Non Puoi Lasciarmi Cosa

A hui hou - Good-bye, until we meet again

2009-10-23T19:48:00.000-07:00

Ahh, the last day on the island of Maui. 7 days went by very fast, and now it is time to pack up and head for home. The nice part though, is that our flight out is not until 3pm. And we are still getting up early, so that leaves a lot of time to play, just a little bit more.

Megan and I took a walk over to the coffee shop. In case I did not say it before, this is a great little place for coffee. They have all of the drinks that a Starbucks would have, plus more. Their shop is decorated in old school Hawaiian decor. They have Apple computers set up for rent, cool vintage looking stuff for sale, and awesome tunes playing. Their service is excellent, always friendly and nice. Definitely check it out if you are staying in the Kahana area.

After a home cooked breakfast, we all headed down to the beach for a couple of hours. Kieran and I built stuff in the sand, playing the game of "keep the ocean away from your structure." Of course there really is no stopping the waves, so we gave up and went swimming. While on the beach, a guy came up to me and said, "you're the guy with the blog, right?" He and his family were visiting from Canada and he had been following my blog all week. I have to say that was pretty cool. When planning our trip, I had used Trip Advisor religiously. I used it to make sure we got the right condo. I scoped out the restaurants, the shops, the best beaches, the best luau, etc, etc. The only way these sites work is if people post their experiences. So I made sure to put a link to this blog on that site, for just this reason. People don't want to go blindly into anything. With the Internet, there is no reason what so ever to do so. These review sites can make your vacation, no matter where you go, or how much you have to spend, completely memorable and fulfilling. But enough of that.....

After a couple of hours of swimming, it was time to clean up and pack. We wanted to hit the Local Boyz shave ice one more time. Of course, on the last day, it was 94 degrees and super sunny. Not that the other days were bad, but it really makes it hard to leave the beach when it is that warm. But leave we had to.

Make sure you give yourself enough time to get to and thru the airport. We cut it a bit too close and ended up running thru the airport. Not what you want to do in that heat. The Maui airport terminals are open air. So you are in 94 degree heat, with luggage, hurrying and stressed. Not how you want to end your trip. But, we made it. Once on board, it was time to settle in and try to chill. The flight home was about an hour shorter due to the jet stream.

By the time we got home, it was 11pm. The weather was typical Portland. Raining and chilly. We got our luggage, shuttled to the long term parking, and headed home. Vacation was over. Or was it?? Before I left, I booked an hour massage for Megan and I. So Friday, we headed over to Dosha and got a wonderful rub. This is the perfect way to end a vacation. Now, it's time to find a job and start making some money for our next vacation. Anyone?? Anyone??

Dancing The Night Away

2009-10-23T17:07:00.000-07:00

The last full day in paradise. How quickly the week went by. When we first got here, time seemed to go by a bit slow. But after about 4 days, the pace picked up, and now we were facing our last day. Today was the day we planned on attending a Luau. But for the rest of the day, we all decided to take it easy and do as little as possible. You know, the perfect vacation.

We spent a bit of time swimming in the ocean. Megan and Josie found a spot a 1/2 mile or so down the beach where the waves were just perfect so that you could float in the water, riding up and down, in and out, pretty much lazing the day away. I have to say, it was pretty fun. We all ended up there, floating for a bit, and playing in the sand.

After a bit, we cleaned up and headed into Lahaina to walk around and get whatever souvenirs and trinkets we wanted to bring back home. Of course we had to make another stop at Local Boyz for some shave ice. Honestly, this has got to be some of the best on the island. For $4, you get a huge serving, with 3 of several dozen flavors, served over vanilla ice cream. Make sure you get the Kuala Cream on top of it all. Super good stuff!! We made sure to stop into the Peter Lik Gallery, which if you have never been or heard of before, I strongly suggest you Google it. When I start collecting art, this is the first person's pieces I will consider purchasing. The guy is a brilliant photographer.

After buying some souvenirs, we headed over to the Sheraton at Black Rock for our Luau. The parking was a bit confusing, since I was not sure if we were supposed to park in the garage or not. You are, and make sure you bring your ticket. They will validate at the Luau, so you will only have to pay $1 vs. $18. We had to stand in quite a long line. I wondered why they did not have a "Preferred" line for those of us who paid extra, but we got in eventually. The bar was open, and I grabbed a couple of Mai Tai's. Pretty weak, so in about 10 minutes, I went back for more. Our table was right in the front, dead center stage. You could not get better seats. Perfect!!

