Maui part 2

Okay FINALLY I have had some time to get this next post up. I hope you are excited to know more about our trip :P

I can't believe Maui was almost 2 months ago now :/ the rest of 2016 is flying by! I can't believe there is only 3 weeks left of this year. It's been a crazy one. I'll save that for another post though. 

The second half our trip was probably the most fun filled part because we got to experience local life. We stayed with my sorority sister Kim the remainder of our time and got to meet her bf who is a Maui native so he showed us a lot of cool spots. They live in Kula which is a gorgeous part of the island and so cool because it's at the very top of the mountains and you can see down to everything. Before we headed up to her house we had stopped at this coffee shop I fell in love with in Makawao town that our BNB people suggested called Sip Me. They were so sweet and gave us a coffee credit to spend there. The shop was local and organic made drinks, so naturally I got a Pumpkin Spice Latte & pumpkin spice cinnamon roll haha :P SO tasty. 

 The shop was so festive and homey, and the lady who owned it was so sweet too. They had a really cool "Pay it forward wall" where people left credits for other people.  I wish we could do this in the city, but I know there's just way too many people to ever have that work. Awesome idea though for a coffee shop! 

Once we got settled into the house later that day, we met up at this park where Kim's bf and his team were having a kick ball tournament. This basically turned into a park hang out and live music. It was so cool! In San Jose there is a bar called 55 South that does live music Sunday's and it honestly reminded me a lot of that but better. I was very impressed with all the local talent and how everyone was just so kind and welcoming. I enjoyed meeting new people, and hearing about what it was like to grow up on the island. It was so interesting and definitely different than anything back here in the mainland. The next day we went on a mini hike to this spot in Hana called Twin Falls. The hike itself was low-key but sort of like what I imagine a jungle is like haha. We crossed water baths and all. The spot was BEAUTIFUL though.

 In the midst of conversation while we were there I mentioned wanting to get my anchor tattoo because of my Delta Gamma days, and so Kim said let's do it when we get back to Paia town!! I went on a whim and just got one. It was so nerve wrecking, but I am so happy I did it! I finally have something I wanted to get, even better I got it with a sister, and last it's a symbol that means so much more to me than just DG. I really love how it turned out, and I also happened to get it done by the #1 tattoo artist on the island! 

Anyways, that day was awesome. I went on a mini shopping spree at a cute local boutique called Mahina afterwards. I think I had a lot of excitement running through me so I just spent more money hahah anyone relate? I really wish I could find their stuff here in the Bay, I LOVED everything. We ended the night with a nice steak dinner at the house and hung out. Danny and I were planning to go to Haleakala Crater early in the AM that next day so we turned in super early.  Monday was our last full day on the Island and we started it at 4:30 AM to go to the crater and it was SO worth it. The views from up there were breathtaking. I couldn't get over it and stayed up there for awhile. It was freezing though!!! If you ever go to visit bring lots of layers. It's the kind of cold that cuts through your clothes so one thick jacket isn't enough. We got a really good spot to watch the sun come up and I took so many photos to try to get "the shot", but honestly it's just one of those views nothing is good enough. This is the series of photos from when the sun started to peak out and then came all the way to. 

The crater was by far my favorite spot. The views were just ughhh so amazing. I could gush for hours but go see it for yourselves friends :D

After the crater we went back down to Makawao to stop by Sip Me (yes again), and then stopped by this bakery called Komoda's because the best malasada's in Hawaii were made there. OH MY GOSH they sure were the best thing ever. If you know me, you know I freaking love bread and pastries. Like I can eat both bags from costco sized Hawaiian rolls within a few days >.< I only got one malasada to try because we went back to the house to nap before the rest of the day... that was a mistake I wanted more. I wanted them so badly the next morning before we flew out we went by and I bought 12 of them haha I had like 5 that day. I wish I could order them all the time. I crave them so much and if you go to Maui you HAVE to try them and bring me some back ;) 

We ended our last night in Maui catching the last sunset at the beach that we could in Wailea, went to have dinner and some bomb cocktails at Monkeypod. It was the perfect ending to the trip with great company. I miss the views soo much and just that island life feeling. I can't wait to go back! Hoping to visit another island next fall and make it a tradition to go back to Hawaii every October. If you visit any of these spots I mentioned let me know what you think.

Xo,
Shay