Books, Bites, and Sights

Isola, Allegra Goodman

4/5 stars

Trapped in my car, escaping the downpour on an island? Why not read a book about being stranded on an island?

The outline: A young woman, Marguerite, is abandoned on an island in the New World and is having to learn how stay alive; yet she is still having to yield to the expectations of women during the 1500’s. Bizarre. Frustrating. For a lack of better words, bleh. But this conundrum makes way for such great story telling. The build-up of this novel was slow, but once I hit 40% read on my Kindle, I couldn’t put it down.

• Need coffee? Or a cozy, modern cafe with WiFi? Vida by Sip Me Maui came in so clutch. After having to leave our campsite due to flash flooding, we wondered aimlessly around Kahului looking for a cafe that would: 1. have WiFi, 2. have somewhere to sit and stay for a spell, and 3. didn’t close before 4. We found all those things at Vida by Sip Me Maui.

• After exploring the Southern portion of Haleakalā National Park, Amory and I escaped the rain with coffee, breakfast, and a crossword puzzle at Grandma’s Coffee House on Kula Highway. Once we rolled into Grandma’s and peeped their menu, our order turned into a short novela: 2 almond milk lattes, a slice of banana bread, an açaí energy bowl, a combo special with Portuguese sausage, and the Sunday Special: Eggs Benedict on a cornbread waffle with homemade lemon hollandaise sauce. Stop drooling – I know. All in all, we spent about $60 here, but it was all well worth it. Books, bites, insights? Be aware there are no public bathrooms at Grandma’s, but you can walk to the public park 5 minutes away to use the restroom if you need to.

• On our way down to the Southern portion of Haleakalā National Park via the Kula Highway, we passed many self-serve organic fruit stands. We weren’t able to do the road to Hana because of flash floods and mudslides, but I assume the same is true of that drive as well. No one was present when we stopped, so we snagged our fruits: two mini bananas, a mango, and a black sapote and shoved our $7 into the “pay here” lock box.

Where did we stay?

• Hosmer Grove Campground in the Northern portion Haleakalā National Park: A small, quiet, and cozy campground near the Haleakalā summit, but we could only stay one night (had reserved 3) before having to leave because of high winds and flash flooding. Books, Bites, and Insights? This campground is high in elevation, so be prepared and do your research if you plan to stay here.

• Howzit Hostel in Wailuku for $50 per person: same day reservations, a roof over our heads, a kitchen to prep food in, hot showers, and a coin laundry to get the caked-on mud off our clothes. We had not planned to stay here, but the flash flooding made it impossible to camp. Amory and I were given a twin-sized bunkbed in a room with 8 other bunkmates, and all in all, I enjoyed the experience and would stay there again.
• Kīpahulu Campground in the Southern portion of Haleakalā National Park: Cliff-side views and conveniently by some of the most popular trails of Haleakalā National Park (with typically better weather and less rain than the Northern portion of the park, so we were told). Fair warning though – getting there is a journey. Amory got carsick along the way due to the twists and turns of the nearly 2 hour drive. Additionally, portions of the highway are unpaved and so narrow only one car can pass at a time. As always, use caution reader, and check road and weather conditions before traveling.

Where did we hike?

• Waihe’e Ridge Trail (4.5 mile in-and-out): When we hiked Waihe’e Ridge, it was a cloudy day, but the views that did peak through were breathtaking. This trail is located near the Kahului airport, so in an effort to beat jet-lag, we hiked it immediately after landing. For us, it was a moderate trek.

• The Haleakalā Summit in the Northern porting of HPN (can drive to with parking lot at top): Nearly 10,000 feet in elevation, you are actually above the clouds – and therefore, for Amory and I, above the rain! Magical to say the least. Even after living in Nepal, this was the highest I’ve ever been in elevation. The drive from the entrance of the park to the summit is about 45 minutes but, as you can see below, well worth it.

• Silversword Loop via Halemau’u Trail in the Northern portion of HNP (12 mile in-and-out): This hike is the most epic hike of my 63 in 365 journey thus far. You hike down into a crater with an indesribable Martianesk landscape. This trail was comparable to the otherworldly trails I had done the year prior in Iceland – the wows would not, could not stop escaping my lips. There are no other trails or views like it. But be prepared. This is a strenuous hike, and I cried big girl tears while having to hike back out of the crater nearly three miles and 3,000 feet elevation gain (clothes and gear soaking wet) in the rain. But you know me best reader: 10/10 would still do again.

• Waimoku Falls via Pipiwai Trail in the Southern portion of HNP (3.5 mile in-and-out): While the waterfall is mid, hiking through the bamboo forest is so cool – and did you see that giant Banyan tree along the way? This trail was easy and simple and shouldn’t be skipped.

• Seven Sacred Pools Trail,’Ohe’o Gulch in the Southern portion of HNP (0.5 mile loop): The walk down to the pool was closed when we visited. I can only imagine how serene it would be to swim down there. Oh well, maybe next time.