Conner Gorry: Hi there, Tahoe. Well, seeing as you're used to that crisp, clean mountain air, I can see how the 'vog' would be irritating. And you're right, there's no set schedule on the volcano. Having said that, Kilauea is very active lately and oddly so: Halema'uma'u crater was closed earlier this year when it erupted, shooting rocks and gases into the air. This is the first time there was an eruption at this crater since 1982. The stretch of Crater Rim Dr between the Jaggar Museum and the Chain of Craters Rd is closed as a result of all this activity and the high sulphur dioxide levels. There's not much you can do to protect yourself but to steer clear of the areas with the most sulphuric activity. To learn what part of the volcano is active, the exact levels of SO2 in the air and how to visit the volcano safely, see these helpful websites:

• volcano.wr.usgs.gov: for the last 24 hours' activity on the volcano
• lavainfo.us: current conditions plus a detailed map showing where the current lava flow is entering the sea
• hawaii.gov: shows detailed, dated reports on air quality, including SO2 and particulate levels

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Jackson, Wyo.: Hiya! My girlfriend is a travel nurse & is thinking about going to the Big Island of Hawaii next year. She wants me to come visit her, but after searching for flights, I noticed they are very expensive! I would stay with her in Honolulu for about 3 weeks to a month & would have to fly out of Jackson Hole Wyoming in April. Any thoughts on how to score a low-price flight? Someone told me once that Wednesday morning at about 1am EST is the best time because everything resets. Is there any truth to this statement?

Thanks!
Rose

Conner Gorry: Hi, Rose. From your question, I think you may be making the mistake many of us have made before visiting Hawaii: Honolulu is on the island of Oahu, not the Big Island—two worlds apart! But your question about affordable airfare is oh so valid these days for anywhere in Hawaii, so to it: airlines do reset fares as you mention, but it's hard to work that system when you're talking about a destination like Hawaii, serviced by only a handful of carriers, and a departure point like Jackson Hole, which will require a connection or two (usually Phoenix, Denver and/or LA). I'll assume you've tried sites like Orbitz and SideStep which compare all carriers and prices.

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San Clemente, Calif.: How bad is the "VOG" right now in the Kailua/Kona area of the Big Island? I've heard that two new vents have opened up at Kilauea and the air-quality along the west side is pretty poor.

Conner Gorry: Vog stands for volcanic fog and it's created by the 275 tons of sulfur dioxide pumped out daily from Kilauea when it mixes with water vapor and carbon dioxide. Since the Big Island receives a reliable northeasterly tradewind, when vog levels are up, it tends to hang over the Kona Coast and as far south as Kau. As San Clemente points out, that can make for lousy air quality and you'll hear locals complaining about it.
For current air quality, see the sites recommended to South Lake Tahoe.

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Nashville, Tenn.: When visiting the Big Island of Hawaii, I find the white lava rock graffiti placed on the black lava flows very unattractive, unnatural, and defacing of something I paid to travel many miles hoping to enjoy. Am I the only person who feels that the graffiti destroys the experience? Are there any programs to undo and end this modern tradition?

Conner Gorry: Howdy, Nashville. I see where you're coming from and I personally wouldn't waste my precious vacation time pulled over by the side of the road on a blazing hot lava flow to write CG + JS in coral. But to each his own. But look: there are miles and miles and miles of lava flows without a speck of graffiti—many more flows without graffiti than with, in fact. What you're referring to is only on the North Kona-South Kohala stretch of Hwy 19 (Queen Ka'ahumanu Hwy). For graffiti-free flows, head to the national park, ka'u, or the saddle road. you'll see plenty! As for programs to get rid of the graffiti, I don't know, but I'd say the Big Island has bigger fish to fry including garbage disposal, marine conservation and clean up, invasive species, preserving traditional culture and land use issues.