The host came out and talked for a bit, letting us know that there were some activities happening around us. Coconut husking, Sarong tying, and a couple of other Hawaiian things were going on around the perimeter. There was also a long table with crafts for sale. We walked around, taking it all in. Then, the pig was coming out of the ground. There was quite a crowd, but it was still pretty cool to see a whole roasted pig on a table size plank. After that, it was dinner time. Preferred Seating meant we got to go thru the food line first. While standing in line we got to see the Dive Ceremony, where a diver lights Tiki torches as he climbs Black Rock, tosses a lei into the water, and then dives off the 50+ foot cliff. It was pretty cool, but we were hungry.

The layout was very nice. Salads first. Green, potato/mac, salmon lomi lomi, and fruit. Then poi. Then fried rice, mahi mahi, kalua pork and teriyaki steak. There was also rolls and butter and several types of dressings. I filled up my plate with as much as I could, willing to try it all. We headed back to the table and got our eating on. The sun had set, the candles lit, and the band was playing music in the background. We were sitting with another family, as well as another newlywed couple. It was very nice to meet new people, all there for the same thing. To have fun, relax, and try new stuff. The food was ok to great, depending on the item. The pork was amazing. The rice, not so much. The steak was a bit overdone. The salads, tasty. And another round of drinks was just right.

After a bit, the show started. The host came out and sang a bit. Then the dancers, both male and female, came on and did their thing. There were several different dances, reflecting different island traditions, different events, like weddings and royal festivals. The dancers were great, as were the musicians. The show was very interactive. The host asked who was just married or celebrating anniversaries. He made those of us stand up, and at one point he called all the men in those groups, up to the stage, where we had to perform a hula. Good times indeed! They had people come up and learn the hula, and at one point the host called me up to the stage, where he handed me a beautiful flower lei, and instructed me to give it to Megan, Hawaiian style. Basically that consisted of me putting it around her neck and kissing her, in front of several hundred people. Again, good times.

Finally the big event. The main reason why we selected this luau over all the others. The fire knife dance. The host called this huge Polynesian dude on to the stage. The drums started banging away and the lights dimmed and then this guy started saying something in his native language. After 30 seconds or so, he translated. "Wazzup!!" is what he said. He started twirling a stick with fire on both ends. He put it in his mouth, on his chest, drawing fire across himself in the process. He twirled that stick so fast that it looked like a circle of fire. After a bit, he was tossed another stick and before long he had both sticks twirling away, circles of fire with a heavy island drumbeat. After a few minutes of playing with fire, he tossed them in the air, extinguished them and that was the end of the show. The dancers all came out one final time, and then as we made our way to the exits, they made themselves available for photos. All in all, it was an incredible show and a decent meal.

There are a lot of luau's to chose from. Some are said to have "the best food" and others will give you a better understanding of the other islands. Only a couple have the fire dancers. Some have drink limits. This one was located on a very nice piece of property, right on the ocean. The food was good and the show was excellent. It was spendy, but I purchased our tickets online, thru a broker of some sort, where kids 12 and under were free with an adult fare. And it is definitely worth paying the extra $10 per person for "preferred" seating. After all, we had the best seats, got to eat first, and be part of the show. As a family we completely enjoyed the show. After that, we headed back home, lamenting the fact that this was the "last night."

If Heaven had a Highway

2009-10-21T23:41:00.000-07:00

Again, we started our day early. Today was the day to do "The Road to Hana." No matter what you read in the guidebooks, or online reviews, this is a trip worth taking. Some people say that it will make you ill, going around all those curves and up and down the mountain. To that I say this...You are driving too fast!! Really. If you stick to a nice safe and sane speed, like the one posted, it is impossible to get ill. Physically impossible. The snorkel trip the day before caused more of an ill feeling than Hana, or any road trip could possibly cause. Can you tell I took issue with those reviews? It is really just a stupid commentary that probably causes many a tourist to avoid this trip. But enough of that.

