The highlight of our stay on the Big Island was the dormant volcano Mauna Kea. We began the long drive up the mountain early in the day, stopping to acclimatize to the sudden elevation change. Traveling from 0 to 14,000 feet above sea-level in one day was a unique experience, as was going from the warmth of the palm tree-covered beaches to the bone-chilling cold of Mauna Kea’s barren, crater-dotted summit. The numbness in our fingertips and the chattering of our teeth was trumped by our awe as the sun set on a sea of clouds. It felt like we were standing on the edge of the earth. After the sun set, we viewed the star-filled sky, basking in the serenity of the cold night as the Milky Way and coveted constellations stared down at us from the heavens.