Review of Kayak Olowalu - January 8, 2025 I typically don't write reviews, but after my recent experience with Kayak Olowalu, I felt it necessary to share my concerns. I've been a loyal customer since 2012 and have always had positive experiences, but this particular tour was deeply troubling. When I visit Maui and book kayak snorkling excursions, I only book it with this company. Willy's Disrespectful Behavior: The tour began smoothly, but things quickly went awry when my husband started feeling motion sickness. He informed Willy that he wasn't feeling well and decided to return to shore. Willy asked if he was going to tow us back, referring to me and my daughter. My husband said "no..they can stay". After my husband left, Willy began mocking him with exaggerated voices, laughing at his discomfort with one of the guests. This made both my daughter and me feel very uncomfortable. Willy's Unusual Behavior: As the other guests moved on to the next snorkeling location, Willy became increasingly erratic. He threw his anchor into his kayak with unnecessary force and started letting out this loud, uncontrollable, exaggerated laugh. My daughter and I were left alone with Willy, and his behavior started to feel unsafe. Willy took my daughter's paddle away and started towing us without any request from me, and shortly after we started paddling toward the new snorkeling location, he unexpectedly turned the entire group around. He then complained that he had to turn the group around because of the extra effort of towing us. I told him it wasn't necessary to tow us, we can manage ourselves. I noticed we were heading back to the meet-up spot on shore and asked if he was taking us back. He confirmed that he was. At that point, it was clear that he no longer wanted us on his tour, and frankly, we felt unsafe, so I was okay with ending the tour early. Despite my repeated requests to paddle back on our own, Willy insisted on towing us, exaggerating his grunting noises as if the effort was overwhelming. I told him he didn't have to leave the other people and we can find our way back and I pointed at the building on shore to make sure that's where I should go. He claimed it would be impossible for me to paddle both of us back alone and blamed my daughter repeatedly, saying, "WE ARE IN A SITUATION...WE ARE IN A SITUATION!... BECAUSE OF YOUR DAUGHTER. SHE LOST HER PADDLE!" I explained that my daughter hadn't lost her paddle--he had taken it from her--and assured him that we could manage on our own if he simply returned it. Nevertheless, Willy continued towing us, making disturbing noises the entire way back. As we paddled back, I asked for his name. He turned around, smirked, and rudely responded with, "I don't recall," then ignored me when I asked again. His behavior was bizarre, unprofessional, and deeply unsettling. Willy's Lack of Care for Other Guests: When we returned to shore, I asked Willy for his name again in front of my husband, and he reluctantly provided it. I had to ask him 4 times before he told me! I asked why he had treated us so poorly and ended our tour early and he sarcastically said twice, "You should be out there with your man!" It was clear that my husband's early departure had upset him, and he was taking his frustration out on us. Willy was in such a hurry to leave that he quickly unlocked the shed for us to retrieve our belongings and told us to lock it up while walking away. And he left the keys to the shed with us! We locked it and left the key in the lock. He seemed more concerned with getting away from us than ensuring the safety of the remaining guests. From a distance, I saw that he had left the other three guests stranded in the middle of the sea. Voicing Concerns and Seeking Resolution: Recognizing the need to address the situation, I approached a staff member about filing a formal complaint. Tiara, a staff member in a golf cart, overheard and immediately approached with genuine concern. She quickly contacted Kayak Supervisor Tim, who came out to speak with me directly. Despite my frustration, both Tiara and Tim listened attentively and with respect. Tiara went above and beyond to resolve the issue, offering a refund as a fair solution. She explained that it was only right to refund customers who didn't receive the service they had paid for. Her professionalism, thoughtful response, and commitment to customer satisfaction were deeply appreciated. Tiara assured me that the situation would be taken seriously and addressed accordingly. Conclusion: My experience was disappointing and infuriating due to Willy's behavior, which was so absurd it felt like a scene from a movie. I've never been treated like this, and it was frustrating beyond words. I urge the company to take this seriously, as allowing bad behavior to continue will harm their reputation. I've seen another negative review specifically naming Willy, and I hope the company addresses it before it leads to further damage. read more

