We left Vancouver on the 6:45 pm flight... and arrived in Kapului, Maui at 9:45 local time. {In actual fact that would extrapolate to 12:45 B.C. time}.The first thing that we noticed was that wonderful salt air smell. The memories it brought back........ I was immediately in heaven. But we then had to organize everyone.
By the time we got our luggage, got everyone sorted out, drove to the 24 hour Safeway and bought some groceries, drove to the condo in Papakea, it was 1:00 Am local time. We crashed in bed. The condo is right on the beach so we went to sleep with the sounds of the ocean waves crashing on shore. I was awake at 5:00 A.M. The thought of that ocean that close was too much to take. I got up immediately, and went for a walk on the beach. Well, the walk turned into a swim pretty darn fast..... and then that turned into a snorkel almost immediately.I spent over an hour frolicking...... until my son came down for a walk/snorkel. He started out for a walk and then like me, turned it into a snorkel. We were like kids in a candy store. It should be illegal for two men to have that much fun.
After the snorkel, the rest of the travelers were up so we settled in for breakfast and the days plans. We had to go out to the site of the wedding and set things up there. As always, that took longer that we anticipated, so pretty much the whole day was taken up. We then returned to the condo for dinner and a relax. However, the ocean was beckoning so I could not resist [I can resist everything but temptation
: ] Out for a night snorkel. That was my first time to swim with the turtle. [attachment 199217 2011-05-15-green-sea-turtle-Makena.jpg] It was a magical experience to be back in the ocean again. We went to bed around10:00 and anticipated the next morning.
Up early for the trip to Hana. If you have not ever been there, it is not to be missed. The road is not for the faint of heart. There are 620 corners [and I mean CORNERS!!!.. sharp, unpredictable, and tight], and 51 one lane bridges. [attachment 199218 2011-05-14-Road-to-Hana.jpg]If some is coming towards you, either wait or back up.. So a 39 mile trip is about 2 hours in driving time. When you come out to the small town of Hana, a trip to the General store is obligatory. Funky,old fashioned and the best of all things imaginable in a small store..
Back into the cars for the trip to the Haleakala National park Kipahulu entrance. From there we went for a 1 1/2 mile hike up a gorgeous trail, past the infinity pool.[attachment 199220 2011-05-14-DeniseTammyShilohLourdes. Infinity-pool-hana1.jpg]..... to the Banyan tree, A magnificent display of a tree. Unique and awesome. [attachment 199219 May6-2011-Banyan-tree-David-Hana.jpg] Alice was having a bit of trouble, but she toughed it out like the trooper she is. The best part of the hike however was the bamboo forest. It is hard to describe it.... and the picture hardly does it justice. [attachment 199221 2011-05-14-Davide-Denise.-bamboo-forest-Hana.jpg] They are 2-3 inches in diametre, and about 6-8 inches apart in space. But the best part of it was when the wind blew. You were in the middle of this giant clack-clack sound. Picture bamboo wind chimes and multiply it by a factor or 100 or more. That was the most amazing part of that whole hike and it still gives me goose bumps to to remember it.
We drove back, tired and happy, and again, had a night snorkel.
More later
Fair winds
Micheal
By the time we got our luggage, got everyone sorted out, drove to the 24 hour Safeway and bought some groceries, drove to the condo in Papakea, it was 1:00 Am local time. We crashed in bed. The condo is right on the beach so we went to sleep with the sounds of the ocean waves crashing on shore. I was awake at 5:00 A.M. The thought of that ocean that close was too much to take. I got up immediately, and went for a walk on the beach. Well, the walk turned into a swim pretty darn fast..... and then that turned into a snorkel almost immediately.I spent over an hour frolicking...... until my son came down for a walk/snorkel. He started out for a walk and then like me, turned it into a snorkel. We were like kids in a candy store. It should be illegal for two men to have that much fun.
After the snorkel, the rest of the travelers were up so we settled in for breakfast and the days plans. We had to go out to the site of the wedding and set things up there. As always, that took longer that we anticipated, so pretty much the whole day was taken up. We then returned to the condo for dinner and a relax. However, the ocean was beckoning so I could not resist [I can resist everything but temptation
: ] Out for a night snorkel. That was my first time to swim with the turtle. [attachment 199217 2011-05-15-green-sea-turtle-Makena.jpg] It was a magical experience to be back in the ocean again. We went to bed around10:00 and anticipated the next morning.Up early for the trip to Hana. If you have not ever been there, it is not to be missed. The road is not for the faint of heart. There are 620 corners [and I mean CORNERS!!!.. sharp, unpredictable, and tight], and 51 one lane bridges. [attachment 199218 2011-05-14-Road-to-Hana.jpg]If some is coming towards you, either wait or back up.. So a 39 mile trip is about 2 hours in driving time. When you come out to the small town of Hana, a trip to the General store is obligatory. Funky,old fashioned and the best of all things imaginable in a small store..
Back into the cars for the trip to the Haleakala National park Kipahulu entrance. From there we went for a 1 1/2 mile hike up a gorgeous trail, past the infinity pool.[attachment 199220 2011-05-14-DeniseTammyShilohLourdes. Infinity-pool-hana1.jpg]..... to the Banyan tree, A magnificent display of a tree. Unique and awesome. [attachment 199219 May6-2011-Banyan-tree-David-Hana.jpg] Alice was having a bit of trouble, but she toughed it out like the trooper she is. The best part of the hike however was the bamboo forest. It is hard to describe it.... and the picture hardly does it justice. [attachment 199221 2011-05-14-Davide-Denise.-bamboo-forest-Hana.jpg] They are 2-3 inches in diametre, and about 6-8 inches apart in space. But the best part of it was when the wind blew. You were in the middle of this giant clack-clack sound. Picture bamboo wind chimes and multiply it by a factor or 100 or more. That was the most amazing part of that whole hike and it still gives me goose bumps to to remember it.
We drove back, tired and happy, and again, had a night snorkel.
More later
Fair winds
Micheal