Centipedes and Cliff-Jumping

Today was awesome! Besides being warned to check our beds for centipedes, that is.

We drove to Hana today, one of the most spectacular drives in the whole world, probably. Maria's husband Bryan gave us all the best tips on places to stop (as in the places off the beaten track), so we actually didn't stop until we got to Hana. We had lunch at Waianapanapa State Park, where there's a black sand beach and a lava cave. Then we went on to a spot in Haleakala National Park where they have these "Seven Sacred Pools," a bazillion waterfalls, and hiking trails. Bryan is really into cliff jumping, so he told us how to find the best pools; we found what we thought were them and basically chickened out. No one else was jumping, and the water levels are pretty high from all the rain, so it looked impossible. But we ended up going on a hike to a waterfall (the fall itself wasn't that great) through these FANTASTIC bamboo forests--the bamboo gets really thick so it blocks out all the light and all you can see are endless crisscrossing sticks, and it creaks and moans when it moves. It's totally surreal.

Then we drove all the way around the eastern coast of the island on these INSANE curvy one-lane cliff roads where there's a good chance you're going to die around every curve. Our car entitled us to drive like locals, so we rode the highway like a roller-coaster and all the pokey tourists pulled over to let us pass. I never thought it could be so much fun to drive. :) Don't worry, we were still safe.

The view was so incredible on the other side of Hana that I can hardly describe it! Imagine a dark green mountain sweeping out of the clouds into pale green pasture land, then off a rocky cliff (on which the road is precariously perched) into the ocean. Most parts are empty except for the occasional house hidden by banana trees. I took a couple pictures: