On the 5th day, Tim and I got up rather early to do the road to Hana. For those of you that have never been to Maui, the road to Hana is basically a day trip that takes you along a very curvy, narrow, scenic road on the north shore (the lush shore) of Maui to the town of Hana. The town of Hana is really nothing special, it's more about the drive TO Hana.
We started off around 8am with the top down. Lucky for us, we had just missed the rain. It is evident that there is a lot of rain up there since it is ridiculously green and lush... probably how you would imagine a tropical place to be.
Beautiful tropical greenery.
One of our first stops was a botanical garden off of the main road. The rock at the very bottom of this picture is where the opening scene for Jurassic Park was filmed. We only know that because we were told that about
twenty. times. Apparently it is this parks' big selling point... Even though you can get no closer to this rock than we were taking this picture.
At the garden again. Tim and his asian statue. As far as I know, there is nothing significant about this statue other than a funny photo.
Beautiful tropical forest and flowers at the gardens. It was at these gardens that our Sebring decided to break. What? A Sebring that breaks? NO! It couldn't be. I was not exaggerating when I thought the first day we got the car that it was a POS and not just because I don't like them in the first place. So we get out at the garden and get out our Nikon out of the trunk. It is a big camera, not the small little pocket digital cameras (and it is also the reason the above pictures look so awesome). Next thing we know, we can't SHUT the trunk. What. in. the. hell. We spent literally a half an hour trying to figure out the stupid thing. It won't shut and
because the trunk won't shut we also can't put the top up. Because we can't shut the trunk or put the top up this means several things: 1) The car is a piece of shit (already noted) 2) We cannot get out and hike along the road to Hana like we had planned because we can't secure our camera, my purse or anything else we might not want to be stolen because the top is wide open and the trunk is wide open 3) Along the road to Hana we get yelled at multiple times, "Hey did you know your trunk is open... YEP. NOTED. 4) Later in the day when it starts to rain and gets colder as we are coming around the backside of the road to Hana, we are not having a fun experience. It was COLD. And wet. So my theory of why Sebrings are POS' was fully supported on that day.
One of the million waterfalls we saw along the way.
Look- another waterfall!
Probably the prettiest scenery we saw that day... Nihau road leading down to the coast. The road is a little residential road that is about 2 miles long but it is SO worth it. This was just breathtaking.
The northern Maui coast from the end of Nihau road.
Beautiful ocean water.
Waves! We couldn't get in the water but it was so pretty to watch.
More of the Maui coast... we took a lot of pictures here.
Me! With an unbelievable background behind me.
After the Nihau road drive, we stopped at a roadside stand for the BEST brownies (like quadruple chocolate), banana bread, carrot bread (did not know that THIS fantastic creation existed...), and banana chocolate bread. Ummm, aside from the obvious YUMMM, carb overload much? After our little snack, we made it to the lava tubes... It was some sort of a state park but we just explored the lava tubes. The main reason for this was that at the end of our short little lava tube hike, I, in my infinite grace decided to trip on a rock and sprain my ankle. This was not fun. Why, you ask? BECAUSE THE NEXT DAY WAS OUR WEDDING. So my ankle proceeds to swell up to unimaginable proportions and I continue to not be able to walk... and I'm thinking, tomorrow in a wedding dress on the beach is going to be fun. You may remember me mentioning climbing on lava rocks in my wedding dress. Well, I think that the hot lava rock massage I had the morning of the wedding helped my ankle tremendously. Or maybe I was just too happy to notice it. Either way, the day was not ruined but our little hikes at this state park were cut short (by my ankle and the damn sebring). We did get to watch a few locals jump into the stagnant water in these tubes, however. It was quite amusing.
Beautiful greenery. Let's count how many times I say the world beautiful in these Hawaii recap posts...
Calvin?? Is that you Calvin?! Nope, our cat Calvin was safe at home back in Washington but I swear this little guy looked exactly like Calvin (except that Calvin has many more threads of white hairs that we like to pick off of him. He does not like this, for the record). This kitten was just hanging out in the parking lot and was so cute and friendly. Too bad one of my ankles is hidden... you could see the comparison of swollen vs. not.
