Maui

We landed in Kahului midmorning and rented a snazzy white Chevy Cobalt to cruise around the island for the next four days.  One of the first stops was Costco to pick up a new cheapy bodyboard.  I had to leave mine home to avoid the ridiculous $145 surcharge the airline now charges... I've been to the Hawaiian islands a half a dozen times and Steph at least a full dozen, but it never ceases to amaze how wondrous and beautiful it is here.  Looking out from shore, the uninterrupted distant horizon, where the sky meets the Earth, is almost a perfectly straight deep blue line.  The Waimea coast is lined with the usual ritzy resorts -- perfect to cruise by and admire the landscaping while enjoying the same public beachfront.  At the Southeastern end of the island lies "Big Beach, " a rough bodyboarding spot which is separated by volcanic cinder cone from "Little Beach," a better boarding venue, but an unfortunate nude beach.  A buck-naked man on a board is a disconcerting sight... 

One of the great thrills is the drive to Hana, an all day journey of windy passages, hairpin turns, and narrow bridges with lush green forest, ferns, and bamboo on one side and brilliant ocean on the other.  Along the way, there are numerous waterfalls, vista points, hikes, beaches, as well as roadside food stands. As nearly every stand advertised banana bread, we stopped at one apparently voted best in Hana.  If that was the best, I would not want to taste the rest... Hana is a sleepy little town, so it's about the journey, not the destination.  Koki Beach near the end was a great spot for bodyboarding.  

Sunrise over Haleakala is said to be spectacular.  Hawaiian for "House of the Sun," the extinct volcano towers over the island. We rose from a short slumber at 2:15 AM for the 2 hour drive to the crater summit at 10,000 feet.  We knew it would be cold, so we had dressed appropriately.  We waited for first light and within 5 minutes, from out of thin air conditions changed.  On that morning, Haleakala was the house of numbing cold, driving wind, and a shroud of wet rain and clouds.  Spectacular in its own way...

Honolua, Kapalua, Napili, Waimea, Makena -- all beautiful bays with golden sand crescents and aquamarine waters.  Good snorkeling right off the beach with dolphins and tortoises nearby.

Shanon's father owns Tasty Crust in Wailuku.  They serve excellent banana pancakes. Definitely the best around.