Another Day, Another Island

Today was a slow day, and unfortunately far from the most fun to report on, so I expect this narrative to be more brief than the others. Exhausted from the Luau, we slept in later than we had all trip. Around 8:30 we started moving, and unfortunately had to set ourselves right into packing. We’d saved our leftovers from the Kihei Caffe earlier in the week for just this occasion. Sadly, we had no folks. I took a trip down to the waterfront – for some souvenir sand – and forks from one of the poolside bars. Returning to the room, we were impressed at how well the leftovers had held up and felt good about this aspect of our planning.

Through the next hour we finished packing up the room and headed downstairs to check out. We had our final parting views of the Grand Wailea and its oceanfront property. It treated us well and we were sorry to go (though also excited about new adventures). Check-out went smoothly and we hopped in our car and returned to the airport.

The drive and the airport were both unexciting – which is exactly what you want from those. We arrived at our gate without hassle, but then had to wait about 90 minutes to board our flight. It was a short flight, about 45 minutes, and it too went smoothly. Our first real excitement from the day came when approaching Kaua’i. The island was green and stunning. We flew in around the side of the Nā Pali Coast State Wilderness Park. The waves crashed beautifully into its sands and rocky base. The hills rose quickly into jagged mountains with ravines. Everything was so lush and green – it was impossible to not be excited about staying on an island that looked like this.

Before long we landed, and getting our bags and rental car went smoothly. We hit the road and headed, around the coast, to the northern part of the island. The drive was about 45 minutes to our hotel and wound around the coast of the island. The beaches continued to be stunning, and sometimes the road cut inland towards the sharp, green peaks. It was entertaining, to learn along the drive, that chickens and roosters are everywhere! They are even considered a pest by some here. They’re in the road, swarming picnic areas, hanging out by buildings. Everywhere!

Arriving at our hotel was the most harrowing part of the day. Confused by some of the names we’d received and had, we headed to the Princeville Resort. This was not correct. So after a few chaotic minutes we learned that we were actually at the Westin Princeville. Fortunately this was just a few minutes back up the road. Check-in was smooth and our room was great! The Westin is less a typical hotel and more a collection of condos or villas. Our room provides us with access to laundry and a kitchen, so we hope to do some shopping tomorrow and more cooking this week. Our room itself has a wonderful view north across a golf course and into the endless blue of the ocean.

By the time we were checked in it was about 4:30 and we were exhausted. Not sure what to do for the evening or for food, we explored the hotel options and ended up at the poolside bar for a drink and a snack. Archer had a "Bite the Bulleit" and I had a Tai Chi, a blend of 3 different rums on ice. Together we shared an order of Parmesan truffle fries and they were surprisingly tasty! After this, and having seen the on-site dining options, we agreed to head into town and see what we’d find. In this case “town” was not that far and still felt primarily like a tourist hub, but we found a small place and ordered some Thai takeout. We returned home and sat outside on our porch, overlooking the ocean to eat dinner. It was quiet, and nice, and far more “low key” than any other evening this trip. It was nice to slow down for a day, but we’re excited to do some more exciting things in the coming days.

Loving the Luau

From early in the morning, this was easily the cloudiest day of our trip so far. We were frequently worried about rain interfering with our afternoon/evening plans, but we were fortunate that nothing became of our concerns. Waking up around 7:00, I decided to 

go for another run. I headed out of the hotel – passed their own set-up for a luau – and to the beach path I ran the other day. Having previously only made it so far south as the Grand Wailea, I decided to continue south and see the rest of the path. The scenery quickly changed as the coast ceased to be primarily sandy beaches. Instead, the path rose a little in elevation and the coast became a short, rocky cliff. Without a doubt, still a beautiful run but the wind was stronger, and the waves crashed louder. The path continued a ways until it reached the Polo Beach Park. Here, the path cut inland to a parking lot and was clearly complete. So, I turned around and headed back – passed the Grand Wailea – and to the northern end of the path that I’d run previously. I continued to where the path ended into the beaches, and then turned around again to return to the hotel. I believe the route was about 3-4 miles in full.

Back at the hotel I rejoined Archer and we headed out to find some breakfast. In the mood for something simple and quick, we walked back to the “Shops at Wailea”. Here we found a small supermarket that had a coffee/breakfast counter. We each grabbed a coffee and chocolate croissant and headed outside to eat on some benches.

Following breakfast we returned to the room and sat on the balcony for a bit of a quiet-time. We each had some personal “work” to deal with. I had fallen behind on my journaling so needed the time to write-up both previous days. Archer dealt with some information gathering/consolidating regarding out coming move to Kaua'i and then enjoyed some reading in the sun.

By the time we were finished with everything, it was just about noon and it was long passed time we head to the water. To start our aquatic adventures, we headed down to the beach and the ocean, a part of the Grand Wailea that we had not enjoyed yet. Unsurprisingly, the beach was pristine. The sand was warm and soft and there was barely a rock or shell to be found in the water. It was easy to wade out into the warm water and splash around, or to float and swim in the gentle tides. We lounged in the salty water for about an hour before heading in to the activity pools to enjoy some of the slides.