We headed over to the other side of the island and got breakfast in the town of Pai'a. Eat at Charley's. Not only is it convenient, it is freakin' good. I had traditional Egg's Benedict and Megan had the same, but with O'ho. She was pretty impressed. The kids had a hearty meal themselves and then we gassed up and headed up the road to Hana.

We had the book Maui Revealed with us, but if I could make one very important suggestion, it is to read up and plan your stops before getting in the car. Even with Megan co-piloting, it was difficult to make some of those stops along the way, quick enough. 2/10th of a mile past mile post 15 happens pretty quick. We missed a few spots that we wanted to stop at because by the time we realized where that spot was, we were either on top of it, or just past it. It did not help that it was raining pretty much the whole way there. The traffic was not bad at all, which made for a nice trip. We pulled over at several vista spots to take pictures, but we skipped some of the trails because of the rain.

We did stop at the black sand beach. Parking is a bit tricky, with all the tour busses, but we managed. The beach is nice to look at. The surf was very rough, and there were quite a few "Jellyfish" signs about, so I would not recommend swimming. The lava tube off the beach was pretty cool. The blowholes on the lava outcropping are also cool. We were able to hike right up to them, looking down 20 feet or so into the surf below. Make sure you wear good shoes, because that lava is tough and sharp. I saw a few people stumbling about. I bet a lot of people get hurt on that stuff.

We stopped at a little Farmers Market, right before getting into Hana. It was ok. They were sampling some Japanese cucumber salad, which was awesome. I got the recipe from the girl handing it out. We rolled into Hana, and decided to get a bite before continuing on. We stopped at TuTu's Snack Shop, down by the Hana Harbor. The food was tasty but expensive. I got the mixed plate which was worth it, but everyone else's food was good, but nowhere near worth the price paid. But where else are you gonna eat?? They know that, and they charge accordingly.

Next stop was Ohe'o Gulch. It costs $10 bucks to park, but that fee will get you into the Haleakala parking lot, up to 2 days later. So if you are planning on going there, save your ticket. It was raining when we arrived, but we decided to brave it and hike the Pipiwai Trail. The rain stopped and started all the way up. The temperature was around 84 degrees, and the humidity was 100%. I felt like I was getting ready for Navy Seal training. There were a couple of times where I thought I might have a heart attack. But I pushed on.

The waterfalls were raging due to the rain. Swimming was off limits. The trail was slippery with mud and fallen fruit. But everything was incredible in it's beauty. The Bamboo Forest was awe inspiring. I could have wandered around in there much longer, but the top was calling. The forest was so dense that it seemed like dusk was upon us. Upon reaching the top, Waimoku Falls, we had to cross a couple of streams. Now if it had not been raining all day, it would be easy. But these streams were swollen and running deep. We made it across, but it was tricky. Once there, the falls were pretty cool. About 400 feet or so, seemingly dropping from the sky. Right when we got there, the skies opened up and we got soaked. Firehose soaked. It made for a wonderful, somewhat dangerous trip back down, since we were all soaked thru and thru. But we made it.

By the time we made it back to the car it was close to 5pm. And we still had to get back home. No matter what you read you can go all the way around. The road is narrow, tight, scary and rough. But again, unless you drive like a tool, you can make it. A couple miles from the trails is a little farm stand. There you can get the freshest fruit, smoothies, ice tea and frozen treats. If you order a smoothie, be prepared to ride a bike. That's right. The blender is powered by a bicycle, and you operate that bike. The kids enjoyed that, but I had ice tea. No biking for tea. The girl working there explained that this was an all natural working farm, and everything they sold was grown right there. There were some cool seating areas and a great little farm cat. No bathrooms though. You are however, invited to use a bush, like the girl behind the counter does. Hmmm...

After all that, it was back on the road toward home. As stated above, the road is scary, cut right into the side of sheer cliffs. Because of the time of day, we were pretty much the only one's on the road. It was nice because I could just focus on driving, and could also stop right in the road to check out some of the awesome views. Watch out for cows. They are all over the roadway, and only move if you honk. After a bit, the road went from rough pavement to brand new pavement. That made for a nice finish, as we circled upcountry and then back down into Kahalui. After a quick stop for some food, we made home, tired and dirty, but completely satisfied.

