Maui - The Little Paradise

Aloha and yaaagayau Folks

After exploring the beautiful island of Oahu, we move two islands further to Maui, where we start our second Workaway adventure with Matt. We take a short flight up and then back down to the small, manageable Maui airport. From above, you can already see the two huge volcanoes that make up most of the island. We arrive late in the evening and have to take a taxi to Matt's place because he didn't have time to pick us up. We drive for about half an hour and then turn off to a nice cottage. Matt greets us warmly with a heartfelt Aloha and a bro-clapp and invites us in. The house is practically empty, Matt has only recently moved into this house. After a long dialogue about God and the world with our new boss, we go to bed.

The next day we start our work and quickly realize that Matt is a bit of a mess. We do his laundry, clean the house, and his car. In return, he cooks for us and lets us stay at his place at a reduced price. A good deal considering how expensive life is in Hawaii. Since we are far away from the action, he takes us on small outings. We go to the local beach, where we can drink and smoke, which we all enjoy. The giant turtles that leisurely sunbathe in the sand impress only us; for the rest of the people, they are just part of the scenery. Don't be a turtle toucher or you will get tasered, or so we are told.

The lifestyle of the people here is pretty easy-going and the first few days totally convince us. It's also quite fun with Matt, sometimes a bit exhausting, as he talks a lot when he has had a "green" brownie beforehand. 😁

One of our highlights was definitely the trip to the summit of Haleakala, one of Maui's two volcanoes. The drive takes about an hour to reach the national park, and even this was an adventure. You drive up a mountain road, higher and higher, until you are above the clouds (3000m). It feels like sitting in an airplane and soaring over the sky. At the summit, you have a spectacular view, top of the world, as Matt explains to us. We find a wind protected spot and enjoy the sunset. Definitely one of the most beautiful places of our journey.

So our days go by relatively quickly, we meet friends of Matt, chill at the beach, have picnics in the forest, and enjoy our time.

On the weekend, we have two days off, which we use to explore the eastern part of the island. The road is called Road to Hana. Matt gives us a tent, lots of local tips, and his car for our adventure. Packed full, we set off. It's a winding, narrow road, like a pass. Every ten minutes we stop to lay on a beach or admire a waterfall. The nature is phenomenal. Jet black lava sand covers the island's coasts, green glowing plants and gigantic mammoth trees line the road.

Right on the beach, my love cooks our lunch and we enjoy it until a nasty rain shower forces us back into the car. But as quickly as it began, it also ends, that's normal on Maui. Even with a clear blue sky, the drops can fall... We drive leisurely to Hana and the tourists who have to be back at the hotel by six o'clock clear the streets. Shortly before sunset, we find our recommended spot. Through the forest along the coast, we arrive at a small bay after a short hike. Two couples take a few more photos until they leave. A dream... You and me, completely ALONE in a bay, tent set up, cold beers, romantic background music, and a small fire burning in a small self-dug pit in front of our tent entrance... You only see something like this in cheesy romantic movies, but for us, it was real. Such a beautiful experience that we will never forget! Occasionally, it rains a little and the strong gusts of wind almost blow our tent away, but the next morning we wake up to a breathtaking sunrise. We drive straight to the nearby national park and have breakfast on our camping chairs overlooking the ocean. We hike a beautiful path, over sticks and stones, through intertwined bamboo forests, up the mountain, to a huge waterfall. We spend the rest of the day along the way back and make stops at various spots. The last days with Matt come to an end and we help him create a garden bed and enjoy the last Hawaiian rays of sunshine on the beach. Time to say goodbye. Matt takes us to the airport, where we bid farewell. We had an incredibly beautiful time on this dream island, experienced a lot of beautiful things, and met great people.

But the journey always continues, and in our minds, off to L.A.....

Peace out gzumü