my island paradises | zofeathers

Maui & Molokai 2015.....

This trip has taken me back to Hawaii once again only in reverse order from the last trip. Didn't think there would be much of a difference but I learned a few things. Plus being my 5th trip here, It was my 1st time to visit in the summer months. In the past I've always visited in the winter for whale season..... Kind of a "Zen" thing for me. On this trip I had two main reasons for going. One was to check off a bucketlist item and on July 4th, make it to the "Maui Rodeo" in the little town of Makawao on the slopes of Haleakala Volcano and two.....I read that the west coast of Molokai was much calmer and better for swimming and snorkeling during the summer months but I never considered the possibility of a tropical storm..... Atleast I made it to the Rodeo.

........1 outta 2 ain't bad.......

Molokai was still cool and lotza swimming was had. One thing that was new for me was that I drove up to the top of the mountain to the "Kaluapapa Lookout" so I could look down on the peninsula where the Father Damien / Leper Colony story took place. The Kaluapapa Peninsula and it's National Historic Park is pretty much the only place on the island I havent really seen yet..... there are a couple secluded beaches such as Mo'omomi Beach Preserve & Kaupoa Beach on the Molokai Ranch where the dirt roads aren't in very good shape and require some serious 4 wheelin to get there..... Maybe next time

....and as always...... Maui was Maui.......JT

PS...... check out the sunrise from the top of Haleakala Volcano.... the one where the sun hasn't poked thru the clouds yet...... It's my fav picture of the trip.

Molokai & Maui 2011.....

Once again in my life, I have been called away to the Sun, Sand & Blue Water of Hawaii to hide away from the world for a couple weeks. This was to be my 1st trip here by myself & it was everything I wanted & needed. When I was here for almost 3 months back in 1988 for a job.... I officially became obsessed with seeing all I could of the Hawaiian Islands. Back then, it wasn't the easiest thing to visit Molokai (Old School Hawaii & they wanted it to stay that way) & Lanai (Dole Family.) I've always been the type that if I'm told I can't do something.... I really have to do it (don't push the red button) and when I read that Molokai had become more accessable, the 1st thought I had was "I have to go there before the white people and hotel chains ruin it for everybody........ nothin against white people." Watch a World War 2 John Wayne or Burt Lancaster Pearl Harbor movie and you'll see how cool Waikiki Beach used to be...... You get my point.

The west coast beaches of Molokai have become my latest favorite beaches cuz they aren't just cool......... they're empty & the few people I ran into were the nicest locals I've ever dealt with on a vacation. Just remember everything in town closes early so you might wanna make a trip to the grocery store straight from the airport before headin to wherever. I found this out the hard way..... 1st nite of my vacation, I landed in this little nothing plane (Mokulele Airlines....hot babes for pilots was pretty cool) in this little nothing airport. I then headed straight west for the sunset cuz that's when my vacations officially start....the first sunset. After this, I headed into town for supplies and oooooops... a teachable moment was had by all. Everything was closed so there I was... sittin on a major cool beach watching the stars & the lights of O'ahu off in the distance with only what was left in the condo by the previous tenants......

1 bottle of water & 1 can of beans. It was still cool but just think how much cooler it would have been with some beers & food. Five days there then off for ten on Maui.

............. what needs to be said about Maui? ........it's Maui...................JT

Maui 2005.... Under Construction

Barbados..... Under Construction