Again, I cannot stress this enough. Do the Road to Hana. You and your family will enjoy it. Make sure to bring water, freshly charged cameras and patience. Also, bring mosquito repellent. Meg and the kids woke up on Wednesday covered in bites. Dozens of bites. We are pretty certain they came from the hike. For some reason I escaped this torment. So do yourself good and bring repellent.

Humuhumunukunukuapua'a - All Day Long

2009-10-21T12:34:00.000-07:00

Monday was an early start day. Earlier than what we had already been doing. Monday was the day we were going on a snorkeling and dolphin watching cruise. All of us were jonesin' to snorkel, and to date we had not had much success in finding "the spot" to get it done. So I logged on and booked a trip for 4 on the Pacific Whale Foundation boat. They had a great deal, a 6 hour cruise with breakfast and lunch, along with an open bar. They guaranteed dolphins, and because they are a non-profit group with a focus on learning about and protecting sealife, I felt that we would get a great trip. And I was not dissapointed.

We had to be at their storefront in Lahaina at 7:15. We checked in and made our way across the street to the dock for boarding. The boat was catamaran style, with 2 decks. There was only 49 people total onboard, so we had a lot of room to move. After leaving the dock at 8, we set out over the ocean toward Lana'i. All I could think about was...."I'm on a boat!!" On the way over, the captain and several crew members provided commentary on stuff. They also served a breakfast of muffins, bagels, fruit and drink. Simple, yet tasty.

When we got close to Lana'i, we saw a huge pod of Spinner Dolphins. The boat slowed and came along side them as they dived and jumped all around us. Apparently, they are nocturnal, so they were not as active as they usually are, because they were resting. But it was still pretty cool. The only drawback was that since we were going so slow, the boat was rocking pretty hard. People were getting ill, some to the point of vomiting. All of us felt a bit queasy. Eventually we started back up and continued to the snorkel area.

The spot was pretty awesome. Sharkfin Bay. Rugged, rocky cliffs all around. ESPN has a Cliff Diving event at this location, which should give you an idea of how high these cliffs were. After dropping anchor, we pulled on our gear and got ready to go. I actually was the first one in, opting to jump off the boat vs. going down the stairs. Once we were all in, it was snorkeling time. The water was around 30 to 40 feet in depth. There was a lot of coral below and the number of fish, of all variety, was pretty amazing. I wish I had invested in a waterproof case for my camera. We spent 1.5 hours here, which was just the right amount of time. Most everyone had left the water long before that, leaving just a couple of us till the end. The crew made every effort to keep things safe, with one in the water on a kayak, watching over the group the whole time. Plus they made sure there was not an "Open Water - Part 2" moment, counting everyone before leaving.

Once we were back onboard, the lunch came out, along with the bar. I thought we were going to get a BBQ lunch, but it was just coldcuts and salads. It was tasty, but not what I expected. Apparently they had to change up boats at the last minute, so BBQ was not an option on this boat. I have to say though, that with the motion of the boat, combined with all the seawater ingested, eating a big meal was not a great option. On the way back we caught up with the same pod of Spinner Dolphins, cruising the other way. We watched them for a bit and then headed back toward Maui and Lahaina Harbor.

Once back on land, we headed back to the PWF store, where the kids received free posters. Nothing too special, but still a nice souvenir of their trip. Then we headed down the street to Local Boyz Shave Ice. This is the place for shave ice in Lahaina. You get 3 flavors, plus if you want, ice cream on the bottom. I suggest going that route because as you make your way down to the ice cream, the flavors are amazing. And don't pass on the Kuala Cream. It is a sweet cream that they pour over the top and it to is awesome. We all got some, and we all loved what we got. We are going back again before we leave. That is for certain. After all that, we headed back to the condo.

After a nap, Megan, Jo and I headed back out to Slaughterhouse Beach for some boogie boarding. Unfortunately, the tide was not in our favor and the waves were weak. We only stayed for an hour or so, and then headed back in. We decided to call it a day, watching the sun set from our balcony. After all, tomorrow was another big day.

Sunday, Sunday...here again a walk in the park

2009-10-19T23:20:00.000-07:00

Ahhh....the 7th Day. Actually it was only the 4th day, but I really treated it like it was that special day when you sit around, drinking coffee, reading the papers and pretty much not doing much of anything until well after noon. Or, in some cases, all day long. After just 4 days, I was ready to chill and do what so few people do on vacation.....RELAX!!!