We called the office to confirm reservation for family of 5 with 3 kids. They need one adult to accompany each kid. We were informed that 3 children was not a problem at all and that the tour guide can easily accommodate for the third child with him. After making a reservation, It turned out that that was not true. Not a family friendly company! We are yet to come across a company that cannot accommodate after making a false promise. Disappointed that these guys have no respect for wasting people holidays and/or making an effort to find an alternative after making a false promise. read more

Best excursion on Maui! Our family of five - 3 adults and 2 teenagers - were the only ones at 11 am, so it felt like a private tour at a fraction of the cost. The location was beautiful, the check-in easy and plenty of parking. Our guide Willie was kind, knowledgeable and fun - and showed us so much amazing wildlife. He did a great job of making us feel at ease, some just wanted to kayak only while the others snorkeled. Being in this uncrowded place with the quiet of the kayaks was magical, and I think a more authentic experience than Molokini. TBH, I was really nervous about first time in an ocean kayak but easier than I imagined and definitely worth it. This is probably the best value for snorkeling on the island, reserve your space now before the secret gets out. read more

This was different from what we envisioned or wanted in a tour. Our guide was short, blaming, chased turtles and fed the fish, and was misattuned to our group in almost every way. I want to give him the benefit of the doubt, as perhaps something happened in his personal life, and this bad mood was a one-off. But the overall sense was he was burned out as a guide, and just running us through the mill. We wanted to kayak, not snorkel, but he took no heed of our requests. I would try a different company before this one. read more

Great couple of hours kayaking off Olowalu beach! Our guide was Willie - who was knowledgeable, safety conscientious, patient and an excellent kayak handler! The water conditions were perfect - sunny, warm with good water conditions. We kayaked close to 2 miles out, saw a few whales breaching and ended snorkeling at a wonderful spot that included beautiful large coral reefs, caves and a multitude of colorful fish! Terrific exercise and definitely worth the tour! read more

Our tour guide Malcolm was very unaccommodating. We were on the 8am tour, and the water was perfectly calm. He said we couldn't go out to look for whales due to forecasted winds later in the day. Meanwhile, there were tons of kayaks far out in the distance whale watching. Malcolm made us stay very close to shoreline the entire time. We did not go anywhere or see anything cool at all. He is not a fun guide and very disappointing tour. I did this tour 3 years ago in April 2019 and saw many whales. We had a very flexible and fun guide at that time. read more

Seriously amazing experience! ! ! Had such a blast and saw so much lovely sea wildlife. Swam with sea turtles, saw tons of beautiful fish and coral up close. Probably the highlight of our wonderful Maui trip ! Much thanks to Willie for an amazing tour and snorkeling trip Would 1000 times do again. read more

This was phenomenal. My wife and I did kayaking and snorkeling on our anniversary and it was tight! Got to enjoy the views and the ocean while having fun and exercising. Nice way to start a great day. We saw turtles, fish and it was beautiful. We saw all sorts of magic down in the water. Bradley is the man. He was our guide. Dude was incredible. Safety was always his main concern. He always kept that in mind. Shouts to Bradly also for being positive and friendly even when the winds started picking up. He was cognizant of the weather conditions, encouraging and always positive. The option to rent go pros would have been super cool but Bradley went down waaaaay into the water to take our picture. That was cool as well. They'll email it apparently! Anyway, highly recommend it. read more

Kayak Olowalu - This is the view before you begin. - Rafting/Kayaking Near Me - Lahaina, Hawaii

Had a fabulous kayak tour led by Willy who was a knowledgeable, friendly and safety conscious guide. We saw a pod of whales in the distance and it was such a calm day we could hear the whales breathing/spouting. The Snorkeling was fantastic; saw a white tip shark, huge eel, numerous sea turtles and and colorful fish. We also stopped at a black tip shark breeding spot and saw them in the shallow water. It was a great tour and recommend to anyone interested in kayaking in Maui. read more

The guide was a little late and it was a little hard to find but it was a great experience! We had a great time. We felt like we were well taken care of! You know your stuff and you showed us many wonderful things! You were patient with us novices! We appreciate you! Mahalo! Thank you Willie! From Trish and family! read more

