Aloha from Hawaii: Part Two

The snow is flying outside, which makes it a perfect time to continue my Hawaii blog series. This is the second entry. If you missed the first one, click here.

Here are a few of my favourite activities on Maui:

Kayaking & snorkeling is an amazing experience, and my brother and I went on a lengthy excursion one morning. I’m not going to say any more about it here, because I plan to write an entire blog post about the event, but trust me, it’s worth it.

Haleakala National Park boasts a wealth of outdoor activities. It is the park surrounding Haleakala, Maui’s volcano. It’s possible to either drive up a sketchy road to the summit (10,000 feet above sea level), or hop into a helicopter and see it from the sky. We opted to drive, which I highly recommend. You can see the vegetation as it changes from palm trees, to forest, to sparse greenery, to colourful rock that greatly resembles the surface of the moon. Unfortunately, both my brother and I suffered altitude sickness, and we weren’t able to do much walking around at the top.

The summit of the volcano. I took this photo and couldn't believe how beautifully it turned out.

It’s possible to go hiking into the summit on a long, hot, gruelling nine hour trek where there are no refreshments stands, medical personnel, or buildings that offer shade and air-conditioning. The hike is apparently beautiful, and if you can do it, go for it. I wanted to, but I had already started to wilt.

Lower down the mountain – but still in the national park – is one of the coolest zip line courses I’ve ever encountered. There is a series of five lines, and each one is progressively longer than the first. Chris and I were immediately interested in the course, and, by some miraculous intervening power, we convinced my mother (who is afraid of heights) to go with us.

This was one of my favourite moments on the island. I hate to admit it, but I got a serious kick out of watching my mom scream bloody murder as she made her way across the first line. I felt bad when she started to cry afterwards, but I think they were tears of joy because she was still alive. All of the other people with us were supportive, and by the end there were ten chants of “Susan, Susan,” as she made her way across.

Mom, I’m still proud that you actually did that. I thought we were going to have to call a helicopter and air-lift you out of there.

You must, must, must go to a luau, but I’ll admit that I didn’t find it the most enthralling experience. It might be the fact that I was forced to go on stage and learn the hula, coupled with the fact that I ate part of a pig out of a giant pit in the ground. (Ugh. I get grossed out just thinking about it) Either way, a luau is a Hawaiian tradition, and it must be experienced by anyone who visits the island.

The Road to Hana also must be done. At least once. It’s basically like the Cabot Trail in Canada on drugs, and is a seven hour drive along a terrifyingly winding road that follows the side of the mountain. If a vehicle were to fall off the side – a situation that does happen on occasion – they drop a long, long way. Sometimes, the fallen vehicle will eventually hit the ground, or some trees. Other times, it’s nothing but ocean baby.

Walk the beach at night. All around the coast of Maui is a network of connecting beaches. It’s actually possible to walk around the entire island without leaving the coastline. In addition to being blanketed with stars, many fishermen that work at local restaurants come out at night to catch what will be served the following day. They build up piles of sand to mount their fishing rods, attach bells on the ends to announce a bite, and sit back and spent the night drinking under the stars. Chris and I stumbled upon a group of men doing this one evening, and they invited us to sit, talk, and share a beer with them.

When it comes to shopping, my opinions are simple:

Visit Hilo Hattie and an ABC Store for tourist crap, buy Kona Coffee, and don’t buy anything on Main Street in Lahaina, the largest town on the island. They will purposely rip you off, so look around and compare prices before committing to anything.

(NOTE: Lahaina is home to the World’s Largest Banyan Tree, so be sure to check it out. It’s located at the end of Main Street. Find Bubba Gump’s Shrimp Factory, turn left, and keep walking till you see it. Trust me. Worth it. Occasionally, there are local craft fairs set up all around the tree, and this is where I did most of my souvenir shopping).

Overall impressions?

Hawaii is beautiful. Yes, it’s American, and yes, it’s touristy, but you’d be hard-pressed to find any major destination in this world that hasn’t been touched by advertising and commercialism. I’ve been to Maui twice, Honolulu once, and I would most definitely go back again. And again. Being in Hawaii made me feel like I was in my own personal paradise. It’s truly magical, and worth the time and money.