Haleakala, The House of the Sun

10,000 feet above sea level, and freezing cold!


The unholy hour, the circuitous road, and the other-worldly terrain was only a precursor to the sublime event of being at the top of Mt. Haleakala, the volcano that formed 75% of Maui, and whose significance is of folkloric value. The biting cold was both an affront to the senses, and an exclamation point to the uniqueness of the experience. I couldn’t guess how cold it was, but I couldn’t feel my hands, and I nearly thought my ears, nose and lips have frozen solid. We drove up around 4am to see the sunrise from the eastern side of the volcano. And like pilgrims on a religious journey, the many people that were there were talking in subdued tones as we waited for the sun to rise.



House of the Rising Sun

And there it was. The sun, peeking from the horizon, finally rose – triumphant and majestic.



Here comes the sun...


Clouds were below us, and the ocean from the distance was calm and the epitome of blueness. It was beautiful.