maui trip!

this weekend i went with a group from the campus Leisure Center to a secluded part of Maui called Hana which has lots of beautiful waterfalls, beaches, caves, and hikes... but to get there we first had to survive the Hana Highway which is known for its 53 mile stretch of 54 one-lane bridges and 600 twists & turns! though torturous on the stomach and the driver, it is a very scenic route so while i wasn't feeling carsick i was able to enjoy the pretty views of the island :) this picture doesn't do the highway justice but you can see the winding road with a great view of the mountains as well!


to start things off, my friend locked the keys in our car! we were in a cute little town and some really nice firefighters found wedges & coat hangers to help us break into the car :) we also slightly rear-ended our friend's car on the Hana Highway while it was dark and wet... but i don't think the car dealership knows that ;)


our first stop on Saturday was the Hasagawa General Store which became our main meeting spot for the weekend... but then we were off to the fun stuff! we arrived at hike and on the way were able to see a Black Sand Beach which i had never seen before! it was so cool :D


and at the end of our hike was Hawaii's only Red Sand Beach! we snorkeled here and swam in the water even though it was really cold... there were so many little fish to see under water!


our next stop was Haleakala National Park where we did a 4 mile roundtrip hike. on the way we stopped on a bridge so people could jump off 60 feet into the water! i was a little nervous so i jumped from 50 feet off of a cliff which you can see to the far right of this picture! i was freaking terrified and thought i was going to pass out mid-jump, but i survived! i landed a little slanted and hit my tailbone on the water so it is still hurting a little, but it was so worth it :)


on the hike we were also able to walk through a bamboo forest! this was probably my favorite part of the trip... i love bamboo :) here is a picture of me and my friend in the middle of the hike!


at the end of the hike was a beautiful 400 foot waterfall called Waimoku Falls. it was nice and cool here with lots of mist from the waterfall so it was a nice place to take a break before we had to walk all the way back!


our last stop of the day was at a series of waterfalls called the 7 Sacred Pools. a group of us watched some friends jump from an 80 foot cliff which you can see in the back right side of this picture... they are crazy.


on Sunday we went to the Waianapanapa State Park to play in some freshwater caves which is where this next picture was taken. the water was cold but it was fun to explore the caves. i only wish i had a flashlight becuase it gets pitch black when you actually swim inside!


at this stop we also saw another Black Sand Beach. here is a small group shot of some of us in front of the beach :)


and our last stop of the trip was at the Venus Pool which was a fun place to swim and jump off the rocks. i had to refrain from any serious jumps because of my injured tailbone, and also becuase i was still getting over the terror i had while jumping the day before... but this was a nice place to relax before our long drive to the airport!


i keep getting asked if i liked Maui or Kauai better... and i honestly can't choose! they are both insanely gorgeous and there are so many fun things to explore at each one... next stop: Big Island!