Angelika We still have sand in our shoes from Hawaii... that's an old German song and no joke, because just one week ago we came back from our one-week vacation, which we spent this time on the island of Maui. Just like that, five hours on a plane and you're in a tropical paradise, without even needing to show your passport, since Hawaii is, as you know, part of the USA. The word "Hawaii" probably conjures up images of surfers, palm trees, sandy beaches, cocktails, landscapes like Jurassic Park (the movie was actually filmed on Kauai), and floral print button down shirts not just for us. And let me tell you, you can find all of that there. Sometimes you really feel like you're looking at a postcard and not reality (see Figure 1).

Also, the weather there is world-class: It's never too hot, and of course you never need more than shorts and a T-shirt (even late at night). You can safely leave socks, undershirts, sweaters, and jackets at home. The ocean has such pleasant temperatures that even Michael spends hours in it, and I do too, as I'm known to be a North German water rat.

Of course, every paradise has its downsides, because after all, everyone wants to enjoy it, and others want to profit from tourism, so some major construction sins have already been committed on Maui. And it's so expensive that it makes you dizzy. A fish dish (without drinks, appetizers, or dessert) in a somewhat nicer restaurant costs a whopping 36 dollars, but hey, you only live once. And the argument that the exclusive location in the middle of the ocean makes everything more expensive because everything has to be shipped there doesn't make sense for fish, since it's right at the doorstep.

Otherwise, Maui is quite large, so you can always find quiet, less touristy spots. The beach in front of our hotel, for example, was a beautiful white sandy beach where we were often almost alone. On the last evening, we swam there while the sun set into the sea before our eyes. It was such a spectacle that my heart almost ached from so much beauty. Of course, we also rented a so-called boogie board again. It's the smaller version of a surfboard, with the difference that you don't have to stand on it but ride the waves lying on the board. So it's just right for beginners like us.

You should know that the waves in Hawaii are something else, after all, top surfers from all over the world come here, always in search of the perfect wave. In Hawaii, the seasons are also indicated by the height of the waves. Winter (October to April) is the season when the waves are murderously high at many beaches, and summer (May to September) is the time when the ocean shows its friendlier side--it's always pleasantly warm. Waves 30 feet high are not uncommon during the winter season. At a beach called "Jaws" (the English title of the movie called "Der weiße Hai" in German), whose location the locals keep strictly secret, surfers catapult themselves into waves with jet ski equipment that most of us would avoid the ocean by a wide margin (Figure 3).

We had, so to speak, caught the off-season. The anticipation of winter and the high waves was there, but the ocean still appeared relatively friendly, much to the disappointment of Michael, who annoyed me daily by complaining that the waves weren't high enough for him. It was enough for me because when we swam at the beach on the first day (without a board at that time), we immediately had to use the duck dive method to avoid being tossed around by the waves like a cabbage. The diving method works as follows: If the waves are very high, you have to dive under the wave before it breaks. If you wait too long, masses of water crash down on you, creating a current that tosses you around for several seconds, leaving you unsure of which way is up. The trick works great, but it takes a bit of courage at first. However, when the wave suddenly rolls in high in front of you, you better dive quickly.

And one more thing about Maui: We were also very impressed by the crater landscape "Haleakala," which was formed during a volcanic eruption 200 years ago (Figure 12). It's hard to describe how unique it looks; I'd say it's like being on the moon, and I'm probably quite right, as I read in the travel guide that American astronauts prepared for their first moon landing here because the landscape is so similar to that on the moon. The crater is as large as the New York City borough of Manhattan and it is crisscrossed by three hiking trails. We hiked one of these trails, which was not entirely easy, as you descend into the crater landscape and unfortunately have to return the same way, meaning it's constantly uphill, and the air is a bit thinner due to the altitude, as the summit is at 10,000 feet. However, we were rewarded with a unique natural spectacle: mist gently covering the crater landscape, the rocks shimmering in various shades of red and gray, and a unique silence, as hardly anything grows here and even animals can't handle the harsh conditions--so you only hear the rhythm of your own footsteps over the hardened lava.

Anyone who has ever seen the Grand Canyon or something similar at their feet knows how we felt. And since Maui is still fresh in our memory, this time the quiz question is also about it: What are the names of the inhabited islands of the state of Hawaii? The first correct email and the first letter received through regular mail will win the prize: a tropical surprise package.

Until next time, let us hear from you!

Angelika und Michael

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• More topics you might be interested in:

  	Parachuting out of an airplane
  	News from the Darkroom
  	New at Netscape
  	Photography Hour