A sense of wonder is sixty four miles of breathtaking bends and curves along the coastline of Maui. Lush rainforests and volcanoes sit on one side of the narrow road, while the vast Pacific Ocean is on the other. The road to Hana leaves me awestruck to Earth’s natural beauty. Hana, according to the Hawaiian language, means craft or work.

My family and I had driven five miles when we made our first stop: a smoothie stand. The colorful and exotic fresh fruits lead me to a conflict in which drink to get. Nature tempts me with the palette of fruit.
“Maybe the papaya...or the guava..perhaps the mango...” I  cautiously said, making an important decision. I decided to order the mango smoothie; the fruits that made up the drink all tasted as if they were grown and hand-picked in heaven.

Eventually, we grabbed our overpriced yet delicious drinks and continued on the road to Hana.
It didn’t take us long to stop again. Only this time, we stopped to swim in a waterfall. After a two mile hike through a dense forest filled with strange birds and other creatures, we climbed over sizeable boulders and crossed a river to reach the waterfall. The large pool of water was warm and inviting. As my sister and I relaxed in the cave formed behind the waterfall, people of all ages and races floated under the waterfall as laughter echoed over the beating water hitting the pool.

The next destination led us down a rundown, one-lane road. As my dad tried to maneuver the rental car around tight turns and narrow bridges, my mom squeezed her eyes shut and griped onto the passenger assist handle as if the car was going to drive off the road. 

The frightening drive was soon forgotten about once we stepped out of the car and saw the stunning view. The breathtaking view of the bay flooding into the ocean left everyone silent as our feet sank in the sand; salty air rolled off the bright blue water and swayed through the palm trees.

The drive back was slow and stressful. It had begun to rain and made the curvy one-laned roads difficult drive on. Hundreds of tourists rushed to leave the highway in the downpour as my sister and I fell asleep in the back on the car.

The sixty four miles of breathtaking bends and curves along the coastline of Maui are something I will never forget.

After the long journey home, my family drove on the bare road between two corn field covered in a blanket of snow that leads to my house. I closed my eyes and reminisced about the long, narrow, and winding roads along the coastline, stunning waterfalls, exotic wildlife and food, and the astonishing views.

The road to Hana taught me the importance of connecting with nature I don’t find in my home town. Although the opportunity to go to Hawaii was a once in a lifetime chance, the reflection of pure beauty led me to a deeper appreciation of Earth’s amazing sense of wonder.