Prayers For Maui Hawaii

 Photo below by Patrick T. Fallon / AFP via Getty Images

Over the past several days major fires spread by 60 mph winds have devastated the islands major towns. Most of the city of Lahaina’s waterfront, including the art galleries. historic buildings and major residential neighborhoods have been completely destroyed.

The island of Maui is actually two volcanic cones with a flat plain connecting them. The larger volcano is Haleakala rising 10,023 feet out of the Pacific and boasting the largest crater in the world measuring some 20 miles across. It is still considered active with eruptions spaced many years apart. The scenic Haleakala National Park is known as the “house of the Sun” setting the stage for a breathtaking range of landscapes—and skyscapes. The other volcano is Puʻu Kukui rising above the town of Lahaina.

Lahaina is very walkable with the major parts of the town being four or five blocks back from the waterfront and extending up and down the waterfront for three-quarters of a mile.

There are a number of public beaches only a short distance from the Lahaina marina area as well.

Transportation

Click this map to download our pdf copy

For getting around the island Maui has a great bus network and a train. They run between resort areas and are great for shopping and getting to major beaches.

The Baldwin Home Museum

The Maui Bus service consists of thirteen bus routes and provides service in and between various Central, South, West, Haiku, Kula and Upcountry Maui communities. All of the routes are operated seven days a week, including all holidays. No transfers are given on any of the routes. All routes cost $2 per trip ($1 for those over 55) and there is a day pass for $4. From the Lahaina marina it is a short walk to the Wharf Cinema Center where four bus routes connect.

The island of Maui is shaped like a figure eight 45 miles long and 25 miles wide, with the well known Hana Highway being the main scenic route along the north shore and east around Haleakala to the eastern tip.

Island Attractions

  • Haleakala National Park, where you can hike to the summit of a dormant volcano and watch the sunrise
  • Road to Hana, a scenic drive with waterfalls, beaches, and lush rainforests
  • Lahaina, a historic whaling town with shops, restaurants, and art galleries
  • Kaanapali Beach, a beautiful stretch of sand with clear water and great snorkeling
  • Iao Valley State Park, a lush valley with a famous needle-shaped rock formation

Sunrise from Haleakala

Up on Haleakala

Haleakala National Park – In addition to the appeal of a tropical paradise, beautiful waters and great beaches the real center of attention is Haleakala. There a few places on Earth where you can go from sea level to over ten thousand feet in only a dozen miles, as the crow flies. The road climbs at a gentle rate and the view from the top is breathtaking. It is recommended that visits should be scheduled early in the day as it is common for the peak to become wrapped in clouds later in the day because of its height and the trade winds,.

There will be a lot of work going forward to help Maui recover from this catastrophe and they will need many prayers and a lot more…

The Town of Lahaina has a long and varied history. The earliest settlers of Maui date back to around 450 A.D or earlier. In 1802, King Kamehameha declared the Maui town of Lahaina the capital of his Hawaiian island kingdom. He built a brick palace on the shores of Lahaina and you can see the ruins in the middle of town along with other royal buildings and residences on a site called Moku`ula. Lahaina served as the seat of government for over 50 years, until the capital moved to Honolulu.

In the 1800s, Lahaina was also a major whaling port and fishing town, thanks to its harbor and a location on the major whale migration routes. You can learn more about this historic town by visiting exhibits at the Baldwin Home Museum and the Lahaina Restoration Foundation. Baldwin and other missionaries taught the Hawaiians to read and write in both English and Hawaiian.  They established the high school above Lahaina while descendants of the Baldwins went on to develop the irrigation system and sugar cane industry on Maui.

The center of town is Lāhainā Banyan Court (a Park) near the waterfront with the oldest tree on Maui at its centerpiece.

The Road to Hana is a scenic drive along the northeastern coast of Maui, famous for its stunning views of waterfalls, beaches, and lush rainforests. The road stretches for about 64 miles and has over 600 curves and 50 bridges. Some of the popular stops along the way include:

  • Paia Town, a charming surf town with unique shops and restaurants
  • Twin Falls, a beautiful waterfall with a swimming hole
  • Waianapanapa State Park, a black sand beach with sea caves and hiking trails
  • Seven Sacred Pools, a series of waterfalls and swimming holes in Oheo Gulch

The Road to Hana is a full-day trip, so plan accordingly.