We began our day at the top of the water-slide system with the “Lava Tube”. Upon arriving at the bottom, we were at the entrance to the water elevator with a relatively short line, so we decided to wait and give it a try. It was still a long wait – in all likelihood it was not worth it. However, when it was finally our turn we loaded up and began the ascent. I had the misfortune of needing to sit in the pouring waterfall as we waited for it to begin, but once we began heading up it rotated so everyone got to enjoy it! Overall the elevator seemed like a silly thing, but we got a short history lesson and learned that the original owner had a paralyzed child and this allowed access to the upper pools from the lower. That was cool.

After some time in the pools (now about 2:30), we returned to our room for a quick 

shower to rinse and change for some outings and evening plans. We returned to the beach path and headed south towards the Fairmont Hotel, specifically Ko Restaurant. This was another happy hour that was recommended to us. Unfortunately, the “bourbon” drink that we’d been urged to try was not on the menu so we had to decline. Together we ordered a Mai Tai, a Lava Flow, Oishii (translating to “very good”) Sushi, and a Kalua Pork Flatbread. The sushi was, as advertised, very good while the flatbread was … fine.

After Happy Hour we headed back south to find the Luau we’d signed up for at the hotel just north of the Grand Wailea. Interestingly, as we walked through their lobby, down to the beach, and then back towards our hotel… it turned out that the event was almost next to our hotel and our room! The Luau was a lengthy and awesome event. At first, the line was long and a bit slow moving, but wound us through some local artisans completing their work. We observed a master carver engraving pieces, handmade floral hairpieces, shell necklaces, and more. Before long we received a lei each and were taken to a table.

The event had an open bar and throughout the evening we enjoyed our access. The first part of the Luau, as people continued to file in and be seated, offered time to socialize with the other guests at our table and listen to live – local music. Children (and other guests) were invited to the “activity” tables to either make bamboo bookmarks or receive temporary tattoos. Periodically we watched Hawaiian dancers on the stage and the hostess shared short stories or relevant information to keep the guests appraised. As described in her initial greeting, at the Luau everyone is family and everyone was present to celebrate love.

Once everyone arrived the main events began. The first was the uncovering of the pork! The main course had been cooked – all day – in the traditional style. The pig was laid on a bed of hot coals in a pit, covered with banana leaves and canvas of some sort, and then buried and sealed. Once it was dug out, it was a gorgeous shining brown and was carried to the buffet where it was carved and shredded. Periodically tables were welcomed to approach the buffet and grab food. The spread was enormous! There was salad with dressings made from various local fruits. A variety of noodle dishes. A “cream” called Poi made from the Taro that we’d seen earlier this trip in an Arboretum. Purple bread rolls and purple sweet potatoes. And 

more! The main proteins were Chicken, Fish, Pork, and Steak. As an all-you-can-eat buffet, there was far more than you could eat. Also, it was all delicious! Unfortunately, with the acceptation of the Poi. It reminded us of “the gray” stuff from Be Our Guest in The Beauty and the Beast, but it was not delicious as that song had promised.

After dinner (though you could go back for more) the main show began. The next hour or two were filled with song, story, and dance. The hostess introduced each new piece with a historical description of the dance’s origin, or the mythology behind something. The dancers were incredible, and the 

songs were lively and engaging. We were (as a crowd) taught introductory steps to the hula while trying to follow along with a pair of professionals. The dancers completed frequent costume changes and preformed with a wide variety of props ranging from spears to flowers. It felt almost impossible to look away, regardless of the particular performance taking place.

Enjoyably, there was a momentary interlude in the luau to celebrate a variety of events that members of the crowd might experience. A very lively variant of “Happy Birthday” was sung, and any newlyweds were asked to stand – as well as anyone celebrating an anniversary. In appropriate cute but bashful fashion, Archer and I stood, and then slow danced to the song that followed. It was cute if I may say so myself.

Finally, the conclusion. A pair of male dancers – specifically fire-dancers – came out to preform. They were breathtaking. Wielding a two-sided torch each the two tossed, twirled, and moved around each other with such a fluid fashion that they seemed to think as one. The sun had set so the torches left an afterglow as they moved, and formed complete circles or sweeps as they were swung across the stage. At one point the two dancers actually stood atop each other while preforming. It was a stunning performance to complete a wonderful evening. Archer and I agreed that the luau – as a whole – was the best investment we made during our time in Maui and would highly recommend it to any other visitors.

With our show done, we took the quick walk back to our hotel room, and were presently surprised to see that the luau at the Wailea was still taking place! We paused on our walk to watch an aerial dancer complete her routine. Then, worried we’d be escorted away, we hurried to our room that directly overlooked the preforming area. There, we sat on the balcony and watched the final few performances, including another fire-dancer routine! Again, it was aweome, but we were left with the satisfied feeling of believing that we attended the better performance. As the local show concluded, so did our evening, and we set off to sleep for our last night on Maui.

Again, as a parting thought, the Luau was the best investment we made in regard to cost, quality of entertainment, good food, etc… all wrapped up in one wonderful cultural bundle. Do it!

