So What, I'm an Open Book!: MAUI WOWEE

Our first time going to Maui was an absolute blast! Non-stop fun and adventuring!

Once we landed at the airport, Nick grabbed the Ford Mustang Convertible car and we instantly took the wrong way, getting "lost" along the windy road down West Maui.

As soon as we could, we pulled over, changed into our swim suits on the side of the road and hiked down to explore the OLIVINE POOLS

"Olivine pools- named because of its gem-like quality, the color of the area and ample amounts of semi-precious gem called Olivine encrusted in the surrounding lava rock and sandstone."

'Natural lava swimming pools ensconced in an ancient lava shelf.'

We checked in to our hotel and went for a fish taco and pie dinner on the beach.

Friday, December 29th

-Breakfast at the hotel

-Snorkel at Black Rock (Sheratin hotel)

- Snorkel at Hyatt- not great visibility but saw lots of turtles!

-Lunch at Leodas YES!!!!! GOT THE BANANA CREAM PIE

Headed down to South Maui, passed Wailea to

LA PEROUSE BAY aka The Aquarium

It was quite a swim, but we had a great time with our snorkels exploring the fish and coral in the area.

A beautiful drive back in the convertible

(I would not suggest you EVER sit in the back seat of a convertible btw)

From here, we headed to Costco to load up on some groceries.

Saturday December 30th

Jer and I went down to Mile Marker 8, scenic look out to check out the Whales passing through. We saw lots of blowhole sprays and fins.

After breakfast we headed to HONOLUA Bay in West Maui

Its a beautiful little walk to get there and plenty of great snorkeling.

We saw at least 1 turtle almost every time we snorkeled!

We then checked out Napili beach where the boys body surfed and the girls suntanned!

After lunch, we took the long way AKA the "Acid war zone" to the NAKALELE BLOWHOLE

'The ocean here has undercut the shoreline, pounding underneath the lava shelf, where it spits through a man sized hole in the lava. The tide was low when we were there and so it wasn't really going off, but people have said that the spray can get up to 70 feet every few seconds that makes the ground tremble.'

It was here that Wes and Lindsey joined us!

We had ribs for dinner at the hotel and went for a hot tub to end off another great day!

SUNDAY, DECEMBER 31.

Breakfast, church, pack lunch, hike- - -

We went to the 'Iao Needle first.

The 'Iao Needle is a prominent point sticking up from the valley. I enjoyed learning about the history of this area.

'King Kamehameha the Great decided to invade Maui and his forces swept the area. The two sides were fairly equal, but Kamehameha had stolen a cannon from an explorer and annihilated the Maui forces. All for power. They backed the troops into a corner along the rocky trails of the 'Iao Valley and murdered everyone. The women and children watched from above as all their loved ones died by cannon, loaded with sea shells and rocks. The carnage was so great that the bodies clogged up the stream.' Pretty appalling if you ask me!

Today, 'Iao is peaceful and seems impossible to imagine the death that once permeated the area.

It was a lovely place for our picnic lunch!

We then hiked the WAIHE'E RIDGE TRAIL in West Maui

Absolutely breathtaking views!

Pictured below is a tree that fell down but kept on growing, using the strength of the tree next door!

We rewarded ourselves with enjoying a beautiful sunset and some shave ice!

Back at the hotel, we celebrated by having a yummy New Years Eve streak dinner!

Ringing in the new year, 2018!

January 1, 2018! (Monday)

We headed over to HANA

The road to Hana is as they say "heavenly" and also very windy.

Near the beginning of the Road to Hana, we hiked the "four falls"

To get to the first waterfall, you hike through a bamboo forest.

Stopping for a 'nice' picture at falls #1

Headed in a little more to see falls #2

Scale along a sketchy muddy rock wall to get to Falls #3

After Falls #3, we climb a ladder and rope to elevate to get to the next falls.

After hiking along some rocks, we ditch our clothes (swimsuits still on of coarse) and jump in to a cold little river to swim to the last falls.

And then, Falls #4!

weeeeeeeeeee!!!!

A super awesome hike!!

All along Hana there a dozens of waterfalls to stop and see.

Some with short hikes, some with long hikes, and some you can see from the road!

Just enjoying the scenery!

I couldn't find what these falls are called, but they were well worth the short hike to get to them.

All I remember is our "blue bible book" Maui revealed- said they were "very nice". Once we got there, we all agreed that they were indeed, very nice.

Taking a little detour on the rode to Hana is a little town called Nahiku.

"When plants go to heaven, Nahiku must be their destination."

Rope swing that Jer and Wes were brave enough to do!