Kayak Olowalu was absolutely amazing! My wife had never been kayaking before and I hadn't been kayaking in about 10 years. We had previously spent the $200+ dollars to take a boat/snorkel tour out to Molokini with about 100 other tourists, now that your was really fun and we had a blast, plus they gave us booze afterwards. This trip blew them out of the water for almost half the price. We showed up early and got to meet Jose, who set up all of our gear for us and was incredibly friendly and knowledgable. Then Sunny showed up to be our guide and she was great, very passionate about ocean conservation and very knowledgeable of the local marine biology. There was only one other couple on the tour so it was just 5 of us paddling out. The gear was in great shape, clean and in excellent condition. We beat all of the big boat tours to the snorkel area and got to see a bunch of turtles before they all were bothered by the large groups of people from the boats. We also got to snorkel for a seriously long time, way longer than any of the boat tours. To review, friendly, knowledgable, caring staff; incredible snorkel spots, very small groups, great equipment, all for about half the price of a boat tour that you'll be crammed with 100 other people on. Make this a must do when you go to Maui. read more

My fiancé and I went on this excursion a few days ago and had such a fantastic time! It's SUCH a good value - you get to kayak, snorkel and learn things from a marine naturalist all in one. It's about 2 1/2 hours from start to finish. We kayaked on a two-person, sit-on-top kayak for about 10 minutes out to a beautiful reef, linked our kayaks together with the others, then jumped in the water and snorkeled. The reef was just beautiful - fish everywhere (several different kinds) and we saw turtles being "cleaned." Our guide Sunny was fantastic - she is a marine naturalist and we learned so much along the way. We got back in our kayaks (not as challenging as I thought it would be) and they took us to a second snorkel spot. We weren't feeling up to snorkeling so we broke off from the group with our guide and just kayaked around and enjoyed the scenery. She took us to reef shark nursery where black tip reef sharks give birth due to the protected, shallow waters and abundant food around the reef. We sat in our kayaks as baby shark fins popped up all around us. It was so cool! And no reason to fear - the sharks are super shy and take off at the first sign of humans so we had to be very quiet. Overall I'd highly recommend this excursion to enjoy Maui's beautiful waters! read more

Our tour guide was Bradley, and it was really because of how awesome he was that made this experience so awesome! Just a caution, they tend to cancel the night before your scheduled trip due to unstable waters. So be flexible and plan this trip towards the beginning so that you have flexible dates available still if you need to reschedule. They had to cancel on us but that was not an issue. The tour was great, but for us our kayak started to sink halfway out at sea. Bradley was calm and immediately told the entire group to go back to shore. My husband and I were exhausted because lets face it..we were kayaking with a boat fill of water. IT was extremely heavy and my arms felt like it was going to fall off!! But after we got ashore, bradley got us a really nice kayak and he canceled his entire day and stayed with us to give the full tour. We kayaked to this beautiful area with tons of turtles, sea life and coral you will not find anywhere else! He was super nice and knowledgeable and helped me off and on the kayak (which was difficult for me!). Our go-pro died halfway through the tour and he took pictures of us with this go-pro instead. He was super great and I would definitely book again! read more

Austin was our guide, and he was great. He embodies the laid back Hawaiian spirit, and loves his home. It was just my husband and me on the tour. We had snorkeled before, but are total novices. Austin very clearly demonstrated how to get in and out of the kayak to snorkel, and how to paddle. We went to 2 different coral reef areas not far from the coastline, an easy paddle out and back from shore. We saw tons of fish, and at least 20 turtles, who swim very close to people. My husband saw a 6 foot long eel. It is located at Camp Olowalu, across the hwy from the Olowalu General Store. There are signs to follow around to park. Then walk on the woodchip path to the beach, and they're right there. My only reason for 4 instead of 5 stars is the deal said it included a snack, which we were not offered, nor did we ask. I think it was just water and granola bars, and we were headed to lunch right afterwards, so no big deal. I think we snorkeled longer than the 90 minutes allotted, as we arrived early and Austin took us straight out. A great experience overall. I loved it! read more

On our last day in Maui we decided to do the snorkel/ kayak tour. We looked around and a lot of them were very expensive, this place was a great price. This was one of the best things we did on our visit. We got to see all sorts of different fish and tons of sea turtles. The best part was Kale, our guide. He was so friendly and informative about everything. He taught us so much about the history and all the islands. I learned so much on this kayak tour about the islands. Kale answered our million questions we had and afterwards we got some wonderful fresh pineapple. I recommend everyone go on this kayak tour. Best thing we did while we were there! read more

