No Fixed Abode: Nature keeps you awake sometimes....Blinking rumbling stones!

Weds 11 Nov - SE Maui

We experienced our first rainfall here with it raining all night but not as chilly (73deg) as the locals had told us to expect. The sunrise chasers stirred us at 5ish we guess, slamming their car doors as they headed off up to Haleakala Crater. Normal routine of up at 7ish donning fleeces and a beanie, breakfasted, cleared up and away before 8.30 again! We drove down to Pukalani to refuel, re provision and visit Starbucks to catch up with the rest of the world on the internet for an hour or so, as we anticipate tonight brings more wilderness camping. Today is Veterans Day, a public holiday so plenty of people around.

We started on our journey around the SE corner of the island and stumbled upon a small park honouring a Chinese man who grew up on Maui but later in life went back to China and failed on at least 10 occasions to overthrow the Dynasty of the time, who were a dastardly lot apparently. At the entrance to the park was large wild Poinsetta plant laden with butterflies. We continued along the coast road which is in fact a single track road constantly dodging the oncoming tour buses who do the normal clockwise route of the famous Road to Hana. Trust us to do it the other way around! Our guidebook suggested to drive off the road to view the Pokowai Sea Arch which is on a black volcanic beach. We remarked how small and unimpressive this was in comparison to Durdle Door. The next bay, Huakini Bay had been recommended to us to visit as you can literally listen to the surf. The bay is lined with very large round rocks which rumble together as the waves break on the shoreline. We then checked out our planned overnight stop at Nu’nu Bay which despite its name turned out to be a rocky headland with no swimming or snorkelling opportunities. We had a quick chat with a local guy here whose son was spear fishing in the sea and kept bringing out fish. Yvonne asked the guy what it was, (ie type) and the guy replied, a fish! Us Australians must look thick! Yes everyone thinks we are Aussies.... We decided to go back to make camp at the previous bay, but not before driving a further 4 miles east to Kaupo Stores for ice creams. The only store on the whole SE coastal road before Hana! We then headed back to Huakini Bay and set up camp listening to the rocks rumble, sitting in the cool sea breeze, watching yet another sunset, BBQ’ing the steaks and getting bitten.

Pitch black at 6pm so we had collected firewood to make a camp fire on the beach but it showered on and off and Glenn looked shattered at 19.40…..