Gorgeous road we drove down to get to yet another beach on our journey.
The beach. Just past the town of Hana. Notice how there are no pictures of the town of Hana? It really isn't that remarkable. But this beach, on the other hand, was.
Going into the water. It was so warm and the waves were perfect. If only I had thought about the fact that we still couldn't put the convertible top up, it was later in the day and we still had a long drive home, I
might have reconsidered going into the water. It was worth it then... not so much when I was freezing an hour later!
Looking out at the crazy sea formation rock (behind me).
Trying to dry off some although by the time I got out the sun was MIA.
Playing on a cool looking tree before we continued on our journey around the backside of Haleakala (the big volcano that is in the middle of the north and south side of Maui... the road to Hana is on the north of this- the lush side, the road back is on the south side- the dry side).
Another shot of the outstanding Maui coastline.
The Maui coast is amazing but check out the road we were on! Pretty much one lane and not paved. Now imagine it in a POS sebring with a trunk that keeps popping up and down... fun times!
Yep, the back half of Maui is MUCH dryer. It's kinda like Seattle vs Phoenix. Both very beautiful in their own respects.
And as we got closer to our home base, the road got smoother and it got greener. It also started to pour. NO fun with the convertible top that won't shut. Soon after this we arrived back at the airport to trade cars. We got a white one the second time around. Funny, they didn't even question us. They must have to swap those cars a lot. Big surprise, I know.
After we traded cars, we revisited the black sand beach that is down by our hotel to watch the sunset. It was so nice just to sit out there, essentially on our own private little beach.
Well, maybe not so private. We had a run in with this little guy who was trying to make his home for the night. We watched him dig the hole and shovel out sand. It was pretty neat. I was a little grossed out at first by these crabs but eventually I came around and was ok sharing the sand with him.
Sitting on the sand enjoying the sunset. And yes, that is a fleece I am wearing. In Hawaii. What can I say? I was FREEZING. After the sunset, we headed back to the hotel for drinks and dinner. Where? At Ko again. Remember I mentioned we went there twice? Well this night was round two. Partly because I wasn't really walking that great, partly because it was close and partly because it was so awesome the first day. It was amazing again and the perfect way to wrap up a day full of adventures.
We started off around 8am with the top down. Lucky for us, we had just missed the rain. It is evident that there is a lot of rain up there since it is ridiculously green and lush... probably how you would imagine a tropical place to be.
Beautiful tropical greenery.
One of our first stops was a botanical garden off of the main road. The rock at the very bottom of this picture is where the opening scene for Jurassic Park was filmed. We only know that because we were told that about twenty. times. Apparently it is this parks' big selling point... Even though you can get no closer to this rock than we were taking this picture.
At the garden again. Tim and his asian statue. As far as I know, there is nothing significant about this statue other than a funny photo.
Beautiful tropical forest and flowers at the gardens. It was at these gardens that our Sebring decided to break. What? A Sebring that breaks? NO! It couldn't be. I was not exaggerating when I thought the first day we got the car that it was a POS and not just because I don't like them in the first place. So we get out at the garden and get out our Nikon out of the trunk. It is a big camera, not the small little pocket digital cameras (and it is also the reason the above pictures look so awesome). Next thing we know, we can't SHUT the trunk. What. in. the. hell. We spent literally a half an hour trying to figure out the stupid thing. It won't shut and because the trunk won't shut we also can't put the top up. Because we can't shut the trunk or put the top up this means several things: 1) The car is a piece of shit (already noted) 2) We cannot get out and hike along the road to Hana like we had planned because we can't secure our camera, my purse or anything else we might not want to be stolen because the top is wide open and the trunk is wide open 3) Along the road to Hana we get yelled at multiple times, "Hey did you know your trunk is open... YEP. NOTED. 4) Later in the day when it starts to rain and gets colder as we are coming around the backside of the road to Hana, we are not having a fun experience. It was COLD. And wet. So my theory of why Sebrings are POS' was fully supported on that day.
One of the million waterfalls we saw along the way.
Look- another waterfall!
