Maui Day 7

Last day here . . . I had to make it a really awesome one! This morning I went out on a snorkel boat to Molokini again, but this time I traveled on a small sailing catamaran, the Paragon II. There were about 30 people on board, plus a crew of 3, and we actually sailed most of the way there and back.
Here is a video of the crew raising the sail.

The weather was quite gray, windy, and even a little rainy as we headed out to Molokini. Once at the crater, I noticed it was significantly choppier than last Thursday, and the captain even said to keep an eye on the boat in case the winds got too high.
I found that the wind translated into excellent snorkeling. There were so many fish in the reef - I'm guessing the waves kicked up lots of yummy plankton for them to eat. I stayed out snorkeling for ages.

The ride back was very exciting. If you've ever snorkeled Molokini, you know that the winds off of Maui coming in to Ma'alea harbor are pretty crazy any day. Plus, this was a slightly stormy day, and it was a small boat. I sat near the front, and was soaked through for the entire ride. So fun! By the time I got back to my hotel, I was coated in a salty film. Who needs those expensive "sea salt" exfoliators??

Around 2:00, I dropped out for a long nap. I woke up around 5:00, dropped off my cold weather stuff back at the Salvation Army, and went looking for a good spot to watch my final sunset in Maui. There is a restaurant called Kimo's in downtown Lahaina that I think may have one of the best kept secrets - it is the only place in Lahaina with an oceanfront lanai (patio) that has open seating. I was able to go around 5:30, plop down at a table without waiting, and stay to watch the sunset while enjoying pupus and mai tais (I had three of 'em, so please forgive this post for any incoherent statements). It was absolutely perfect. I couldn't have conjured up any better way to spend my last evening in Maui.
That building just behind me, the waitress told me, was a restaurant called Blue, which closed in December. It is prime oceanfront property - such a shame that it's been closed 7 months. Anyone have some extra money in the bank??

I am pleased with my first experience traveling alone. It was lonely and scary at times, but overwhelmingly exciting, fun, and positive. Thank you so much to everyone who emailed and commented. Your responses truly made me feel surrounded by friends. I am very excited to go home tomorrow, as I miss all of my wonderful friends in San Diego. Maui schools begin tomorrow, August 1. I am thankful to still have several more weeks before I have to be commited to work again. Have a wonderful August everyone, and I will see you soon!

Maui Day 6

Today started off pretty gray and overcast. I sort of set out without a real goal in mind. I drove first down to almost the southernmost tip of the island, stopping in Makena for a little walk along the beach/lava rocks. The Wailea/Makena resort area is clean and manicured, with lots of golf courses and huge, gleaming hotels. I'm glad I didn't stay down there - it's a different kind of experience than I was looking for.

Around 11, I stopped in Kihei for a cup of coffee. Kihei is very cute - not too different from Lahaina, but not quite as walkable.

I then drove up to the north shore of the island, detouring through Wailuku and Kahului, the more urban areas of Maui. Pretty ugly - not much to see here.

I then veered east along the northern coast through Pa'ia. I decided to stop for lunch at Mama's Fish House, a place I have heard mentioned several times as a must-try in Maui. I was not disappointed. The walkway outside had very cool pavers in the shape of interlocking geckos, like an Escher drawing. Mama's sits right on a small white sand beach, with lovely clear blue water. The ahi poke was so fresh, I swear they must have just grabbed it out of the ocean after I ordered it. I tried opah for my entree, which looks like this when alive:
Mama's fish house was definitely all it's cracked up to be, but verrrrrry pricey. That will be my "fancy meal" for the trip!


From there, I drove inland and uphill to Makawao, which Maui Revealed describes as "where people with dreadlocks, backpacks and bare feet share the streets with the well-groomed, cellphone-toting business crowd." It reminded me a little of downtown Los Gatos, but much smaller. I walked around for a bit, enjoyed some shave ice, and then headed back to the hotel.

That's about it for today . . . tomorrow is my last day in Maui :(

Maui Day 5

I started off my day today at 2 A.M. The drive from my hotel to the top of Haleakala, I knew, would take about 2 and a half hours, and sunrise was going to happen (ready or not) just after 5:30. It was a harrowing drive up the mountain in the dark. There were portions of the two-lane road where I was on the outside lane and knew I was at several thousand feet, but could not see the drop off to the right of me - only black. This was not such a big deal when I was on the regular roads, but once I entered Haleakala National Park, there were no more guardrails - for the entire 21 miles up the mountain. I was very happy when I arrived above the clouds, at the 10,000 foot summit.

I was even happier that I had stopped at Salvation Army yesterday and picked up a jacket, scarf, and blanket for $6. Because it was cold. Very cold. And wet. I think it was around 40 or 50 degrees, with winds about 20 mph. With mist. Brrrrr.