Kayak Olowalu - Us with a sea turtle! - Rafting/Kayaking Near Me - Lahaina, Hawaii

We had a wonderful experience kayaking and snorkeling at Camp Olowalu! Our guide Willie did an awesome job showing us all of the different fish species and attracting large schools of tropical fish and finding the best spots to see lots of turtles cruising around! He even showed us a black tip reef shark breeding cove where we got very close to the small sharks (from the safety of our kayaks!) and captured some great photos. Willie did a great job helping us with our kayaks and gear and helping us in and out of our crafts and even provided snacks. Definitely recommend this adventure and especially for the price. read more

We just got done doing a Kayak/snorkel tour and I can't begin to tell you what a great experience it was!! Not only was the tour guide incredible but we got to swim with (but not touch) turtles!! Kale was our guide and he was THE best. He explained the science behind the reefs, history and culture behind the island. He was so personable and friendly. My fiancé isn't super comfortable in open water but Kale talks you through it, and between the life jackets and his instructions, he felt more than safe. The reefs were beautiful! You get to see so many fish, and did I mention the turtles!! They're such beautiful creatures and they come up for air only feet from you and the kayak. The meeting point is on the Olowalu campground. You have to drive down a dirt road for a minute but the signs are helpful. Our original reservation was cancelled because of high winds (safety first), but we really wanted to try this so we just rescheduled for a couple days later. I'd totally recommend this to anyone coming to Maui! And don't forget a little cash for tip. These guys totally earn it! read more

This kayak tour was a great experience overall. Beautiful location, helpful guide, and amazing views of ocean life. Our guide Willie first showed us several humpback whales in the distance, then took us to two coral reef snorkeling locations, and concluded with viewing black tip reef sharks. Overall we had a great time. Willie was funny and very helpful, would definitely recommend him as a tour guide. We also rented a GoPro which was fun to have with us, however the battery died before the end of the tour so I recommend asking about that before you depart. The only reason we rated this as 4 stars is that we actually saw more fish and turtles at other offshore snorkeling locations in Maui. This is not a reflection of the tour company, only a tip that you can find great snorkeling at many area beaches. We are so glad we had this amazing experience, there's nothing quite as amazing as kayaking on the open seas in Maui! Thanks again to our great guide for a fun day! read more

Kayak Olowalu was amazing! Bradley was our savior!!! We kayaked out and snorkeled seeing beautiful reefs and sea turtles. Unfortunately due to weather conditions we couldn't go to another site. Some people in the group couldn't swim back so Bradley pulled all of our kayaks while we paddled. He was amazing in making us feel safe and we couldn't be more grateful for what he did. Mahalo Bradley! read more

My husband and I went to our honeymoon in Maui. One of our water activities that we definitely wanted to do is kayak. We searched many sites and businesses on who to choose. And we sure are glad we ended up going with Kayak Olowalu!! Not only do they have you kayak the beautiful waters of the Pacific Ocean, but they also let you snorkel amongst the beautiful coral heads, turtles, and fishes!!! Our original kayak tour was canceled due to weather conditions. But the staff at Kayak Olowalu was so nice for having us to reschedule. On the day of our tour, we had Bradley take us out to the water. He was so awesome!! He's very informative on how to get ready before going in the water. He knew a lot of things about Maui that was very interesting. Bradley also got some nice shots of our group snorkeling!!! We got to swim along the side of the turtles and fishes!! The coral and reef life was extremely beautiful!! Maui sure does have the most beautiful sea life I've ever been in!! Overall, Bradley and the whole crew of Kayak Olowalu is awesome! Whenever we decide on coming back to Maui, this is definitely on our to-do list! Mahalo for such a great and fun experience!! read more

Kayak Olowalu - Our kayaks, before heading out in the water - Rafting/Kayaking Near Me - Lahaina, Hawaii

We've been trying to rent a kayak for two days. We've tried two different numbers with no luck. We've texted and we've phoned and the only online option is for tours. We just want to rent a kayak but can't because no one is at the kayak stand and no one has responded to our texts or calls. They are NOT open 7 days a week as they say, and good luck getting in touch. read more

