After a 12 hour drive from the Grand Wailea to Hana Road, we were exhausted and delirious. We had hiked to waterfalls, eaten an entire bag of goldfish, jumped into secret water holes and explored caves. We laughed and cursed with our GPS tour guide Bruce and avoided getting our car stuck in mud not one but three times. We truly had an adventure.

As the afternoon turned slowly into night, car got quiet and we continued through Hana around Haleakala to drive the backside of Hana road. It was deemed not fit for rental cars- too bumpy- no street lights. But it was perfect for us. As we were only one of three cars we saw on the road the entire drive, I once again felt like this was my private island and we were exploring it for the first time.

As we slowly traversed the side of the mountain, the sun went from a golden haze to a bright fuchsia to pale purple and pinks. It lingered long after it should have, almost like we were chasing the last rays before the end of time. The mountain shimmered in the purple light, the trees danced in the wind, only their shadows and outlines visible. Our car lights were the only thing guiding us around the steep cliffs and quick curves. It was peaceful and quiet- something that you don’t feel too often living in a big city.

While this isn’t a huge attraction or a private VIP dinner, this might have been my favorite memory from Maui. It was perfect in its simplicity.