Last day in Maui: Road to Hana

On our last day in Maui we did the famous road to Hana. We woke up early, packed all of our stuff, and checked out. It was sad to leave our hotel at the beautiful Kaanapali beach. We drove to the east side of the island and started the trip. It takes about 2 1/2-3 hours to get to Hana. It is a very narrow and windy road that goes all the way up the mountain. Sometimes there is only one very narrow lane (but still traffic coming both ways). It was pretty scary sometimes but the things we saw along the way were well worth it. I can't believe we almost didn't do the drive. First we stopped at one of the world's most popular spots for surfing and watched the surfers. The next place we stopped at was my favorite. There was a black sand beach that I was very amused by. The scenery was gorgeous, we were literally on a tropical island!I didn't fall in...it was kinda scary though. These are openings in the rocks that open into the ocean...watch your step.

My favorite...the black sand beach. I want to frame this picture (those are my footprints!)We didn't swim in this beach because there were signs for jelly fish. Other crazy people swam anyway.

This was inside a cave under all of those black rocks.

After about two hours of driving on the windiest and narrowest road I have been on in my life we came across the town Hana. Niel and I had just finished talking about how it would be crazy if people actually lived up this far in the tropical mountains. And then in the middle of the jungle it seems like you stumble across the town Hana where people actually live. We were even more surprised when we saw our church!!! We couldn't believe it. There were some church members at the church who we actually got to talk to. They showed us around the church. It would be such a different life living in Hana than in southern California.Next stop: gorgeous waterfalls. Niel swam in the waterfall...I had every intention to swim in it as well until I felt how cold it was. I decided to watch Niel swim...that was just as much fun probably. Last stop on the road to Hana: The 7 Sacred pools.

These are seven natural pools that stream all the way down the mountain and into the ocean. We were really bummed because usually you can swim in the natural pools but they wouldn't let us swim the day we were there because the water levels were too high. I guess we will have to go back to Maui so that we can experience it:)

So that is the end of our trip. We drove back down the road from Hana and got on our airplane to go back to muggy, hot, dirty, southern California. Maui was the most beautiful place I had ever been and I hope to go back!!