maui day 7: revisited

It feels like we just arrived, and already have to leave. The island bid us farewell with big waves, rain, and too much wind. We had a final splurge of the diet for breakfast at Sea House Restaurant in Napili on the bay. The view and gardens were amazing, making it harder to leave.

It was a short trip for this mermaid, but one that will be revisited often--in memory as well as many more trips. Mahalo!

maui day 6: revisited

So sad to see the end of this trip in sight. I was hoping we would both magically get jobs here, and Emma (our little wiener doggy) could be flown over to be the island mascot and bask in the sun she loves so much. But alas, we head home tomorrow (although I feel at home here too). Our last day was filled with A LOT of water and sun.

We headed south again, past Lahaina, to mile marker 14 (Olowalu) along the highway. It was extremely windy and rained on and off (I was not so happy about getting in the water), but we were told it was an amazing spot to snorkel.

olowalu

At first it was intimidating because it was so shallow and the reef came up so high. After zig zagging our way through the maze of coral in the shallow water, we found some open areas of beautiful and incredible underwater gardens. I've never seen anything like it. The fish were so colorful, and the coral so intricate and delicate looking ("looking" being the key word as I have a nicely scraped arm from one attacking me).

Because I'm a baby and hate anything resembling "cold" while I'm at the beach, we headed back up north to Ka'anapali to get some sun and swimming in. The water was so clear and refreshing. There was a nice cove at the end of the beach by Black Rock where we did some more snorkeling--not as jaw dropping, but still pretty and lots of fish to enjoy. Drew stayed out longer than me and managed to hang out with a couple of honu (sea turtles).

Taking a break from the sun, we enjoyed a farewell mai tai at the tiki bar--then headed back to the beach for a final swim.

the clear water in ka'anapali

I didn't think the clouds across the way covering the island of Molokai would break in time for the sunset, but they did and it was a beautiful one at that. The perfect end to a fun day and final night in Maui!

journal entry, day 6

Kaanapali on Dwellable

maui day 5: revisited

We ventured out early and headed south, then along the north shore to find some waterfalls. We hiked to the "Twin Falls" and then to one above those. It was a truly tropical experience when it suddenly started to pour--warm water and then the sun would burst out and illuminate the forest.

getting a coconut at the end of our hike

The foliage on the north part of the island was very lush, and flowers and plants so vivid. Forests of bamboo lined Hana Highway. Although we didn't make it all the way to Hana, we did experience some of the beauty along the road--as well as the famous hair pin turns and one way roads.

Oh, and I almost forgot--Drew and I both jumped from above one of the falls!

Once again, we made it back in time to enjoy a glass of wine and watch the sunset from the lanai.

"For the Lord is a great God and a great King above all gods, in whose hands are the depths of the earth, the peaks of the mountains are His also. The sea is His, for it was He who made it, and His hands formed the dry land." -Ps 95:3-5

journal entry, day 5

maui day 4: revisited

I've become slightly obsessed with anything macadamia nut, pineapple, or coconut related. This morning I had macadamia nut pancakes with coconut syrup at Gazebo restaurant in Napili (last night I had macadamia nut ice cream--also delicious!). Good thing I surfed all afternoon to work those pancakes off.

my friend at breakfast, eyeing my pancakes

Yes, I finally got to surf today. We went to Lahaina Harbor--the waves were small but fun, and the water was so warm. A couple of local guys were out there too, and gave me some tips. Lahaina is my favorite town so far--the water is warm, the surf is fun, the people are friendly, and the town reminds me of a larger Balboa Island in Newport Beach with all the fun shops and amazing waterfront restaurants.

looks flat, but there were some small waves off the break wall to the far right

first wave caught of the day

3 hours later and happy

So we had to do the touristy thing and go to a luau, The Feast at Lele. It was a fun experience (one-time). The food was incredible--prepared by Chef James McDonald (I'O & Pacific'O). They served four courses, with each course being celebrated by a dance unique to that island. We were done by 9:00, the town shuts down around 10:00--and that is the late crowd. My kind of people!

the people on the paddle board enjoyed the show from the water

first course

journal entry, day 4

Lahaina on Dwellable

maui day 3: revisited

I love the simplicity here--no pomp, no circumstance, no malls (well not like LA anyway), and a lot of times no rhyme or reason (but it works!).

