Maui

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The first day we went up to Haleakala crater to catch the sunset and learn about the massive volcano that flanks the south eastern side of the island. Travelling up the side of this massive volcano we passed through 5 diferent bio zones from temperate rainforest to desert 10,000ft up.

The next day we hiked across the crater - the hike took 11 long hours. At that elevation with no cloud cover every part of your body has to be protected from the sun, the tops of my hands were very sunburned by days end. The endemic silversword (pictured) is an awesome sight to see...it only grows in the crater... a bright silver phallic looking plant that can reach up to 5 feet or so, it lives up to 50 years, blooms once then dies.


The next day I decided to try surfing so we headed into town to rent a surfboard. My friends had were going to drop me off and circle around to find a parking space..... as soon as i was let out of the car to cross the street i was hit by a speeding moped and went flying across the street my fingers got jammed into the grill of the bike and my leg was pretty banged up... all of this happend right in front of a hard rock cafe' filled with people eating outside... The local started shouting at me but i was convinced he was the one that was speeding in the wrong lane to avoid our stopped car. He sped off holding the grill of his bike in hand - ha ha. So i hobbled into the surf shop got the board and bounced.

{Hawaiian locals can be very resentful towards haole's (whites) especially when it comes to surfing their waves. I did happen to meet one local i was able to purchase a bud from later that day so that was redeeming}

The surf was not very high so we decided to called it a day. That night about 10 of us were cramed into our hotel bathroom puffing down some herbs, me nursing my moped wounds - ha!
The island of maui had the most beautiful beaches of all 5 of the islands we visited - the sand was like silk

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Photos

Haleakala sunset
Haleakala sunset @ 10,000ft

endemic Silversword
lives up to 50 years, blooms once then dies

Haleakala crater
Haleakala crater basin hike