A Snorkel from Lahaina

Unfortunately, we did not put all our early morning outings in the first few days of our trip. Now, nearly adjusted to local time, we had to rise at 5:30 to hit the road north to Lahaina. To be fair, we likely did not need to get up this early. However, the hotel suggested we give ourselves an hour, and the booking company also built in about 45 minutes between the start of check in and leaving, so we arrived about 90 minutes before we “set sail”. As for what we were doing, we had booked a snorkeling excursion for the morning. We’d join a boat, the Quicksilver, from the city of Lahaina and head out to the island of Lanai. The trip would be about 5-6 hours, accounting for time moving around on the boat and a few location options.

Lahaina is an old town on Maui, in some ways known for its more historical sites. For us, we were excited to see (and got to walk through between parking and the docks) 

the Lahaina Banyan Court. This is a small “square” or miniature public park, built around an enormous Banyan tree. The tree was awesome! As we approached the park the square looked like it was full of dozens of trees. However, as we moved closer, we saw that it was actually one giant singular tree “system”! The central trunk had limbs that branched out and joined other “trees” that seemed to sprout down and form roots while producing their own canopies upwards. The network was massive, with the central offshoots exceeding 20-30 feet long and sometimes making their own junctions to multiple tree clusters. I’m sure all of these things have more formal names, but I hope this helps you picture it.

At 7:30 we boarded the boat. Breakfast was provided so we had scrambled eggs, coffee (duh), and some pastries. Unsurprisingly, the beginning of the cruise required a 

lengthy list of announcements and safety instructions. If we learned one new thing, its that the captain does NOT like when people mess up the bathrooms! From the docks we set out west across the channel towards Lanai. The trip was a bit rocky (as in we rocked back and forth) but not too bad. En route, we had one of our big 3 sightings of the day though! A pair of bottlenose dolphins came to join us for a few minutes. They crested the water next to us a few times, though never to preform aerial feets, and made some exploratory passes by our sides. It was clear that they were playful and checking us out, and it was awesome to see the sunlight make patterns on their bodies as they swam beneath the water. Dolphins are amazing.

And so, we arrived at a beach off the coast of Lanai. The island is apparently 98% privately owned but the beaches are public access. Here, we anchored above a small coral reef, that by all reports has begun to recover. However, setting out with our snorkel gear was still a humbling moment, as the overwhelming mass of coral was still brown and dead. So, while we were happy to hear that it was beginning to recover, it has a long way to go. In better news, we saw a bunch of fun-colorful fish. The most prominent were always the brightly colored yellow fish, or the teal-blue fish that popped out of holes in the reef. Throughout our swim we saw lots of fish, but mostly in random solo or duo moments. We greatly enjoyed the end of our swim, as we were returning to the boat, when we were passed by a huge school of the yellow fish we’d enjoyed seeing.

Back on the boat we returned across the channel to the Maui coast. This was a bit of a surprise, as we thought we’d do more snorkeling on the small island, but in the end it worked out. This time across the water was much rougher, and combined with fatigue and rubber legs from swimming with flippers, everything felt more unstable. But, about an hour later we arrived outside a dock system just north of Black Rock Beach (also north of Lahaina where we’d originally sailed from). Here, it was immediately apparent that we would be swimming with turtles. As we looked out at the water we could see 2-3 at a time coming up to breathe as their little heads crested the surface of the water. Excitedly, we re-equipped and got back in the water for another hour of swimming. (Sadly, this is the first time we messed up with sunscreen – so if you ever do this – REAPPLY between snorkeling outings!)

We barely had to leave the boat. Under the water there was what may have been the ruins of a boat, with sea urchins and life all about the ruins. But most importantly – Hawaiian Green Sea Turtles were everywhere! We saw easily over a dozen, and in one spot Archer and I could count 9 of them without turning our heads. The turtles were so populated in this area that it was actually difficult to swim for fear of kicking a turtle that might surface behind or next to you. I’m appreciative to Archer who actually pointed out (just in time) that a turtle was about to run into me from the side! They were so cool! In stereotypical fashion, they were slow to move and were just hanging out. It was great.

And so, we boarded the boat again to head back to port in Lahaina. This time we had a BBQ pulled pork lunch available which was perfectly tasty. The bar was also open 

but between the sun and the waves we felt it best to hold off. This brings us to the third highlight of the trip because I (yes – me) spotted a group of dolphins on our port side and reported it to the crew! We slowed down and got a lesson in the kinds of dolphins and got to watch as they got closer and passed. This was a huge group of between one and two hundred dolphins. This kind were called Spinner Dolphins, named after their unique maneuver of popping out of the water, while spinning and “pivoting” on their nose, to reorient themselves within their group. It was a huge group (called a "pod") and it was fun to watch the jump and spin and pass. A few times we saw parents swimming with their babies – and I’ve never seen a baby dolphin before! The whole experience was a lot of fun.

The rest of the boat ride, as well as the drive home, were uneventful. Tired from the early morning, we took a nap before heading out to the resort pools (we felt we’d done enough ocean for the day). We did a few rounds of the slides and waterfalls, but where heartbroken to find out that we were too late for food at the Volcano Bar! We’d been excited about their nachos… Instead, we swam around for another hour or so, and lingered through most of the people exiting the pools so it got a bit more quiet. It was relaxing.

