Saturday, January 7, 2012

Escaping the Winter Blahs



The holiday frenzy is over and the Christmas decorations are put away.  As much as I love the Pacific NW, about every year at this time the dark, dreary days of winter seem to loom ahead for an unbearably long period.  I long for warmer temperatures, sunshine, beautiful beaches and adventure!  Fortunately many years I've been able to make a mid-winter escape.  For people living on the west coast, a trip to paradise can be fairly affordable and is only about a 4-5 hour flight away.  Hawaii is hard destination to beat for pure relaxation.  No need to make sure your passport is valid, no currancy to exchange, you can speak the language and the water is safe to drink. One of my most fond adventures in Hawaii was on a trip to Maui a couple of years ago.  We did the Haleakala Volcano Sunrise and bike downhill.  I know the Haleakala Sunrise is a bit of cliche, but sometimes the reason things are popular is because they are really great experiences. 


The sunrise was gorgeous and as it rose we were treated to the Hawaiian chant to the sun performed by one of the interpretive naturalists at the Haleakala National Park.  The whole experience was very moving and added added a uniquely wonderful Hawaiian cultural experience.



We opted to rent bikes and do the famous Maui Downhill Bike Ride after the sunrise.  It was fantastic - beautiful scenery at every hairpin turn!



See more details about our adventure on top of Haleakala, the full story is on my Squidoo page: Maui Sunrise and Downhill Bike Trip My favorite Maui Travel Guidebook: