My primary reasoning to choose Maui over the other islands of Hawaii for a winter trip to the tropical islands was Haleakala National Park. It was November of 2019 and I hadn't visited a single new National Park in that year. Covid was barely in the news at that time, and travel concerns seemed far on the horizon. Thus, when we were choosing the islands, we ended up settling on Maui. Due to the throngs that visit Hawaii during the month of December, our Last minute planning meant that we couldn't stay the hotels we desired. However, I was willing to sacrifice all that for a chance to stay within the crater of the National Park.
We snagged the walk-up permits by being first in line at the Park HQ - thankfully very few others had ideas of backpacking while in Hawaii. Hiking into the core of a volcanic crater and viewing the desolate moonscape of volcanic ash mingled with dry vegetation made for a memorable backpack. The icing on the cake was waking up in the middle of the night to watch the star-studded night sky that denizens of the main towns of Maui would hardly be able to experience. This alone makes the National Park a worthwhile visit for any traveler to Maui.
This particular scene is a silhouette of the various tourists posing against the setting sun at the rim of Haleakala.
Haleakala National Park
HI USA
Enchanting Hawaii
January tends to be one of the worst months in the Pacific Northwest. And the start of this year was no exception, with the region experiencing 30 days of continuous rain. Rivers became swollen, creeks water-logged, trails slushy, and the mood sour. It was a sign to spend time indoors, reconnect with friends and family, grab a few drinks, and go through my archives.
It was certainly the lousy weather that inspired me to look at the photos of Hawaii, where, in one single day, you could go from barren moonscapes to a sunny beach to lush rainforests to graceful sunset. I still miss the days I spent driving between through those diverse climes and eagerly looking forward to the next vista.
Maui
Hawaii
Last of 2019
As the last light sets in some parts of the planet, there are others celebrating the turn of the decade. And it has been a tumultuous decade with rapid changes in economy, politics, science, technology and art. Parts of the planet which were previously politically and economically unstable are now new frontiers to explore, while others have turned the opposite way. Travel and exploration, which used to be an fulfilling activity of discovering new places, immersing in new cultures, and getting inspired by new art, have now transformed to a social-media fueled hunt for the next glamorizing place to broadcast to the world.
The broadening of the mind and the sense of respect that used to be the essence of travel, has now been thrown to the wayside, replaced by a fleeting five-second window of the predictive highlights of a location. Perhaps it is time to slow down, and travel for the sake of travel. Will the new decade bring a reversal of these trends. I would hope so, but I fear not.
My 2 cents as the decade winds to a close
Haleakala National Park
HI USA