Kaanapali Beach is a beautiful stretch of sand on the west coast of Maui. It’s known for its clear water, great snorkeling, and beautiful sunsets. The beach is lined with resorts, restaurants, and shops, making it a popular destination for tourists. Some of the popular activities at Kaanapali Beach include:

  • Snorkeling and scuba diving to see the colorful marine life and coral reefs
  • Parasailing and jet ski rentals for a fun day on the water
  • Sunset catamaran cruises to enjoy the beautiful views of the ocean and coastline
  • Beachfront dining and shopping at the Whalers Village shopping center

The island is famous for whale watching and depending on the season there are a number of whale watching tours available in Lahaina.

Shopping Opportunities

  • Hilo Hattie – most popular store for the largest selection of Hawaiian clothes and souvenirs.
  • Wharf Cinema Center – 3-level building with stores and restaurants across from the Banyan Tree in Lahaina.
  • Lahaina Cannery Mall – Maui’s only enclosed air-conditioned shopping center.

Lahaina has a thriving art community with a number of local and nationally recognized art galleries as well as thriving art glassblowing studios.

Lahaina is the cruise port of call for the gorgeous island of Maui, a port famous for its miles of beautiful white sand beaches. Lahaina has excellent shopping in a central area famous for its galleries. The tender landing is near to a beach with plenty of beach shops and great restaurants serving up Hawaiian cuisine. Be sure and stop for a shave ice.

Around The World In 30 Days

Our Travel Plans 2023 & 2024

My wife and I are well into our seventies so we’re sort of in a race to get more of our bucket list checked off. As you get older the urgency seems to grow and delays seem devastating. We’re back to major trips after covid and so far this year we’ve been catching up with going into the Caribbean twice, back to Alaska, visiting the Galapagos and Machu Picchu. Coming up is the British Isles and a cruise to Greenland, Iceland, Newfoundland and Nova Scotia and a November trip to Egypt.

I just recently was threatened with another setback. A month ago I had another eye surgery to slow the serious effects of glaucoma and things didn’t go as well as hoped. After three weeks the doctor suggested I no go traveling out of the country and it looked like the next trip to England and the cruise would get scrubbed. Yesterday my exam showed great improvement so we’re back to packing for that trip.

We’ve been planning and working for some time on a February 2024 trip and it just occurred to me that this itinerary will completely circle the globe in around 30 days. Accurately it is around the world in 34 days…

This itinerary is a replacement for several trips lost because of covid. Actually covid cost cancelation of 13 trips with a few being replacement trips that were also canceled.

We leave in mid February from Orlando flying to Zurich, Switzerland. We then fly to Mumbai, India and after several days we board the Celebrity Millennium. The cruise will make port visits to Goa, two stops in Sri Lanka, ports of call in Phuket, Thailand, Penang and Port Klang, Malaysia and finishes in Singapore.

From Singapore we remain on board for a back-to-back and sail for Saigon (Ho Chi Minh City), and Na Trang, Vietnam, on to Hong Kong and Taiwan. That cruise ends in Yokohama, Japan after a port call in Kagoshima.

That round the world trip ends with us flying home to Orlando after spending some time in Tokyo.

Shooting Penguins

A Short Story

About 2 BC (Before Covid) we spent a couple of weeks sailing in the South Atlantic around the Antarctic (Souther Ocean). One of the first things that caught our attention were the penguins in the water around the ship. They weren’t easy to spot at first but after awhile we caught on to what to look for. First they swim fast! Not just fast but really fast and often barely break the surface and in a second are gone. Generally their backs are black so they’re difficult to locate against the dark water but it’s the bursts of disturbed white water that attracts your attention.

FYI – A group of penguins on land is called a Waddle, probably because that’s what they do. But a group of swimming penguins is called a raft, because they often swim on the surface in groups. Penguins spend most of their time in the ocean, diving for food just swimming. Their torpedo shaped bodies are perfectly designed for what looks like high speed flight underwater. If you spend some time watching them swim at a zoo or aquarium with a live penguin exhibit you’ll see what I’m talking about.

I have spent a fair amount of time trying to photograph some birds in flight. It isn’t impossible to do because you can track the bird with the camera. But my best description of a raft of penguins in the water is they’re like jet propelled black beans in a large bowl of black bean soup. Almost as soon as they attract attention they are gone from sight. I took dozens and dozens of photographs that turned out to be just water. And the few images that captured a penguin or two were blurred by motion.

