One tour I was looking forward to was the
Road to Hana tour -
Hana being a town on the far side of the island of Maui.
The tour we chose circled the island...
Large tour buses avoid some of the narrow, winding back roads that we were able to take in the van, driven by a local driver.
Larger vehicles take the highway, then turn around and return the way they came. We enjoyed taking the road less traveled.
The windward side of the island is known for its waterfalls - created by rainfall.
The Hana-side of the island receives a lot of rain...
Here is a view through the window of our van as we were inching around a narrow corner.
The towns on the opposite side of the island - where most of the tourist hotels are located - have a drier climate.
Our 12-hour tour stopped at so many interesting places!
Among them was a black sand beach, where black volcanic rock - the rock that the Hawaiian islands are made of - has been worn down into sand-sized pieces.
Another interesting place we visited was a church that was the only building to survive a tsunami on April 1, 1946.
This tsunami, also called a tidal wave, originated in Alaska. It devastated many parts of Maui and the Big Island.
Our guide told us that the only people in this village to survive the tsunami were seven families who sought refuge in the church.
We also visited the churchyard where
Charles Lindbergh was buried.
The stained glass window in the church is really beautiful. In it, Jesus is wearing a robe of feathers - a traditional Hawaiian garb for gods to wear.
The day was pleasant in every way. A week later, after we had returned home, my son mentioned that torrential rains were in the forecast for Maui.
We were there the right week!
The whole trip was a wonderful escape from our winter - and a fun learning experience.
We were surprised by much that we saw - including another pod of whales splashing and breaching on this side of the island.
They are now apparently en route to the colder waters of Alaska with their new babies...
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