用意されているのでさらに気分が盛り上がります。
私は三半規管が弱いため上昇してほどなくして気持ちが悪くなってしまい、一番の絶景スポットのマグマへの接近で下を向くことができませんでした。なんとか戻すことはありませんでしたが、ずっとエチケット袋を抱えていました。座席前に刺さっているエチケット袋ですが、身体ががっつりシートベルトで固定されているので小柄な方では手が届きません。私は届かず背の高い主人にジェスチャーで即して取ってもらいましたが、三半規管が弱い方は事前に手元に移動しておいた方がいいと思います。
生憎気持ちが悪くなってしまいましたが、普通では立ち入れない絶景スポットを目近で見られるので、とても貴重な経験が出来たことは間違いありません。
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Packages: | ワイピオ渓谷とキラウエア火山遊覧(コナ、ワイコロア地区プラン) |
Attended as: | Couples |
Posted on: | 2017/06/21 |
Activity Date: | 2017/06/11 |
Reviewed by: The Baker's
It was a very fun way to see the volcano. The pilot made sure everyone could see everything available.
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Packages: | Doors-On Flight [45 mins] |
Attended as: | Couples |
Posted on: | 2017/06/20 |
Activity Date: | 2017/06/13 |
Reviewed by: Lisa
I brought my daughter and granddaughter to visit my parents who live in Hawaii. My parents had never done the helicopter tour and it exceeded our expectations. Our pilot was also a biologist and gave us lots of information about the island. The kids (teenagers) couldn't stop smiling. We had four generations in that helicopter and all of us loved the experience. Highly recommended.
Aloha Lisa, the Circle of Fire is one of the "hottest" tours we have right now! Great to hear that your family was able to experience it and to see what formed the archipelago of the Hawaiian Islands. Hawaii Island is the youngest of all the major islands; we hope you have a chance to visit her older siblings and see what they have to offer from the sky!
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Packages: | A-Star Standard Helicopter - Circle of Fire Flight (45 mins) |
Attended as: | Families |
Posted on: | 2017/06/08 |
Activity Date: | 2017/06/05 |
Reviewed by: Barbara Helms
Tour Guide was great!!!!!! Great Value!
Would suggest that you have passengers switch seats during the tour. Unfortunately we get the back seats and the viewing is not as good as the seats further towards the front. Also it was harder to talk to the guide from back there. Might be nice if halfway thru the tour everyone switch seats.
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Packages: | Grand Circle Island & Volcanoes National Park |
Attended as: | Couples |
Posted on: | 2017/06/06 |
Activity Date: | 2017/05/29 |
Reviewed by: St. Louis family
We had a wonderful time. Our driver, Hugh, was great. He was very nice, friendly, informative and patient. We saw a lot of beautiful things and he watched the time for us. We were with a good group, too. He allowed the proper amount of time at each stop. Tha lunch that was included with our package was great. The view from our table was fantastic and so was the service. Hugh waited patiently with us for one of our passengers to find and retrieve her phone. It was a wonderful day and it exceeded our expectations. We were very happy we chose this tour and would highly recommend it.
