Our 29th anniversary needed celebrating, and we needed somewhere warm to balance the Pacific Northwest winter. Why does that mean, all of a sudden, that I can only think of cold places to go? We worked out a few options, but in the end, settled on quick & easy: Maui!
Having lived out here for over 30 years, it took us a while to take advantage of Hawaii’s proximity, and I’m still surprised at the distance: it’s a 6-hour flight from here. Over our span here, we have now managed to visit all of the larger islands, and now we understand why people return to Maui over the years.
We were impressed by the beaches — we found black and red sand in addition to the long stretch of golden sand at Kaanapali, where we were based. But above all, the drives! We went to Hana one day, traversing bridges and dodging rain and waterfall spray, then all the way up Haleakala the next.
With a trusty convertible, and all the warm clothes we had with us, the summit was stunning, a whole other world. Such gorgeous views from the summit, and from along the coast, served as a fresh rinse for our over-calculating brains, and warmed us up enough to get through the rest of the season. We are so appreciative — that we still enjoy each other’s company, and that we are able to take a bit of time to explore together, away from our regular days.