For some reason, even though I am not going to bed on West Coast time, I have no problem waking up on West Coast time. It makes for a nice long day when you get your butt out of bed before 7am. It is kind of nice. It is also nice to be able to leisurely walk down the way to coffee. The streets are wet from the nightly showers and everything is quiet and clean. Very nice.

Taking of advantage of the condo's kitchen, we made breakfast in. The kids did not even want to eat, hitting the beach and pool and staying down there for close to six hours. Meg and I went down to the pool and lounged and read and watched the children play. It was quite nice. More reading, more relaxing, and a hour or so in the ocean swimming, and before we knew it, the sun was setting. I had made reservations at Lahaina Grill, so we hooked the kids up with a Costco pizza and we got ready to hit the town.

Let's talk about dinner now. Read up on the reviews for the Lahaina Grill. It is hard to find a bad one. And after our meal, it will be even that much more difficult. This place rocked!! Make reservations, and be on time. They are packed and run right on time. We arrived about 10 minutes early, and got to sit at the bar and get a drink. The bartender gave us a copy of he menu so we could start perusing. Meg got a very strong but tasty Mai Tai. I tried some cocktail with Absinthe in it, and combined with some mint, it was pretty tasty. Almost 10 minutes later, we were escorted to our table.

The table location was in a great spot. Out of the way enough, but situated for people watching. Perfect. We were offered bottled water or "house" water. Regular water works. We both decided to stay with cocktails, but the wine list was pretty awesome. They brought us some very fresh and hot out of the oven rolls, along with some herb butter. Great way to start any meal, but don't take more than one serving. Trust us. We declined as well, but still had another meal in leftovers. You will be stuffed, even without a 2nd roll.

Megan went with a Tuna dish on a vanilla and jasmine rice, along with some steamed asparagus and carrot. I had the special of the day, Opakapaka, served over a manchego cheese risotto. But before that, we had an appetiezer, going with their Cakewalk. A trio of seafood cakes:lobster, shrimp and crab and Ahi. Each had a complementing sauce, one kind of sweet, another spicy and a third, blended. Meg and I had to do some bartering for the last little pieces. Also we ordered a cup of Maui Onion soup. Again, an outstanding dish. Cheesy and full of flavors, bold and subtle. By the time we were done, I was stuffed. But, the perfectly timed main course came.

Megan decided this would be her choice for "Last Meal." I really loved my dish as well but I will still stick with my NY Strip meal. The balance of flavors and the presentation of each plate was Top Chef worthy. My only regret was that I did not save enough room for dessert. However, even though we were stuffed and declined dessert, we received a free Creme' Brulee. When I made a reservation, the hostess asked if we were celebrating anything. Of course this is our Honeymoon, so I would have been remiss to mention that. And because of that, we received a free, mini dessert. And it was amazing. Again with the flavor and presentation. It makes a difference if it's missing.

I won't kid you. The meal was amazing but you will pay for that. It is worth it, unless Olive Garden is your idea of Italian. Or Red Lobster gets you excited. It thats the case, then save your bucks. You can have at least 4 meals for 2, with wine, at one of those places for one meal at Lahaina Grill. I will never have a problem paying more for great food. I almost forgot. Right before we left, the server took our picture and they emailed it to us with a "Thanks for Dining" card. I love great service. Nothing beats it. After all that goodness, we walked around Lahaina for a half hour or so and then called it a night.

All in all, this was a great vacation day. Relaxing. No destinations. No driving. No climbing. No multiple sunscreen applications. It was just relax, relax, relax, followed by a great meal. I can't do this everyday, but one day, on Maui, is completely worth doing. Enjoy!!

Shopping - Hawaiian Style

2009-10-18T19:41:00.000-07:00

Saturday - The one thing that Megan insisted that we do, happened on Saturday. And I have to say, I am glad she did.

Every Saturday on the island of Maui is the Maui Swap Meet. Now I know what some of you are thinking. Isn't that just another name for a glorified garage sale? That's kind of what I thought. In the Mid-West, swap meets are pretty popular. On the West Coast, at least in Portland, not so much. So with some trepidation, we loaded up the SUV and headed over to Kahului. To be exact, it was the Maui Community College. After a few wrong turns, since I left every map, magazine and guide book at the condo, we arrived. It cost .50 per adult, with the kids free. It was all laid out, on a very nice outdoor field, complete with paved walkways.

