Maui: Day 1

Out first day in Maui was a packed one.

Up at 3:30 to make the drive to the top of Haleakala to see the sunrise from the top of a 10,000 foot volcano. This was a perfect way to begin the trip. It was not a clear day, and as we stood atop the mountain, we could see the clouds below us. As the sun began to creep up, it coloredthe clouds shades of red and orange. A truly magnificent sight.

On or way back down the mountain, took one or two, (possibly even three) detours on the way to a hike that we planned on doing. We eventually ended up on the Road to Hana, which was equally beautiful and scary. The winding roads were narrow and slick, but the vistas were breath taking.We arrived at the trailhead with plenty of light left, a quickly jumped on the trail. It was a short and moderately easy trail, with an amazing payoff at the end, a 400 foot waterfall.

A walk through a bamboo forrest on the way to the falls. When the wind would blow, they would knock together and it was like our very own percussion concert.

This Banyan tree was HUGE!

We opted to avoid the road to Hana (or away from Hana) on the way back, and instead to the southern route back. The time was less scary, a lot more bumpy and even more beautiful. As a bonus, we were at the right place at the right time and got to see that same sun the we saw rise over the mountains in the morning, set into the ocean that evening.

A long and amazing day to say the least.