April 02, 2005
The Hana Road
Maui Sunset Google shot
Well I am sitting in the Livewire Cafe in Pai'a Maui. This town is a lot like Puna on the Big Island, a throwback to the 60's quasi hippie funky fun...
We took a "Pool Day" yesterday 4-2. Just worn out at least in the morning. Did something that I have
not done in years... swim in the ocean. Our condo is right in front of lovely Kamaole beach, about 50 yards or so so its a easy hope. calm peaceful and as Woody calls it "user freindly we hopped in and paddled around until we are now as sunburned as the rest of the visitors and therefore fit right in...camaflagued. Seriously the closest swimming beach to us on the Big Island is the lovely Hapuna, north of Kona and that is 3 hours away... so its been sort of like living inland. Then before we moved here I gave up swimming in the ocean in So Cal for the nastiness of the water...basically its an open sewer. That is the big ugly secret of that visitor location......
I loved being out in the water again.
Woody and I are doing well, we have eaten rested and done some sightseeing. (We have a wonderful Chrysler 300 touring car with less than 1000 miles on it. We will break this puppy in. We have already done some 4 wheel driving in it... After a rest we drove the 30 minutes to Iao Valley. I wish I had a way to post the photos. You would have thought that I had gone to New Zealand, to the area where Lord of the Rings was filmed. A blind valley sharply cut in the flank of the dormant volcano Hale Mahini (house of the moon) this misty valley, with a rain swollen river running through it is the stuff of dreams...just beautiful
Today we took the challenge and drive the 110 mile round trip Road to Hana. This narrow (1 1/2 lane most of the way 15 miles per hour...) road is considered the most beautiful drive in the world...well its one of the most difficult and only Big Island's Saddle Road is worse. 67 hairpin turns, 40 one lane bridges, some nasty locals and piles of tourists wanting the best photo ops' this includes your bloghostess....over 100 waterfalls grace this route. you want to shoot them all. The ocean views will break your heart. This is some of the most magnificent scenery I have ever seen... Stunning is an understatement.
As we drove I thought about how the Hana road is a metaphore for our journey. Its a well known route, people do it all the time, but there are so many twists and turns that you can really blow it easy and a disaster ensues. However the passing views are lovely and since its a narrow road that you cant turn around on you best just go forward and enjoy the ride...
We are doing that. We had what may be a set back. The commitee that we applied to to buy the home in Sarasota turned us down to rent the dirt the thing would have sat on...Seller is upset, saleslady is upset and we the potential buyers are upset... no one knows why yet a letter is waiting for us in Hilo when we get back on 4-12
I think it leaves us more options open...
My condolences to my Catholic Readers for the Death of His Holiness Pope John Paul II. I am not a Catholic and I disagreed with many things that he said but he did much that improved this world and for that he will be missed...
Also, the end of the struggle for Terri Schavio...May God have mercy upon her soul and upon her family.
Tomorrow, we are taking the ferry to the Island of Molokai'i for the day. I am taking loads of pics for you photo junkies. I miss reading your blogs too.!
