Hawaii

Of all the places I've been to in the United States, Hawaii has always been the best place for me. For the kind of person who loves city lights and prefers the fast-paced urban life, well, the island state might not be your choice. But for the avid traveler who loves the beach, the scenic view of the ocean, the tranquility of the environment and the cleanliness of surroundings, for sure Hawaii is certainly one of the best places to go to.

Hawaii (or HI, in state abbreviation) is an island state in the middle of the Pacific. This place is a resort gateway for so many tourists coming from the US Mainland and even from other countries mostly from Japan. Its scenic views and picturesque beaches attract even prominent people from all walks of life. Its volcanoes are some of the most attractive tourist spots and though active in its geologic state, these volcanoes still attract lots of people even the thrill-seeker of tourists.

As I speak of HI, I'll focus on Maui Island, one of the major islands of HI where I stayed with my relatives. As a scope and limitation (thesis? =P ) all shots and pictures were taken at various tourist locations within Maui Is. Hope we are clear on that note. =)

Going to HI was my first ever solo trip. My first time there was 2005, when I was asked by my mom to sell lanterns just for a try. It was just a quick trip (stayed there for 5 days) because classes were only suspended for a week because of the Manila SEA Games. Within a span of 5 days my relatives let me enjoy the scenery of HI (specifically Maui Is.). Here are some shots from 2005:

This was near Launiupoko Beach, December 2005. That was the day before I left home for Manila. My uncle let me see some good places within West Maui because that was where they used to stay (they had a place in Lahaina). Here's another take from 2005:

This was at Mt. Haleakala, also the same day when I went to the beach. My uncle toured me at one of the highest peaks in the state. What makes it memorable for me was the peak was higher than Mt. Apo, the highest mountain in the Philippines. The weather there was just like winter in California, but it sure didn't make me wear a jacket. ;)

My 2nd time in Hawaii was in 2008. This was the first time I stayed in Maui for more than a week. It was also the first time I went back to Manila all by myself. During those times, my relatives took me to different spots around Maui. Here's a shot of a beach where I went before:

Baldwin Beach, March 2008. This shot was taken after I arrived in Maui with my grandpa. The scenic waters really took my breath away. I even compared it to Boracay (which in fact, I've never been to) in terms of scenery. I couldn't help myself but be amazed with the wondrous beaches on the island. But beach-going wasn't the end of my adventurous trip that year. Here's another:

I can't remember where this was exactly but this was taken when me and my relatives (my cousin on the far right) took the adventurous trip tourists call "the road to Hana." We went to scenic spots that are being passed through by tourists as they make treads towards the town of Hana, a town filled with scenic black sand beaches and rocky cliffs and picturesque sights. When we made it to Hana, it was like a different world out there because of the black sand (which they say came from volcanic material). Here's a shot of it:

Hana, 2008. If you see the background, you'll get to see the black sand beach over the horizon behind us. Here's the shot at the rocky cliff. Scary stuff:

These pics were some of the most significant shots that I had during those adventurous moments in Hawaii during 2008. There are a lot of pics of the 2008 trip but these were some of the tourist attractions that are personally special.

After the 1st year of Med I went back to Hawaii, this time all alone without any companion, 2 weeks after classes ended. This was the 1st time for me to stay in the United States for a month because usually staying in the US for me and my family members would last 2 weeks at the most. New beaches and new sights welcomed me as my relatives took me to newer destinations within Maui Is. Here is one of the few shots where I went back to the beach, this time a new one for me:

This was somewhere near Kahului Airport called Kanaha Beach Park. The view was so nice (and even the camera) I couldn't help but notice the very beautiful scenery of that beach. Here are some more pictures:

These are all shots at Kanaha Beach Park. Tourists call it Kahului "Kite" Beach because of the rampant windsurfing being done there by avid water sport lovers.

Here's another beach where I was taken to by a family friend of ours:

Makena Beach, April 2010. Shots like this one can be seen on some tourist guide books (not my shot per se, but the scenery taken by professional tourist photographers). There are 2 sides of Makena: this one and the "Nude" beach. Our family friend took me there to the Nude beach, but for censorship purposes I won't put any picture of any naked person here. But for proof, here's a candid shot I took of that beach (I wasn't naked when I went there, so THANK GOD no one saw me in full glory.):

Happy? To top the bill, I lost my shades while I was there. Karma's a bitch.

Another place where we went to was the waterfalls at "the road to Hana." It was a bit nostalgic going back the road, but the sight of waterfalls was the main attraction and the main reason why I was taken there. Here's a shot:

There are a lot of waterfalls in Hana, but this is a shot of mine which I'd like to share. I don't want to make this blog too long to read because of the pictures. Let the pictures speak by itself.

We went back to Mt. Haleakala, almost half a decade since I last went there. This time, there were a lot of shots taken, from the peak down to the near-zero visibility road. The shots I'd like to show you were some magnificent shots of Haleakala taken from the lens of an SLR camera:

 Upon entry to Haleakala National Park

 Grass and shrubs all around, nearly 6000 ft. above sea level

 On top of Haleakala, 10,000 ft. above sea level. See the clouds? =)

 One of the few jump shots my uncle took. From this shot I learned a lot when taking jump shots: NEVER INCLUDE THE GROUND.

Need a ride?

Hawaii is a very nice place to go to. Someday visiting other islands in HI such as O'ahu and Big Island will be a possibility. It's just a matter of living the love of traveling. =)

Before I end my blog, I'd like to summarize that this trip made me see the beauty of nature. A lot of people dream of going to Hawaii and spend their vacation there. This blog shows some of the few pictures that I had which I'd like to share using both words and images. Pictures speak of a thousand words, but telling them more through blogs like this adds color to the scenery. 

Here's something I'd like to share to you, the reader, a picture of a Jacaranda flower which I showed to a friend of mine (Hey you! =P) who also loves to travel. So, till next time!