My first time in Maui was incredible. There were many things that inspired me while on the island, but nothing can come close to our experience on the infamous Road to Hāna.
The first thing to know about this drive is that it’s not for the faint of heart or soul. I drove to Hāna in the afternoon and made the trek back after dusk. The highway winds its way through the jungle around hair-raising turns that are difficult in daylight. The difficulty is compounded in the darkness.
The second thing to understand about the drive is that it lives up to its hype. All of those dangerous curves hug tropical hillsides that are singing to the sun and the rain. Delightful arias are spilling over the trees in the form of life-defining waterfalls and intoxicating vistas. These are so intoxicating that people often pull over to the side of the road and frolic into the trees. Sure, these are Instagram-able moments, but there’s another reason that people do this.
After the fifth or so bend, we started to hear the siren’s call. It started softly at first, a delightful song that was just barely out of reach. A small bird or a breeze through the fronds would carry the tune. Then, it became a bit clearer. We could hear it through the rush of water and nature’s subtle laughter. I felt my soul leaning in towards the voice, wondering what could possibly be so beautiful.
When the exhilaration hit an unbearable high note, we had no choice but to pull over and heed its call. A mini-bridge was the place we abandoned our car and skipped towards a rocky embankment that led down into the darkness of the jungle. Signs were posted warning of the dangers below, but they might as well have been written in a language from another planet for all the good they did.
We cautiously climbed down the rocks into a small stream below. Revelers were already assembled in various states of undress. Some were dipping their toe into the pool while others jumped in without abandon. We stripped down to our swim clothes and waded into the water. It was cold, but the crispness of it jolted our bodies into the complete presence of the moment. Our souls were already dancing with the environment and now our bodies gladly joined in. It was a transcendent experience.
The water in this little pond was constantly moving, and that was in part to an extremely high waterfall directly over our heads. We took turns swimming under the waterfall and letting the water beat down upon our bodies. It was a glorious feeling, as if Mother Nature herself was bathing us. She sang as we cleansed our bodies and souls. It felt incredible to be so alive, yet beyond alive at the same time.
Afterwards, as we continued on our drive, the song of Hāna wasn’t so infectious. Because it was now a part of us. We allowed the experience to penetrate our being, and we were forever changed because of it.
