Aloha and mahalo, Maui

I've got just a few more hours here in Maui, but it feels like it's already been an entire day. You see, last night I got this swell idea in my head that I'd wake up in the middle of the night, drive down to Haleakala, and watch the sun come up at 10,023ft. I set my alarm for 2:15 but couldn't manage to rouse myself for another hour; at a quarter to four, I was on the road.

While driving the Hana Highway was an eye-opener the first time, in the dark it was a bit trickier. But it was also nicer, because I was just about the only one on it. Two vehicles passed me going the other way, and one passed me from behind. I saw him and pulled over when I could; he honked a quiet thanks. It was nice, too, that he wasn't tailing me like this other so-and-so in a pickup truck who would not back off. I get that there are people who can drive the Hana faster than I, but you don't have to be an aggressive jerk about it (that just causes me to pretend I'm a super insecure driver who must continue going 15mph hehehe).

But the summit of Haleakala...I missed the sun coming up but made it up to the very top. I was officially "at elevation", and the first time in my life, too. I didn't notice too much of a change except when I scampered up the stairs, ignoring the sign to "walk slow at this elevation". It was then that I noticed I didn't have to do much to get my heart racing; even just taking about 15 stairs two at a time was enough to get it going.

There were no clouds up there, too, just down below. And while the sun blazed brightly at 7am, it was still chilly and I was wishing I'd thrown on a pair of pants instead of the quick-dry shorts I had on. Even with a tank top, button down, hoodie and vest, I was still shivering.

Now, I'm just doing some work in McDonald's (their wifi is SO much easier to latch onto than in Toronto, and faster, too) until my flight in less than four hours. I haven't showered yet and really want to, but I just couldn't face the prospect of it at the campsite. The only thing worse than a cold shower is a cold shower in the middle of the night, and when it's been super damp, too.

I also want to find a beach and get some sun, because I feel like I haven't done that the last couple of days. And the burn on my arms has turned into peeling skin, only at this point, it looks like I have a skin disease where most of my arms are tanned but patches of them are red.

The next plans are completely up in the air: I have no reservations anywhere but the car rental, and I have no park permits, either. I was just thinking of driving along and seeing what caught my eye, and then setting up shop there. I don't know if they have black sand beaches on the Big Island, but that'd be pretty cool to replicate for another couple of nights.

Mentally, I'm just gearing up to hike Mauna Kea and Mauna Loa. And if Haleakala was any indication, all I'll have to do to get my heart racing and become breathless is just take out a bottle of water for a drink. Those two mountains are at 14,000ft, while Maui's was only 10,000.

Here I go!