Aloha!

Right before I started my new job, I was lucky enough to get to take a trip to Hawaii.

It was all the more awesome because I went with my Madison Top 3, so it was a mini reunion of sorts, and mostly paid for by my former employer (Thanks, Brennen and Alison!).

Kauai highlights:

1. Lots and lots of beach time and pool time in Kauai
   • Unfortunately, me and the guys got sunburned during the first hour we were out on the beach. Sigh, it looked cloudy… Wear sunscreen, kids!
   • But that definitely didn’t stop us from being outside all day every day. As guys do, give us a volleyball and a water bouncer ball, and we kept ourselves entertained in the pool for the week.
2. Hiking the Kalalau Trail
   • 
   • Hardest hike I’ve ever done. It was four miles in, through some of the roughest terrain ever. We had to cross multiple streams, jump over boulders/logs, and slog through a ton of mud.
   • There were lots of guava trees along the way though, and Raff and I enjoyed picking off the fresh fruit.
   • By the time we got to the the giant Hanakapi’ai Falls, we just had to take a dip in the freezing water.
   • 
   • And then we had to hike the most exhausting four miles back out.
3. Surfing off of Kalapaki Beach
   • None of us had surfed before, so we were all looking forward to this.
   • After some quick tips from our instructions on the sand, we took to the waves.
   • It was easier than I expected (maybe it was our large boards?), and we all got to hit 5-10 waves. Though I couldn’t really get my balance right the first few times, on my last one, I actually rode the wave for quite a while. Shreddin’ waves, brah.

Maui highlights:

1. Road to Hana
   • We took a day to tour many sights along the famous Hana Highway. The drive was beautiful in itself, as we were often flanked by the sandy shoreline on one side and tropical flora on the other.
   • I really liked Waikani Falls (aka Three bears waterfall #gobears) and the picturesque rainbow eucalyptus trees.
   • 
   • 
2. Snorkeling in Honolua Bay
   • Exploring around our hotel, we picked out a nice beach where there were tour boats right offshore with snorkelers – what a great idea. We swung by a store to rent some snorkel gear of our own and dove in where the boats were.
   • I’ve been snorkeling before, but this was unreal. Right up along the shore, we swam 5-10 feet above coral beds and lots of tropical fish. It was cool to dive in between the coral and take a closer look.
   • I also saw three sea turtles! At one point, I was surprised and slightly frightened when one swam right toward me.
3. Haleakala Summit
   • For our last sunset, we drove up to the summit (10,023 feet at the top!) of the island.
   • 
   • We were not disappointed by the view, literally above the clouds. It was absolutely breathtaking.
   • 
   • Brennen decided to go down the mountain entirely in neutral, so of course we were going to do it. It made for a nice challenge, and with a little help pushing from me and Raff at one point (pushing a car at high elevation is really, really tough btw), we did it!

Overall, this trip was a blast, partly because it was with some of my favorite people and partly because no one can have a bad time in Hawaii. Until next time, Aloha!