The Berry's

My introduction to the Berry's was when we left them on the bus on our way to Hilo. Despite repeated calls of their name and someone directly asking them if they were going on the "Hilo Volcano Tour" they still managed to get stuck on the bus. The tour guide flagged them down and explained to them that they needed to stay with the group.

"No one said anything about volcanoes, I thought we were going to tour a nut factory" said Mrs. Berry. "I wore my good shoes. Excuse me! This says that we'll be going near lava, I'm wearing my good shoes. This can't be right. Are we going on a nut house tour. "

"Quiet dear. Hello. We're the Berry's, I'm Ken and this is Olive," explained Mr. Berry.

"You don't want to be on a tour with us, there are always disasters."

"Like being left on the bus?" asked Liz.

"No, real disasters."

"Liz, let's go get breakfast. Bye!" and I grabbed Liz's arm and steered her away at a rapid pace.

I had never met two more typical British people in my whole life and for some reason I was mezmerized by them. Mrs. Berry never stopped talking and Mr. Berry just has a very interesting face. Liz, my conference buddy, and I spent the whole time either straining to understand them (they're from Jersey) or trying to distance ourselves. Even though our tour was very safe and controlled somehow or another they managed to get lost around every turn, lose everything they brought, step over the well marked boundaries and into the unsafe parts of the lava field, and miss all three meal times resulting in an scramble for food on the top of volcanoes.

I still don't know why I found them so funny, maybe it was the fact that I couldn't understand them or perhaps it was what typical British pensioners they were. I don't know but I offer you this little photo homage in an attempt to explain myself.



This was right after they managed to get lost in a tunnel and were very happy to see one another.



Mrs. Berry getting too close to the steam and ruining her hair.



Mr. Berry trying to figure out where the steam was coming from (think water + volcano Ken).



Mr. Berry warning us about the "tornado". Mrs. Berry was mumbling something about how tornadoes always hit when they are around.



Mr. Berry listening intently as the Park Service ranger explained the water spout.



Here's what a water spout looks like- FYI.



This is the face that most of us were wearing while trying to both understand and make sense of what Mr. Berry was saying.