Road to Hana - Maui

In researching our recent trip to Maui, I learned that another of the MUST DO's along with experiencing a sunset atop Haleakala crater was driving the Road to Hana.  They say this 50 mile drive on Hwy. 36 takes about 3 hours from Lahaina, but no, it's an all day drive....and you love every second of it.

Take my advice....rent a convertible. Trust me on this.  A view through a window won't cut it. 

The purpose of this trip is not to get to Hana...you won't even know you pass through Hana it's so tiny....it's the journey. This is a true "stop and smell the flowers" kind of experience.

For this adventure, we purchased the GyPSy app for my iPhone, plugged it into the car radio and we had a wonderful guided tour.  Lots of little factoids, where to stop for great pictures, even where to take potty breaks.  Stay tuned for further warnings advice from our GyPSy guide.  I highly recommend this app.

But back to the Road to Hana.  It's a 52 mile road with 59 bridges (46 of them are one lane) and roughly 620 curves....through gorgeous rainforests, plunging waterfalls, crystal clear pools and seascapes that pictures can't even begin to do justice.

One of the highlights for me was seeing the Rainbow Eucalyptus trees along the roadside, and at Ke'anae Arboretum. It's as though someone painstakingly painted the smooth bark of each huge tree with true artist's strokes.  I could spend a lifetime curled up under those trees with a good book.

Don't you love this?  A true work of art.

I could've spent an entire day at Wai'anapanapa State Park exploring the caves, sea arches and blowhole.

...and the black sand beach

The official trip ends at the Pools of Oheo, about 10 miles past Hana.

....and this is where you're advised....strongly....by the rental car company, even by the GyPsy guide, to turn around and head back from whence you came.  The other choice is to go around the "Back Side of the Road to Hana"....where portions of the road are ungraded and/or unpaved.  So we sat there...at the proverbial fork in the road...do we follow GyPsy guide's STRONG urging ("your guidance will cease if you turn left") or do we go rogue......

You KNOW what we did...we turned left....and OH MY GOD....we saw some of the most beautiful sights of our trip.  Don't get me wrong, the blind curves and guardrail free, fall off the side of a mountain, roads gave me plenty of OH *&%# moments, but it was sooooo worth it.

Since our GyPSy guidance ended at this point...along with our cell phone service and all communication with mankind....I'll also shut up and let you just enjoy the views...

We interrupt this peaceful drive to bring you....cows....because like it's not stressful enough to have a white knuckle, "Please God don't let us drive off the cliff" kind of afternoon, let's throw cows roaming across the road into the mix.  Uh huh.

....back to peaceful

So if you're ever in Maui, add the Road to Hana to your list....and while I am not advising anyone to break rules, rental car contracts, clean underwear or anything of the sort, sometimes the road less traveled really does bring the greatest reward.

Aloha

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Haleakala Sunset - Maui

While I was away from blogland, one of the trips we took was to Maui this past April.  Now this post may bore some of you, but I'm doing it anyway. You see, I'm a neurotic trip planner.  While we were planning this trip, I did a million few google searches on things to do and see.  

So this post is for fellow "thorough" trip planners like myself who may be googling as we speak.  Glad to be of service.

One of the MUST SEE things on Maui is experiencing sunrise atop Haleakala volcano which forms 75% of the island.  The summit looks down into a massive depression 7 miles across, 2 miles wide and 2600 ft. deep. 

So, sunrise atop Haleakala was our plan....until we realized that we'd have to wake up at 2:30 a.m. and make the drive.  After still more google searches, we decided sunset HAD to look pretty cool too...right? I mean, other than that little east/west thing, how different could it be?

We made the 2 hour trip to the top of the summit.  In just a few hours, we went from a sunny 85 degrees on the beach, to cool rain on the drive up, to crisp 30's high above the clouds.  Luckily, thanks to my OCD thorough google searches...see I told you....we were prepared and had warm clothes...shout out...Who Dats representing in Maui. 

Haleakala's summit is 10,023 feet.  At this altitude there is no greenery, only these beautiful Silverswords.  Sadly, digging them up and packing them in your luggage is seriously frowned upon.

Let me tell you something else....when you basically live a zillion feet below sea level (I mean, people from New Orleans are almost amphibious...seriously) trying to climb rocks at 10,000+ altitude is HARD.  Our legs felt like lead and we could NOT breathe.  That's my PSA to all of you....go slow.  Now is not the time to go running, trying to beat your husband to the top....ask me how I know?

Anyway, we bundled up, struggled to breathe and waited for the show...it did not disappoint.  I can't even begin to put this experience into words....just....WOW!!!

and then the sun disappeared slowly into the clouds

 

The plus to going at sunset, aside from not having to get up BEFORE the butt crack of dawn, is once the sun makes its exit, you can watch the stars come out....and boy do they come out.  We opened up the top on our rental convertible, cranked up the heater, reclined our seats and watched as the sky lit up.  We even saw the Milky Way belt, which for my Star Wars/SciFi geek husband was a bucket list kind of thing. 

So, if you ever find yourself in Maui....and I sincerely hope you do....Haleakala is a must do.  If you're a sunrise kind of person, God bless you, but if sunset is more your speed, don't feel like you cheated yourself, not even one little bit.  As I previously said...and quite eloquently I might add...WOW!!!

Mahalo

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Welcome!

Welcome to my first blog post!  In the spirit of true rambling, my sweet hubby, Steve (also known as The Professor because he can fix anything and has a head full of knowledge that has just seemingly appeared through osmosis) and I just returned from a quick get away to Ft. Walton Beach for our 26th anniversary.  We had a wonderful time, and as usual, he almost had to drag me from the beach.  I'm already plotting our return.  A picture tells a thousand words, so....

The view from our balcony

Steve relaxing on the beach.  This was actually the first time we've ever gone to the beach in the fall, and I must say it was wonderful...cooler temps, lower crowds.

Having a glass of vino, on the beach, watching the sunset with your honey. 

Does it get any better???

As the sun sets on our first day

Now that's a good husband.  Going out to set up our little slice of paradise.

This little guy was sunning on the sand next to me

Enjoying a pre-dinner Flirtini at Marina Cafe (if you ever find yourself in the

Ft. Walton/Destin area, you MUST eat here...fabulous)http://www.destinchops30a.com/marinacafe.html

...and since some of you have asked, according to Marina Cafe, a Marina Flirtini consists of Raspberry Vodka & Cointreau,

Pineapple & Cranberry Juices topped with Champagne. 

And while I'm at it, boy can you tell that I'm much more dilligent about putting sunscreen on my face than elsewhere. 

Yikes, I look like a ghost in that picture...I'm blaming the flash.

Woke up early to catch the sunrise on our last day

Caught the gulls doing their morning grooming

Okay, I don't know what kind of bird this was, but he was a big guy judging

from this print.  That's my footprint beside his, and I wear a size 9 shoe!

Until next time....