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Hawaii

Scuba Diving, Underwater Photography

On our very last day in Maui, Matt hooked us up with a friend who was able to get us onto her dive boat. We would have gone diving sooner, but a great swell had descended upon the islands, and the waters had been too rough for tour boats of any kind to go out. Matt had been out of work for the past week at least. But now the waters were finally calming down enough that our fears of the boat getting canceled were unfounded.  Fletch and I excitedly packed up our gear and made our way across the street

Hawaii

Travelogue

I mentioned before that while we were hanging out in Maui, we played disk golf a few times to help Matt prepare for his upcoming tournament. On one of these days, we were meant to drive up to Polipoli, which was supposed to be a gorgeous hike (and a disk golf course to go with it). Everyone had been telling us for days that we needed to go. We were on our way, but just after we passed the garbage dump, Matt's truck started overheating. That wasn’t good. We pulled over, allowing the engine to cool, and then tried it

Hawaii

Belated Updates, Foodie

July 4 rolled around and Fletch had the brilliant idea to make sweet treats for everyone called firecrackers. So we spent a day gathering supplies, soaked some strawberries in a bowl of vodka, then dipped them in marshmallow cream and blue sprinkles. Red, white, and blue, get it? The blue sprinkles were supposed to be pop rocks, to create the popping sensation like a firecracker, but pop rocks were nowhere to be found. The treats were a hit regardless. We also attempted to inject some tangerines and watermelons with vodka, mostly because once we found the injector, it was too

Hawaii

Misadventures

After the beer Olympics, our slightly hungover caravan made their way back down into town to rest and recoup. Fletch and I still had the camper jeep for one more night and didn’t have any plans. We thought about going back to Kipahulu, but didn’t want to drive that far for one night. Matt recommended a spot, but it wasn’t officially a campground, and therefor didn’t have any facilities. We wanted someplace like Kipahulu but closer, and so after a little bit of internet scouring, came up with a campsite called Olowalu that had beautiful photos of lush green campgrounds,

Hawaii

Party All Night

The beautiful, Maui morning started out at Fred’s, the bar/Mexican restaurant our friends frequented for breakfast due to their buy one, get one drink specials. The food was mediocre, but the bartender kept everyone coming back for more with her generous pours. We all downed some really bad coffee, and those competing in the events prepared their stomachs with a hearty base of carbs and exactly one drink on the hour, every hour. The atmosphere of excited competition was tangible. After missing out on the gold for the past two years in a row, Matt and his team were ready

Hawaii

Activities for Your Bucket List, Scuba Diving, Underwater Photography

Imagine sitting around a campfire in the dead of night with a few of your closet friends. All is quiet, save for the crackle of the flames, and the excited breath of your buddies. You would be telling ghost stories, but no one dares say a word. You are waiting for the real story to arrive. This won’t be a tale told with words, but an otherworldly experience, the story which you’ll tell for the rest of your life. Suddenly and quietly it arrives, a giant and majestic shadow, gliding gracefully over the flames. Everyone gapes in awe as a

Hawaii

Scuba Diving

You have to be a true diving enthusiast to jump islands in Hawaii solely for the sake of scuba. Island hopping is not nearly as easy as it is in some countries. For one, the only way to travel between islands is by flying, and this isn’t Europe; airfare is not cheap. For two, the diving isn’t cheap either, at over $100 per tank. And since flying is involved, you have to plan 12-18 hours to decompress after your last dive before flying out again, which probably means staying an extra night. And oh yeah, it’s Hawaii so that isn’t

Hawaii

Other Water Activities, Paradise Island

Day three of our Hana camping trip was spent being shown around by Matt, who knew some pretty awesome local spots where we were able to get away from the majority of the tourist crowd.  First he brought us to Hana Bay, a picturesque bay area where we were meant to have breakfast, only we had already whipped up another batch of breakfast burritos at the campsite. The ones we hadn't already devoured were wrapped in tinfoil and baking in the hot sun on the dashboard. So instead we sat on a picnic table and admired the bay where the surf

Hawaii

Activities for Your Bucket List, Other Water Activities, Travelogue

We woke up at the Kipahulu campground and set about making breakfast burritos with some quinoa salad we had picked up at Costco, zucchinis, and cheese. The meal was delicious and a cinch to cook with our kitchen setup. Then we brewed some tea and set out on a spiritual journey for the day.  Kipahulu sits at the base of the Pipiwai Trail, a two-mile hike through the jungle-covered mountainsides that leaves you wondering where the dinosaurs are hiding.  Molly, Matt, Fletch, and myself, started off single file through the tall grass, giddy with excitement and already feeling connected with Mother Nature.

Hawaii

Activities for Your Bucket List, Paradise Island, Travelogue

A little bit of research into Maui would suggest that no trip is complete without a journey along the Road to Hana. Hana is not much more than a small community on the east-most coast of the island, and one of the most isolated communities in the state at that, but the road there is paved with some of the most epic scenery the US has to offer.  Our friend Matt suggested we go camping there. The internet suggested that camping out in an old-fashioned Westfalia was a rite of passage, but apparently booking a month in advance was not enough

Hawaii

Belated Updates, Travelogue

Aloha dear readers! I’m sure everyone already knows that this beautiful word means both 'goodbye' and 'hello' in a common sense, but it has many meanings beyond that too. Its literal meaning is the “presence of breath” or the “breath of life,” and it also means 'love,' 'peace,' and 'compassion.' This lovely, all-encompassing word comes from the vivacious, young, land of Hawaii, but before we get to that, a quick update.  I may have mentioned previously that I have begun the arduous task of building an entirely new home for Adventures of an Aquaholic. Since 2007 I’ve brought all of my content