Hawaii

Jan 10-15, 2007
AC137 YYZ-YVR, 43 YVR-HNL, AQ72 HNL-OGG, UA50 OGG-LAX, AC792 LAX-YYZ

A seat sale to Hawaii in November and plans to use some of the free Hyatt Faster Free Nights converged on another trip to our favorite islands.  This year we went to Honolulu and Maui.  For a change we overnighted in Vancouver and took the morning flight -- it broke the trip up well and avoided the normal late night arrival.  We relaxed in Waikiki for the day and had a nice dinner with Yuka and Robert.  The next morning after a workout, a walk on the beach, and breakfast, we flew to Maui.  Two nights in Maui at one of our favorite hotels and then a red eye home through LAX.  One of the highlights was our whale watching tour on the last morning where a whale in the distance breached almost continuously for at least 30 minutes.  Unfortunately United had other plans for our return and we had a mechanical delay, missing our LA connection to home.  Luckily we were both able to work from LA before taking the late afternoon flight home with a little New Zealand wine and food in our stomachs from the wonderful Air New Zealand lounge at LAX.  

Jan 10-11
Fly to Vancouver & spend the night.  Fly to Honolulu on the 11th.

Our hotel, the Hyatt Regency Waikiki, overlooking the beach.

Jan 12
Fly to Kahului Maui and the Hyatt Regency Maui at Kaanapali.

Waikiki in the morning, as seen from the hotel.

Jan 13
Drive clockwise around West Maui, then up Haleakala for some hiking

Beach along the Honoapiilani Highway around West Maui

Olivine Pools

The Kahekili Highway is paved but mostly one-lane around the northeastern part

As we drove up Haleakala (10,000 feet altitude), we climbed above the clouds

The summit of Haleakala, with parking

We did a great hike in the crater interior, because of the altitude it was cool

More crater interior

Me looking into the crater before the big climb out

A random rainbow, seen from the car during one of Maui’s frequent traffic jams

Jan 14
Whale-watching in the morning, then fly to LAX and home on the 15th.

Lahaina’s famous Banyan Tree

There’s a whale in there.  This is actually the best photo we have of a whale from this trip.

Maui and the harbour of Lahaina, as seen from the boat