Back about 4pm after setting out before 7am in search of Hana on the windy north shore of Maui. Never heard of the fabled ocean road to Hana? Now we know why. The fact the road exists and is open most of the time is probably the most amazing part of it. With its 691 switchbacks and 51 one lane bridges it can take several hours to drive the 34 miles from the village of Paia to the quiet fishing village of Hana at the end of the road. Then back home the same way. There is a dirt road that sometimes is open to enable a circuit but not with our hired Mazda 6. Not surprisingly, the Hana Highway ("we painted a yellow line down the middle then called it a highway") is alo known as the road to divorce. I drove considerately. If you have driven Victoria's Great Ocean Road or even the Seabridge near Wollongong, you have probably seen more impressive coastline but I wouldn't mention it to a yank. I did mention it in passing once but I think I got away with it. The volcanic rock makes for a very different coastline from the soft sandstone of our southern coastline.
If you do ever find yourself in Maui and travel the same road, don't miss the seven sacred pools of Hana. We did.
The Park Ranger on Haleakala (dormant for 300 years) told us about them. They're a short drive beyond Hana. Shame I didn't do proper research beforehand:(
We chucked a uie (?Uturn) rather than pay the $10 entry fee given that already at 6500 feet there was bugger all visibility and his check on the 10000 foot peak showed cloud. "It's best to visit in the morning" he said but ou breakfast companions had risen for the sunrise the previous day and found it cloudy and cold. It's fun to drive up and ride down apparently. The road is magnificent compared with the Hana Hwy and we had decided to attempt it because we were passing it after our early return from Hana. The road up is very wiggly on the map and leads in good weather not only to the crater (can swallow Manhattan) but also Science City. But we stopped half an hour short for reasons mentioned previously. Next visit to Maui we will have more money and we'll fly to Hana, visit the damn pools and fly over the crater on the way back.
2 comments:
You're not as enthusiastic this trip, Rob? But still interesting to read. Perhaps the spice of anticipation is important, as you mentioned earlier.
I'm back lying flat after another eye op last Thursday, but still planning on making it to France in May.
No iPad yet? News here is reporting wifi problems, but I haven't chased them up yet
Will try to spice it up but you are right - am annoyed with myself for signing up for this trip in the first place although Hawaii is special. Looking forward to the helicopter flight and whatever Oahu brings.
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