Visiting a Waddle of penguins on land is a whole different experience. We found they don’t pay any attention to people. You can walk right up to the Waddle and into it and most likely they’ll just step aside to let you through.

we still are looking to shoot some more penguins 😉

How To Save When Booking A Cruise

Getting the best deal on booking a cruise is a process very much like getting the best airfare. Like all businesses, cruise lines want to get the most for every cabin and, like the airlines at the moment of departure, anything unsold has no future value. Economists call these items non-fungible, meaning they cannot be sold or exchanged in the future. Over the course of twenty years we’ve discovered a few tricks in the cruise booking game.

1. Start By Just Doing Some Comparison Shopping

Like the cost of everything, cruise prices are based on market conditions. Prices vary by each cruise line, the various itineraries, the time of year and the cruise’s popularity.

Just like hotels and restaurants, cruise lines are generally priced based on their reputation, expected level of service and their focus clientele. Carnival, an economy line, is structured to appeal to a younger clientele looking a fun vacation – think “The Fun Ships”. Royal Caribbean, a mid-range price point, focuses on young families with a big emphasis on their kids program. Celebrity, is a somewhat higher priced choice, with focus on an older demographic with higher expectations in service. Taking a quick look at a number of similar cruises will quickly give you an idea how this pricing range works.

An owners suite on RCL

Some itineraries are more popular than others and pricing reflects this difference. Alaska can be more expensive than the Caribbean and trans-Atlantic cruises are usually much less expensive than European cruises.

Finally, the time of year has a huge effect on pricing. The easiest example is Caribbean cruise prices in August compared with October. While summer is usually off-season in the Caribbean it is also school break time. By October the kids are back in school and demand has dropped accordingly and so have the fares.

Getting The Best Deal

2. Look at Add-On Expenses You’re Likely to Use

In addition to the cabin rate, you should also consider onboard expenses you are likely to incur. Included services vary by cruise lines and frequent cruiser status. In addition, most cruise lines are now offering onboard packages that can include laundry, internet, sodas, fancy coffees and bar drinks. Another major onboard expense to consider is shore excursions.

Make sure you understand what things are included in a cruise or what they are likely to cost during your cruise. For example, some cruises include all drinks while others charge $500.00 or more for a drink package and paying for individual drinks can run up a serious bar tab. Be honest about what you expect to want on the cruise. Making this price comparison may actually justify the expense of an upgrade.

3. Decide What You Want In A Stateroom

Picking a cabin category isn’t as straight forward as you would think. Most people assume that an inside cabin is the choice for saving money and, often it is, but not always. More and more the cruise lines are offering free add-ons as a sales promotion. These can include prepaid gratuities, drink packages and onboard credits. Sometimes incentives include one and at times all three. Often, inside cabins do not qualify for these free add-ons and that can have a big impact on the overall cost of the cruise.

When you consider a reservation, this can be a false economy. When these promotions are being offered, an ocean view or veranda cabin can be less expensive than an inside cabin. Just like in airfare pricing there have been cruises where an inside cabin costs more to book. This often happens when you book early and the cruise ship is trying to keep these cabins in reserve for a number of reasons.

When we select a cruise we often let the itinerary dictate which cabin we want. Long ago we decided that we have no problem with inside cabins. On most cruises we actually spend very little time in our cabin so upgrading means little. On one cruise we were upgraded to an owner’s suite and while spacious and beautiful, it really seemed a waste of space and certainly would not be worth it to us if we had to pay full price. On a trans-Atlantic, an inside cabin is fine with us but, in Alaska, getting a veranda cabin usually is a must. Often it is all about the view.

Food, food,and more food

4. Book Early

Many times the best prices are available when a cruise is first announced. After the initial listing period the cruise company can decide that the cruise is getting a good response and the simple rule of supply and demand allows them to increase fares.

Unlike airlines, the cruise company often allows you to take advantage of price reductions right up to the final payment date. That policy usually includes reduced fares, upgrading the cabin or taking advantage of free add-ons.

There are also situations where the opposite strategy can produce big savings. That is last minute bookings, usually only a few days or weeks before sailing. Faced with empty cabins and no revenue, many cruise lines will offer super last-minute discounts. This is partly because the cabin fare is only part of the potential revenue from each passenger. Casinos, drink sales and tour fees add up to big money. We generally do not use this option in our planning but will take advantage of last minute cruises if the price is too good to pass up.

