Tina vs. The Volcano

Greetings, party people!

I'm in Maui and it's a pretty ok place to be.  Friday I hopped on a bus and went to the town of Paia, which is a little hippie town right on the water.  If I lived in Hawaii, I'd want to live in a place like this.  Super chill people, funky little stores, and the ocean in your backyard.  I dig it. 

That house over there is where I'll retire one day. 

Life's a beach

This is what happens when you have a shit ton of hair and you're on a beach that's incredibly windy.

Friday night there was a party at the hostel with free beer, so that was a nice way to end the day.  I met a chick from Pittsburgh that's staying in the hostel so that was cool.  She's tall and loves Shadyside.  I also chatted with a couple Brits who had spent the past year working at a hotel in Hilton Head, a 19 year old Swedish girl who works as an au pair in Portland, and a German guy who's in med school in San Francisco.  So I managed to make some friends and dominate the beer pong table.  All in all, a stellar evening.  Oh also of note, I was asked at least 4 or 5 times if I was Danish.  I've never been asked that before in my life, but as one girl explained to me I have "blonde hair and look sporty."  So I guess I'll have to ask my mom if she knows anyone from Copenhagen :)

Fast forward to Saturday, which turned out to be my most favorite day so far.  Departed the hostel at 8:30 with about 25 other people and made the 2 hour drive to Haleakala National Park.  Its a dormant volcano that rises 10,000 feet in elevation.  Our day consisted of a 12 mile hike around craters, through fields of lava rock and up mountainsides.   The change in landscapes and climate and scenery was truly spectacular.  I took a bunch of pictures, but unfortunately they don't even begin to represent the sheer magnitude of this place.  It's absolutely massive and makes you feel like a tiny speck in relation.  It was a day of wonder and awe and quiet reflection and all the other cliche things you could possibly think of.  Here are a few highlights:

View from the visitor's center.  It was about 40 degrees when we got there.  I had to wear a coat and everything.  How lame!

Nerd Alert #1.  Taken by Vikas, a short little man from Houston.

Barren landscape.  Kind of like walking on the moon (or so I would imagine)

Nerd Alert # 2.  Taken by a super sweet chick from Pittsburgh with a charming personality and smashing good looks.

Again, I don't know if these pictures capture the massiveness, but this is a good try.

Nerd Alert # 3.  Taken by Johan, a shy German guy with limited English skills.

Walking amongst the clouds.  That girl on the left was from Spain.  She was wearing untied shoes and a leather jacket and carried a huge purse the whole time.  I was walking behind her on some of the more strenuous parts of the hike and thought for sure she was going to take a tumble down the side of the mountain.  Luckily she prevailed.  Spainards are bad ass.

Above the cloud line.  We had to zig zag up some seriously narrow paths to make it back to the top.  I had to concentrate on my feet a lot to ensure that I didn't die, but when I reminded myself to look up and check out the scenery I was rewarded quite hansomely with scenes like this one. 

Catching the sunset from 10,000 feet. 

The sun dropping below the clouds.  Pretty incredible sight and one I urge everyone to experience.

So basically, yesterday was off the charts for me.  It was physically exhausting but worth every ounce of energy expended.  The change in climates and landscapes and scenery was absolutely amazing.  And the history of the volcano is one that demands respect and reverance.  I give it two very enthusiastic thumbs up. 

Today I'm hoping to hit up a little beach party with the rest of the crew here at the hostel.  Its my last full day in Maui so hoping to make the most of it.  I depart for Kauai tomorrow for more adventure and revelry.   Until we meet again, I leave you with another sunset scene:

For those of you enduring the middle of winter, I salute you!