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Packages: | Gold Package with Lunch |
Attended as: | Families |
Posted on: | 2017/06/04 |
Activity Date: | 2017/05/30 |
Reviewed by: ジュリアン
お天気が心配でしたが、飛び立つ頃には晴れと曇り。最初のオリエンテ―ションは、早口の英語で、ついていくのが難しかったですが、要領だけは何とかわかりました。曇りと、時々霧?の中を海岸線に沿って進みました。ところどころに岩の割れ目から見える、溶岩にびっくりと興奮。火口からは溶岩が赤く燃えているのが分かり蒸気もあり、、良く見えるようにと、何度もパイロットが旋回してくれました。英語もまあまあわかりました。天気がよかったら、もっと良かったのかはわかりませんが、午前中は、天候が悪くツアー自体がキャンセルだったようなので、予約しているものにとっては、ラッキーでした。四人乗りのヘリでしたが、家族三人だけだったのも良かったです。もう一台は二組のカップルが乗っていたのですが、狭かったようです。でも乗り込む前は、他人のような雰囲気だったのに、降りてきたら硬い握手をしていたので、同じ体験したもの同士のつながりのようなものも感じました。
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Packages: | キラウエア火山と壮大な自然/扉なしヘリ遊覧(2017年12月14日までのご参加) |
Attended as: | Families |
Posted on: | 2017/05/27 |
Activity Date: | 2017/05/22 |
Reviewed by: Lianne & Ron
We had an awesome tour with Lee, passionate how Lee tells about the history of the vulcano. Private tours are much better then a group one in this case is my opinion. It's well worth spending money for a private VIP tour and Lee is the person for it, mahalo and aloha from the Netherlands
Aloha Lianne and Ron! It was an absolute pleasure to serve you both and we are truly happy that you enjoyed our tour and services. Mahalo from the Big Island and have a wonderful rest of your summer! Wild Orchid Tours
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Packages: | 6-Hour Private Van (8 to 14 passengers) |
Attended as: | Couples |
Posted on: | 2017/05/27 |
Activity Date: | 2017/05/19 |
Reviewed by: Bill
We had an exceptional time. Our tour guide was well versed on all the sites we visited. He interacted with our family and made the tour very informative as well as fun. Would definitely recommend.
Aloha Bill and family! Mahalo for your comment and review. We are a family business and therefore have a natural appreciation for other families, thank you for trusting our services. We are so pleased that your family had fun - it was simply a lovely pleasure to welcome you to the Big Island. All the very best, Mahalo nui loa
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Packages: | 6-Hour Private Van (8 to 14 passengers) |
Attended as: | Families with Young Children |
Posted on: | 2017/05/26 |
Activity Date: | 2017/05/23 |
Reviewed by: Marg from Australia
We travelled from Australia with our friends and took a helicopter tour of the volcano. The trip was amazing !! The pilot was informative and very knowledgeable. He had some great jokes and made us feel very safe. I would really recommend this trip to anyone.
Aloha Marg, Thank you for making the long trip out to visit Hawaii! So great to hear that you had such a memorable experience. Great selfie by the way!
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Packages: | A-Star Standard Helicopter - Circle of Fire Flight (45 mins) |
Attended as: | Couples |
Posted on: | 2017/05/22 |
Activity Date: | 2017/05/18 |
Reviewed by: Megan
The ride was amazing. Very smooth and some excellent views of lava. Joyce, my pilot was very informative. I highly recommend this! Door off was really worth it!
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Packages: | Doors-On Flight [45 mins] |
Attended as: | Couples |
Posted on: | 2017/05/22 |
Activity Date: | 2017/05/19 |
Reviewed by: Karl Bement
Low clouds, poor visability, the tours we have taken in Maui and Honolulu were much better there se szw more waterfalls and coast line
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Packages: | Standard Flight [50 mins] |
Attended as: | Couples |
Posted on: | 2017/05/21 |
Activity Date: | 2017/05/17 |
Reviewed by: yuma
火山の様子やマグマの海への流出、
ヒロの町並み、渓谷内の滝が流れる様子、
とにかくハワイ島の雄大さを感じることができるスペシャルな体験です。
お金じゃ買えない経験です。お勧めします!!
なお、日本語パイロットではなかったですが、
単語でなんとなく言っていることは分かりました。
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Packages: | ワイピオ渓谷とキラウエア火山遊覧(コナ、ワイコロア地区プラン) |
Attended as: | Couples |
Posted on: | 2017/05/04 |
Activity Date: | 2017/04/09 |
Reviewed by: J McQuitty
Was a wonderful tour and would advise others to do this!
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Packages: | Doors-On Flight [45 mins] |
Attended as: | Families |
Posted on: | 2017/04/30 |
Activity Date: | 2017/04/25 |
Reviewed by: Lilly
We had kind of an unusual situation, as our hike down to the lava in the afternoon was canceled due to the directions of the winds, which were blowing toxic VOG inland. Instead, we ended up going to the crater for the second time that day, which actually turned out to be pretty cool, as the lava level had risen quite high.