5. Always Book Another Cruise While Onboard A Cruise

The likelihood of a passenger returning to the same cruise line is actually very high and with frequent cruiser programs the likelihood is even greater. Most ships have a future booking office onboard and to get you to commit they offer additional incentives. These may include fare discounts, greatly reduced deposits and special free add-ons. Since you can take advantage of price changes or switch cruises up to 90 days before the cruise and also get your deposit refunded if you cancel, this is a great opportunity*.

6. Watch and Take Advantage of Incentives

Even after you have confirmed a reservation and put down a deposit you can take advantage of special incentives. If you are a member of a buying group (Groupon, AAA, AARP), or an online travel service (Expedia, PriceLine) that sends you emails of special offers, get in the habit of reviewing these on a regular basis. If you see a good offer, see if you can add it to your reservation. Most times these offers are not exclusive regardless of what the travel agency says.

7. After You Book Keep Watching the Fares

As likely as fares are to go up, price reductions also happen, but you can’t take advantage of them if you don’t know about them. Get in the habit of regularly checking the prices on cruises you have already booked looking for opportunities to save or upgrade.

8. Work with a Good Travel Agent

There may not be such a thing as a free lunch, but travel agents are actually free (at least to you) when booking a cruise. We strongly recommend getting to know a good travel agent and getting in the habit of booking everything through them. They actually will appreciate the business and most consider it their job to help you manage saving money. They are also much more effective at dealing with the cruise lines when getting fares reduced or adding on incentives. Your way to contact the cruise line is to call a company inside agent but the travel agent has a marketing representative that they routinely deal with and have less difficulty negotiating changes.

Also, if your agent is affiliated with one of the growing super agencies, they can offer you specials provided by their agency in addition to the cruise line. Often their agency has packaged a popular cruise as a group rate and they can add you to the group and get you an additional discount, onboard credit or freebees. At times they also offer their own promotional specials like a free port tour or an additional onboard credit.

The best way to connect with a good agent is to ask friends or fellow travelers for their recommendation and ask questions about their experiences.

Those Exclusive Deals That Really Aren’t

In closing, you need to understand the truth about all those agency advertised specials. Everyone sees ads or gets emails from travel agencies constantly screaming about their exclusive special deals from this or that cruise line. Usually the truth is they are not exclusive deals and they are cleverly misrepresenting the price structure**. Does “Cruises from $499.00 with a $700.00 onboard credit” seem odd? It may be true that an inside cabin can be booked for $499.00 but it is not usually eligible for any onboard credit; the $700.00 credit is only for a suite. We have rarely found a unique special offer but if we see one that seems interesting it can be a clue that there are price reductions happening with a particular cruise line. Contact your agent to find out if this opportunity is available.

*Unfortunately, in the last year, a number of cruise companies have started adopting a policy of non-refundable deposits and this changes the process some. Currently, cruise lines are offering lower fares for those non-refundable deposits so this is going to cause some rethinking of how you address some booking in the future.

**To be fair there are some deals that can be exclusive to a travel agency but in most cases the agency had an opportunity to reserve a group that gives them an additional discount. This allows them to give away some of the discount to promote a lowered fare.

Join Us

Sure we know that the last thing you want to do is add another subscription to your email. We work hard to provide you with good information on traveling and if we don’t live up to your expectations just click unsubscribe on our email. So please give us a chance and subscribe.

Exploring Volcanos

They are found everywhere on our planet and many can be extremely dangerous. Active, dormant or extinct they seem to draw people into visiting. Perhaps it is the ability to witness unfathomable power or its aftermath up close that draws people. Beyond that there are literally millions of people living under the threat of being killed by still active volcanos even today.

One of Africa’s iconic sights is Mount Kilimanjaro, a dormant volcanic mountain that has not erupted for over 360,000 years. However, it is still considered a potentially active volcano.

Mount Fuji in Japan with the last eruption occurring in 1707-1708, known as the Hoei eruption. It lasted for about 16 months and was one of the longest eruptions in history. Since then, Mount Fuji has been dormant and has not erupted again.

Alaska’s Mount Edgecumbe is located at the southern end of Kruzof Island, Alaska, about 15 miles west of Sitka and is considered still active.

Mount Etna puts on a show.

