7 Days on Maui in a tent

Back in December of 2015 I headed into the last month of the year with extra vacation time from work. Had it not been used it would have been lost.  God help me if I ever give up vacation days.  I was not sure what to do at first as Christmas was coming up and we were given holiday time off.  At this point in my life I had never been to Hawaii.  I knew I did not want to spend alot of money on a spontaneous "forced" trip so I looked into camping.  During my research I realized there were camp sites open all over the island. Some were free and the others were cheap but they were spread out where I could form a nice little trip.

At this point I began looking at flights. Realizing that with one stop outbound and non-stop return I could use saved miles on Delta to get a relatively good value fare for free.  This is the moment I knew I was going to camp on Maui alone and explore for a week so I locked it in.  Next was the rental car which was also free because of points.  Now, accommodation.  So the thought process going into the trip was I wanted to get advice and a shower on the island day 1 and for sure would need a shower on Day 7.  I proceeded to book an Air BnB shared room (purposely so I can talk to the owners) for the first day and left the last day open in case the owners were crazy and I needed to switch.  The room was booked, car was booked, flights were booked and now I had to pack.  Luckily Maui is a place where you dont need many clothes. It was hiking shorts, tanks, all my quick dry gear, sandals and my Vans shoes.  All this and my camera gear went in a carry on with my tripod.  Now it was time to pack the camping gear.  I remembered I had this old rarely used (HUGE) High Sierra bag in my attic that was just too big for anyone in my opinion. I broke this think out and realized it was perfect for my need.  In went the tent, axe, lantern, chair, sleeping bag, sleeping pad, head lamp and any cold weather clothes for when I camped on Haleakala just below the cloud line.  The bag surely had a weight over 50 lbs but luckily since I fly Delta so much they didn't care.  Free over 50 lb checked bag.

Now I was ready to take off as the excitement began to set in.  As we were preparing to land I remember looking out the plane window and seeing so much awesome landscape and gorgeous waves which made me so anxious to start exploring.  Stepping off the plane was an intense sensation as the heat just smacked me in the face.  When I got to the rental car counter they wanted to upgrade me to a jeep but I knew it would have been a gas gusler and probably not ideal to protect my camera gear and camping equipment so I opted to stay with a car.  They made sure to mention I was not allowed to drive over one section of the island which is rocky dirt road and dangerous for cars.  As you would imagine I needed to test this for myself.

Off I went and my first stop was the town of Paia where I stopped for a fish sandwich that my friend Jeddy bragged about. It did not disappoint as I went back here numerous times.  As I was walking to the car finally ready to get to my Air BnB I saw "Kona Coffee" in a window. Now being an obsessive coffee snob I was easily lured in.  At this point I was late according to plan as I only had half a day left to form a relationship and learn about the island to create my journey and plan.  As I arrived at my Air BnB the hosts were amazing. They invited me to eat cabbage soup that the lady made from this vegan cookbook "Oh She Glows". It was so good I immediately flipped through the book, went onto Amazon on my phone and had the book delivered home before I was even half way through my vacation. That book by the way changed the way eat.

Next step was Maui education for me. The hosts went over everything from when to get on the road, what app to download as a guide, where to eat, where to avoid, and everything you cant read about online. So far the plan went exactly as I wanted.  I enjoyed my time so much we made an arrangement for me to stay there on Day 7 before I leave so now this was secured.  Additionally, they introduced me to their old neighbor who was a coconut farmer. They said he would probably be interested in getting pictures taken for his website in exchange for a tour on the farm and some education. We started texting and locked in a day at the end of my trip.

The next morning it was off on the road to Hana. I left before sunrise for a few reasons. For one, the best light is just before, after and during sunset and sunrise.  Second, I beat the tour buses and tourist and set the pace on the one lane road.  Throughout the drive I knew I had a few hikes I wanted to do and but also had to leave myself an hour or so of sunlight to set up my tent for first night of camping. The drive was amazing and exceeded my expectations. I stopped numerous times to get fresh fruit and coconuts for drinking.  As I approached Hana town I saw the sign I was hoping for. "Waianapanapa Campground and Park". I pulled in and it was so quiet. Not many tourists and only 3 or 4 other tents. I was on the most desolate part of Maui alone setting up camp.  That night I drove 2 min down the road after my tent was up and found this outside Bar and Pizza place. It was all locals parking was essentially anywhere you wanted on the side of the road.  I proceeded up to the bar telling the bartender my story. She kindly helped me make friends by walking up to a group of locals she knew and putting a 6-pack on the table while saying "...everyone, this is Matt. He is visiting by himself and these beers are on him". Instantly I was a local too. The night proceeded to go on and I needed to get back for some rest.