When it was finally time to get out, we returned to our room and got ready for dinner. We returned to the “Shops” where we found a more classic sports bar and had Buffalo Wings and a Burger. It was refreshing to do something more low-key and offered a bit of the feeling of home. Finally, we waited in a surprisingly long line at Lappert’s Ice Cream for a few scoops. It was a tasty dessert and a great way to finish the night.

Lodgings - Big League Style

Today was another slow day – of deliberate choice – and mostly revolving around a significant change in venue. Getting up around seven, Archer and I headed north up the street in Kihei to the Kihei Caffe, where we’d failed to eat yesterday. This time we 

beat the massive line that we knew would form (by minutes it seemed). It was a fun atmosphere, with people moving inside to order and grabbing available seats outside. Things moved quickly overall. We both grabbed a coffee, a P.O.G. (passion fruit-orange-guava juice), and each ordered the Loco Moco, which was WAY more food than we needed. This dish was a bowl of fried rice with a local pulled pork, egg, and brown gravy on top. Unsurprisingly, it was delicious! (and as noted – way too much food). So, we grabbed some boxes and took about half of each meal home to eat for one of our coming mornings.

We walked back to our condo, where we took about two hours to slowly work through all of the “business” that needed to be done. First we cleaned – packing up the place, putting our stuff in our bags, and running some loads of dishes and laundry. Meanwhile, we relaxed outside while completing a journal entry of yesterday and taking some time to read in the sun. While not adventurous, it was necessary and still relaxing, which is sometimes nice.

Around 11 we said “Thanks” to the condo and hopped in the car for the 3-mile drive south to Wailea. As I described yesterday, the scenery in the two towns is significantly different, but also what we’d signed up for. We pulled up to The Grand Wailea, and they promptly took over our luggage and car. We headed inside to check in – but only after Archer and I received our leis, Archer's of fresh flowers and mine of a kind of nut (a Kukui Nut apparently). We checked in, and discovered that we’d been promoted to a “deluxe” (though we weren’t sure how much that changed). Check in went smoothly, but our room was (as expected) not ready, so we decided to explore and grab a pool-side drink.

Our walk around was beautiful. We walked through massive gardens and passed elaborate waterfalls. Our first stop was by a small tiki hut next to a koi pond with three magnificent fish. One was calico, one bright yellow, and the third was orange and white. Our walk took us around an on-grounds chapel and through the pools. We saw the “adults only” pool, the two restaurants, the lazy river, the water slides, etc. We looped passed Humuhumunukunukuapua’a, the seafood and steakhouse we would eat at later, and “roughly completed” our lap of the grounds. We headed back to the central bar called Bistro Molokini. This turned into a combined “happy hour” and small lunch. We started out with a Mai Tai and a Hawaiian 

Gentleman (a lemon and bourbon cocktail) and as delicious as the Mai Tai was, the Gentleman was better. Still waiting on the room, we ordered a second round of Hawaiian Gentlemans and a plate of Ahi Poke Nachos. They were – amazing!

Content with our meal, we had a few supplies to restock on, so we headed next door to the “Shops at Wailea” and found a general store. We picked up some new sunscreen and other fundamentals. We walked around some of the other elaborate art stores. We greatly enjoyed a glass-blowing shop, and as beautiful as everything was, the prices were crazy high and out of our range. We were tempted by a blown bottle-in-waves thing, but that too was higher than we were comfortable with. Before much longer, we received notice that our room was ready.

We headed back to the hotel and found our room – just a short sight from the beach, and unobstructed on the third floor. Officially, we were beach-view in the Chapel Wing. Our room overlooked the chapel and its courtyard, as well as the beach and the ocean. The room itself was plenty spacious and we were excited to be spending a few days here.

We quickly unpacked, changed, and headed out to the pools. On the way, we made sure to step into the ocean – because we are making sure to be touch it every day! 

We spent the next few hours in the lazy river system. We started at the top with a long water slide called the Lava Tube, and decided to actually do it twice. Then, many of the pools are connected by short slides. So, we started at the top and worked our way down. Feeling the need to be completionist with the pools and slides, we had to work through the route a few times before we got everything. Even so, there were a few places more crowded than others, so we’d have to finish off our explorations in the days to come. Our day ended with a weird experience. We found the swim-up-bar pool just as it was about to shut down (which was fine – we weren’t looking for a drink). But, as they shut down the slides, they also drain the pool quite a bit, and it was super strange to feel the water level drop as quickly as it does.

After our swim, we got ready for dinner and headed to Humuhumunukunukuapua’a for a nice dinner. We both dressed up a little extra and felt quite special about it all. Our server, Patrick, was awesome and really helped to make the evening a blast. For cocktails, he immediately recommended one with a Bullet Bourbon base and we simply accepted 2 of those. For dinner, we decided to approach it tapas style, and ordered 4 appetizers to share. We had a Tuna Sashimi (safe but delicious), a Pork Belly with char sui sauce (also fairly safe and also delicious), Seared Scallops with peas in a cream sauce (exactly the quantity and quality I like scallops), and a Breadfruit and Nasturtium “Risotto” (the risk but also possibly our favorite thing). This final dish was a pseudo-pasta made from Breadfruit (I didn’t know that was a thing), with a Nasturtium puree sauce and Parmesan. It was, amazing. We ordered a second round of drinks, again both by recommendation. One was described as a rum-based Old Fashioned and the other was the frothiest, creamiest Mai Tai ever. Again, both astoundingly good. While we were ready to go, Patrick brought us 2 desserts on the house. One was a Passion-fruit sorbet with guava-meringue puffs. The other was apparently a beetroot-red-velvet cake, but was presented with a kind of chocolate mousse that trumped any other flavor and was phenomenal. Dinner as a whole was amazing and we left feeling like we’d eaten the exact perfect amount.

