Aloha Hawaii!!!

ALOHA!

So, my intentions were to blog each day that we were in Hawaii, but unfortunately, my iphone wouldn't allow me too! Silly technology! So, instead, I kept a daily log, so that I would remember everything that we did! I should start be saying that Brent and I have been trying to go on this trip for the past two years, but with our work and school schedules, it wasn't until February that we realized that this May was a possibility. Luckily, everything worked out and we had such a blast!

When we were booking everything for our trip, we decided that we were going to go on an extended vacation of 10 days, which after everything, I truly believe is the perfect amount of days for Hawaii! It allows for fun/adventure and rest/relaxation. We took advantage of both! Another note and tidbit I should add in is that we booked our vacation through Costco! Yes, Costco! On their website they have a link for travel! A friend at work had told me about what great deals she had found through them! Who knew? So, when we were searching for the best deal, we discovered, Costco won! And, to top it off, our package was awesome! We received 2 roundtrip direct flights, 9 nights in a 5 star resort, a free in room movie credit per day, free breakfast at one of the hotel restaurants, 2 free dinners at the nicer of the 3 hotel restaurants, our rental car, and a $100 resort credit to be used as we liked! It ended up being worth every penny! And, for those of you asking...Yes, Sam's Club does have the same type offers through their website as well, we just found Costco to have the better option at the time that we were booking and planning!

So, to makes this easy for you as the reader and me as the "still trying to catch up on sleep and return to normalcy" blogger, I will type out my daily blog with an explanation of each day to help give you a bigger picture! Again, I realize this would have been so much better if I could have blogged on the actual day, but I am an occupational therapist (OT) working with special needs children, so adaptation is in my blood!

Friday, May 8th:
Depart DFW on an 8 hour flight to Maui.
Depart time: Dallas- 11:55 am (Maui- 6:55 am)
Arrival time: Maui-3:00pm (Dallas-8:00 pm)

*Our flight wasn't bad! We were both so excited that I don't think the flight could have ever been that bad. It was long, but it was doable! We did arrive at the airport on time, got our rental car, and got to our hotel (Hyatt Regency Resort and Spa) by 5:00! Not bad! We were allowed enough time to go walk around the resort a little bit and then we headed to Front Street. Front street offers a variety of shops and restaraunts for tourists and locals. We at a gourmet handburger at Kool Kats! We arrived in Maui with our bodies still on TX time, so it was strangely akward and weird to be physically exhausted and sleepy at 7:00pm. We were in bed by 9:00pm!

Here are some pics from the plane ride over!

Here is Brent anxiously awaiting to arrive! Weren't we all?!?!

Here is a view from my window seat before arriving!

And, here is the view of Maui as we began our descend for landing!

Saturday, May 9th:
4:20 AM- woke up and watched "Role Models" as our daily movie credit!
6:30- went to breakfast! Oh the food! So much to choose and only one tummy to fill! And, what a view!

This was the view from our table!

7:30- walked around hotel and took pictures!
8:50- went to pool laid out in sun! (No burns for me thanks to my SPF 70 sunscreen! Woohoo!)
11:30- ate a snack and prepared for NW shore excursion!
12:30- drove up along the shoreline and hiked down to blowhole! Stopped along a cliffside and wrote our initials (BAG...yes, bag!) in stones! This is a traditional symbol to gods turned into a fun tourist thing to do! As the story goes, once stones are placed, they aren't to be touched, so who knows? Maybe if we return someday they will still be there!


The blowhole! Cool, uh? Me with our initials!


4:45- ate pizza for dinner!
5:45- went to hot tub and laid on hammock and watched sunset!
8:00- back in room for the night! Still adjusting to time change.

Sunday, May 10th:
6:45- breakfast at Umula. It was Mother's day and they had done some rearranging at the Hotel, which allowed for us to have a wonderful ocean/pool side breakfast!
7:45- went snorkeling and beach bumming at Kaanapali Beach! This is the best beach I have ever been too! On the far north, end there is the idea calm waters with plenty of reef and rock for snorkeling with tons of tropical fish! On the far south end, there is the ideal calm waters with open ocean for swimming!


This is Brent snorkeling!

11:30- at Subway and headed back to hotel! Us (practically Albino) white skinned people have to leave the sun every so often so that we don't fry like bacon!
5:15- went to the Old Lahaina Luau! Had a ton of fun! Great...no Fabulous pinacoloadas! Plus it was an open bar, so they were FREE!

Top: Our view of the stage from our table.
Side: Us at the Luau
Bottom: The pig pit! Brent would have been disappointed if I had neglected to show you this. Yes, that is a pig barried under there. No, the dirt didn't get on the pig!

9:00- Back to hotel and went to bed! Still on Texas time and had to get up early for a fun adventure involving turtles!