If you live in Portland or San Francisco, you will find this to be very familiar to the Saturday Markets both cities have. Loads and loads of local vendors selling everything imaginable. T-shirts, jewelry, photographs, plants, local food and vegetables. There were food and drink vendors selling shave ice and local food. The kids each got a whole coconut from a very, very large Hawaiian woman. She was sitting behind the table with a huge machete, ready to trim and poke open the nut for the kids to drink directly from. They walked around drinking from them, and then before we left we re-visited the lady, where she used that huge knife and cut them open so we could get at the meat. Pretty cool for $5 each.

Megan found some awesome local jewelry as well as a swimsuit for her niece. I got some pretty decent seasonings and rubs, along with some local made jelly. We would have spent more time there, but the sun was beating down something fierce. And the location was not very breezy. After that, we thought we would check out the local mall. That's right. A mall. On vacation, in Hawaii, and we go to the mall. What can I say...we like to shop. And besides, I wanted to hit up Macy's for a hat.

The mall in Kahalui was nothing special. A nice open air layout, with the basics. We were able to get a Jamba Juice as well as a hat and another swimsuit for Megan. After that, we headed down the way to Wailea. Wailea is the very upscale part of Maui. If I had to guess, I would guess that this is where the stars and special people stay when visiting. Very nice hotels and homes, along with upscale shops and restaurants.

We decided to get a bite to eat, and against my better judgement, we sat down at Cheeseburger Island Style. The location was awesome, right in the Shops at Wailea. The server got on my bad side almost immediately by trying to upsell us into a $7 pineapple plastic cup for our drinks. We all had to say no. Then, there was the upsell to Kobe beef. Then onion rings and fries, all seperate. By the time she left with our order, I was ready to go. Then, all of our food was delivered, except Meg's. Apologizing, the server said 2 minutes. We waited. Then we started eating. After 10 minutes or so, I had to get the busboy to get our server. Then, after another 5 minutes or so, out came the burger. The rest of us were almost done. No explanations, nothing more than a simple "sorry," and she still blew off a request for more ranch dressing and a refill. Needless to say, I was pretty torqued. The server knew it to, since she offered desserts to the table next to us, but dropped the bill off at our table and ran away. I had to wait quite awhile again, just to pay. I will be telling the world about this horrible woman and her lack of service skills. I got over it, but it still sucked to have something like this happen.

After walking around the Wailea area for a bit, we headed back to the West Side. The kids immediately hit the pool and I chilled and caught up on some reading. That is what vacations are for, right?? When we landed on Maui, I had picked up some steaks for grilling at the condo. And that is what I did. Steak, potato and salad. For some reason, everything tasted better. Perhaps it was the view that made it so? I suggest you give it a try.

All in all, the day was pretty relaxing. The kids and Megan got some beach time in, and we all got our shop on. It was a perfect Saturday. Later in the evening it sprinkled a bit, but even that was pleasant. Again, it must be Maui.

Oh The Pain!!!

2009-10-16T22:18:00.000-07:00

The first full day on the island and I am exhausted. I really hope that "Paradise Paralysis" sets in soon. If I keep up this pace, I will need a vacation to recouperate. Oh wait....I'm unemployed. Never mind that plan.

First of all, when there is a 3 hour time difference, your body does not always cooperate the way you want it to. I was wide awake at 4am(7am PST). Of course it was still dark, and everyone else was sacked out. So I dozed off for a bit, and woke up at a decent hour - 6:30am. By then, the rest of the family was getting up, so Meg, Jo and I went walking to find coffee. 1/2 mile in the wrong direction, we turned around and ended up finding a great coffee shop right around the corner. So I have that part figured out for the rest of the trip.

After a hearty breakfast, we loaded up the SUV and went searching for either a snorkel spot or a boogie board beach. I drove up the road a few miles, heading north. Once you get past the condo's, the road gets narrow and winding. Hugging the edge of cliffs, the view of the ocean and surrounding islands was pretty impressive. I found a pretty intensely bumpy dirt road that lead down to a cove surrounded by rocky cliffs. We thought we could snorkel, but the water was just a bit too rough, and there was quite a few sharp, jagged rocks. We did spend close to an hour there, the kids chasing sand crabs and collecting rocks and shells.