The next morning I woke before sunrise and walked down the path to one of the most gorgeous scenes ever. I was alone on a black sand beach for sunrise. It really was an epic moment. I jumped in the ocean, took all the photos I wanted and just soaked in the experience of being alive.

Almost got the "I" in there

After a few days here doing day hikes I was ready to move onto Haleakala Volcano.  After experiencing the drive to Hana I did not want to retrace my steps. It was time to decide, do I keep going and break the rental agreement and risk the car OR do I turn back and take a very long detour.  Well it was obvious if you know me, keep going. About an hour into the drive I arrived to the "dirt road" At first I was nervous as hell not knowing what to expect. The bumps were big but nothing that going slow could not fix.  Once I made it past the supposedly dangerous section it was a short drive to my new campsite.  I started to head up the mountain and quickly the temperature dropped.  When I arrived to the camp site it was getting dark quick and the temperature was moving even lower.  I was able to get about half the tent up before needing a headlamp. As I went to bed I realized I did not have a pillow.  I was using a jacket that folds into its own pocket which by the 4th night was miserable.  In the middle of the night nature called and I had to take a leak. I knew it was cold and dreaded getting out of my sleeping back.  As I opened the tent and stepped outside I was in awe at all the starts. It was insane seeing the galaxy with no light pollution or clouds. I was amazed, just peeing with a smile.

The next morning I woke up at 4 AM.  I had to because the main point of going here was to watch the sunrise on top of the Volcano.  It was misty, freezing cold, windy as heck and miserable to change settings on the camera because I had no gloves. Not to mention tourists everywhere which I was not expecting. However I was blessed with another experience to jot down in the books.

This trip afforded me so many diff adventures, hikes, interactions with strangers, challenges, etc.  I could write forever about this one week alone but it would then become a book and not a blog.  My day learning about coconuts and everything they offer was so cool I decided i will write a separate blog on just this experience. When planning this trip I had no idea it could be this great. I really wish I had my wife there to experience it but she had been to Hawaii so it wasn't so bad.  I never once felt weird or nervous taking on this adventure alone and my intuition guided me the right way. I ended up getting that much needed shower on day 7 and now have many great pictures to remind me of the experience.  If you want to see more you can visit my website at www.mattricciophoto.com and just search for my Maui album.

Travel and Photography, what got me started and how I pack

Seeing as I plan to write more posts in the future about both Travel and Photography, it may be relevant first to get a background on how I became obsessed with both which seemed to compliment each other perfectly. Around 2009 I changed career paths from Engineering to Sales. The new role required managing accounts all around the world. Being young and single at the time with no kids it was the perfect time to take this head on.  In the beginning, I bought this really awesome camera, new abundant amounts of unnecessary luggage and all the accessories (flashlights, extra shoelaces, umbrella, etc) needed to secure any hiccup I may encounter while on the road.  Thankfully I had a great manager to educate me on the planning involved to make sure I was never late for that meeting in India or dinner in a small German town.  At the time I thought how hard can it be. But once you think about all the modes or transportation, foreign languages, diff cultural ways of doing things, potential delays with missing a turn in a rental car, train union strikes, missed connections, lack of sleep, huge customer campuses, etc. you realize quickly there is alot to master.  After the first year I was well on my way to being an independent knowledgeable travel planner. That first 1/4 year from Oct - Dec 2009 I had visited Brussels, Basel Switzerland, Munich Germany, Venice, London, Heidelberg Germany and Zagreb Croatia. Talk about exciting! During these adventures it was "Work First" however I had some time to try and take pictures. The only problem is I had no idea how to use this complex new camera unless it was on 'AUTO' mode.

First ever business trip

Brussels, Belgium

The desire to photograph all these places and anything in general was fueled by my travels however it started in my genes.  My grandfather, although probably not titled photographer, was obsessed with cameras and taking pictures. Supposedly he followed me and everyone else around everywhere taking pictures constantly. He passed when I was super young but a few years back I went into the basement of his house and grabbed some of his old equipment which had been shelved with dust for close to 30 years.  I cleaned up his old camera and use it now as decoration in my office.

Grandfathers Camera

Since 2009 my work trips made me more and more obsessed with seeing other parts of the world where work would probably never take me. When I met my now wife, who was more obsessed with seeing the world than I was, we began choosing yearly trips in Asia.  The first big trip we did together was to Bali, Indonesia and I never wanted to come home. I left thinking it really was heaven on earth. I have heard that the past few years its becoming more and more of a tourist destination which is a shame however there will always be that next up and coming place which will be what Bali was.