The drive, the cold, the wait . . . they were all worth it once the sun started to rise. Seeing Here is one of my pictures which doesn't even begin to do justice to the spectacular view.
After the sun had risen, I watched as everyone dispersed, either to ride their bikes or drive their cars back down the mountain. I had planned to spend some time hiking into the crater, which is what I did. I walked down for about and hour and fifteen minutes. During that time, the clouds burned away almost completely. The scenery was incredible - like nothing I've even seen. It's been 900 years or so since Haleakala last erupted, so the mountain is lava rock and plant life together in a unique combination. Hiking into the crater was a lot of fun. I'm glad I took the time to do it.





















After all that hiking, I was hungry so I grabbed some lunch, then was off for my next adventure of the day: ziplining. The concept is simple: you are harnessed, attached to a horizontal cable spanning a canyon, and off you go!! Here is a video I took while zipping across the final cable, which was over 700 feet long and over 100 feet off the ground. Better than any roller coaster . . . Be sure you turn on the sound so you can hear me screaming!

What a day! The best one of my trip, so far.

Maui Day 4

The luau I attended was at the Hyatt Regency in Ka'anapali. I arrived about an hour early so I could walk around the hotel a little. It is a very luxurious resort. There is a tea garden inside with several exotic species of birds, including smallish flamingos.The show itself was just okay. It was about what I expected, I guess. On the plus side, the food was delicious. However, the dancers looked pretty bored, and the seating arrangement made it hard for me to see from my location. I satisfied my curiosity in the luau department, but can't say I'd go to one again. I met some nice people once again - Jeff and Debbie from New Jersey, and a family of 5 from North Carolina. The oldest daughter was having trouble tearing herself away from Harry Potter 7 in order watch the show. I understood completely :)

I sure am meeting a lot of East Coasters on this trip. They must be getting bored with the Bahamas and Florida.

The best part of the evening, ironically, came as I was leaving. I was walking back to my car and was pretty much alone since most of the luau watchers were staying at the hotel. It was dark, but there was a full moon, and I rounded a corner to come upon a stunning view. The moon was just above the tops of the palm trees and was reflecting in a long white streak across the water. The coast line curved inward in front of me and I could see the lights of Lahaina across the small bay. The sky itself was a deep dark blue. The trees were swaying slightly in the breeze and the waves were crashing on the beach. The whole effect was indescribably beautiful, and I wonder if I would have noticed had I not been quietly walking alone. I tried to take a picture, but I do not carry the correct photographic equipment to capture a nighttime landscape. I'm keeping my eye out for a professional photograph or print that captures something similar - I think that would be a fitting souvenir of this trip.

Today was my mid-vacation rest day. I took it easy today: a jog in the morning, reading by the pool, stopped by the Salvation Army store for some warm clothes for tomorrow's adventure, went to see the Simpsons movie, ate some shaved ice, more reading by the pool. I'm off to fill up the gas tank in a minute. I'm gearing up for an early morning drive (and by early, I mean 3 A.M.) up to the top of Haleakala to watch the sunrise.

Maui Day 3

Thanks to everyone for your many emails and comments. I feel like you are all here with me and I can't tell you how much that means to me :)

Well the Warren and Annabelle show was amazing. I would highly, highly recommend it to anyone traveling to Maui. I first had dinner and drinks in a parlor where Annabelle, a ghost, played requests on the piano. The food was good, especially the chocolate truffle pie I had for dessert. It turned out there was another woman at the show solo, so Susan and I enjoyed sitting together and chatting. She is from San Carlos, so we talked a bit about the Bay Area. And it turns out she was flying this morning to visit her son in San Diego!

Next, the group was escorted into a small theater (about 70 people), where Warren performed his show. It was a magic show, but was very close up and all based on slight of hand (card tricks and such). It was absolutely unbelievable. I am still puzzling over his tricks. Warren interacted quite freely with the audience and there was a lot of comedy. I laughed so hard and had a fantastic time. If you're coming to Maui, go see this show! And make reservations early, because they fill up.

This morning, I had my surf lesson - the wild card moment of my vacation. When I arrived, I was fitted for booties and a long-sleeved rash guard. The photographer asked me if I'd ever surfed before. I let him know I had snowboarded a little bit, but that was all. He responded by saying it's just like snowboarding, and very similar to driving my SUV. "You drive an SUV, don't you?" he asked knowingly. "No." I replied. I was a little insulted. Never mind that I did drive an SUV for six or seven years. I interpreted his question to mean I have a certain look that screams "SUV driver" and probably also yells "suburban good girl elementary school teacher never surfed in her life mainlander!!" Sigh . . . Can't fight who you are, I guess.