Full in the belly and happy in the head, we headed back to the room and crashed to sleep.

Lounging in Kihei

As we’d hoped for, today was the first of a few more relaxing days on the wonderful island of Maui. Feeling good about our last two days of adventure, we were looking forward to a slower day with some local food and more time in the water. Unfortunately, this makes for a less exciting entry by way of photos and stories, but I still hope to offer a few highlights of things to do and places to eat (some of which are taken from recommendations offered to us).

Unsurprisingly, we slept in more than the last few days – making it to a very reasonable seven o’clock. We knew, in how we wanted today to go, that we intended to take the beech walk to the neighboring town of Wailea for some Happy Hour experiences. However, we were not certain where the beech walk was, how long it would be, or what kind of footwear was best. So, as I’d been feeling like running

anyway, I set off down the road towards the Grand Wailea, the resort we would be checking into tomorrow and spending the rest of our time on the island. The resort was about 2.5 miles away by road, and my run there followed the sidewalks accordingly. The run was quite simple, requiring only 1 turn and 1 hill. Interesting, it was clear to see the difference in the two towns. As soon as I passed the sign for Wailea, the area became greener and lusher. The houses and buildings were larger and more extravagant, the vegetation was fuller, more vibrant, and greener, and it was clear the this was the town of the resorts.

As planned, I made my way to the Grand Wailea, but had been looking for a cut-through or road down to the beach. Most routes went through hotels or private property, so I was less confident than I’d hoped to be. However, at the Grand Wailea I asked at the valet desk and a gentleman named Muso (spelling?) offered to walk me through the hotel and down to the beach path. This was a welcome rest and I got a sneak peak at my lodgings for the next few nights. “Oh My God!” It was immediately clear how much fun this place would be. The architecture was lavish and as we walked along outside we passed pools of Koi fish, elaborate river-like “activity pools,” the Humuhumunukunukuapua’a (one of the high end dining places) and all of it’s “Tiki-Hut” seating, and more. Since we’ll check in tomorrow, I’m certain this list will grow. Muso walked me down to the cobblestone beach path that ran between the sandy beaches and the resort proper, and could be followed up the coast, along the other resorts on the coast, until I returned to Kihei.

And so, I said “thank you” and began my run back. This was my “research” towards the beach walk we’d take back for some happy Hours this afternoon. The run/path was

gorgeous. For the stretch that spanned the major resorts, the path was paved or cobblestone. The route cut through “golf-green-grass” (grass that is both the green color of well-kept golf grass as well as the short cut of a golf green), through large hedges and between pools and the smooth, sandy beaches. Eventually, as I neared the end of the resorts, the path turned to a loose sand that cut through hedges, and deposited me off on the sandy beach itself. I continued for a ways along the beautiful coast, remembering how much more tiring it was to run on sand than pavement… This beach run took be back to the Kihei Surfside Resort, the last large establishment before the path became slightly less defined. From here, it was maybe another 0.25-0.5 miles along the coast to our hotel, but the route cut through some rocky trails and shrubbery as opposed to the beaches or the more pure coastline. All in all, the route was absolutely worth doing and I was excited to walk this way back in the afternoon.

Once back, Archer and I set out to find a local spot for breakfast and make some plans for the next few days. Initially we headed to the Kihei Caffe, but it was packed and we were not interested in waiting that long. Instead we found Café @ LaPlage, which was a great place to sit inside, and eat some bagel sandwiches. While eating we agreed that we wanted to look into a snorkeling adventure, as well as some more appropriate footwear for our afternoon walk. We finished our food and headed next door to a Boss Frog's. While there we booked a guided ferry to the island of Lanai for some snorkeling on Sunday morning. Unfortunately, we were unable to find any footwear that would offer us a bit more support on a beach walk, so we drove back to the “Shops at Wailea”. Here we both picked up a pair of Abeo sandals, which would be great for trekking through the ocean tides, but also offer support on the rocky parts of the walk. We returned to our condo to relax in the pool until about 1, when we got dressed and set out on our walk.

The route and scenery is as described previously, so I will omit that again for the most part. However, it was super windy! We were grateful for this as, unsurprisingly, it was also very hot. As for wildlife, we saw a couple crabs scurry away from us, but I was not able to get close enough for a picture. Our walk took us back the “Shops at Wailea” (adjacent to the Grand Wailea) where, based on recommendations, we entered a Tommy Bahama’s for Happy Hour. We were not disappointed. Collectively, we enjoyed their Mai Tai, Mojito, Margarita, Fish Tacos, Coconut Shrimp, Pork Sliders, and Seared Scallop Sliders. It was all …

delicious, and quickly blended from just Happy Hour, to also our dinner. Everything was delicious, but our favorite remained the fish tacos. Fun fact – their center pieces were the bud vases from Heath Ceramics, which we enjoyed seeing as that is the new dishware we are acquiring. After dinner we enjoyed a quick visit into their store and bought 2 shirts (a purple and a teal… perfect for us) and a new pair of linen shorts.

