Day 7 & 8, Maui

I had to leave Ka'anapali Beach (I was staying at the Maui Eldorado and only had a week there), sadly. But it meant that there was a "next phase" of the adventure.

I booked a few days in Paia, a surf town on the north shore that's popular for windsurfing, but also serves as a gateway to two popular tourist attractions: the Road to Hana and Haleakalā National Park.

So the morning I had to leave, I -- what else? -- went snorkelling. I walked to Black Rock, which is about a 7-minute walk from the condo. It was around 8am and there were already a bunch of snorkellers out there. Other people reported seeing rays and an eel. I didn't see those things. I did, however, have a moment of panic when I was having trouble swimming back around the point against the current. But aside from some extra/unexpected exercise, I was fine.

Day 6, Maui

Not a picture of me and my lei, but I'm tired and most of the photos I took today were with the REGULAR camera and I forgot to take the cord for it so that I can download my photos. So this was the best I could do: a photo from my bathroom mirror.

I'm showing off my lei from the Old Lahaina Luau. The luaua is supposed to be the best one. I'm sure it is the best one, but luau food is just OK and the dancing I'd seen already at FREE shows at the local shopping centres. So it was nothing new.

It was a beautiful location on the beach and if I hadn't had the free shows and already tried some of the hawaiian food elsewhere, I'm sure I'd have LOVED it.

Day 5, Maui

Today at 6pm Maui-time, I turned 38. At that moment, I was in Lahaina Grill, about to enjoy the birthday dinner that my husband had purchased from across the ocean.

I was sporting the hand-made blown-glass pendant that I'd just bought from an artist collective down the street.

I don't think I've been this happy about getting older in a long time.

It was another fabulous day: I woke up early as usual and made myself a pot of Hawaiian coffee. I was out the door by 7am, driving north along the coast to Honolua Bay.

Day 4, Maui

Nothing.
That's what I did today.

 Well, that's not technically true:

• I made coffee, breakfast AND lunch
• I booked a snorkelling trip for my birthday
• I walked down to the cabana on the beach
• I read my book
• I faithfully applied (and re-applied!) sunscreen
• I read about a quarter of my book, "Girl with the Dragon Tattoo
• I floated in the water when I got hot
• I watched the sun set

I'm exhausted!

Day 3, Maui

This photo of Maluaka Beach is courtesy of TripAdvisor

I'm sitting on my lanai, which is Hawaiian for verandah.

Although I'm very close to the parking garage and can hear the tires of every car squeaking as they go around the corners, it still feels like something special. The humid air reminds me that I'm on a tropical island. So do the palm trees that surround me. And a few foreign bird or insect sounds.

Day 2, Maui

Today I work up early and made myself Hawaiian coffee. As it turns out, overpriced Hawaiian coffee, as Safeway is actually MORE expensive than the tourist shop, Maui General Store. Go figure. Still, it was good. And it meant I could stay in my room while I researched a bunch of things online.

It was cloudy out, so my initial idea to go out snorkelling was overruled by weather and why NOT do research and drink coffee instead? Indeed.

Day 1, Maui

Sunset at Lahaina

When I took two weeks off inbetween jobs, I decided to go to Maui. I booked everything the day before I left. Flight, condo, car rental.

I arrived at 10:30pm in Maui on Saturday, July 20. I walked off the plane with my carry-on luggage and out to the Enterprise shuttle, which took off immediately. There, I got a car and directions and was on my way to the Maui Eldorado condo that I'd rented for the week. $2000-ish poorer (flight, car, condo), but on my way.