First published by The Journal Gazette
Did I snorkel, sail and hike on the Hawaiian island of Maui? Nah! I tried glassblowing in Lahaina, and I went on an amazing tour of Wailea in a ’64 Volkswagen bus.
Glassblowing is shaping molten glass into art. I took a one-hour, hands-on private lesson at the Moana Glass studio. I had no experience and have always been fearful around scorching hot objects. That included a reheating chamber that was more than 2,000 degrees. I’m also not an artist. But I wasn’t alone in my quest to create art from what looked like liquid fire. Paul Petersen, an instructor at Moana Glass and an expert in glassblowing with over 20 years of experience, was ready to assist me in making art.
“Not every day glass art comes out perfect, but you take it as it comes,” Petersen said. “The more of this you do, the better you get.”
I had my safety glasses on as Paul held a long steel pipe at one end and stuck the other end into a crucible. He then twisted the pipe. The liquid glass in the crucible wrapped itself like honey. He pulled the pipe up and a liquid glob was at the other end. He cooled the molten glass using wet paddles and we used the pipe to roll the glob in tiny red and orange pieces of glass. Then he stuck the liquid glob into the reheating chamber.
Paul passed the rod to me. I slowly twisted the rod so the liquid glob would not drip in the reheating chamber. I could feel the blast of heat. I could see the red and orange melt into the liquid glass inside the reheating chamber. I was worried that the end I was holding would suddenly get hot, but it didn’t.
Each time we removed the pipe from the chamber, Paul would apply short puffs of air through the nonheated side of the pipe. The air breathed into the pipe goes into the glass and cools its inside to match the cooling outer part. This allowed Paul to expand the bubble of glass and shape it. After using paddles and large tweezers, we formed a decorative fish.
“This job never gets boring,” he said. “You learn something knew or have a different experience every day.”
When I went to pay for my session, I noticed a pile of used shoes below the checkout counter. As it turns out, some people foolishly show up wearing sandals and flip flops to handle hot liquid glass. The glassblowing studio lends footwear.
I walked toward the ocean and saw the aftermath of the fire that destroyed a lot of Lahaina in August 2023. At least 102 people died from the fire, which was caused by a spark from the re-energization of broken power lines. The fire was fueled by dry conditions and strong winds. The town is still recovering.
The next day, I took the Brewery and Beach Cruise in a Vintage VW Bus. It is a guided, two-hour tour of breweries in the Wailea area.
“I want to offer something different to visitors,” said Jay Joya, the driver and part-owner of this tour company.
The inside of the bus looked like a modern hippie’s paradise. There was a colorful blanket, a miniature guitar and a small object attached to a wood panel that resembled a surfboard with a VW bus painted on it. I sat in the back while the sunroof was open. I could smell the fresh island air and feel the cool breeze. Although the ride was a little bumpy, I got to experience riding in a classic in paradise.
Our first stop was Maui Brewing Co., Hawaii’s largest craft brewery. Joya didn’t drink, but I had a glass of the brewing company’s finest beer. Behind the bar are large windows where you can see the microbrewery equipment.
Afterward we went to the beach to watch the sunset. Joya opened the VW’s back door and played a Hawaiian reggae known as Jawaiian.
Joya was born and raised in Afghanistan. He left Afghanistan in 1984 and lived in Iran and then India as a refugee. He came to the United States in 1987 with only $20.
“Each time I watch the sun go down, I think of how lucky I am to be in Maui,” Joya said.
His VW bus is definitely a magnet for attention. Two cars stopped to talk to Joya about his 23-window vintage bus.
Our final stop was the Kohola Brewery. It’s a mixed outdoor and indoor bar that offers a great atmosphere.
I stayed at the Wailea Grand Champions Villas Coral Tree Residence Collection, and I paid $277 a night plus a resort fee and standard tourism taxes. It was like an Airbnb. That was the cheapest deal to stay at a decent place I could find in the Wailea area. It was a 15-minute walk to the beach where hotels start at $700 a night. My advice to visitors is to just close your eyes when you pay for items. Everything is more expensive on Maui.