Aloha!
February 16, 2011
I woke up at 3 AM and did my final check. It was super early but I was super excited! My flight left at 6:30 AM, first to San Francisco and then arrived at the Kahului Airport in Maui. When I finally got outside the sun was shining and it was mildly humid. The drive to Lahaina was pleasant and laid back. The scenery was beautiful and was able to get glimpses of humpback whales in the distant.
I checked into the Royal Lahaina Resort, which is a little north of Lahaina. I was greeted by amazingly friendly people with warm smiles. After I got settled, I went down to the lounge to meet up with friends for some drinks and snacks. Later on I went to the Whalers Village for dinner with my friends and then back to my room for a good night sleep.
Hitting the Waves
February 17, 2011
Bright and early I get prepared to drive down to Lahaina for my first surf lesson. I was greeted by a lovely blonde at the Goofy Foot Surf School, who got me all set up. My instructor was the amazing Brennan Rose. It was great to work with him and I was able to get up and stay up on my first try! The water was great and refreshing and I can’t wait to come back and give it another go!
Later on during the day, I was able to soak up some rays back at the resort. I then prepared for my first luau. There is nothing better than hanging with some friends with food and unlimited drinks. The food was great and the dancing was amazing. Later after the show, we all headed to the Hard Rock Café in Lahaina for some drinks and some local music.
The Wedding
February 18, 2011
I got up early to head down to Black Rock for some snorkeling. This place was recommended by my surf instructor. The sights were great and it was nice to be able to hear the humpback whales singing their songs beneath the water. After my morning snorkel, I went to Lahaina to check out some of the shops. After some sightseeing and picking up some gifts for my family and friends, I go back to the resort and start getting ready for my friend’s wedding. My friends Damonian and Makaila getting married was one of the reasons I came to Maui. The other reason was it was cheaper package to do this than it would be going to Australia. I will just have to do Australia another time. After I got ready, I headed up a couple floors to help the bride to be, prepare for her big day.
After everyone was ready, we headed down to Kihei to a private beach next to some beautiful and very large homes. On the way there it rained and it is said to be good luck to rain on the wedding day. The rain finally stopped and the sun behind many clouds made amazing colors for the sunset wedding. After the wedding, we headed up to Kahana to Roy’s. This restaurant is fused between European and Asian cuisines with a Hawaiian twist. The food was fresh and delicious and I hope to come back to Roy’s in the future. In the same strip mall was the Maui Brewing Company. We walked over to enjoy some beers and we continued to celebrate. I enjoyed many coconut porters but soon it was back to the resort to get some rest. Tomorrow, I had a big day.
Stand Up and Paddle
February 19, 2011
It seemed to me to be a daily thing to get up at the butt crack of dawn. This morning was no different than the previous ones. 6 AM I’m up and getting ready and down to the lounge for some breakfast and soon I’m headed back to Lahaina to the Goofy Foot Surf School for a stand-up paddle lesson. This time my instructor was Armadillo and he was just as great as Brennan! The water was so turquoise and it seemed like we went so far into the ocean. It was absolutely beautiful. It was awesome to be able to paddle in the ocean and have giant sea turtles swim by.
Around noon, I took the bride’s mother to the airport and then came back to Lahaina to have lunch at Da Kitchen. There I had a Poketini and a traditional plate lunch. It was delicious! After lunch I did some more shopping. I loved walking through the little shops. They were so much fun and there was a ton of great stuff to buy. After Lahaina, I went back to the resort to relax and of course soak up more rays. It was also time to think of rest, because the next morning would be my earliest.
Molokini and Turtle Town
February 20, 2011
4 AM rise and shine, it was time to drive down to Kihei. I was way up before the sun was even thinking of poking its head out. I was also super excited for some more snorkeling. I went on a boat through the Maui Dive Shop. They provided much needed coffee and some fresh fruit and pastries to munch on. Our first stop was Molokini, a moon shaped island that was a great snorkeling location. I was able to see many colorful fish and coral. I also caught a glimpse of a small reef shark, but sadly I was unable to get the picture. After 40 minutes we were back on the boat and headed to turtle town. I was able to see 4 turtles there and was also able to get a few pictures. On the way back to the boat ramp, we were able to see tons of humpback whales. This was the perfect season for them. I was constantly seeing them in the distant and hearing their beautiful songs underwater.
When I got back to the resort it was time to get ready for another boat trip for a dinner cruise on the Teralani. The Whalers Village is a great open shopping mall with wonderful shops and great little restaurants and the take off point for my dinner cruise. Now I thought it would be more of dinner and some whale watching, but this was all about whale watching. In the distant I could see so many whales. The food and drinks were just a bonus on this cruise. The most amazing thing I witnessed was a mother whale, her calf, and her escort, swim right underneath our boat.
Later in the evening I went to some local hangouts and finished the night hanging with some new friends.
The Road to Hana
February 21, 2011
Now I had many mixed reviews about doing the road to Hana. Some said it was a must with amazing views while others said it was a waste of time. I decided to see for myself and was pleasantly surprised by the beauty of it. I think it is definitely one of those things to see if you were a person that enjoyed the outdoors and the beauty of nature. I would say if you were not an outdoors type of person that you may not appreciate it for all it is.
The Hana Hwy was this insanely twisted road and at times only one lane. They say that this side of the island gets the most rainfall, but on this day it was gorgeous the whole day. There were many falls on this road with amazing scenery. I visited the Garden of Eden Arboretum, a beautiful garden with wonderful smells and breathtaking views. I stopped by a little food stand and picked up some banana bread, sugarcane, and some homemade chili with rice topped with some cheddar and fresh green onions.
I eventually made to the Wai’anapanapa State Park, with its black sand and its aqua water. It was an absolutely beautiful beach. I finally made it to Hana, a small cute little laid back town. This was my last full day in Maui and it was a beautiful one. I know that I would miss being Maui.
On my last dinner on the island, I spent it with my 4 friends at Mama’s Fish House. Mama’s Fish House is near the Kahului Airport, place on the beach with a beautiful view. On nice days (which is most of the time), the restaurant is open air and the breeze that comes in is fantastic. The food was amazing, and I was glad to have a great meal before I left.
Aloha
February 22, 2011
Today was the day I had to go back to the main land and I know that I’m going to miss Maui very much. I’m already planning my next trip back. I had a lot of fun and will always cherish the great memories. I took one last walk on the beach by my resort and had a great breakfast. I checked out and drove myself to the airport. As I was driving I could see the whales in the distance, just like the day I first arrived. What a perfect ending to my trip. At the airport I had my last meal of calamari and chicken wings, as I picked up a pineapple and got on my plane to go back home. Aloha Maui.