Yikes! Took a kayak/snorkel tour with this company and am glad it's over! One guide took out 8 guests in four kayaks. One couple overturned and took in water and could not remain afloat. Guide had no safety communication tools (walkie talkie, etc) to shore, guide was unable to secure help. The couple was basically stranded with the wife in the kayak and the husband floating alongside, while the rest of the tour snorkeled about 1/8 mile away. Not good. After snorkeling, the guide gave his single kayak to the wife, tripled up in another kayak, and sent three of the five kayaks back ahead unescorted. We were to have snorkeled in two sites, we made it to only one (barely). We spent 1/2 the time dealing with the kayak crisis. They need better backup plans, a better staff to tourist ratio, and more reliable equipment. Not a good experience for anyone on the trip. read more

This was our second trip to Hawaii, and we had seen turtles popping up for air here and there, but it wasn't until we finally gave in and took a guided tour with Bradley and Kayak Olowalu that we got to see them up close. Bradley was an excellent guide, patient and accommodating to the entire mixed group. He knows the large Olowalu reef well and was relentless in searching out hot-spots for us to see turtles coming in to be cleaned by the various fish. One of the turtles I was watching decided to come up for air within just a few feet of me, talk about an experience I won't forget! The equipment is in good shape, and your trip finishes out with fresh pineapple and a hot shower. My only complaint, and it is a very small one, is that they offer a discount for signing up ahead of time online. I appreciate this as it's a logistical simplification for them, however I would much prefer to just be able call in the reservation, since vacation for me means no computer. It's a bit of a challenge to get the little online forms filled in correctly with my big mitts and a tiny smart-phone screen, but it was worth the effort since we had a group of 4... All in all a great short tour with an expert guide and quality equipment. I would highly recommend. read more

My wife and I were fortunate enough to join Austin for a morning paddle yesterday, and we had a wonderful time. Their setup on the beach at Camp Olowalu is perfect, easy to find and it was all Aloha from the first minute. We have kayaked quite a bit, both here on Maui and elsewhere, and what set yesterday apart was the super friendly, enthusiastic and pure aloha spirit that Austin shared with us. He was able to share his love of this place and teach us about some of the particulars of what we were seeing . . . And we saw a lot! It was turtlicious, fishylicious and so clear and lovely. Thank you Austin -- we really enjoyed ourselves, and keep ripping that hydrofoil. We'll be looking for you at Mavericks ;) read more

Kayak Olowalu - Water level view toward West Maui mountains - Rafting/Kayaking Near Me - Lahaina, Hawaii

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The best experience thus far in Maui. We signed up for the snorkel & kayak tour and we got lost and we're late for check in and expected to be turned away but our instructor Kale was so understanding. Kale is awesome, he is so humble, knowledgeable and a very skilled water man. He walked us thru kayaking and using the snorkel equipment before we started our tour. I was very scared but he guided me through the whole adventure. We were so blessed to experience a close encounter with the whales. Kale explained to us about the whales, corals and the history of the islands. This experience was by far the best adventure we have had so far in Maui. He didn't demand tips like other tours we went on or pressure us to do things we were uncomfortable with. I recommend this experience to anyone wanting to kayak or snorkel in Maui. read more

Another great trip with kayak olawalu and Bradley. Saw some whales upfront and 2 snorkel sights. It's a terrific reef. Make sure to sign up for the early kayak session before the catamarans come out to the reef. It's so nice to have the ocean to yourself. Being swimmers, we let broadly tow the kayaks in while we swam in. Thanks! read more

Kale was an excellent guide on the 2 hour tour. The waters were pretty calm and clear, so we were able to see three turtles and a bunch of little fish. We paddled out about a mile with the hopes of seeing some whales during season. I guess it was bad timing though. Still very fun and helps you get really close -- with a little workout because of the paddling and snorkeling. Great service they provide. read more

Had an awesome time. The kayak trip was informative as well as fun. We learned a lot about kayaking and Maui history. The group leader Joe was just kind, courteous and patient, and just a great host. read more

Great location, it's beautiful with tons of options. Jose is extremely knowledgeable with kayaking and these waters. He helped me to have the ocean experience I wanted at a completely reasonable price. He answered all of my questions with patience and kindness. Highly recommend going during whale season. read more

The best kayak/snorkel experience on Maui! Tour guid was awesome, n so many turtles. The reef is so nice and the water so Clear. A must do if your on the island! Leave a tip!! read more