With our Happy Hour/Dinner trip finished we took the beach walk back to our lodgings in Kihei. After dropping off our stuff, we headed back out to the ocean, just as we have every night. While it was relaxing at first, we had an unfortunate ending to this swim as we believe Archer was stung by a rogue jellyfish tentacle. We finished our relaxing evening in the jellyfish-free pool at our condo and then headed inside to go to sleep.

The Journey to Hana ... not the Destination to Hana

Today was our second driving intensive day – and we continued to take advantage of our early rising jet lag. Having woken up at 6, we were able to hit the road just before 7. Setting out early, it was clear that we needed sustenance, both liquid and solid. We headed first to Makawao, the town we’d visit for breakfast yesterday. Here we picked up two Maui Blend coffees to go and a box of pastries from the local doughnut shop, Komoda Store and Bakery. This is the same shop that had been recommended to us but was closed on Wednesday. Immediately upon arriving, it was clear that this was a special place, as locals were pouring in and out, buying anywhere from a single pastry to boxes for parties. The most “doughnut-like” pastries are called Maasanas and Archer picked up 2 plain with sugar, 2 with cinnamon-sugar, 2 with a guava fruit filling, 1 powdered sugar with cream called a Long John, 1 chocolate cream puff, and 1 vanilla cream puff. This may sound like a lot for a day, but we ate them slowly spread out as snacks and I will just say this now, they were all AMAZING! If you visit, find these – and eat them. With some food and coffee ready to go, it was time to head to Hana!

If you aren’t aware, the Road to Hana is an outing much more about the journey than

 the destination. The adventure really is the ROAD to Hana. Hana is a small, relatively isolated town, on the eastern side of Maui. The road there, Hana Highway, is a 37 mile stretch of road that is constantly winding, with steep hills, and frequent waterfall sights. Along the drive there are frequent stops with small hikes to swimming holes and waterfalls. They are all so beautiful. Unfortunately, the narrow road with minimal parking offers little opportunity to decide if you want to stop, and sometimes no opportunity even when you know you want to. Below I will describe the stops we made or wish we could have made, but do not be under the impression that we saw anywhere near “everything” that the road has to offer.

Our first stop was a location called Twin Falls, just after mile-marker 2. Mile markers are really the only way to determine somethings location along this route. As the first 

stop on the road, it is unsurprising that it is one of the most crowded and popular. A well established parking lot, with a local food truck, greet the visitors as they take a short walk into the jungle. Only a couple hundred feet in, there is a steep, muddy descent to the swimming pond of the first of two falls. The swimming hole is a wonderful temperature, and a classically lovely fall. My favorite site at this venue were the massive tress who’s roots were visible from the tops of the cliffs, all the way down to the banks of the water we swam in. After some time here, we hiked out, and took a quick look upstream towards the second of the two falls. It was only a little bit further up the path, but looked to offer less swimming opportunities, so we decided to return to the road.

Our second stop we believe was easily our most successful. Somewhere near Mile 9 we were looking for the Waikamoi Ridge Trail. However, we aren’t sure if we found something else, an unofficial entrance, or otherwise. What we did find was a beautiful walk through a bamboo forest to a series of stunning swimming holes. However, the entrance to the trail we found was a true leap of faith, as we entered simply a dark hole in the bamboo wall next to the road. The trail was well formed inside, apparently with many side trails leading back to other places on the road. Turn-offs in the other direction lead to beautiful views over a cliff to an extension of the bamboo forest below. The hike was not 

the easiest walk, and is not necessarily for everyone. There was really only one tough spot with steep and slick rocks, leading into a narrow wood-plank bridge. It was only a few steps across but definitely made some people uncomfortable. Before long the hike opened into a wide stream with massive rocks to hop along, either to cross or to head down/up stream. Only another few hundred feet brought us to the first waterfall and a wonderful swimming pond. We hopped in (hopped is generous, more like indelicately slid/waded) and spent 5-10 minutes floating along by ourselves. While we were alone in the water, people were constantly passing on their way uphill to a further pond.

We too headed out soon to ascent the hill to the next swimming hole. The immediate incline was the only challenge, needing the help of a rope as a necessary handhold. 

But, once on top the walk was short and flat to the largest swimming hole we saw all day. It was the largest, and deepest pond with one of the largest waterfalls we saw (on a hike - there were some massive ones along the road). One side of the pond was easy to climb and had a rope for swinging mounted on it. After swimming for a bit, we each climbed up and took a swing. On the far side of the swimming hole was the waterfall, with enough handholds. footings, and levels, that we could climb up and walk around. There were many little circular puddles within the waterfall itself and in one we saw 3 large crayfish! It was amazing, and a great place to dive back into the water. Rumor was that there were up to seven waterfalls and ponds further along this route, but we were not equipped to hike further, so we turned around and headed back to the car. This stop is certainly worth making!