Our AM guide was Angelique, who was really sweet and had a great deal of information about the flora/fauna in the area as well as having some really fun stories about Captain Cook and various other historical figures. She's clearly done her homework!
Campbell was our PM guide, and he's quite a character. He had a lot of great information to share about the various eruptions that have happened on the island and took us to a few places to see old lava flows. He's pretty new to the island and the tour, though, and it does sometimes show. I'd say, after he gets a little more experience under his belt, he'll be great. He's done quite a bit of research on his own, so he did have some good information debunking some common misconceptions on the origin of various species on the island.
We were pretty disappointed that our hike out to see the lava flow was canceled, but the owner was really great to work with, and let us jump into the hike the following day so we got to see it anyway! For that trip, Shawn was our guide, and he's a very experienced guide and seems to know every single person on the island, and shared some fun local trivia with us :). Sadly, the lava wasn't flowing as strongly as it had been in previous weeks so we saw more spurts than flows, but it was still REALLY cool.
The hike down wasn't as strenuous as I was expecting, they've actually bulldozed the road so it's more like a gravel road than hiking across lava as I was (for some reason) expecting, and there weren't any inclines/declines. They are able to park further into the park than the public, though, the hike was cut down to a 3 mile hike round trip.
Aloha Lilly, We were glad that we were able to accommodate you on a second night. That was the first time that Hawaii Civil Defense blocked the lava viewing area since we have been hiking out via this shorter distance and it was a disappointment, but unfortunately, we can argue with the big guys. :) It is a major safety issue if the south winds are blowing strongly enough to have the SO2 gasses go directly into guests faces.We are glad that you enjoyed the overall experience and we hope that you will be able to visit the islands once again! Thank you for taking the time to write a lovely review and we will be sure to pass on your kind words to our guides. Mahalo!!
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Packages: | From Hilo - delete |
Attended as: | Couples |
Posted on: | 2017/04/25 |
Activity Date: | 2017/04/20 |
Reviewed by: KELLY
Had an excellent tour guide named Marco, very fun and professional
My boyfriend got a little quizzy, but I highly recommend doing the 2hrs helicopter ride
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Packages: | Big Island Spectacular [Eco-Star] |
Attended as: | Couples |
Posted on: | 2017/04/15 |
Activity Date: | 2017/04/11 |
Reviewed by: Curtis & Laura
Pilot was an excellent "stick" and well informed. Catered to our ooohh and ahhhhs. One of best experiences ever.
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Packages: | Circle of Fire [Eco-Star] |
Attended as: | Couples |
Posted on: | 2017/04/13 |
Activity Date: | 2017/04/07 |
Reviewed by: Lori
Really great flight with amazing views of the volcano. Coleen was a superb pilot and great guide. We got some terrific views of the caldera and where the flow meets the sea. Well worth the money- a once in a lifetime experience.
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Packages: | Circle of Fire [A-Star] |
Attended as: | Families |
Posted on: | 2017/04/09 |
Activity Date: | 2017/04/05 |
Reviewed by: mcavalheiro
This was by far the coolest thing I ever done in my life. Nothing compares to see an active volcano and watch the power of creation right before you eyes.
Excellent service from start to finish. The vehicles are clean and comfortable. The food was substantial for the duration of the tour. For lunch we had an nice picnic lunch at Volcanoes National Park with delicious deli-sandwiches. For dinner we stopped at a local restaurant in Pahoa town with good options for everyone. Inside the van they also carry a cooler and a basket full of snacks and drinks.
The guides were professionals, punctual, courteous and knowledgeable.
Amanda did a wonderful job of blending geography, history and culture. We learned about the flora and fauna native to the area, as well as plants and animals brought to the island. We also learned about the past and recent eruptions.
Inside the Volcanoes National Park we visited Jagger museum and Halema’uma’u Crater. We also had fun seeing the steam vents. The Iki Crater Trail is a nice and easy hike through the rainforest and after that we walked through Thurston Lava Tube.
After leaving the park we drove by Pahoa Town and I was very impressed to see how close the lava flow got to this little town in 2015 / 2016. We had dinner and then we drove to Kalapana for the best part of the day.
