Birds-Eye View!

Another sunny start ...... perhaps not too surprising given that Maui is only 1,400 miles north of the equator! Our hotel, The Pioneer, is a very popular breakfast gathering point for guests and locals alike, who all seem to appreciate starting the day with an ocean-view from a boarded-terrace .... as we do! Post-bagels, we visited the Courthouse Museum and whilst there discovered that the Hawaiian flag incorporates the Union Jack, another tribute to our colonial past!

We took the 'Historic Trail' around the town centre, returning to our hotel via the Banyan tree, which is located in front of our room and is home to thousands of birds that roost in it overnight!

From there we drove to the Haleakala National Park and ascended the switchback road to reach the summit of Haleakela Volcano, some 10,000 feet above sea-level. From the park entry-point, it takes approximately thirty minutes to reach the summit, and every twist in the road produces incredible views of the Island ..... except when encased in the dense clouds that sit mid-way up the ascent.

At the summit. we had great views both of the crater itself and the observatories that sit on its rim.

But the journey was definitely one worth undertaking! Returning to sea-level we headed for 'The Enchanted Garden' at Kula ..... unfortunately closed! So we plumped for a short visit to Paia as an alternative, before returning to Lahaina for our final night on the Island. Since being here I discovered that there is such a thing as Hawaiian Reggie, but I've gone for the master!