Maui Vacation
Well, our Hawaii vacation is coming to an end and it's been fantastic. We've been here since Sunday the 14th so it's been a nice long vacation. I have had a wonderful time and although it's always a bummer to go back to work, I am excited to get home. Back to the pups, my life, and my friends. So to recap our trip here's what we did:
Sunday: Eric and I flew in and met his parents at the airport. They arrived shortly after us. We got the rental car and headed to the condo. The place we stayed, Kahana Village, was amazing. Beautiful 3 bedroom, 2 bath condo with lanai right on the beach. Eric's mom was very adamant about getting a West facing lanai so we could all sit out and watch the sunsets. We were very glad she did that. We went grocery shopping and after we got back, Eric's sister and her boyfriend arrived. We all went out to dinner at Maui Brewing Company.
Monday: Eric and I went down to the local farmers market and bought some fresh vegetables and fruit along with some delicious Maui made Guava jelly. We came back to the condo and had an awesome beach day right outside complete with sunbathing, guavosas, boogie boarding, and swimming. It was so relaxing to be able to sit out on the beach 30 feet away from the condo so we could get up and get food, drinks, or go the bathroom anytime we wanted. Karen and Sean made a delicious stir fry that night. It was great that Sean was vegetarian for religious reasons so Karen and him mostly eat vegetarian together and since I'm vegetarian, Eric and I always eat vegetarian and his parents were open to what ever we wanted to eat so it made it very easy for me to eat delicious vegetarian meals instead of just always having salad.
Tuesday: We decided to rent stand up paddle boards and try it out and I'm very glad we did. Eric loved them! I thought they were great too. I was surprised at how we both were able to get it down so fast. The whole family, except Eric's dad (who never gets in the water), tried it. They're very relaxing when you're kneeling on them and they're a little more of a work out when you're standing up and dealing with the waves of an ocean, even the calm ocean we were on. I am very excited for this summer in Portland. I've seen people paddle boarding down the Willamette and I think Eric and I will do that for sure.
Wednesday: Eric's mom, sister, Sean, Eric, and I went out on a snorkeling trip to the Molokini Crater. It was beautiful! The whole trip was only 2 hours and I thought it was the perfect amount of time. There was no boredom or eagerness to get back. We were on one of the raft motor boats that get going really fast and it took about 15 minutes to get out to the crater. It was a really fun and bumpy ride. We snorled and saw the coral reef and dozens of gorgeous fish and turtles and then we ventured back. It was short and sweet and very entertaining. Everyone had a great time. Even Eric who couldn't snorkel because the way the mask fit around his beard and let water in. He stayed in the boat, but still had a great time. We got back in time for some more beach time and a quick grocery store trip, where I almost purchased a $16 honeydew! I took it back though, Hawaii has some outrageous prices. Eric and I made our yam and black bean burritos and spanish rice for everyone and it was a big hit. I was so happy to have everyone asking us how to make it. They're sooo good, we eat them multiple times a week back home.
Thursday: We rented stand up paddle boards again and had another great beach day. It rained off and on a little bit which was mildly annoying, but since we were so close to the condo we would just go up and wait til it stopped. The rain only lasted a few minutes each time. That night the whole family, except Eric's dad Dan, went to see Ulalena. It was a production telling Hawaii's history via song and dance. The aerial fabric dancer and acrobatic ring dancer were my favorite parts. All of the drumming and music was live and there was one guy doing all the odd sounds with a variety of noise makers, that guy was Eric's favorite. It was pretty entertaining and everyone enjoyed it! We got take out Thai food that night which ended up being a disaster. Things were made wrong or forgotten all together. Sean and Karen had to run to the store and get rice and we managed to salvage the dinner and have it out on the lanai by candlelight.
