sorry i left you to die. bygones.
On our last day in Hawaii we hiked up Diamondhead crater, which is an extinct volcano just outside Honolulu. You drive into the middle of the crater and then hike up to the top, climbing around 570 feet in just under a mile. It's a big tourist attraction because of the view from the top, but it's maybe a bit more difficult than your typical tourist is expecting, which explains the numerous warning signs in the parking lot.
So I was huffing my way towards the top, almost there, and there's a flight of 99 concrete stairs. No shade, mid 80's, it sucks, I'm hating life, and then sitting near the top of the stairs there's a woman in her 40's sitting down looking very unhappy with the situation. She's staring at her shoes, possibly considering vomiting, and I briefly wonder if I should ask her if she's OK. But she's got a half-full bottle of water in her hand, and at the top of the stairs (in the shade,) there are a cluster of people who might be her friends, so I just keep walking.
At the top of the crater, we're enjoying the view, and there are some sirens down on the crater floor. Sure enough, when we get back down to the woman, her “friends” are with her, and there's vomit on the steps, and one guy is on the phone with 911 giving directions. And further down there are three paramedics huffing their way up carrying packs and a stretcher.
By the time we get back to the crater floor, there's a Honolulu Fire Department helicopter hovering over the peak, and 5 minutes later the woman was in the ambulance parked next to the car.