Mount Etna -Mount Etna, or simply Etna, is a very active stratovolcano on the east coast of Sicily, near the Metropolitan City of Catania, between the cities of Messina and Catania. It lies above the convergent plate margin between the African Plate and the Eurasian Plate and often produces regular lava flows down its slopes.

Hawaii’s iconic Diamond Head is one of the most recognized extinct volcanos in the world standing above Waikiki Beach on Oahu. The entire Hawaiian chain is a string of volcanic islands being created as the tectonic plate moves NNW over an active “hot spot”.

Kilauea is an active shield volcano in Hawaii and represents a National Park. It erupted in May 2018 and continued to spew lava and ash for several months, causing destruction and forcing thousands of people to evacuate. It remains a favorite tourist site.

Another volcanic National Park in Hawaii is Haleakala with a summit that stands at 10,023 feet above sea level. While not extinct it has behaved itself in recent times.

Stromboli is an island volcano in the Tyrrhenian Sea, off the north coast of Sicily and one of the four active volcanoes in Italy. Cruise ships regularly pass the volcano while smoke and ash plumes from its top. Considering its activity it’s strange that there are two villages on the island.

Mount Rainier is one of the two most dangerous volcanos in the world based on the size of the population threatened by an eruption. It is such a serious threat that Redmond schools actually conduct volcano evacuation drills on a regular basis. This volcano is a large active stratovolcano in the Cascade Range of the Pacific Northwest in the United States. The mountain is located about 59 miles south-southeast of Seattle, Washington.

Mount Vesuvius is the other most dangerous volcano located in southern Italy, that threatens the whole metropolitan area of Naples. Vesuvius has erupted over 50 times in recorded history. The most famous eruption occurred in 79 AD, which completely destroyed the Roman cities of Pompeii and Herculaneum. The volcano is still considered active and is closely monitored.

Santorini is the location of one of the civilized worlds largest volcanic eruptions. Known as the Minoan eruption it was a catastrophic volcanic eruption that devastated the Aegean island of Thera some 3,600 years ago. It destroyed the Minoan settlement at Akrotiri, as well as communities and agricultural areas on nearby islands and the coast of Crete. Subsequent earthquakes and paleotsunamis probably account for the end of the Minoan civilization. Today when cruise ships drop anchor they are in the caldera of Santorini in the center of the Christiana-Santorini-Kolumbo volcanic field, comprising the extinct Christiana Volcano and the island of Santorini.

Since 1950 volcanic eruptions have claimed thousands of lives worldwide with somewhere over 100 million people living dangerously close to volcanic threats. The following list of eruptions and deaths since 1950 and is nowhere near complete:

  • 1951 – 2,942 killed Mount Lamington, Papua New Guinea
  • 1964 – 25 killed Villarrica, Chile
  • 1968 – 87 killed Volcán Arenal, Costa Rica
  • 1979 – 9 killed Mount Etna, Italy
  • 1980 – 57 killed Mt. St. Helens, United States
  • 1982 – 1,900 killed El Chichón, Mexico
  • 1985 – 23,000 killed Nevado del Ruiz, Colombia
  • 1991 – 847 killed Mount Pinatubo, Philippines
  • 1991 – 43 killed Mount Unzen, Japan
  • 1993 – 79 killed Mount Mayon, Philippines
  • 1993 – 9 killed Galeras, Colombia
  • 1994 – 64 killed Mount Merapi, Indonesia
  • 1997 – 19 killed Soufrière Hills, Montserrat, WI
  • 2002 – 245 killed Nyiragongo, Congo
  • 2010 – 353 killed Mount Merapi, Indonesia
  • 2011 – 31 killed Nabro Volcano, Eritrea
  • 2014 – 63 killed Mount Ontake, Japan
  • 2018 – Up to 2,900 killed Volcán de Fuego, Guatemala
  • 2019 – 22 killed Whakaari/White Island, New Zealand
  • 2019 – 1 killed Stromboli, Italy
  • 2020 – 39 killed Taal, Philippines
  • 2021 – 69 killed Semeru, Indonesia

Alaska Totem Poles – A Slide Show

The symbol of Alaska’s indigenous peoples is the totem poles and they are more than just art. These iconic symbols tell stories, celebrate clans and can honor individuals and in some cases shame them. The states largest collection of these monuments can be found in a park in Sitka managed by the National Park Service.

For more information on Alaska totem poles CLICK HERE.