We started our morning off with an early check-in at Trilogy in Ka'anapali for a catamaran and snorkeling tour. What an amazing day! The Trilogy crew handed out breakfast on the way to Honolua Bay, and barbecued lunch right on the boat for everyone.  They are one of the only snorkeling tours that sails the whole way back. It takes a bit longer, but there's definitely no need to rush.

honolua bay

some kids chilling on the trampoline while sailing 

view from the water

we drove back to honolua bay the next morning before anyone was in the water

I am now obsessed with sea turtles after coming face to face with one while snorkeling. He was magnificent! The sea sirens must have sent him, knowing I was nearby ;)

honu

We made an early night of it, and went to happy hour at Kimo's on the water in Lahaina--enjoyed the catch of the day and a mai tai (or two). Down the street we met Mani, who carved us a tiki guy with a turtle on his head in honor of seeing our first Honu today. I see many more sea carvings from Mani decorating our house each year.

mani working on our carving

must end with a gorgeous maui sunset

Random sound of the day: Rooster crowing on the beach while we were snorkeling 

journal entry, day 3

Kapalua on Dwellable

maui day 2: revisited

view from my run

This morning I went for a run through the neighborhood and town of Kahana where we are staying. It was so refreshing, and even sprinkled a little on my way back. The air is balmy, warm, and calming--the sound of the waves, relaxing. The trade winds blow through on and off--sometimes cool and sometimes warm.

There is a little farmers' market in town (Mon, Wed, Fri), so we picked up our Bad Ass Hawaiian coffee and walked over to get our fruits and veggies for the week:

• mangos
• tomatoes
• pineapple
• sweet maui onions
• broccoli
• sprouts
• bananas
• pineapple salsa
• guacamole
• macadamia nut pesto
• pineapple bread

After making breakfast, we headed south and stopped in Lahaina. What a gorgeous little town. All the shops and restaurants along the harbor are so quaint, and the bungalows with their colorful gardens look like something out of a magazine (which I'm sure many have been in). We wandered by all the little shops, and peeked in a few here and there, then headed over to watch the surfers in the harbor. I've been scoping out where I want to surf this weekend since it's been so flat. It was crowded with beginners, but the waves looked fun and chill coming off the point. I'll be back!

We then headed 45 minutes south to Wailea, then Makena, and parked at Makena State Beach--also known as "Big Beach." The sand was white and red, and the water was clear bright blue (pic above). It was cooler than I expected, but 100% warmer than SoCal. My inner mermaid was happy!

We took the long way home and decided to take the northeast side of the island. It was much cooler, very windy, overcast, and lush compared to the west side we were staying on. The houses and ranches that scattered the single lane road reminded me of the tree house from Swiss Family Robinson, protected from the road by layers of trees, plants, flowers, and vines. Roosters, goats, and cows all greeted us as we drove by.

We made it back to the condo just in time to pour a glass of sauvignon blanc and enjoy the sunset from our lanai. 

journal entry, day 2

Makena Surf on Dwellable

maui day 1: revisited

Enjoyed the coast on our drive from the airport to the condo. Everyone is so friendly it's almost creepy and scary (spoken like a native LA girl). I wonder if it's from all the sun and surf and laid-back lifestyle, plus a lot of mai tais and a little of this and that (you know what I mean!).

The view from our condo is incredible--ocean surrounding us. I might have to visit the open house downstairs! We started our visit off right with lunch and mai tais at the famous Duke's restaurant. After a trip to the market, getting lost, and walking on the beach, we walked over to Maui Brewing Company. Anyone who knows me, knows I don't like beer--but I do like food! And their beer battered brie with pineapple sauce was beyond what I imagined. Let's just say--I finished the sauce by the spoonful once the brie was gone.

journal entry, day 1

vacation high

Aloha!

Last week, Andrew & I took a trip to Maui. Seven days was definitely not enough time, but we did have a blast and didn't want to come home. It was so nice to get away, even just for a week.

Looking back, my expectations were super high because I have been dreaming about Hawaii since I was about 10 years old. When we arrived it was pretty, but not the Hawaii I had envisioned in my mind with the miles of white sandy beaches, palm trees, clear warm water, and bungalows. Instead we drove along a winding (and windy) highway with the waves crashing against the rocks below, and bare mountains above. Where was my tropical Hawaii? I came to find out that Maui only has 30 miles total of sandy beaches!

Once we drove through Lahaina and Ka'anapali, I started to feel better when I saw the beautiful beaches and quaint towns with their tropical gardens. When we arrived at our condo in Kahana (see the view from the lanai above in both pictures), I was thrilled to have the clear blue water and palm trees right outside our door. Even though the water in some areas was pretty chilly, it was much warmer than any water in SoCal (I wear my winter wetsuit in the summer when surfing).

After a couple of days of getting acquainted with the island and exploring, I felt right at home and didn't want to leave. My expectations had been surpassed. I kept a journal of our little vacation, and will type out my entries later. Mahalo!

Valley Isle on Dwellable

reminiscing

Tomorrow I head to Hawaii, so I whipped out my travel journal and had fun looking over some of the  entries from my trip to Italy a few years ago.
One of the things I did at the end of each entry was note the song I was listening to or that was playing when I wrote it. I enjoyed looking back at the music that was popular a few years ago, and what mood I was in when writing.
And I missed sushi often!