I remember packing for our first big trip to Bali and my wife said "your going all carry on right?"  My initial thought was to be like, ummmm no I wasn't planning on it.  And since when does the female tell the male to pack carry on! Since then, its pretty much a rule that we travel carry on always no matter where and for how long.  Since Bali I/we have packed carry on for 8-14 day trips to Thailand, Vietnam, Cambodia, Borneo, Malaysia, Philippines, Morocco and Europe. Piece of cake.

I thought this was impossible with all the camera gear and different outfits, etc. but in reality, when you go places like Asia, you only need a few things. Few t-shirts, shorts, underwear, bathing suit and something warm for the plane. What else?  My issue was the camera gear.  I wanted to bring every lens, tripod, flash, sun covers, accessories, filters, clothes and anything I thought I would need to take the perfect picture.  As you can imagine, no easy task. I needed to make concessions, be realistic, sell equipment, buy other more practical travel equipment and over the years try to perfect the ideal camera bag.  I have gone through many types of bags and straps and today have settled for a unique setup that can allow we to scale mountains and long hikes comfortably.  I essentially use a hiking pack with designed camera case inserts to protect my gear.  It can hold a DSLR, 3 lenses, trip, flash, filters, and few accessories AND has built in water bladder which is so key.  And, I get a little extra exercise during our vacations.

Todays Current Gear Setup

Packing for a work trip can be a little more tricky. The fact that I need to focus on what I need for my real job first and foremost, that leaves me little room for camera gear if I am going to continue with the "Carry On Only" rule.  This requires a diff backpack designed for business but with features that can be used for city walking and exploring. Typically I need to really limit what I am taking to the essentials.  And, if I do check a bag for a long trip, I need to make sure my gear is with me on the plane but that I have a spare suit and works clothes in case my checked bag gets lost by the airlines. Its happened few times before.  As you can see, there is lots of planning and configurations I use when on the road.

Since 2009, I have visited 44 countries and this number seems so insignificant considering there are 196 in the world if you consider Taiwan.  Do I want to visit all, Yes. Will I visit all, I dont know. Probably not knowing whats going on in the world today and the risks we would have to take.  There are so many countries I have been that I would definitely go back anyhow so to me it doesn't really matter.  I just want to make sure when I die I look back and have no regrets.

Navigating Cuba - What to know

First off, before I get into the details tied to this post title regarding Cuba I want to let it known that the idea of creating this blog has been so exciting. I have forever been wanting to share my experiences and tips traveling around the world but also tie in aspects of my passion for photography. There is so much to consider when planning a trip let alone the variables of what gear to take, how to transport it, etc. The process of creating this blog in itself was overwhelming for me with all the choices for layouts and themes, analytics, URL's etc. 

Without dwelling too much on the boring stuff I guess I'll jump right in and hopefully convince you to travel to one of the best places on earth (in my opinion). If you like glamorous spas, exquisite looking meals and posh surroundings then maybe my opinion doesn't really matter.

Fist off, Cuba is safe. Let me say it again, Cuba is safe.  The people were so amazing and friendly.  Now of course Cuba is like any place on earth and probably has its sections you don't want to go however how is that diff, from NY, LA or anywhere in the US. And from what I am hearing about Chicago these days Cuba is probably safer. 

Cuba is a place you don't just buy a flight and go to. You need to have somewhat of a plan. I'm not normally big on the idea of planning however when you visit here you need to know where to get money, how much to get, locations of places, etc. There is no cell phone service for the most part unless your one of the crazy few with a satellite phone. Nor is there ATM's or credit card machines at venues. Cash is king and if you run out, getting more would not be fun.

I live in the wonderful city of San Diego so we flew out of Tijuana on Aero Mexico connecting in Mexico City. We did this at the time for few reasons. 1) we live close to the border and TJX airport is close, 2) the flights are usually much cheaper and 3) we "thought" we would beat the system and get less scrutiny coming back as it would show we visited Mexico not Havana. This did not prove to be a big variable.  If your a photographer, its actually not fun traveling out of Tijuana because they scrutinize your gear and force you to check a bag. This is where traveling from the US probably benefits you. I had to check my bag because of my tripod so what worked well is that I checked the bag to connecting airport Mexico City, then grabbed my bag and carried on the second leg.

I can tell you that you have NOTHING to worry about in regards to the paperwork, system, process, etc.  You do however need to put some research and planning into the trip. I will explain why in a minute.  My cousin and his girlfriend joined us on the trip but they flew from LAX through Mexico city so they went from the US.  At first I was so curious how he could do this but he met with some travel agents and we both learned after the trip that the process he followed was exactly the same we followed. My point is you do not have to worry about flying out of US.  Recently President Trump revisited the Cuba travel policy but from what I researched he did not change much that would impact planning and his changes actually benefit the people of Cuba which we should all agree is great. I suggest to just quickly revisit the rules again before booking.