Friday: Eric and I attempted to drive the road to Hana. We left around 8 which is much later than most people suggest, but we had it in mind that we weren't necessarily trying to make it all the way to Hana. We just wanted to see the beautiful scenery, hike to some waterfalls and take a dip in some swimming holes. We got on the road and were happy that we were making good time and I started to pick out the sights that I for sure wanted to see, but as we got closer it started to rain. It wasn't raining when we made it to the first stop which was Twin Falls and saw the lower waterfall and hiked to the higher up, bigger waterfall. It was gorgeous. On the hike back, it started to rain harder. We drove some more and couldn't see all the mile markers so we missed some stops. We made it to a lookout spot that had a 360* view but it was so cloudy and rainy we couldn't see much. We drove a little further to see three bears falls, known as the most picturesque waterfall of the road to Hana. It was still raining and we jumped out and took a quick picture. We decided to turn around, we had made it more than halfway. I was pretty bummed. I really just wanted to get some swimming in at each one, but with the rain it was kind of cold and annoying. We stopped at one more waterfall/swimming hole on the way back. It was hidden from the road so most people don't stop at it. There was only 2 other people there. We jumped in and swam across the pool to the waterfall and then got out and kept driving. We stopped at a fruit stand, bought a couple things and ate a crepe and were on our way. We made it back to Kahana pretty early, which was nice because Eric's sister Karen and her boyfriend Sean were leaving that night. We hung out with them on the beach until it was time for them to go.
Saturday: Eric and I drove down to Lahaina for some souvenir shopping. We walked around and decided that most beach towns were practically identical. I bought a ton of macadamia nut and chocolate goodies and we made our way back to Kahana. We had another wonderful beach day and hung out on the lanai all evening.
Sunday: Eric's mom, Eric and I all got up early and on the road to Piiholo Ranch for ziplining. Eric and I did a 4 line zip tour in Makawao and Eric's mom watched and took pictures. It was both of our first times ziplining and it was super fun. It was a 2 hour tour with only about 2 minutes of ziplining so a lot of it was waiting around. There were 10 other people on the tour with us and I'm sure they felt the same. It was really cool and once Eric did it once he wasn't scared anymore and we had a good time. We made it back to Kahana in time to hang out on the beach some more.
Monday: So far today we have just been hanging at the beach and packing up. We're leaving the condo in just a little bit. I think the plan is to go see the crater and go to dinner. Eric and I need to be at the airport at 9pm for our 11pm flight.
This trip has been incredibly relaxing and thoroughly enjoyable. I haven't always been a beach person and all my memories of going to the coast as a child aren't very pleasant, but this is such a gorgeous place I can't imagine not having a good time. Eric's mom is already talking about doing it again next year and I hope that I am invited again! Maui is beautiful and I think we managed to have an eventful vacation which is what I was hoping for, but also have a laid back relaxing vacation which is what Eric really wanted.
I do miss my dog, Emily, very much though and am very happy to get home and see her again. Vacations are absolutely wonderful, but it is always nice to go back home and get back into the swing of things.
Sunday: Eric and I flew in and met his parents at the airport. They arrived shortly after us. We got the rental car and headed to the condo. The place we stayed, Kahana Village, was amazing. Beautiful 3 bedroom, 2 bath condo with lanai right on the beach. Eric's mom was very adamant about getting a West facing lanai so we could all sit out and watch the sunsets. We were very glad she did that. We went grocery shopping and after we got back, Eric's sister and her boyfriend arrived. We all went out to dinner at Maui Brewing Company.
Monday: Eric and I went down to the local farmers market and bought some fresh vegetables and fruit along with some delicious Maui made Guava jelly. We came back to the condo and had an awesome beach day right outside complete with sunbathing, guavosas, boogie boarding, and swimming. It was so relaxing to be able to sit out on the beach 30 feet away from the condo so we could get up and get food, drinks, or go the bathroom anytime we wanted. Karen and Sean made a delicious stir fry that night. It was great that Sean was vegetarian for religious reasons so Karen and him mostly eat vegetarian together and since I'm vegetarian, Eric and I always eat vegetarian and his parents were open to what ever we wanted to eat so it made it very easy for me to eat delicious vegetarian meals instead of just always having salad.
Tuesday: We decided to rent stand up paddle boards and try it out and I'm very glad we did. Eric loved them! I thought they were great too. I was surprised at how we both were able to get it down so fast. The whole family, except Eric's dad (who never gets in the water), tried it. They're very relaxing when you're kneeling on them and they're a little more of a work out when you're standing up and dealing with the waves of an ocean, even the calm ocean we were on. I am very excited for this summer in Portland. I've seen people paddle boarding down the Willamette and I think Eric and I will do that for sure.