Not pictured: we had the BEST fish tacos I have ever eaten and probably will ever eat in my whole life. Since it was new years day, there weren't many open food options and the "eating spot" was closed, so we went just 1 more mile up the road and stumbled on a taco truck.

The tattood-up-pirate-ex-con-looking guys working said "These are the best F-ing tacos you'll ever have" and boy were they right!!! We ended up getting another round! YUM!!!

So next time you're in Hana and you finally see food, just WAIT, go a little further and you will be in heaven!

2660 Hana HWY, (808) 875-8941

Once we got to Hana, we checked in to our little 1950s style cabin and went to explore.

Just passed Hana bay Pier there is a trail that leads 200 yards along Ka'uiki Hill. There is a cave on the right where Ka'ahumanu (King Kamehameha the Great's favorite wife) was born. (Imagine that!) There is also a red sand pocket beach. The deep burgundy color is from the iron in the lava, like rust before our own eyes! #science

TUESDAY January 2nd

Woke up in dreamy Hana

We back tracked a little to check out the Wai'anapanapa Black Sand Beach.

(There are fresh water spring-fed caves here but a tourist had recently died trying to use his iphone flashlight to explore underneath the water of the cave and so they boarded it all up- lame! !Be a smart tourist people!) We still had a great time exploring around.

Next, On to the Red sand beach or Kaihalulu.

There is a strip of jagged lava that forms a semi-pool for swimming.

To get to this beach there is an awkward, potentially injurious 5 minute walk along a mountain and a NO TRESPASSING sign to pass. WORTH IT!!!

The beach is surrounded by tall red rock cliffs and oh so dreamy.

To get there you need to bypass a sign on Hana ranch saying "no trespassing". It must be the most violated sign in the world because everyone, tourists and locals, walk right on through to the beach.

Our next stop was to the Haleakala National Park to see the 'Ohe'o Gulch/ Seven Sacred Pools-

which, again were closed because of some 'falling rock' mumbo jumbo.

No matter, because we hiked the 4 mile round trip, PIPIWAI TRAIL

*Diversion alert*

Closed again, but we ignored the signs, climbing through a fence to see

The INFINITY POOLS

Behind us is a 200+ft drop to more falls and water out to the ocean.

Another diversion after the big wise-looking Banyan tree

There is a side trail (closed again) to a loud waterfall. 'It free-falls and smacks onto rocks, then runs into an emerald green pool that has undercut the mountain forming a cave.

Look close!'

Waiting for us next was a thick bamboo forest!

Aaaaaand waiting at the end are the Waimoku falls, slicing 400 feet down the back of a three-way sheer wall of lava.

And yes, we went passed the sign to get a closer look!

Can you see Jeremy?

The hike back went too fast, but we enjoyed the other sights of the seven sacred pools from above.

The South East Maui sights and road were incredible.

1. That road should be illegal to drive on (haha)

2. The views of Haleakala were fascinating

3. The broad expanses of the shoreline was the best during the late afternoon

4. It's amazing how much the terrain and landscape changes from thick green jungle to something out of LOTR

We made it back to LAHAINA safely and enjoyed some pizza for dinner and a good nights sleep!

Wednesday, January 3rd

More snorkeling to start the day!

Can you see the turtle?

Then the boys went surfing at Lahaina harbor

while we enjoyed our beach towels laid out on the sand.

After this we got some more Shave Ice, did some shopping in Lahaina, ate dinner at "the place just up from the church" STAR NOODLE. It was goooooood. We ended the night by crashing the HYATT pools and hot tub.

Thursday January 4th.

Started with an early morning walk on the beach.

See those little turtle heads poking up for air?

Pictured behind us is our hotel, the Sands of Kahana.

We decided to spend the day in South Maui and stopped again at Mile marker 8 (scenic lookout for whales) This time, we hiked down and jumped in the water to snorkel. If we held our breath and went under water, we could CLEAR AS DAY hear the whales calling. AWESOME-SAUCE!

You know my favorite phrase!? If there's a whale, theres a way!

Aaaaand since we were passing by, we loaded up on some more Banana Cream Pie from Leodas.

We went down to BIG BEACH which is now officially the best and my favorite beach I have ever been to!!!! Soft sand, clean shoreline and crystal clear swimming!

IT.WAS.GLORIOUS.

After all our hiking and adventuring, it was wonderful to just sit on the beach for a little bit!

Below is the only picture we got of cute pregnant Lindsey, we were too busy enjoying ourselves.

After BIG BEACH, we crashed the pools at the Grand Wailea Resort-

wow wow wow! We enjoyed sliding down multiple slides into multiple levels of pools and the lazy river which took us to the big pool. Going through a waterfall and under a cave, you find the hot tub!

After the pool, we enjoyed about an hour on Wailea beach.