The Road to Hana

After getting my passport stamp, I boarded a plane for Maui – for another main thing on my “next time” list – the road to Hana. This is a fabled drive, and I just ran out of time for it last time. Maui was the first stop on that trip years ago, and it was nice to go back having experienced different islands, each with its own feel. I stopped at a sugar museum – learning more about the history of this unique place. Then it was on to hippie-town Paia, the last real town before the road to Hana begins; I had a snack and went to a bead store. I miss doing those beads! All of my beads, findings and tools are in storage.



One can buy a tape (well, ten years ago it was a tape – now I suppose it’s a CD) that gives you running commentary along the road to Hana. I decided that would be overkill, but I did read up on the attractions at the various mile markers and noted where I wanted to stop. There are some stunning viewpoints, of course, and then some places where there are short hikes. I’ll have to admit, though, that I felt some uneasiness – in my reading and in signs along the way, they said not to leave valuables in the cars; cars and trunks get broken into. I had all of my stuff with me (I would have checked the big bag at Honolulu airport, but there’s no bag check after September 11). So I still went on the short hikes, but I made them shorter than they might have been, and I didn’t feel at peace. What a shame to be in paradise and feel that way – in my own country, after solo adventurous international travel. Of course, more than once along the way I thought that if anyone wanted the big green bag and could get away with stealing that heavy albatross, more power to them.


It was just about nightfall when I arrived in Hana. There are those who take the road there and back in a day – there’s not a lot there – but I figured if I waited this long to get there, I’d stay a couple of nights. My room had beautiful Hawaiian quilts – I now have more appreciation for all textiles. I thought that the hotel I chose would have a television set, and that I might get up early and watch the inauguration, but it didn’t, so I had to settle for knowing I was in President Obama’s home state on the day that he was inaugurated. At least I will remember where I was! And foregoing the Hana CD meant I could hear some of the concert of the day before while I was driving, which was fun. It would have been great to be in Washington for it, but I know I was a lot warmer!

I went to the Hasegawa General Store – for some reason I remember that tune; after I went to it, I found a Hawaiian-songs radio station, and then I heard it! My room was more like an apartment, and it had a kitchen, so I bought food for dinner and breakfast. I hadn’t cooked in a while, and it would be a while before I could again.


In the morning, I went to Kahanu National Tropical Botanical Garden. Very interesting, including a guide to the native plants and how they were used by Hawaiians, and an ancient temple called a heiau. There, verbal offerings were encouraged – so I took it as an opportunity to be grateful for my travels and for being there. My post-COS trip might have been the happiest time of my life. I then went to a lava tube, a red sand beach, and a beach admired by James Michener.


And then it was on to Haleakala National Park. The main part of the park – the volcano crater that people bicycle down from after sunrise (I hiked in the crater when I was there; I drove it and stayed for the sunset, not liking hill biking and after being told that it’s the same sun in the morning as at night). This rainforest part of the park is accessible only from Hana. It has a separate visitor center – which meant another passport stamp. I didn’t bring my National Parks Passport with me though – it’s in storage! I didn’t think I might be at National Parks before I got home. Now I’ve been to several, and I have a bunch of little scrap-paper passport stamps to glue into the book when I finally see it again. Also at the visitor center I got a map and some hiking recommendations – took a walk to a waterfall. As with Manoa, it was pretty crowded! Hana hadn’t seemed that busy – but I guess everyone who was there went to Haleakala! And then the next morning it was time for the drive back – this time without stops – and the flight to Honolulu and then to the mainland!