Today we got up a bit earlier than usual, packed up the luggage, loaded up the car, checked out of the resort, and headed off to our new location.
We said "Goodbye" to Kihei and drove up part of Haleakala until we came to the one place Garry requested out of the whole trip: Kula Lodge.
Kula Lodge is a restaurant / garden / art show on the side of the mountain. So the first thing we did was get a table an order breakfast. Garry and Russ both had the Mountainside Platter (or something similar) which was two huge pancakes, two eggs, two pieces of meat (ham, Portuguese sausage, or bacon), and two slices of toast. They're all really big portions. I had the "Moco Loco" which is a bed of rice, on top of which is a hamburger patty, on top of which is a sunny-side-up egg, on top of which is poured brown gravy. Sounds odd, I know, but is a "local favorite" and very yummy.
Then we went out on the grounds and took pictures and pictures and pictures of all the neat plants. Here's lots of examples:
That done we then entered "Russell Time" wherein the rest of the trip was spent doing what he wants to do. His intent was to drive the "back road" to Hana to get to our new base of operations and to see new sites. In the past, when we've come to Maui, the rental car companies have always said, "You are not allowed to take the back road." This time they didn't say that...and we talked to the folks who run the BnB and they said, "Yea, it's fine. We go that way all the time and avoid the curves and narrow road to Hana." So we did.
We saw some interesting sites. First, there was the view of Kihei from up the mountian.And we got to see Little Beach (well, really, Big Beach) one last time...
Just above us was the cloud-line near the top of Haleakala.
This is a calm section of the road. Soon it gets very bumpy, very windy, very narrow...
Russ's guidebook, the "Blue Book" mentioned a "natrual stone arch" at mile-marker such-and-such. We found it, got out an looked, took some pictures and movies.
Then we did what none of the other siteseers did: We turned around and there we saw this:
So we stayed for a while longer. The sea was rough, the wind very, um, windy, the waves were large. We spent a lot of time taking pictures and movies.
Garry was inspired to build a stone heart with a message.
Next we stopped at a beach that had this view out in the water.
More pictures and movies were taken.
And it was here that we started a new "us tradition." Our fresh-flower leis from last week were starting to droop and show their age. So we decided that on every trip, once that happened, we'd find some pretty / symbolic / festive place to place them. Here on this beach we found a bit of driftwood that had washed up or been placed in a decorative pose...so we added our leis to it.
Russ's book then said there was a "must see" waterfall hike at a small park, so we went to that. It was a small park, and parked there was a small truck. In the back of the truck were two small puppies. Garry's heart melted.
Then it was on to the waterfall. And what a pretty one it was too! The Alelele waterfall...gorgeous!
Of course many pictures were taken. Russ waded out in the pool. Damian waded into the water. Even Garry (hater of anything below 86-degrees-F) waded into the water and mist. I took a movie:
Alelele Waterfall from Damian Hart on Vimeo.
Then on to the BnB near Hana. And what an interesting place it is. Very hippy-ish. Lots of statuary of Shiva, little hobbit lights, "gems" embedded in the walkways and so forth. The owner "Sam" met us at the car and was started to find out there were three of us...she was only expecting two. But she said, "It'll probably be OK." and guided us on in. Shortly she was laughing and hugging all three of us and all seemed well with the world again.
Ours is one little room, with a little bathroom, and a lanai. The walls are open to the air with screens to keep out bugs. The kitchen is on the porch! There's a frog / koi pond just outside the door. It's really charming.
So we unpacked. Sam worried that she hadn't provided enough food. We showed her Russ's traveling pantry and told her not to worry.
We talked about things to do tomorrow and came up with a plan. We called and made reservations. The guy said they only take cash. Russ checked his wallet.....
...and realized he'd left a wad of cash in the safe back in Kihei. Damian had cash in the safe too, but I took my cash out. I then told Russ, "The safe is open, go get your money out of it." Russ apparently only heard "Wa wa wa. Wa wa wa wa." So he didn't. So the cash is sitting in the wide-open back-room's, wide-open safe.
We called Kihei, the front desk went to look. It was still there. We'll go pick it up in a couple of days.
That taken care of, Russ made amazing chicken and ahi tacos for dinner.
We ate, drank wine while watching the sun set behind the mountain. Watched a bit of movie, then fell into bed and slept.
Russ had trouble sleeping. Between the "thuds" of the mangos falling off the trees, the "baaaa-ruuuup" of the toads that come to the koi pond at night, the pollen (or something) that stuffed up his nose, the humidity (which is pretty moist, but cool (what with the constant breeze) so it's ok), and....well....Kai.
Kai (that's what Russ has started to call him) is a rogue rooster that's found the BnB and decided to claim it as his own. Kai struts around and makes various chicken noises. Then around 3am or so...he begins to crow. And crow. AND CROW! And keeps going until well past 8am.
Damian slept right through it all. Garry did too for the most part. Russ....not so much.
Still it was fantastic day and tomorrow looks to be a nice one as well.
