Wednesday 8, 2006
Hana/Back Way from Hana/Wailea

Watched the sunrise from the black sand beach at the hotel today Did yoga again on the beach, god that is the best way to exercise. And this time actually did jump into the water. Seven thirty in the morning and it was warm as a bathtub.


After checking with: the hotel clerk, the police , the roadside work crews and the forest rangers got on the road round the backside of Maui.
The road is dirt for most of the way and if it is raining up on the volcanoe than the road can get in passable.
Since it can be lovely down below and raining on the volcanoe the area is prone to flash floods. It hadn't rained the night before so took my chances (if I had to back track my drive to Makena would be five hours and apparently if you have to get towed it's $500)


I was so glad I took my chances! Virtually no one was on the road which was great in contrast to the Hana Hwy. It was beautiful country. Hawaiian cowboy country.











Cows on the road and that was about it.

Eventually made it to the upper country and it started to rain! I had just made it through the dirt road as I'm sure it is a bloody mess right now. I could see the Maui Prince down the mountain ten miles as the crow flies but an hour down and around by car.


Sat through the conference (oh, right that's why I'm here). Interesting but it was so hard to get that part of my mind cranking again. The Maui Prince Resort is nice with lots of strolling Japanese gardens and a stones throw from the beach where I had intended to spend my afternoon. Unfortunately , with the rain on the mountain came winds down at Makena/Wailea. I'm talking about knock you over, throw sand in your Daquiri type of wind.

So, instead I headed to my resort The Diamond in Wailea.


I had picked it because for a bit more than the Prince I had an entire apartment, views of the ocean and access to a Japanese spa.

The place caters to Japanese clientele. The suite has a tea set, bamboo mats for sitting on the floor, a giant jacuzzi, japanese showering supplies (they sometimes sit and douse themselves with buckets of water) and a toilet with a heated seat (I don't know about you but a warm tushie is never a bad thing in my book!). I love this place! So I stayed away from the wind on the beach today and took advantage of my lovely accomodations. Tomorrow if the wind settles I have my kayak/snorkel tour to Turtle City. God I hope I get to swim with turtles. I have an underwater camera bought especially for the purpose so when I get home I'll have photos to share.