John & Anne Wiley

2017/08/03

Pinnacle – First Falls

Filed under: Aviation,Flying,Happiness,Has Photos,Inner World,Nature,O U Adventure — John @ 19:55

After family fun and a glorious flight over the highest point on Maui we had yet more warm times with family that evening and of course the next morning. The sky opened up this day so we took another opportunity to fly! 😀

This time we went even “higher” in a way, because the clouds were higher and had more openings. So after takeoff we turned toward Molokai to try for a closer look at the towering waterfalls on the northwest coast of that island. The air was still moist, so the thin haze made sunbeams over the Maui mountains perhaps similar to our beaming smiles.

3265 Maui Sunbeams

3265 Maui Sunbeams

Next we got another look at the northeast coast of Maui, closer than we’d seen it from the airliner when we first arrived here before our adventures down under the equator in New Zealand and Australia.

3268 Closer Look

3268 Closer Look

After all the recent rains, waterfalls were perhaps even more abundant and powerful than normal. Like this one as we neared the farthest point West that we’d reached by car from Lahaina a couple of days earlier.

3274 First Falls

3274 First Falls

Soon we were reaching the point where we began to climb for extra safety during our crossing to Molokai. Seeing landmarks like these rocks from the air that we’d seen during the drive, we were reminded once again how much a small plane adds to our experience of place.

3277 Getting to the Point

3277 Getting to the Point

After the time we passed the rocky point, we were high enough that this was a long zoom pic. There’s a popular blow hole there, but the calm seas and level of tide didn’t allow for any hint of spray as we’d climbed past.

3295 Rocky Point

3295 Rocky Point

We felt some familiarity looking back at Maui, having enjoyed so much time exploring there by air and ground with friends and family.

3296 Looking Back

3296 Looking Back

The northwest coast of Molokai boasts tall cliffs with magnificent waterfalls. But at this time of year and time of day it was almost completely in shadow, further obscured by misty air. So it was a delight to be greeted by this waterfall tumbling over rocks partly lit in the afternoon sun.

3316 First Molokai Falls

3316 First Molokai Falls

Now as you might guess, we have a lot of pix from this flight. So I’ll close for now and try to narrow down the total of 29 pix I’ve chosen for posting. This way, even if I don’t eliminate any of them at least you won’t get overwhelmed by the flood of memories I’d like to share. 🙂

2017/08/01

Many Maui

Filed under: Happiness,Has Photos,Inner World,Nature,O U Adventure,People,Relationships — John @ 05:23

We added to the “Maui” we first explored together some years ago and the ones we enjoyed recently, as previously described here in the O.U. Adventure. Adding my family is the biggest new Maui, because it’s a wonderful place for family fun. We started off the last day of 2016 hanging out, then formed a threesome for a drive from Lahaina through Kapalua and beyond. That’s the rainy side.

2960 Rain Shrouded Molokai

2960 Rain Shrouded Molokai

It was beautiful! We’d thought about driving all the way to Kahului, but the weather changed our minds. As you might imagine, we have lots of pix. Speaking of which, all of us took many pix of the family fun and closeness but we’ve already shared those around so I’ll mostly stick with scenery. Like this striking clash of rock and surf.

2967 Fluid vs. Solid

2967 Fluid vs. Solid

By the time we were driving back, Molokai was melting out of the clouds.

3014 Mist & Mountain

3014 Mist & Mountain

Back on the dry side we all enjoyed cool Maui drinks and were treated to a final 2016 sunset out beyond Lanai.

3026 Lanai Finale

3026 Lanai Finale

We quietly took in a distant fireworks show to launch 2017. I have to share this blurry pic after the show, of the kids squealing with delight as they ran around the lawn with sparklers. If you recall this from childhood or have watched kids doing it, maybe you can understand why I smile recalling it from this painterly cellphone pic.

203500 Sparkling Youth

203500 Sparkling Youth

Also this next pic of a little angel fearlessly climbing high into a mall playground structure as adults watched alertly. 🙂

143425 Climbing

143425 Climbing

After a full day 1/1/17 recovering from one drink too many and discovering more Maui in assorted small groups, we reconvened for group pix that ended at the beach. While kids ran in the sand, the rest of us talked quietly as if unconsciously realizing that our time here was growing short. Again the sun slipped into the sea beyond Lanai, and we plotted more Maui for the morrow.

175320 Savoring Sunset

175320 Savoring Sunset

2017/07/31

Aloha

Filed under: Flying,Happiness,Has Photos,Inner World,Nature,O U Adventure,People,Relationships — John @ 08:26

We slept perhaps three hours between us on that long NZ-HI flight, so when Honolulu lights appeared we got to watch.

061813 Honolulu Lights

061813 Honolulu Lights

We sleepily enjoyed our first day back in the U.S. despite a canceled flight from HNL to Maui, and our third phone failure including the expensive new one from Sydney. Yet our spirits soared when we finally did lift off, giving us yet another aerial look at Oahu and now familiar Waikiki, Molokai, Lanai, and even distant Hawaii.

162900 Waikiki

162900 Waikiki

Needless to say, we have quite a few pix of that crossing even though they’re from a phone (with at least a working camera) looking through an airliner window. One of the clearest pix in the set is this one on final approach to OGG at Kahului, Maui.

165752 Kahului

165752 Kahului

With our schedule for the day now completely random, we had the great good fortune to connect with sweet friend Paula. She too was exhausted, so after some warm conversation we turned in early for an especially delicious sleep. After a morning walk with more deep dialog we began the family phase of this epic journey. We met up with our daughter, husband and grand daughter at a traditional Hawaiian location.