Our next stop was an easy one. Around Mile 12 we stopped at Kaumahina State WaysidePark. This was a great, but simple, road-stop with restrooms, picnic

tables and a phenomenal view. Looking out across the road and down the coast of the island, we were able to look over black sand beeches, crashing waves, and see some coastal towns like Ke’anae. We ate our lunch and got back on the road. A few miles later (around Mile 14) we pulled over to pursue a half mile walk down to the coast. It turns out it was possible to drive, but at that point we were committed. At the coast we found a rocky black-sand beech, all to ourselves with waves constantly crashing against the shore. Given the privacy, rockiness, and strength of the waves, we chose to not actually swim, but the breeze, the waves, and the sounds were all wonderful to experience.

After Mile 16 we stopped at the Ke’anae Arboretum. This was a small excursion with 

a short hike (about 1 mile to the end). The path was a steady downhill (in this direction) but walked along a ravine with beautiful flowers, tall fruit trees (Mountain Apples we later discovered), and lush bird-life. When we entered the arboretum proper, the trees were stunning. Some were massively tall, while others seemed like massive combinations of networked, smaller trees. Some provided lush canopies while others were tall and spindly. My favorites were the grove of Eucalyptus trees. Their bark seemed to contain iridescent and almost neon colors, while they stretched seemingly impossibly high with amazingly straight trunks. The smell they created was amazing! A bit further ahead there was a garden of Taro, a kind of corn-like tuber that provides a great source of food as well as helping local irrigation. We also spotted our first Gecko of the trip – cute little green lizard guy!

From here our trip to Hana became much more streamlined. After Mile 22 we passed the Pua’a Ka’a State Wayside Park. This was another series of waterfalls and ponds, immediately on the side of the road, but it was over crowded and we chose to continue heading onward. Much later, just outside Hana (Mile 31) we’d hoped to visit Waianapanapa State Park. Unfortunately, we instead witnessed an active protest as locals had blocked off the road to make a statement about various developments on the island. It is apparently a gorgeous black-sand beech and comes highly recommended. Instead, we headed into town and stopped at Hana Bay for a quick dip. The sand here too was black and super smooth. We experienced some of the most fun waves of our trip so far and the temperature was perfect. The cool waves and the wind was incredibly soothing after the long drive. Having now arrived in Hana, despite only having been about 35 miles, it was about 3 in the afternoon, so about 7 hours into our journey.

We found our way to a local food truck stop to buy dinner. We split a plate of Guava Chicken Quesedilla and an order of Drunken Noodles with pork. While here, we’d been considering returning to our condo in Kihei via the southern route and continuing our way around the island. However, we asked some of the truck owners about the road and they suggested it would take about twice as long. The road was apparently less well traveled, more narrow, and more curvy. We chose to return the way we came, and once the rain started we were increasingly grateful.

The drive back went smoothly, and we looked to make significantly fewer stops which saved us a lot of time. As it had begun raining, we joined a sort of caravan, which 

made visibility easier and the whole thing more relaxing. Between the rain forest setting, the rain itself, and the fact that we were following a jeep – it felt like a scene out of Jurassic Park. Along the way we saw one nook that we were interested to explore. It turns out we’d found a network of lava caves. Given the rain and our seclusion, we again decided not to adventure but they were cool to see. We also found a great and prominent waterfall at one of the switchbacks the road often makes. Many turns along the Road to Hana require narrow 1-lane bridges that cut across gorges, and they were always crowded on the way in. Now, given the hour and the rain – it was empty. We parked, got out, and took a private dip. Again, awesome and refreshing! Finally, we’d hoped to visit Poohokama Falls, between miles 10 and 11. We’d missed it on the way in because we were told it was a bit later, and to get there you need to go into the entrance of the “Garden of Eden”. Unfortunately, this location had closed at 4 so we missed it, but it is reportedly one of the most beautiful waterfalls along the drive.

And then we drove home. Never has a straight road with a speed limit of 30 miles an hour felt so fast! The drive home was another 35 minutes or so, but compared to the past few hours it was basically relaxation! We went straight home, and decided some time in the heated pool would be refreshing – and we were right! We swam around in the clean water for about 30 minutes, before heading inside, grabbing a nightcap, and going to sleep.

Jet-Lagging up Mt. Haleakala

Our plan for Day 2 (should I say so myself) was a good one and was designed to take advantage of our jet-lagged impulse to wake up early. One activity that came highly recommended was to ascend the Haleakala Volcano to view the sunrise. Unfortunately (though we realized before we tried to set out or make plans), to enter the Park between 3 a.m. and 7 a.m. (necessary for the viewing) you need reservations in advance. We decided to avoid the stress of trying to “get there in time” and just headed out when we were ready. In the end, we left our condo a bit after 6. On our walk to the car, we saw many small lizards scurrying around - and began to call them TLFs (Tiny Lizard Friends). Calling them out became a fun "game" through the day and the rest of our trip.

Our first stop was in Makawao, a small town on the way to the volcano. There is a small doughnut shop there, Komoda Store and Bakery, that we were excited to try out. Unfortunately, they were closed on Wednesdays (this was the biggest let-down of the day, and who knew?!). For reference, we heard from locals that sometimes they “just sell out,” so if you want to go, earlier is better – and not on Wednesdays. Instead we dinned at a small coffee shop, Sip Me, down the street. The food was fine and the coffee was good, but overall it was mostly just convenient.