Probably the prettiest scenery we saw that day... Nihau road leading down to the coast. The road is a little residential road that is about 2 miles long but it is SO worth it. This was just breathtaking.
The northern Maui coast from the end of Nihau road.
Beautiful ocean water.
Waves! We couldn't get in the water but it was so pretty to watch.
More of the Maui coast... we took a lot of pictures here.
Me! With an unbelievable background behind me.
After the Nihau road drive, we stopped at a roadside stand for the BEST brownies (like quadruple chocolate), banana bread, carrot bread (did not know that THIS fantastic creation existed...), and banana chocolate bread. Ummm, aside from the obvious YUMMM, carb overload much? After our little snack, we made it to the lava tubes... It was some sort of a state park but we just explored the lava tubes. The main reason for this was that at the end of our short little lava tube hike, I, in my infinite grace decided to trip on a rock and sprain my ankle. This was not fun. Why, you ask? BECAUSE THE NEXT DAY WAS OUR WEDDING. So my ankle proceeds to swell up to unimaginable proportions and I continue to not be able to walk... and I'm thinking, tomorrow in a wedding dress on the beach is going to be fun. You may remember me mentioning climbing on lava rocks in my wedding dress. Well, I think that the hot lava rock massage I had the morning of the wedding helped my ankle tremendously. Or maybe I was just too happy to notice it. Either way, the day was not ruined but our little hikes at this state park were cut short (by my ankle and the damn sebring). We did get to watch a few locals jump into the stagnant water in these tubes, however. It was quite amusing.
Beautiful greenery. Let's count how many times I say the world beautiful in these Hawaii recap posts...
Calvin?? Is that you Calvin?! Nope, our cat Calvin was safe at home back in Washington but I swear this little guy looked exactly like Calvin (except that Calvin has many more threads of white hairs that we like to pick off of him. He does not like this, for the record). This kitten was just hanging out in the parking lot and was so cute and friendly. Too bad one of my ankles is hidden... you could see the comparison of swollen vs. not.
Gorgeous road we drove down to get to yet another beach on our journey.
The beach. Just past the town of Hana. Notice how there are no pictures of the town of Hana? It really isn't that remarkable. But this beach, on the other hand, was.
Going into the water. It was so warm and the waves were perfect. If only I had thought about the fact that we still couldn't put the convertible top up, it was later in the day and we still had a long drive home, I might have reconsidered going into the water. It was worth it then... not so much when I was freezing an hour later!
Looking out at the crazy sea formation rock (behind me).
Trying to dry off some although by the time I got out the sun was MIA.
Playing on a cool looking tree before we continued on our journey around the backside of Haleakala (the big volcano that is in the middle of the north and south side of Maui... the road to Hana is on the north of this- the lush side, the road back is on the south side- the dry side).
Another shot of the outstanding Maui coastline.
The Maui coast is amazing but check out the road we were on! Pretty much one lane and not paved. Now imagine it in a POS sebring with a trunk that keeps popping up and down... fun times!
Yep, the back half of Maui is MUCH dryer. It's kinda like Seattle vs Phoenix. Both very beautiful in their own respects.
And as we got closer to our home base, the road got smoother and it got greener. It also started to pour. NO fun with the convertible top that won't shut. Soon after this we arrived back at the airport to trade cars. We got a white one the second time around. Funny, they didn't even question us. They must have to swap those cars a lot. Big surprise, I know.
After we traded cars, we revisited the black sand beach that is down by our hotel to watch the sunset. It was so nice just to sit out there, essentially on our own private little beach.
Well, maybe not so private. We had a run in with this little guy who was trying to make his home for the night. We watched him dig the hole and shovel out sand. It was pretty neat. I was a little grossed out at first by these crabs but eventually I came around and was ok sharing the sand with him.
Sitting on the sand enjoying the sunset. And yes, that is a fleece I am wearing. In Hawaii. What can I say? I was FREEZING. After the sunset, we headed back to the hotel for drinks and dinner. Where? At Ko again. Remember I mentioned we went there twice? Well this night was round two. Partly because I wasn't really walking that great, partly because it was close and partly because it was so awesome the first day. It was amazing again and the perfect way to wrap up a day full of adventures.
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