120954 Ancient Ritual

120954 Ancient Ritual

Yes, that’s Costco. With so many family members about to arrive, we needed to get supplies. Our precious little one had acquired blisters on her feet so I carried her around the store to our mutual delight. Then we drove in two cars to the magnificent vacation home gifted to all of us by my amazing sister. It was her gift that had prompted our extension of the trip to include all the wonders of NZ & AU. So it was no surprise to see this rainbow over the house as we arrived.

165147 Rainbow Greeting

165147 Rainbow Greeting

Soon our bundle of delight joined us exploring while everyone else trickled in and her perfect parents continued setting up for the stay.

171430 Memories with Grammy

171430 Memories with Grammy

Much of our next day was taken up by my sudden intense sore throat. We were all terrified it was contagious, but in the end it may have been an extreme allergic reaction. I was well enough the next night to join the family for an authentic luau meal and performance.

194514 Luau

194514 Luau

Also performing were the kids, after having watched the show intently.

200548 Apprentice Dancers

200548 Apprentice Dancers

By the next morning I was feeling nearly normal, and once the pix from our last day of 2016 are ready to post here you can come along on our driving tour and join us celebrating an especially Happy New Year.

2017/07/29

High Lights

Filed under: Aviation,Flying,Happiness,Has Photos,Inner World,Nature,O U Adventure,People,Random — John @ 09:24

This trip of a lifetime to Hawaii, New Zealand and Australia brought countless highlights. Having finished our time in Queenstown, NZ we were headed toward the next peak experience: celebrating the New Year with my family back on Maui. Of course, for aviators like us another highlight would be the journey there.

141016 Into The Blue

141016 Into The Blue

Though forecasts said we’d see clouds on the short Auckland hop to catch our night flight to Maui, the airport looked like this. A few minutes after boarding we were looking through a blurry jet window back at Queenstown and all our new memories there.

141019 Queenstown Into Memory

141019 Queenstown Into Memory

Moments later we got this view of the area far across the other side of the lake, where we first spotted Queenstown from that small plane so long ago (a few days).

141021 Both Sides

141021 Both Sides

Soon after, we got a last look back at vanishing Queenstown now far at the end of the other arm of the massive lake.

144424 Looking Back

144424 Looking Back

Despite the gloomy forecast, Aoraki peeked out of the clouds gathering on our path to bid farewell.

150214 Mount Cook

150214 Aoraki (Mount Cook)

Also departing it seemed, were the dwindling glaciers flanking the peak.

150303 Glacier Remnants

150303 Glacier Remnants

Soon we crossed from South Island to North Island and were treated to a cloudless view of distant Ruapehu at the zoom limits of a cell camera through jet plexi.

154608 Ruapehu

154608 Ruapehu

Beneath that solid cloud deck Auckland was inviting in muted colors, with the bustling city tower barely visible in the far distance beyond a quiet cemetery.

160000 Muted Auckland

160000 Muted Auckland

Making our wait for the connecting flight a delight, we were joined by our new friend we’d shared that glorious Ardmore GA flight with. He’d made a special trip to see us off and chat about our hopes of him coming to the U.S.

175636 Hero John

175636 Hero John

So many wonderful people we’d met in our New Zealand travels, and John is an exemplar. He capped our last moments here, and before long we rode new wings into the night reaching toward the high lights of sparkling stars. Soon memories of our times in this enchanted land faded into the realm of dreams.

213548 Dream Trip

213548 Dream Trip

2017/07/27

Around Queenstown

Filed under: Happiness,Has Photos,Inner World,Nature,O U Adventure,People — John @ 20:40

With four days (two full days) to relax and explore the Queenstown area, we began our first full day there driving a few miles West along Lake Wakatipu. Here’s a scenery sample.

115335 Lakeshore Drive

115335 Lakeshore Drive

Back in town we walked the beach where a massive, boisterous, yet courteous crowd of mostly NZ teens & twenties had celebrated Christmas Eve. So courteous, they left quietly at 10pm after gathering up every trace of their loud party. Now the beach was mostly quiet tourists like us, taking in the spectacular scenery or boating from the beach.

2648 Beautiful Beach

2648 Beautiful Beach

Did you notice the gondola up to the peak, and the two paragliders in that pic? In contrast with yesterday’s two flights and driving, we enjoyed a leisurely lunch dockside where we continued soaking it all in, and watched this eel patrolling beneath our feet.

171103 Eel Patrol

171103 Eel Patrol

Soon we had ridden that gondola up for a look back down at the beach (bottom-right).

2682 Over Queenstown

2682 Over Queenstown

Then we hiked up the trail beyond, passing flowers where we glanced back on our way for a glimpse beyond.

2725 Trail Garland

2725 Trail Garland

Stretching our legs climbing through dark silent forest was soothing after the stimulating city and noisy gondola bustle. Looking across a ravine to the northwest, we felt deeply invited to hike on into the wild.

2743 Wilderness Invitation

2743 Wilderness Invitation

But yearning for more variety in our dwindling hours we hiked back down to explore the town and area more. The next and last day in this area included a scenic short drive North up Gorge Road to a peaceful moment at the spectacular Shotover River.

2873 Silent Shotover Gorge

2873 Silent Shotover Gorge

The silence was shattered when a roaring jetboat raced crazily past with a load of screaming thrill seekers.

2856 Noisy Shotover Gorge

2856 Noisy Shotover Gorge

The fun they were having as each boat briefly passed, punctuated the quiet between after their echoes faded up and down the turquoise river. Driving back through Queenstown to the airport, we paused to soak in sheep in tall grass beneath ancient carved stone yielding to time and vegetation. This was a nourishing way to cherish our last moments in New Zealand.

2929 Sheep Time

2929 Sheep Time

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