Experiencing some of Maui's diversity

Since right now we have pretty much settled into a regular routine of work at the institute, and the 30-40 participants are not due to arrive for another 10 days for their month of training there is not a lot of news to report on other than our outside excursions on our weekends or Wed. afternoons off.

So I’ll focus on 2 such experiences this past week.  Last Sunday afternoon, Aug. 14, we took a public bus ride about 15 minutes south of here to Wailea Beach and explored the adjacent Grand Wailea Resort.  It was built by a Japanese developer in 1991 at a cost of $650 million and covers 40-acres.  It has changed owners multiple times since then and is currently owned by Hilton’s Waldorf Astoria Hotels & Resorts.  It is one of Hawaii’s most well-known resorts and the second largest on Maui.  It has 787 rooms and 52 suites, 5 restaurants.    There are 2 equal-sized Grande Suites each renting at a nightly cost of $10,600!

One of the nice accommodations of Maui is that there are no private beaches.  So we just wandered through the hotel’s lobby to go and enjoy the sunset on the beach.  There were man-made waterfalls everywhere and the entrance into the lobby was lined with 50 or more stunning orchids.  I’m including a few photos I took as well as link to a professionally prepared advertising YouTube video.  Experiencing the spectacular Hawaiian sunsets over the sound of the rolling surf is something we have yet to get too much of.

The next grouping of photos is from our Waihee Ridge Trail hike taken on Saturday (Aug. 20).  It was about a 30-minute drive from here on the opposite coast overlooking the Kahului Bay.  There was a group of 11 of us volunteers who went.  From sea level we drove up to about the 1000-foot level and parked.  We started hiking at 8 AM and were hoping to not get caught in any of the frequent showers which usually come closer to mid-day or afternoon.  We hiked about 2.5 miles up to the trailhead at the 2700 foot level, with some spectacular views looking back down at the bay below us.  At places we were walking on a ridge about 6-8-foot-wide but very comfortably covered with vegetation on both sides of the well-maintained trail.  Because of the frequent rains the trail was at times quite muddy and challenging.  I (Leon) was the last one to the top because I got distracted so many times by the variety of tiny, beautiful flowers and expansive scenery that begged to be photographed. :)

Till next time,

Leon

Just for your information:  you can click on any of the photos I have included to have them expand larger.

Facing the entrance to the Gran Wailea Hotel, a75 ft wide man-made waterfall

Partial view of the resort complex facing the ocean--Wedding chapel to the right

Sea-life-theme, central water fountain

Another million dollar sunset across the Pacific

 (Click arrow below for a 3 minute video tour of the resort and waterpark)

Panoramic view of Kahukui Bay from the Waihee Ridge Trail

Karen hiking up the ridge trail

Hoping for a break in the clouds to catch
a glimpse of the  waterfalls in the valley

Decisions, decisions, decisions!! "If I get stuck, will you pull me out?"