Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
floor. They were ashamed to soil the church, so Damien cut squares in the floor
through which they could spit onto the ground. Slowly, the authorities began to take
notice. Damien eventually contracted leprosy himself, but he died in 1889 at age 49
knowing his people would be cared for. In 1936, Damien's native Belgium asked
that his remains be returned. His body was exhumed and sent home, but a memorial
still stands where he was once interred at Kalaupapa. After lengthy squabbles with
the Belgian government, Father Damien's right hand was returned to Kalaupapa in
1995 and has been interred as a religious relic. He was beatified by Pope John Paul
II in 1994 and canonized by Pope Benedict XVI in 2009.
Pu'u O Hoku Ranch
Past the beaches of Waialua and Murphy's the road gets narrow and nearly runs into the
sea. There are plenty of places along this ribbon of asphalt where it's a good idea to blow
your horn as you come around a tight corner, and if you're ever feeling a little on the
queasy side, there are a number of sandy coves perfect for pulling over and centering for a
minute. It is true country living this far out on the island, and often you'll encounter groups
of locals just hanging out, cruising, and taking life easy. Be sure you have more than a
quarter tank of gas if you plan to venture farther, as there are no facilities as you continue
heading east and it's a long hitchhike if you run out of gas.
Once Highway 450 starts gaining in elevation, the sweeping pasturelands of
Pu'u O
Hoku Ranch
(808/558-8109,
www.puuohoku.com
)
begin coming into view. At this point
you have driven so far north and east that it's possible to see the northern coastline of
Maui. This 14,000-acre working ranch and farm dominates the eastern flank of the is-
land. Although there used to be horseback riding at the ranch, too many liability claims
have rendered the service inactive, although that doesn't mean the ranch doesn't still raise
free-range cattle and embody the true
paniolo
lifestyle. There's a basic store at the ranch
headquarters that sells local, organically grown produce and herbs such as kale, chard,
eggplant, cherry tomatoes, and sweet apple bananas tiny enough to fit in the palm of your
hand. The ranch is also one of the only places which grows and sells
'awa,
a tradition-
al Polynesian herb known for its medicinal and painkilling properties. The ranch also has
a number of accommodation options for couples looking to get away from it all or large
groups in search of a team-building retreat.
