7/17 - Our room at Blue Horizons B&B.www.bluehorizonsmaui.com Our little used kichen. Pete just wanted some alone time. 7/18 - we started with a "Complete Island Helicopter Tour" from Blue Hawaiian www.bluehawaiian.com A view of Molokini from the air... in a few days we will be snorkeling there. Here we are at "Dragons Teeth". Pete at the "Blow Hole" found off of Honapi'ilani Highway. 7/19 - We were crazy enough to get up to watch the sun rise on Haleakala. Sunrise at Haleakala Craterwww.nps.gov/hale Silverswords Our shadows as we look towards the observatories on top of Haleakala. Mary in the parking lot before our morning hike. Pete investigating a "Star Trek-like" plant on our hike through Waikamoi Forest Preserve.www.nps.gov/hale 7/20 - Were almost to Molokini for our morning snorkel.www.mauicharters.com After snorkeling we visited the Maui Ocean Center.www.mauioceancenter.com Maui Ocean Center Maui Ocean Center On the evening of 7/20 we met up with George & Ann for a luau at the Old Lahaina Luau.www.oldlahainaluau.com George & Ann at the Old Lahaina Luau. Pete & Mary at the Old Lahaina Luau. The Imu ceremony. Sunset at the Old Lahaina Luau. Old Lahaina Luau Old Lahaina Luau 7/21 - Today we took a marathon horse back ride through Haleakala. OK OK, so it was only a 12 mile ride but it took almost all day. Pony Express calls it their "Kapalaoa Cabin Ride".www.ponyexpresstours.com View from a top Mary's horse. George & Ann Horseback riding down Sliding Sands Trail Haleakala Craterwww.nps.gov/hale The "worlds most expensive firewood". This wood is from Washington state, once on Maui it is then flown by helicopeter to the remote location of the Kapalaoa Cabin. Haleakala Craterwww.nps.gov/hale Haleakala Craterwww.nps.gov/hale Haleakala Craterwww.nps.gov/hale Pete has a facinations with these markers. Haleakala Craterwww.nps.gov/hale 7/22 - We drove to Hana to spend the night at the Hana Maui Botanical Gardens B&B.Hana Botanical B&B We explored many acres of the botanical gardens. White/Yellow Plumeria... I can almost smell their sweet fragrance. This is one butterfly that stayed still just long enough to snap this photo. George demonstrates his gathering and preparing skills by cracking open this coconut. 7/23 - We began the road from Hana by exploring this red sand beach. Ann's cell phone went MIA but George used his amazing tracking skills to capture it and return it to a very happy Ann. We found the plaque showing the cave where Queen Kaahumanu, the favorite wife of King Kamehameha I, was born. Every vacation must have an aviation link. Here is Charles Lindbergh's gravestone. Map of Haleakala National Park, Pete is pointing at the red arrow which shows where we are. Looking up the valley into Haleakala. Seven Sacred Pools Pete - refreshed after a swim to the falls. Mary - refreshed after a swim to the falls. View of one of the O'heo Gulch waterfalls from the hiking trail. Perhaps we should have been geologists, we find this stuff so fascinating. Natural bridge. As the sun sets, we have just enough time to find the last water fall of the day. Twin Falls is the first waterfall on the Road to Hana (in our case the last, since we toured the road backwards). Pete posing in the cave behind the waterfall. Mary posing in the cave behind the waterfall. 7/22 - 'Iao Valley ("Supreme Light") The clouds move in quickly, so we were lucky to get the previous picture. We were told this was the "not to miss place" for dinner... though very expensive, they were right the food was awesome!www.mamasfishhouse.com Dinner. Signature dessert... "The Black Pearl".
