Imagine standing above the clouds as the sun dances across the horizon, painting the sky and clouds vibrant shades of pink and purple. Never in my life did I think I would be able to witness something so extraordinary, but that is the magic of Hawaii.
Over the summer, I went on a family vacation to the beautiful islands of Hawaii. We spent a few days on Maui, and journeyed on many adventures while there, but watching the sunrise from the top of Haleakala was my favorite of them all.
Haleakala, which means “house of the sun” in Hawaiian, is an extinct volcanic resting across Maui’s southern and eastern coastlines. It is the highest peak on the island, rising all the way up to 10,023 ft. above sea level. According to Hawaiian legend, Haleakala is where the demigod Maui threw a rope around the sun and slowed it down to make the day last a little longer, which is where it gets its namesake.
It's a popular tourist spot, and when we arrived, there wasn't much room left at the visitor's center to see the sunset. My dad spotted a trail nearby, so we decided to see where it would take us. As we hiked up, I noticed how short of breath I was and realized it was because there wasn't as much oxygen at such a high elevation. At the end of the trail, we discovered a little viewing area that was not as crowded, and everyone there was quiet as they took in the beauty of it all. It made the experience even more magical.
It felt as if time didn't exist on that mountain top. We were so busy moving around and getting from one place to another all the time, but during those moments we all stood still and waited for the day to begin. I watched as the sun began to peek above the clouds, and then finally broke free from their coverage and quickly began to rise above them.
One of my favorite moments was watching the clouds slowly roll over the mountain slopes, gracefully gliding across the sky. I've always loved looking at the clouds from above during an airplane ride, but never did I think I would physically be standing above them.
A few minutes after the sun rose, my brother and I climbed up some rocks to get a different view. As we were standing there, I snapped one of my favorite pictures ever. To me, it feels like we were standing on top of the earth, ruling the world.
As the sun continued to rise, we drove up to the top of the peak. The University of Hawaii Observatory is constructed up there, as well as another informational visitor's center. From the peak, you can see the entire island, and across the ocean you can even see two active volcanoes on the Big Island of Hawaii.
If you ever find yourself in Maui, Hawaii, make plans to travel to Haleakala one morning. It's not the easiest trip and takes some planning, but it's worth it all. Nothing is more fascinating than watching the sun wake up the world from 10,000 ft. above sea level.