Great experience! My husband and I signed up on line - 10% discount for doing so - and had a really good and quick follow-up experience. Received confirmation right away with driving directions and helpful hints for making the most of kayaking and snorkeling near Olowalu. The enterprise is on the beach at Camp Olowalu and across the street from the Olowalu General Store and the path to the petroglyphs. Jose was our fabulous guide. The equipment was reasonable; he gave us a few pointers and we paddled off into the reef. Lots of different fish, turtles sleeping and swimming, sea urchins and coral. Conditions were primo for us. Jose gave us a good rundown on the local area history, weather patterns and the marine area biology. It's all a little low key and comfortable - just our style - right down to the fresh water shower rigged up on a coconut palm tree. read more

This tour is awesome if you're wanting to have a guide show you some great spots and then let you do your thing! Austin was great- gave us a quick tutorial on the kayaks and gear, and how to get in and out safely, then took us to two locations a few hundred yards from the beach and let us lose. He didn't hover or rush us for time, just pointed out where to go to see some really cool stuff. You get really close to the coral and sea life out there, literally feels like you're swimming in a fish tank. We saw at least 10 turtles, a moray eel, and an array of colorful fish. Loved it! Thanks Austin! read more

My hotel booked this tour because I wanted a kayak/snorkel combo. Bradley, our tour guide was very friendly and knowledgable. We had a small group which was nice. I have always wanted to swim with turtles or at least see one in the ocean and that we did!! They were very abundant during our tour swimming next to us and down to the bottom to get cleaned by other fish. It was amazing to say the least. That was just the first snorkeling spot. The different species of fish were incredible too. Not just while snorkeling but while kayaking we saw schools of fish and turtle room. I didn't get in the second spot because I was a little sea sick but the rest of the group again had a blast and saw a ton. Very clean gear and great tour overall. I am doing this one again when I return to Maui! read more

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Our family really enjoyed our kayak and snorkel tour. It was calm and peaceful, and our guide shared a lot of great stories and information about the islands. We swam next to sea turtles (a highlight!) and explored the reefs. Our guide, Kali, was super laid back, friendly and knowledgable. read more

We had the best time with Kayak Olowalu. Bradley was our tour guide and he knew so much about the island and the waters that we were about to snorkel in and it made the adventure that much more exciting. We were part of a small group which made the adventure feel unique to us. We took the early trip so the waters were calm and Bradley led us directly to the turtles. We saw three of them right away!! After our snorkel we were greeted with a warm outdoor shower to rinse off and fresh pineapple! This was honestly one of our favorite adventures of our trip and would highly recommend anyone looking to snorkel in Maui. read more

What a fun day I had with Kayak Olowalu. Joe did a great job in giving us a history of the area and the sea life we would encounter. We saw schools of beautifully colored fish and 2 juvenile Green Sea Turtles. I love kayaking and pairing it with snorkeling is something every visitor to Hawaii should do. Thank you Kayak Olowalu for a great memory. I will be back. Mahalo! read more

We went out in a double kayak and had a blast with Kayak Olowalu. We were staying at the camp just off the beach and found the location perfect for a morning Kayak. We saw whales, turtles and plenty of fish!! I highly recommend. read more

We did a Sunday morning 8 am tour and it was FANTASTIC! My husband and I have never kayaked before and I am not a great swimmer. Jose was so kind and patient and SO knowledgeable. You could tell Jose knew what he was doing he lead us right out to an amazing spot where saw so much sea life. There was almost no one else on the water and the sea turtles were swimming right up close to us. Jose started our adventure with a lesson on respecting the area and the sea life. He was really nice when flipped our kayak and even went diving to retrieve my flippers and our masks. I would absolute recommend Olowalu Kayak for a kayak and snorkeling tour. Thank you Jose for a memory that will last our life time! read more

This was by far the best thing we did in Maui! Barry and Tim were great guides. So glad we found them!

My 26 year old daughter and I went on a kayaking and snorkeling excursion with Jose. He was fantastic , always had our safety as his number one priority and made sure we were comfortable and enjoying our time! Could not have asked for a better tour! We saw sea turtles, a seal, many beautiful fish and even a surprise visitor swam by!!!! Very exciting...I will definitely go back and I highly recommend this excursion ! read more