Although Hawaii has been occupied by US forces for more than 100 years, the natives still use their cute little alphabet with 12 letters. You know them. A, E, I, O, U and H, K, L, M, N, P and W. So each of the island names, city names, street names and people names are all anagrams of each other. Today, we set out on the famous "Road to Hana" -- through the rainforest on the windward side of Mt. Haleakala.T
The Road to Hana is carved into the cliffs where Haleakala meets the sea. 600 curves, 60 one-lane bridges, and numerous three-digit rises and drops. Super twisty.
You would design a twisty road too if if you were confronted with this as the native vegetation needing to be traversed. Maui-wowie indeed.
But be careful not to partake too much of the native greenery while admiring the scenery. For example, these Widespread Panic fans just couldn't get enough the sticky stuff.
If you can control yourself, there are numerous rewards at every turn, like this waterfall and freshwater swimming hole.
Or this saltwater swimming hole. You can see the road slicing through the cliffs.
3 hours later (yes, three hours to go 40 miles), the pavement ends at the Nordman-like isolated town of Hana -- free from life's complications like gas stations or a place to buy a pair of socks.
But these Hanaanians like it just fine -- who needs a gas station (or socks) when you can eat pineapples and coconuts from your yard and you only have twelve letters to worry about.
See you tomorrow at the elysian lavender fields!
I love the drive to Hana... one of the best days of my life. Enjoying your blog.
Posted by: Jenny deMars | 09/07/2010 at 12:35