We headed back up the road to try and find a snorkel beach. We found Honolua Bay, which is where a lot of the tour boats go. We had to walk about 1/2 mile thru a forest to get there. It was kind of weird because there was a bunch of chickens, roosters and cats running all over the place. Plus there was some purple berries falling at random, one of which hit Josie smack in the head. Once there, we found quite a few people already there, plus a couple boats. The entry into the water was hella rocky and the water was pretty churned. Unfortunately, I was the only one who had working equipment. Josie and Meg's mask straps broke and Kieran's mask leaked badly. K and I tried to make it work, but after 30 minutes or so, we packed it back up and headed to another beach.

Driving up the road, we found Slaughterhouse Beach, which was amazing. After parking, you walk down quite a few flights of stairs where you find a nice sandy beach with stellar waves, perfect for boogie boarding. In a blink, Jo, K and I were in the water, getting pounded as we made our way out to the sets. What a blast!! Josie caught on quick, riding one after another wave. Kieran had a few rides, and I felt like I had never left the beach. The only issue was that after about an hour or so, I was exhausted. Another one of those "out of shape - getting old" moments. Oh how I hate those moments.

After a bit we headed back to the condo for lunch, clean up and a bit of rest. I think I carried half the beach back in my swimsuit, but it was nothing a shower couldn't handle. After cleaning up, we headed into Lahaina to walk Front Street. It's not a bad place to spend an afternoon. A lot of tourist shops, full of tourist crap. I enjoyed looking in all of the dozen or so surf shops. It made me long for the days. Megan and Jo bought quite a bit of stuff. Hats, jewelry, sarongs. It's a good thing we packed light.

We decided to eat dinner together at Lahaina Fish Company. The main reason was the $2.50 Mai Tai's. Those drinks tasted great and flowed nicely over the course of the meal. Three of us had fish and chips and Josie had shrimp. Kieran and I shared a calamari plate and had salad as well. We sat right on the water, looking out over Lahaina Harbor as the sun set over the water. The view was great and the service decent as well. The prices were not that bad either, with the whole meal coming in just under $80. After that, we walked a bit more and then headed back to the condo.

Tomorrow we are going to totally take in a "local" experience. Stay tuned for that and much more. Mahalo!

People in Planes

2009-10-15T22:46:00.001-07:00

6:45 AM.......................Damn that alarm rings early. Exactly 1 hour to get everything together and get out the door. Easy for me. Not so easy for the rest of my family. Fortunately, we were only 10 minutes off schedule.

The journey to the airport was uneventful. Traffic not as bad as I expected and planned for. Long Term Parking was all messed up. Apparently they are repaving the roadways, so you end up in a hamster track of a roadway leading to a parking spot. And no matter how or where I park, I end up taking a grand tour of the parking lots on the shuttle. Good times indeed.

Security was quick and before I knew it, we were in the "secure zone," drinking coffee and chatting up a friend that works at the airport. She loves visitors. I could tell. Then it was off to the plane. For some reason, we were some of the last people on. It was kind of nice being able to just walk on, with no pushing and shoving, sweaty, stinkyness pressed against me. Plus the overhead bins had tons of room left. Imagine that. The kids had their own row and we had ours, right behind them. Then it was time to settle in for a 6 hour flight.

I decided to rent one of those personal entertainment units for the trip. Meg and I watched Ghosts of Girlfriends Past. Let me just say that Matthew McConaughey has pretty much jumped the shark. And for that matter, so has Jennifer Garner. Total dreck. That pretty much sums that movie up. The nice thing about this entertainment unit was that the kids could use it afterwards. They ended up watching another movie plus a bunch of other shows. It kept them and me occupied for at least 3 of the 6 hour flight. The rest of the time was spent reading and spacing out. It kind of reminded me of some people's day at work.

The flight was 90% great and 10% bumpy as hell. Several times during, the pilot had everyone buckle up, including the flight crew. Now I am comfortable with a bit of chop, but there is definitely something a bit disconcerting about flying over the water, hundreds of miles away from any land, rolling up and down like a roller coaster. It will certainly wake a person up.