Surfing is a hard sport!! All that paddling . . . I was in a group of 5, and our instructor Tim was very helpful and patient. With the help of Tim and a 12-foot longboard, I was able to stand up a couple times. I also got a little friendly with the reef and have a couple small scratches as souvenirs. I really loved it though. It was frightening out where the waves were breaking, trying to make sure I was ahead of the wave and not sideways with the board. I was jittery and nervous, trying to remember to go slow, balance, stand in the correct spot, and look forward at the horizon. But once I got going and was actually riding the wave, it was exhilarating. And these waves were teensy. I can only imagine what it must feel like to "really" surf.
After surfing, I was ravenous, so I polished off some huevos rancheros at the Pioneer Inn Grill and Bar, just a couple blocks from my hotel. Now, it's time for a little nap, then I'm off to Ka'anapali, just north of here, where I'll be attending a Luau tonight. Never been to one before, so I'm interested to see what it's like. And I'll finally get to try taro, the purple sweet potato that was a staple for the early Hawaiians.

Maui Day 2

I woke up early today, which was not difficult at all due to the 3-hour time difference. I drove down to Maaleaa harbor for my 7:30 snorkel cruise on the Four Winds II, a huge sailing catamaran.

When I checked in, they gave me a teal wristband to wear since I was "solo" - so that the lifeguard could be sure to keep an extra careful eye on me. I sat on the top deck, next to the captain's spot, and quickly made friends with the people around me: a mother-daughter pair from Connecticut, a vacationing couple from Houston, and honeymooners from Orange County.

Captain John, our weathered pilot, spotted my wristband and said, "They made you wear that? So embarrassing. Here, let's get that off." I told him I didn't mind, but he wouldn't hear of it. He yanked and pulled until the wristband popped off. So, no one would be keeping an eye on me, I guess.

The hour long trip out to Molokini was uneventful. I chatted with my neighbors, all very friendly and nice people. Captain John regaled us with his island knowledge, and filled us in on his Chicago Bears obsession. We spent about two hours snorkeling. Here are a couple of pictures.















The crew served a wonderful barbecued lunch, and then we headed back. We spent a little time observing sea turtles just before pulling into the harbor. What is it that makes these huge swimming reptiles so darn cute?? Especially after the movie "Finding Nemo." I learned that a group of sea turtles is called a bale.
Now I'm back at the hotel, and the water is shut off for a bit, so I am biding my time until I can shower and clean up. I have a reservations for a dinner show called "Warren and Anabelle's." Maui Revealed guidebook says I should not miss it, so I look forward to an amazing show!

Maui Day 1

I’m watching as the sun slowly descends toward the horizon. This has been a long, slow sunset. Long and slow, like everything in Hawaii. I know that it will take a few days to adjust to the island pace. Someone is blowing a conch, I’ve read somewhere that this is done at sunset in Hawaii. I hear some faint singing, too. There must be a luau or dinner show nearby.

I arrived this afternoon around 1:15. I had a very long wait for my bags, which I’m pretty sure were the last ones from my flight to come tumbling out onto the carousel.

The weather is humid, about 90 degrees, but very sticky. I’m glad I brought many changes of clothes.

I drove my rented black Chevy Cobalt to WalMart after leaving the airport. Stocked up on some supplies – water, bread, peanut butter . . .

My hotel, Lahaina Shores, is awesome. Perfect location, just down the street from downtown Lahaina. The beach that the property sits on has small waves and warm water. I sat in the ocean water for about 15 minutes just after I got here. I have a spacious, well-stocked, clean room with an ocean view. I am on the fourth floor. It is perfect. I sit here on my balcony watching the sunset and drinking a beer. Life is good.

Just a while ago, I walked up Front Street to Cheeseburger in Paradise. I chose to sit in the upstairs bar, because there was no wait. While enjoying my Mahi Mahi and Mai Tai, the bartender let me know that the gentleman at the end of the bar would like to buy my next drink. Lord above, he must have been close to 60. I declined.

I left the restaurant and began walking south. Within minutes, a clearly intoxicated gentleman stated, "Hello! You look great! I just wanted to let you know that!" This one was probably closer to 65. I grinned and thanked him. It’s not every day I am complimented with so much enthusiasm. I decided to come on back to my balcony to enjoy the sunset.

It’s 10 o’clock in San Diego, and I’m getting sleepy – it’s been a long day. Maybe I’ll go to bed early, since I have booked a snorkel trip at 7:30 tomorrow morning. I will definitely keep the door open, so I can fall asleep to the sound of the ocean.