Today was our last full day on Maui and we spent it in a totally different world from what we've experienced so far on this Hawaiian Island. We started early and drove for a couple of our hours across the island to Haleakela Volcanic Crater to visit its 10,023 ft. peak (taller than Mt. Everest if measured from the ocean floor). As we approached, we kept going up, and up, and up, and up, and up...okay you get the idea...until we were well above the clouds. Aaron and I were the first to get light-headed from the lack of oxygen. It was a strange feeling but not too bothersome, kind of what you feel like after blowing up a balloon or sucking in helium. When we saw our first volcanic crater vista it was awesome to say the least, like nothing we've ever seen. It was amazing to think that we were only approximately 6 miles from the lushness of the coastline (as the crow flies), and that the beautiful green vegetation, waterfalls, and rainforest-like landscape was only a mere few dozen miles away...right on the other side of the crater walls. We felt like we were ants on Mars, especially when we started hiking down into the crater. We only did 1 mile of the ~5 mile hike to the crater floor. Downhill was easy, coming back up was not fun. The pictures can't do the scene justice...it was steep! We were definitely grumbling when the horses past us one the way back up. But even in this martian landscape there exists life, in the form of a strange high altitude, desert plant called a Silver Sword that lives for approx. 30 years, blooms once, than immediately dies. The day was fun. Just as we were leaving we were engulfed in clouds that blocked our views on the way down.
Tonight was our last night here so we went to a fancy restaurant for dinner called Mama's Fish House, an island landmark. There were pictures on the wall of the many famous people who have visited including many LOST actors and actresses (FYI, they shoot the show a few islands to the west on Kawai). The food was great and the service was probably the best I've ever had. Our whole wait staff paid special attention to Cherie's nut issues and were supper attentive...I even got Vicki to try beef cooked medium instead of burned...and she like it!
Tomorrow we're leaving and we're sad...I guess we'll talk to you all when we get home...TTYL.
2 comments:
The photos of the volcano are incredible. I never realized how desolate it would be. The island offers a wide range of scenery - beaches to rain forest to Mars-like rock and dust. May your trip home be enjoyable with visions of that fabulous meal at the Fish House.
As desolate as that place looks it looks cool.. I bet they could film mars movies there and no one would question it. Maybe they already have. IDK. Just looking at the pictures makes me thirsty cause it looks dry and dusty. Gulp gulp.. Anyways hope you all have a safe trip home. Except Jackie, I hope here trip to Honolulu is safe too! Hawaii is quite the place... nice trip…
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