Finally we landed. Walking out of the plane and into the terminal was like walking into a sauna. With your clothes on and luggage hanging off of you. Perfect. By the time I got to the car rental desk I felt like I had taken a swim. Fortunately the rental had a cranking AC. Brain freeze AC. Then it was off to Costco. I thought Costco's in California were tough. This one was like the size of a small grocery store and 3x's as crowded as any Costco in Oregon. There was literally no place to stop with your cart and just shop. You have to move, all the time. You have to watch where you are going and who is behind you, all the time. How I maintained cool is beyond me. But, with a 1.5l of Skyy and a bunch of food in hand, it was now time to head to the condo.

Our place is about 28 miles from the airport in Kahana, outside Lahaina. The drive was nice. Slow, but nice. Traffic is tight here. But I am in paradise, on vacation, so I forced myself to remain calm and unaggressive. By the time we got to the condo, we were all ready to get out. Pulling into the underground parking space, we first found out that all the beach equipment that we thought we would have to rent, was already here for us to use. Then, on the 6th floor, was the greatest condo ever. The views are insane. The facilities very nice. 2 bedrooms and 2 baths. 2 decks, both looking over the ocean. 1 deck, nice and private, part of the master bedroom. Needless to say, we were all very satisfied with the "digs."

Because of the time change and all the travelling, we decided to eat dinner out, grab a few more groceries from the market and then call it a day. We ended up eating at a little Mexican place. The food was not bad, but it was not all that good either. Filling, somewhat bland and expensive. But it was quick and easy. The grocery store was quite an experience. $5 for a loaf of bread. $7 for a bag of salad. $5 for 1/2 gallon of milk. I think you get the idea. A few basic items to round out the condo food options and I was down another $47. Add that to the $110 at Costco. I am blowing thru the coinage!! Ahh vacation.

We did suit up and head down to the beach, even though it was dark by the time we got back. The water is so freaking warm. Kieran and I dug some sand moats to hold back the tides. Such a fruitless yet fun endeavor. Then we all cooled off in the pool and now I am catching you all up.

I have no idea what is in store for tomorrow. I imagine there will be water. I also have a strong sense there will be money changing hands. If anything like today, lots of money changing hands. So, stay tuned and goodnight.

Preparations

2009-10-13T11:00:00.000-07:00

The time is fast approaching. What started so many months ago is coming to fruition in just 2 short days. When I purchased these tickets to Maui back in May, October seemed so far away. Almost unbearably far away. But with wedding plans, summer vacations, parenting and family issues, as well as my looming unemployment, the time went by much faster than a sane person could ever imagine. And now, that moment is here.

I took full advantage of the time off from work, to ensure that my family and I have a fabulous vacation. Hours upon hours of Internet research. I have read every review of every restaurant, recreation activity, beach, road, grocery store, you name it, I have researched it. Trip Advisor, Yelp, Google, Igougo, all of these sites, plus quite a few more, helped me put together an itinerary full of first class events. I know where the best shave ice is. I know which milepost to turn off of to get to amazing waterfalls. I know which place rents the best snorkel gear. And every meal, from breakfast to dinner, to happy hours, all of the best places have been reviewed and noted. Does this take some of the fun out of vacationing? Some may say that half the fun of a vacation is the exploration, the chance taking. Is that true? I think there is a point to that argument. After all, some of the best memories have involved finding a off the beaten path restaurant in a new city. Like the Pink Door in Seattle. Down an alleyway, hidden from all the crazy of the nearby Pike Place Market.

However when money is tight, and vacationing with the entire family is limited to one time a year, if even that, taking chances that may or may not end in mediocrity does not seem like a smart play. Taking a family of 4 to a restaurant, only to find out that portions are tiny, flavors are runny, and the service poor, well that sucks. With all of the information that is available to people today, there is not one excuse for having a poor vacation experience. With all of the information available, businesses are even more accountable for the services they provide. After all, who wants millions of people to read a bad review? And believe me, there are a lot of those types of reviews out there.

So I did the research. I saved the links of the great ones. I wrote down directions, menu options and prices of some of the best places on the island. And because I benefited so much from others on the Internet, I am going to blog this vacation as best as possible, so that others, perhaps families, will be able to have the best vacation possible. I know I plan on just that for my family and I. Stay tuned for what comes next......