Sleep did not last long, as we had a 2:55 a.m. pickup by a Valley Isle van to go on a sunrise excursion up the third tallest mountain in Hawaii—Haleakala, which means “House of the Sun.” It has become a popular destination to stand at the peak watching the sun rise above the cloud layer each morning. Haleakala is a dormant volcano, and it is around 10,000 feet above sea level.

Even with the fleece-lined parkas supplied by the tour company, my own winter gloves and hat—as well as three layers underneath the parka—could not keep out the cold winds as we stood for an hour awaiting the full sunrise experience. I will say, though, that it was quite worth the wait and a bit surreal as the sun rose to hear a lone park ranger singing the traditional Hawaiian morning chant.

On the way back down the mountain, we spotted several silver sword plants that only blossom once, then die. This rare species is native to the slopes of Haleakala but not in any other place on earth!

We enjoyed a hearty breakfast at the beautiful Maui Tropical Plantation. Some of the local items on the menu included macadamia nut pancakes, coconut syrup, and POG juice (passion fruit, orange, and guava). I enjoyed the juice so much that we bought a container later at Costco after we took yet another Uber to—finally!—grab our hybrid rental car.

Like other places around the world, bird flu has led to mass chicken killings. Eggs cost $10 a dozen here! Yet I found it ironic that chickens and roosters seem to be plentiful here on the island of 735 square miles (48 miles long and 26 miles wide). Birds of all kinds wake us each morning, and it’s not unusual to see chickens wander across roadways. (Yes, the chickens really do cross the road to get to the other side….)

Another common sight is solar panels. I’d estimate that at least 80% of the residences have solar panels. There’s also lots of wind generators located on one side of the northern mountain range. Less than 15% of the electricity is generated from wind, though. Reliance on fossil fuels is still strong.

We ended the evening early after I cooked a meal of stir-fry rice, chicken, and veggies in a teriyaki sauce.