Sugar Cane Train

The Sugar Cane Train has become a tradition on our trips to Maui. The Sunday we were there, we went to church in the morning. After lunch we had some quiet time and then needed something to do. Originally, Ryan and I had thought of taking the kids to the Blow Hole, but then Ryan wasn't feeling well so he stayed at the condo with a sleeping Elizabeth and I took the boys to the train.



Now that they are a little older, they aren't as outwardly excited/giddy as when they were little. But I love that they still enjoy the Sugar Cane Train even though they've been on it many times!

watching the engine back up to reconnect with the coaches

They were all pretty mellow the whole trip. Nathan looked out the window. Benjamin stared into space a lot. And by the end, Joshua was laying on the bench! Definitely some good quiet time!

As soon as I asked Benjamin to give me a shaka, he complied with his hand but quickly turned his head away!

I think he's asleep. Of course he insists that he stayed awake the whole time!

Our conductor was channeling his inner Iz (singer of the famous Hawaiian "Somewhere Over the Rainbow"), and did more singing for us that talking. We picked the seats right next to him, so we got the live version of the concert :)



The train stops at one point and the engine detaches. It does something similar to a 3-point turn on the tracks and goes around to the other end to take us back to where we started. As it does this, it blows out steam, which they purposely do to "mist" all of the passengers. The conductor said that when the steam first comes out, it is 600 degrees, but in the few seconds it takes to reach us, it cools off to a really nice temperature -- it felt nice and cool!

watching and waiting for the steam

The train also blows steam as it passes over the bridge on the way back to the station. We've taken this picture in vacations past, but Nathan insisted I get a shot this time, too!

When we arrived back at the station, we wandered over by the bathroom and discovered a stationary train that they have on display. (It's been there all of the other times we've been in Maui, we just had never gone over there before!) The boys had a great time going in the engine and pretending they were driving the train.

Joshua wanted to take a picture :)