Here is the process; when you go to buy your tickets, the online form will ask why you are going and it must meet the legal reasons. Until last  few years under Obama there was no easy justification as all the choices were related to job, education, news reporter, events, etc. You could not lie really or justify unless you had documented evidence of your reason. Then, Obama added a new reason which was called "Person to Person Contact". I think the form states "Support the local people" but they are the same.  This is what you would check online if asked but it may not even be part of booking process.

What "Person to Person" contact means is that you are going to interact with the culture and not just sit by a pool or lay on the beach. That would theoretically be an illegal reason to go. To be honest, if you want to sit on a beach or lay by a pool then you can go many other more convenient places.  This is where the research comes in. You need to line up or know of things you are going to do which interact and support local people. We did the following during our trip;

1) Took a 2 hr Havana tour in a 1953 chevy convertible.  $70 total, $35 per hour for 4 people. CHEAP

2) Went to a secret little local cigar shop where they had demonstration on cigar rolling. We bought the hand rolled cigars from the local roller and learned about the process, regions, etc.

3) We went to eat at local family owned (not government owned) restaurants.  This is important because the Government owned restaurants do not give back to the local people and provide crap service and food.  Therefore your money for crap food would end up going to the dictators. You need to research a list in advance or go to hotels to ask.

4) Attended an awesome museum on Cuba history

5) Went to Havana Social club music dinners. They basically put on a dance and music show as you eat prefix dinner. Flat rate per person but very entertaining and engaging. My cousin got pulled up to dance with one of the dancers which made for some extra entertainment.

6) Went to an alley music and art festival. This was very local and also scary at first but turned out to be the highlight of the trip. Super friendly people, great music and dancing.

There are so many other things you can do as well and the people are so friendly and engaging. They have not seen tourists for so many years and have been cut off from news, internet, etc. so they just want to learn and hear about our lives as much as we want to hear about theirs.

Money: You need to figure out what you will spend, add a factor of safety and convert all cash. US ATM and debit or credit cards as I mention do not work anywhere. I stress nowhere. So if you run out you will have issues. We brought $XXX cash and converted all of it at airport then converted $XXX difference not spent back at the airport upon leaving. We essentially spent $800 for 2 people going all out not including room and flights. You do NOT want to change money in town. The lines are 2 hrs long and takeaway from your trip. I would convert all at airport when you land and get it over with. You do not get a "deal" anywhere in town and if you did it would not be worth the wait, its same fee everywhere.  Phones do not work although I heard Verizon now does work roaming in very select spots in town.  There are maybe 3 or 4 wifi spots in town we found but you need to buy an internet card which gives you 1 hr of very slow internet and then you need to find the street corner location of the hot spot and hang out on curb.  This could be fun as there are many locals all hanging out however they dont get internet often so this is the one time they probably dont want to talk to you and distract from their online time. My advice, don't even get on internet, its so enjoyable to just forget about everything for a few days.

Where to Stay: I would basically tell you stay as close to Saratogo Hotel/Capital building as you can. This is central, happening area, walk to everywhere and use Hotel Saratogo concierge or breakfast when you need. Its a nice safe fun people watching and centralized area. We stayed at an Air BnB )also called Casa Particulare) literally next door over from Saratoga hotel. It was great because when we needed water or information I could walk out the door and in 5 seconds be inside Hotel Saratoga. Or just stay at Hotel Saratoga although you need to now check to make sure its not Government affiliated and that its independent. Remember, the money you spend cannot go to the gov't or your breaking the law. Hotel Saratoga seemed to be one of the nicest in town but probably a lot more than you need to spend. You are bound to encounter someone famous there. Every week celebrities go there because of the privacy of no phones, internet not to mention the local people do not even know who they hence why celebrities LOVE Cuba.  When we were there we sat next to Chris Rock, ate lunch next to a NFL football player and just missed Robert De Niro by minutes.

One of my favorite experiences from the trip happened just after getting into a local taxi to head to a Jazz club. The driver asked me something in Spanish which I could understand so I just nodded yes with a smile to act like I understood. Next thing you know he pulls over on the embarcadero and gets out to let me drive. Can you imagine the feeling of getting into a 1960's black Ford and driving yourself to a Jazz club in Havana. I get chills to this day thinking about it. Window rolled down, arm out the window, laughing, no power steering and driving an original piece of american history.

We plan to go back again for a second time over Thanksgiving this year and explore the Vinyales region outside Havana. Its a UNESCO site where all the tobacco fields are located. Kind of like the Napa valley of the US but for cigars. The people we know who have went said the most amazing things.  Once I visit Ill report back.  If you want to check out some more photos of the trip you can visit my gallery at mattricciophoto.com/Cuba

The 1957 Ford