Wednesday: Eric's mom, sister, Sean, Eric, and I went out on a snorkeling trip to the Molokini Crater. It was beautiful! The whole trip was only 2 hours and I thought it was the perfect amount of time. There was no boredom or eagerness to get back. We were on one of the raft motor boats that get going really fast and it took about 15 minutes to get out to the crater. It was a really fun and bumpy ride. We snorled and saw the coral reef and dozens of gorgeous fish and turtles and then we ventured back. It was short and sweet and very entertaining. Everyone had a great time. Even Eric who couldn't snorkel because the way the mask fit around his beard and let water in. He stayed in the boat, but still had a great time. We got back in time for some more beach time and a quick grocery store trip, where I almost purchased a $16 honeydew! I took it back though, Hawaii has some outrageous prices. Eric and I made our yam and black bean burritos and spanish rice for everyone and it was a big hit. I was so happy to have everyone asking us how to make it. They're sooo good, we eat them multiple times a week back home.
Thursday: We rented stand up paddle boards again and had another great beach day. It rained off and on a little bit which was mildly annoying, but since we were so close to the condo we would just go up and wait til it stopped. The rain only lasted a few minutes each time. That night the whole family, except Eric's dad Dan, went to see Ulalena. It was a production telling Hawaii's history via song and dance. The aerial fabric dancer and acrobatic ring dancer were my favorite parts. All of the drumming and music was live and there was one guy doing all the odd sounds with a variety of noise makers, that guy was Eric's favorite. It was pretty entertaining and everyone enjoyed it! We got take out Thai food that night which ended up being a disaster. Things were made wrong or forgotten all together. Sean and Karen had to run to the store and get rice and we managed to salvage the dinner and have it out on the lanai by candlelight.
Friday: Eric and I attempted to drive the road to Hana. We left around 8 which is much later than most people suggest, but we had it in mind that we weren't necessarily trying to make it all the way to Hana. We just wanted to see the beautiful scenery, hike to some waterfalls and take a dip in some swimming holes. We got on the road and were happy that we were making good time and I started to pick out the sights that I for sure wanted to see, but as we got closer it started to rain. It wasn't raining when we made it to the first stop which was Twin Falls and saw the lower waterfall and hiked to the higher up, bigger waterfall. It was gorgeous. On the hike back, it started to rain harder. We drove some more and couldn't see all the mile markers so we missed some stops. We made it to a lookout spot that had a 360* view but it was so cloudy and rainy we couldn't see much. We drove a little further to see three bears falls, known as the most picturesque waterfall of the road to Hana. It was still raining and we jumped out and took a quick picture. We decided to turn around, we had made it more than halfway. I was pretty bummed. I really just wanted to get some swimming in at each one, but with the rain it was kind of cold and annoying. We stopped at one more waterfall/swimming hole on the way back. It was hidden from the road so most people don't stop at it. There was only 2 other people there. We jumped in and swam across the pool to the waterfall and then got out and kept driving. We stopped at a fruit stand, bought a couple things and ate a crepe and were on our way. We made it back to Kahana pretty early, which was nice because Eric's sister Karen and her boyfriend Sean were leaving that night. We hung out with them on the beach until it was time for them to go.
Saturday: Eric and I drove down to Lahaina for some souvenir shopping. We walked around and decided that most beach towns were practically identical. I bought a ton of macadamia nut and chocolate goodies and we made our way back to Kahana. We had another wonderful beach day and hung out on the lanai all evening.
Sunday: Eric's mom, Eric and I all got up early and on the road to Piiholo Ranch for ziplining. Eric and I did a 4 line zip tour in Makawao and Eric's mom watched and took pictures. It was both of our first times ziplining and it was super fun. It was a 2 hour tour with only about 2 minutes of ziplining so a lot of it was waiting around. There were 10 other people on the tour with us and I'm sure they felt the same. It was really cool and once Eric did it once he wasn't scared anymore and we had a good time. We made it back to Kahana in time to hang out on the beach some more.
Monday: So far today we have just been hanging at the beach and packing up. We're leaving the condo in just a little bit. I think the plan is to go see the crater and go to dinner. Eric and I need to be at the airport at 9pm for our 11pm flight.
This trip has been incredibly relaxing and thoroughly enjoyable. I haven't always been a beach person and all my memories of going to the coast as a child aren't very pleasant, but this is such a gorgeous place I can't imagine not having a good time. Eric's mom is already talking about doing it again next year and I hope that I am invited again! Maui is beautiful and I think we managed to have an eventful vacation which is what I was hoping for, but also have a laid back relaxing vacation which is what Eric really wanted.
I do miss my dog, Emily, very much though and am very happy to get home and see her again. Vacations are absolutely wonderful, but it is always nice to go back home and get back into the swing of things.
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