Nui Pohaku offers the shortest hike to the viewing point where the lava is flowing to the ocean. it was an easy 30 to 40 min walk until the end of the trail. Walking right next to the lava fields was an amazing experience and witness the explosive power of the volcano pouring lava to the ocean was unbelievable.
As the sun sets the colors change and you see the eruption getting crazy bright shades of orange, red and yellow. Once the sun is down they give you flashlights to help the hike back tot he car and we were blessed with an awesome stargazing.
Everything was as promised...and better!
Aloha! What a lovely review - thank you so much!! We appreciate the time you took to write it and turn it in! Thank you for noticing the details :) Our slogan at the office is "Excellence is in the Details" and that is what we strive to do at all times in the way of food, customer service, training, etc. I will be sure to pass on your kind words to the team! Your pictures are incredible and I would love to use some on our site with your permission. You can let me know at romeo@nuipohaku.com. We hope that you come visit us again some day!! Mahalo!
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Packages: | Test Package |
Attended as: | Solo Travelers |
Posted on: | 2017/04/06 |
Reviewed by: ホリゾウ
最高の1時間ありがとうございました。
前日にヘリの手配で連絡が来た時はオーシャンエントリーへ行くため一生懸命自転車をこいでいて気づきませんでした。メールにて確認も取れ念願のドアなしヘリでの予約も取れました。当日は外人パイロットでの英語説明でしたがわからないなりに聞き溶岩の流れ・昨日自転車をこいだ道・オーシャンエントリーの空の上から見る事ができました。ヘリに乗るのも初めてでしたが、すぐ横にあるドアのないヘリに乗るのも今後ここに来るほかは無いかと思いました。貴重な体験感謝です。次回オプションを計画する時には相談させてください。ありがとうございました。
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Packages: | キラウエア火山と壮大な自然/扉なしヘリ遊覧(2017年12月14日までのご参加) |
Attended as: | Couples |
Posted on: | 2017/03/24 |
Activity Date: | 2017/03/21 |
Reviewed by: Jack
Nick and Misty did a great job interacting with the group and went out of their way to make sure everyone was comfortable with the tour and the information. Our day was 12 hours long and was very enjoyable from the time we were picked up at our hotel till late in the evening. The volcano lava viewing in the evening was amazing!
Aloha! Mahalo for joining us on our Deluxe Volcano Experience. We are delighted to hear that you had such a great day with Nick and Misty, and stayed comfortable throughout your 12 hours on tour. We love being able to show Halema'uma'u Crater both day and night to our guests, and are so happy to hear that you enjoyed the amazing lava viewing after dinner. Mahalo for your wonderful recommendation and we hope to see you on your next visit to the Big Island!
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Packages: | Deluxe Volcano & Stargazing Tour |
Attended as: | Couples |
Posted on: | 2017/03/03 |
Activity Date: | 2017/02/24 |
Reviewed by: Jan B
Loved the trip. Our driver Chris was very knowledgable and funny. Food was great and time allotted for each site was perfect. I would highly recommend this tour.
Aloha! Mahalo for joining us on our Deluxe Volcano Experience. We are delighted to hear that you had such a great day with Chris and enjoyed all of the sites and treats along the way. He really keeps the day moving at a fun pace, and loves sharing his abundance of knowledge! Mahalo for your wonderful recommendation and we hope to see you on your next visit to the Big Island!
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Packages: | Deluxe Volcano & Stargazing Tour |
Attended as: | Solo Travelers |
Posted on: | 2017/02/19 |
Activity Date: | 2017/02/07 |
Reviewed by: Duane
Hard to beat the pictures you can get from the air on this trip.
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Packages: | Circle of Fire [A-Star] |
Attended as: | Families |
Posted on: | 2017/02/19 |
Activity Date: | 2017/02/14 |
Reviewed by: Jack
I am always Leary of organized tours but this one was an exception. Our guide Nick was exceptional. He went out of his way to make sure we were comfortable, and well taken care of. He has done his homework and knows the history and the island well, showing us a lot of extra things along the way such as plants, historical notes etc. it was a long day but we enjoyed every minute and would recommend to anyone.
