Hawaii

 We got to go on a little vacation.  Drove to the city after work on Sunday.  Caught a morning direct flight out on Monday to Maui.  Got a rental car, some lunch, and went to the condo.  Had to wait for the neighbor to bring the key over.  Unpacked got a shower and some dinner.  Not sure if it was the time difference or just being in Hawaii but I woke up before the sun every morning but one.  Just love the sound of the wind and birds.  It was so nice to walk out every morning and see the beautiful green land scape. 

 Didn't plan a lot of activities time is spent visiting and eating out, going to the beach every day.  One day we got a late start and there was no parking so did miss one day of getting in the water.  There were turtles at every beach we went to.  They liked the mechanic he doesn't look like a predator.  Me on the other hand look like just like a predator, large and white.  So they swam from me really fast.  Our 2 activities were the zip line, which was so-so.  The zip line was a 2 van ride up the hill.  One van ride from parking to the shack where we got our harness on.  Then another van ride higher up the mountain.  So the view was pretty cool, could see 3 other islands and lots of ocean.  There was a period where the clouds made the water dark, but the hole in the clouds made a sunny spot on the ocean, I was watching really close and saw an whale jump out of the water.  It was a sight I will always remember.  I never get tired of seeing the whales.  Our other adventure was to get up at 330am drive up Haleakala to watch the sun rise.  It would have been better if there were no clouds, but at least it wasn't completely clouded over.  It is a cold adventure but totally worth it.  Quite a popular event, the parking lot gets full.  It is the number one thing to do on Maui, according to the 101 things to do on Maui list.

 After the sun rise we drove back down the mountain, to the Haleakala Ranch and took a 2 hour horse ride.  I did enjoy that, the view was great and it didn't rain on us.  This picture below is from the Ranch parking lot, down to the sugar field were they were burning.

 The night were beautiful we don't usually go out at night, did go out one night to an arts festival which was a save the forest thing.  Some of the art was really well done, but it was a freak show of people.  Didn't last to long there, saw the art and got out. 

We flew home on Wednesday, I got one hour of sleep on the plane, landed at 930p, got the car and the mechanic drove home, I tried to sleep in the back, got about 2 hours of sleep, got home at 2am, got up at 6a to get ready for work.  Good thing there is lots of coffee at work. 

It had snowed 2 feet and was -14 below the day we left.  Only a little snow since we got back, but it has been cold.  Nice to get away and get a little sunshine.  We did do the tourist thing and stay on the beach to long and got sun burnt.