32. Day, I think (for English scroll down)

1.30 am wake up call!! That even surpasses the arrogant rooster that wakes us up way too early every day and plays with its life... The plan was to arrive at the bike rental shop at 3 am, take the bus to the Haleakala volcano at 3000 meters above sea level (about 2 hours) to admire the sunrise, and then rush downhill with the bike all the way to the sea. Our Bachelor star Vujo would have said: Totally awesome, man! Theoretically yes, practically no.

I booked a "guided bike tour" because I thought it would be dark, I didn't know the way, and with Zoe, who often has accidents, it makes sense to have a support vehicle behind us. So first we had to watch the safety video twice (!), just in case we didn't understand it the first time - mind you, it was 3 am... then the driver really talked our ears off, and when we arrived at the top, it was freezing cold. We were already aware that it would be a bit cooler at that altitude and time of day. It wouldn't have been sooo cold at 5 degrees, but the Malojawind from Engadin made it all the way to Hawaii Unfortunately, the sunrise was a bit difficult because there were so many clouds that a.) obstructed the view and b.) gave everything they had... Well, maybe downhill biking will be exciting. Nope, the tour guide made sure that we all rode behind each other (in ascending order according to numbers!), overtaking strictly forbidden, otherwise you would end up straight in the support vehicle, we stopped several times where it was boring and where we wanted to stop, I wasn't allowed to because the group had to stay together in single file. Pffff quite a challenge for a free spirit like me. We then arrived at the bottom at 10:30 am, still wrapped up like a sausage (I had on 3 pairs of trousers and 4 tops). It looked as if we had come from Lüneburg Heath and not from Hawaii, as our Hubi lovingly and rightfully commented 😊 You could have booked the whole thing "unguided" - would have been better. The path is not rocket science after all - it's just downhill, and if you drive too far, you end up in the sea, no big detours. It wasn't dark anymore after the sunrise, and Zoe - well, we would have scraped her off the asphalt if necessary.

But the moon-like landscape of the Haleakala with the sand areas and hills in all shades of red-brown and ochre yellow, scattered with tuff cones, lava rocks, and occasionally silver swords - it was all worth the effort.

1.30am wakeup call! That beats even the arrogant rooster who gets us out of bed every day far too early and by doing so, really risks its own life…. The plan was to be at the Bike rent shop at 3am, who would take us up to the Haleakala volcano at 3000 above sea level (about 2 hours) to admire the sunrise and then race downhill with the bike to the beach. Our Swiss Batchelor star Vujo would have said: that’s wickeeeed maaan! Theoretically yes, practically no.

I booked a guided tour, because I thought it would be dark, I don’t know the route and with Zoe getting injured far too often, I thought to have a service car behind us would be handy. First we had to watch twice (!) the security video, just in case we didn’t get it the first time – it was 3am nota bene…, then the driver did not stop talking all the way and arrived on top it was bloody freezing. We did think it would be cold at that time of the day and altitude, and with about 5 degrees it wasn’t even that cold, would it not have been for the cold Malojawind which blew so hard it even made it to Hawaii. The sunrise part was also a bit difficult, because there were terribly many clouds which a.) covered the sun and b.) poured all water it contained. Ok maybe we will have more fun with the race down. Nope we did not, the tour guide ensured that we all biked one after the other (numerically ascending!) behind each other, overtaking strictly forbidden or else we would end up in the service car behind us, we had to stop at super boring places and where we wanted to stop, we were not allowed to, as the group needed to keep together in the right sequential number… Pfff that was a bit of a challenge for such a free spirit like me. Around 10.30am we arrived at the bottom, and I looked like a squeezed sausage (I had 3 layers of trousers and 4 top’s on). We did look more like we came from the Lüneburger Heath rather than Hawaii, as Hubi commented charmingly and rightfully so 😊 We could have booked it all also “not guided” which in hindsight would have been better. The path wasn’t rocket science after all, it all goes downhill and if you go too far you end up in the sea – getting lost would be difficult. It wasn’t dark after sunrise and if needed bee, we would have scraped up Zoe from the asphalt.

But the moon-like landscape of the Haleakala volcano with the sand surfaces and hills in all shades of red-brown and ocher yellow, sprinkled with Tuffcones, the Lavarocks and the scattered Silversword made it all worth while.