From here our real drive towards Haleakala began. The 10,000-foot ascent pretty much began and just didn’t stop. Switchbacks were constant and necessary and the turns were tight. Most of this drive was between 15 and 25 miles per hour, but the speed and directional changes were constant. I cannot emphasize enough that you consider who is driving, who is riding, and who has the potential to get car sick. The opportunities to stop are limited and the road demands focus. Meanwhile, you should be prepared for frequent bike tours descending down the other side of the road. All that said, the drive takes you through some phenomenal scenery. The view over the rest of Maui was constantly growing, the path led through frequent dense clusters of Eucalyptus forests, and eventually through gathering cloud layers. The total climb to the summit took about an hour.

The summit of the volcano sits at a height of 10,023 feet. The view could not be beat. Hawaii’s big island was silhouetted in the distance and the entirety of Maui was laid out beneath you. The red and brown volcanic rock looked endless as you looked downwards into the massive crater before dropping off into the nothingness of the white clouds. It was easy to imagine that before technology, Hawaiians could easily think that these islands were all there was on Earth. Here at the summit one particular sight truly stood out: the plant 'Ahinahina (Haleakala Silverswords). We had the good fortune to see 3 of them in bloom, one short, one tall, and one huge. These beautiful, formerly endangered, plants live for decades but only bloom for only a single year. They were truly magnificent. It was also fun to look at the nearby observatory, a collaboration between the U.S. government and the University of Hawaii. Apparently (and unsurprisingly) this is one of the best astrological viewing locations in the world.

After the summit we considered (and got advice on) some hiking options. Of note, if you come here to hike be sure to bring lots of water, good footwear, and warm clothes. Our choices were medium in all cases accept the water – of which we had plenty. The most popular hike into the crater, Keonehe'ehe'e (Sliding Sands Trail), descends about 3000 feet in the first hour or two. Seeing as we only wanted to hike for a few hours, this felt a bit extreme. Instead we headed down to the Halemau'u Trailhead, which sat just below 8000 feet, and hiked down a popular camping trail. The terrain was much more lush, and we were on the wet side of the mountain. We expected about a mile of easy descent before hitting some more aggressive switchbacks, and things went mostly to plan.

As we set out, it did not take us long to simply enter a cloud, and we just never left. The constant mist was refreshing, and eventually grew into a light rain. The trail was flanked by lush plant-life. Beautiful ferns, flowers, and shrubs surrounded us at all times. The colors were stunning and the plants that had died seemed to age into a beautiful and haunting white, rather than just decay. But, none of this is why we felt most lucky. About a mile into our hike we stopped to look over a rock outcropping and into the seemingly endless fall into cliffs, forest, and clouds, when we spotted a cluster of four Nene, the Hawaiian national bird! They were incredibly calm and stunningly gorgeous geese (not how I usually describe geese). Only a few cutbacks after that, we saw two more that were even more exposed for posing! We considered ourselves quite lucky. After hiking for just over an hour downhill, we decided to turn back, but were surprised to make just about equal time on the ascent out as the descent in.

We suddenly realized how hungry we were and were grateful we ended our hike because the closest town with food was back in Makawao, nearly an hour away. The drive down was much the same as up – it’s the same road – so still be slow and be careful. In town, we went to Polli's Mexican for some over-sized burritos. The food was wonderfully tasty and before long I was regretting overeating. The Super Burrito was in fact… a SUPER burrito. To stretch our legs before getting back in the car we wandered the town. It was mostly souvenir shops and art galleries, but my favorite find was a glass blowing gallery. The items were more expensive than I’m used to seeing, but the craftsmanship was breathtaking. If you have the time, its worth a stop.

It was about 2:00 in the afternoon and we were pretty close to the coastal town of Paia, known for having Hawaiian Green Sea Turtles pop up on their shores. Excited to see the graceful sea creatures we headed over. We stopped at frankly the first beach we found, hopped out, and started walking down the coast. We were both feeling pretty pessimistic about it when up ahead we saw a rock… no wait… did that rock just move?!? There it was, a turtle, working its way onto the bank for some sun bathing. Turtles are awesome. Feeling more inspired (and having reached the end of the current 

beach) we headed back to the car and looked up the recommended location, Ho'okipa Beach. So, we headed the 10 minute drive to that beach which was PACKED! We almost turned around, but decided we should check it out. After parking and a brief look around, we’d actually decided to bail when we realized that an entire abandoned corner of the beach was not abandoned at all. Rather, it had simply formed into a dense sea turtle sun-basking refuge! It was amazing. We worked our way down to get a better look. We couldn’t count the number of turtles! We even got to see a few leave the water to join the sun-bathers and a few from further up the shore climb over their friends to return to the water. It was cute and awesome all at the same time.

The rest of the day played out much like the day before. The drive home was an uneventful 30 minutes, stopping for some groceries along the way. Once home, we changed into our bathing suits and went swimming again! This time we hung out in the water longer, enjoying our first viewing of the sun setting into the water in the distance. I’m always amazed by how fast the final minute of the sunset truly is, but its always fun to watch when you can truly see the horizon. Frankly still feeling full for lunch, we returned to the condo to eat a small salad for dinner and call it a night.