Aloha! Mahalo for joining us on our Deluxe Volcano Experience. We are so happy to hear that you had such an outstanding day with Nick and learned about some new things along the way! He is a wonderfully knowledgeable guide who genuinely loves sharing the day with our guests. Mahalo for your wonderful recommendation and we hope to see you on your next visit to the Big Island!
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Packages: | Deluxe Volcano & Stargazing Tour |
Attended as: | Families |
Posted on: | 2017/02/11 |
Activity Date: | 2017/02/07 |
Reviewed by: Stephanie
Best guided tour by far. Very professional-able to anticipate your needs and provided things you didn't even know you needed. Chris- the owner, and our guide for the night- was fantastic. His enthusiasm was contagious. Great company, great tour. Do it!
Aloha! Mahalo for joining us on our Deluxe Volcano Experience. We are delighted to hear that you had such a fantastic time with Chris. He truly is such a passionate guide who always seems to have everything ready at just the right times throughout the day. Mahalo for your wonderful recommendation and we hope to see you on your next visit to the Big Island!
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Packages: | Deluxe Volcano & Stargazing Tour |
Attended as: | Solo Travelers |
Posted on: | 2017/02/10 |
Activity Date: | 2017/02/07 |
Reviewed by: Darcy S
My husband and I loved the doors off heli ride over the Kilauea volcano lava flow! Would highly recommend it!
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Packages: | Popular! Shared Doors-Off Flight [40 mins] |
Attended as: | Couples |
Posted on: | 2017/02/08 |
Activity Date: | 2017/01/31 |
Reviewed by: じゅの
仮予約のまま出発日ぎりぎりになってしまい一度キャンセルをしましたが、その後ツアーが催行されると連絡があったので改めて申し込みをしました。ツアーに行ってみると、アメリカ人夫婦、デンマーク人夫婦、私たち夫婦なので催行がぎりぎりに決まる理由がなんとなくわかりました。
当日は集合場所を間違えてしまい、ベルトラさんにはご迷惑をかけてしまいましたが、公園に向かう途中のバンとトレーラーを見つけて何とか合流することができました。
最初から自転車なのかな?と思ってましたが、ジャガーミュージアムまでみんなでバンで移動し、そこから出発地点まで歩いていき自転車スタートです。
普段はママチャリしか乗らない私でもギアの変速だけ確認すれば、何とかみんなと一緒に行動できることができました。途中、いくつかのスポットで英語のガイドがあり、前知識がなくても十分楽しむことができました。
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Packages: | 【現在催行停止】1日<現地集合>プラン |
Attended as: | Couples |
Posted on: | 2017/02/07 |
Activity Date: | 2017/02/01 |
Reviewed by: Morichan
広々としたハワイ島全体の景色や溶岩が見える火山口や滝が流れる渓谷のほか、泳ぐクジラも見れてよかったです
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Packages: | ワイピオ渓谷とキラウエア火山遊覧(コナ、ワイコロア地区プラン) |
Attended as: | Couples |
Posted on: | 2017/02/05 |
Activity Date: | 2016/02/06 |
Reviewed by: Bob Gordon
Lee was a fantastic guide. Would highly recommend him.
Rating: | |
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Packages: | 6-Hour Private Van (8 to 14 passengers) |
Attended as: | Couples |
Posted on: | 2017/01/27 |
Activity Date: | 2017/01/24 |
Reviewed by: Jamie
We are so happy we chose this helicopter tour. We got close for pictures and selfies and our pilot was entertaining!
Rating: | |
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Packages: | Circle of Fire [A-Star] |
Attended as: | Couples |
Posted on: | 2017/01/26 |
Activity Date: | 2017/01/20 |
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Aloha, Thank you so much for writing such a wonderful review! We so very much appreciate your time and we are delighted that you enjoyed our tour! We realize that it is a bit of a long day, but it is a big island and we want to show you both sides of the volcano!! The National Park and the hike out to the lava on the back side of the volcano. They are both so unique and worth the time! I will be sure to pass on your kind words to our team (and yes, they all study a lot to be a part of our team:)) and I know they will appreciate your comments. We hope to see you again someday!! Mahalo!