Maui 9.17.2012

Wow, wow, wow, wow!!!!!! Christine and I decided to go to Maui for about 10 days as a celebration of life and fun after the 2 year cancer fight and it was incredible. What an enchanted place in the world!!! I always say I will write a story about the trip but as usually you will need to talk to one of us to hear it. I have never the less a few emails Christine wrote during the trip that are a goo description of what we did.

Here are the emails in Christine's words:

Sept. 20

Today we explored the road through South Maui. We awoke to fog and rain, but by 9am we were on our way with bright sunshine all around. As the locals say...if you don't like the weather, just wait 20 minutes. We spent most of our day hiking a trail that gave countless views of waterfalls with the top reward going to a 400 foot fall at the top. The bamboo forest leading up to this big daddy waterfall is the result of the Chinese laborers who came to this island when sugar cane production was king. They planted bamboo to construct their houses. Today, the bamboo forms a tightly woven canopy over the forest floor. Breath-taking! At the bottom, all the water from these waterfalls ends up dumping into 7 pools with the seventh located right at the shoreline. Imagine swimming in a freshwater pool with a front row view of the ocean. Vlad and I swam in one of the upper pools..it was, lets say, an invigorating swim. When the water runs wild it is quite dangerous to swim in any of the seven pools as one can be pushed quickly down through the pools and out into the ocean. After our stay here, we traveled further down the road, which became more and more narrow with tighter and steeper curves that yielded awesome views of the coastline. It was a beautiful but harrowing drive of blind curves. Vlad and I were holding our breath all the way. We hiked to another secluded waterfall before returning to Hana. Our last stop was Hamoa Bay....the best place in Maui to bodysurf. Why? Because the sand is soft and deep and the waves break consistently and frequently. We had some awesome rides. Our suits were filled with sand and our hearts with joy. Wow!

Tomorrow we are off to hike the Grand Crater Loop at Haleakala We will go up 10,000 feet. We start the hike at point A..beg for a ride from strangers to point B, and then trek 13 miles to complete the loop. Cross your fingers we get a ride. We are told it will be near freezing temp at the top of the summit. Harsh contrast to today's temps.

Just another day in paradise. Love,
Christine

Sept 21

It's 6,30am in Hana. This is our last morning to soak in this quiet tranquil setting. It will be hard to say goodbye to this magical tropical oasis.

Yesterday we rode all the way around South Maui to get to our destination: Haleakala National State Park. It was another adventurous drive which we recorded on video. We went from tropical garden, toward rugged coastline, and then through a barren subalpine wasteland before making the 8,000 foot climb up Haleakala Once we arrived at the park, we parked our car at the end of our trail head and hitch-hiked a ride with a young Chinese family to the 10,000 foot summit to catch the Sliding Sands Trail to the bottom of the crater. It was like walking on a different planet: nothing but black sand and lava and the occasional scrubby bush and famous silverswords. Green life eventually returned toward the end of the trail where we had to ascend 2000 feet in the last 1.5 hours. All told, we hiked 12 miles. We were exhausted, but happy to have genuinely and fully experienced this part of Maui. We packed our weary legs in the car and headed back to Hana, stopping only to pick up some tuna poke (think raw fish, onions, sesame----delicious!) and some drinks.

Today we plan to take things a little slower. After a breakfast of fresh eggs, avocado and fruits we plan to accept our host's offer for a full tour of their flower farm before saying goodbye and heading to the sunny South shores. We hope to have time to visit Red Sands Beach and the little town of Paia on the way. My list keeps growing but, unfortunately, I cannot put more hours in the day.

Aloha!
Vlad and Christine

Sept 24

We had to adjust our attitude to appreciate South Maui, but we are there now. We just came back to our little condo after watching the most incredible sunset I have ever seen in my life. This side of Maui is about sun, surf and sunsets. Not a difficult adjustment. Winding down to last days. Tomorrow is last day of diving....plan to snorkel and body surf afterwards. Last day will be spent with a sunrise stroll down beachside path following by hike in Iao Valley before heading to airport. Want to squeeze a new experience with every remaining second of this island paradise.

 

Enjoy the pictures

 

Pictures

Here are the pictures:

 

Video

Here are a few videos we shot during the trip in no particular order

 

 

 

 


Updated October 9, 2012 9:30 PM by Vlad Pambucol