Monday, May 11:
5:45- left for Wailea for Kayak adventure involving snorkeling and swimming with huge sea turtles!
7:00- Met our group of 8 and out tour guide. I was so happy that Brent willingly offered our services to be the first ones out, especially since this was my first time. All went well though. We didn't tump over. Thank the Lord! Went to our first stop for snorkeling with tropical fish! I saw an octupus that our tour guide nicely poked, so that it would squirt ink! Second stop was the Turtle washing station. This is where the turtles come for the fish to clean the allgee off of their shells. These turtles were amazing. So gentle, unbothered by us, and interesting. Some swam towards us out of curiosity. Others were used to the human interruption and could have cared less. My apologies to Brent for not making it to see the Mantaray that swam away to fast. Brent was like a 5 year old on Christmas morning when I pointed and announced that I had spotted one. Without a thought, he had jumped back into the water and was swimming frantically to catch up to it! No such luck! Sorry babe!
11:30- returned to beach, showered and changed clothes.
12:15- had lunch at Maui Tacos! Pretty good!
1:00- stopped at some merchant shops and took pics at the beach park across the street.
2:30- back at hotel, took nap, finished watching a movie. Went and made reservations at Spa, swam in pool, sat in hot tub, laid in hammock!
6:30- had pizza for dinner and talked to a few locals about activities to try! I love love love talking to locals no matter where I go! Not only are they very informative of free stuff to do and what to spend your money on, but they are just interesting! It is a great look in to what their reality is in living in this beautiful place!
9:30- in bed!

Tuesday, May 12:
6:45- breakfast! Oh such a wonderful breakfast that included Maui gold (fresh pineapple)!
8:00- went swimming and laid around pool area! Had another delicious pinacolada!
11:45- went to room to snack and shower!
1:00- massages at spa! Loved this! We did a couples massage! Brent had never had a massage before, so I eager for him to join the club!
3:15- I went for a beach side run along the nicely paved walking path that ran along the beach side portion of the hotel property and extended 4 miles north! NO, I didn't run all 4 miles!
4:45- joined Brent for a nap!
7:30-Went to dinner at Cascades (one of the hotel restaraunts)! Ate the entire 8 oz. steak! Yummy!...and oink! Yes, I know!
10:00- in bed!

Wednesday, May 13:
6:45- breakfast
7:45- left for Hwy 37 (alternate route to Hana)! Scariest experience of my life... I think! Picture this....one lane shared by both ways of traffic, steep hills, unpaved portions, cliffside areas (WITHOUT GUARD RAILS...I was sitting in the passenger seat....enough said!) We did make a few stops for picture moments! Saw some breath taking views!)
11:30- arrived at state park! Hiked up 2 miles though a bamboo forest to a 400 ft waterfall and back down the 2 miles, plus an additional 1/2 mile to the 7 sacred pools! Got in and got out! We were exhausted!

Top: Path through the bamboo forest!
Side: View of the 7 Sacred Pools!
Bottom: The 400 ft. waterfall!

3:30- Left and went to roadside fruit stand where I pedaled for my smoothie! Cute concept. There was a bike attached to the blender. In order to blend, you must pedal. Very fun! Brent ordered tea!

Me pedaling for my smoothie! YUMMY!

5:00- stopped at roadside deli! Bought a drink and postcards for the nephews!
5:45- stopped and at dinner at Italian restaraunt!
7:00- back at hotel!
8:00- watched Lost! Even vacation won't keep us from Lost!
10:15- asleep in bed!

Thursday, May 14:
7:30- breakfast
10:00- went to black rock in Kaanapali and went snorkeling/swimming!
1:00- went to taco bell for lunch!
2:00- came back to hotel!
4:30- walked to whalers village for shopping and dinner at Leilanis, a beachside restaraunt! Watched sunset!
8:00- back at room to watch The Office and relax!

Friday, May 15:
2:30AM- up and dressed
3:00- leave for Mountain
5:00- arrive and waited in cold for sunset at 10,000 elevation. So, we are in Maui where you associate warm weather and sunshine, but up on the summit, in the dark, it was 54 degrees! I was freezing!
6:00- sunset and pics. We got a ton of great pictures of the sunset though, so I guess it was worth it.

Brent's view of the Sunset! I told you it was worth it!

7:00- left and headed back to Lahaina for bed! We were exhausted and it wasn't even mid morning!
8:00- Ate breakfast
12:00- up watching a movie
3:00- At pool relaxing!
7:15- dinner at Maui tacos!
9:00- back at hotel!

Saturday, May 16:
7:30- breakfast
9:00- went to Big Beach and saw large waves! Not snorkel friendly! Took a few minutes to watch a few surfers!
11:45- back in Lahaina... lunch at Subway
1:00- watched movie at hotel
3:45- went back to snorkel at Kaanapali
5:30- back at hotel, took pics of sunset and played in hammock
8:00- had dinner at Dollies! A pub and grill!
9:30- back at hotel!

Sunday, May 17:
6:00- at Black Rock for snorkeling
8:15- breakfast
9:15- showering quickly before electricity shut off! The hotel was having their annual safety drill, which includes shutting off all power for 2-3 hours! Ugh! We got free snowcones out of it though!

No, I didn't eat both of these! I didn't even finish all of mine!

11:00- pics of hotel lounging at poolside bar
12:30- quick nap
2:00- checked out of hotel
3:00- got to airport, only to wait due to a 5 hr delay!

Monday, May 18:
10:30 Am- back in DFW after a long sleepless flight! Sad to be home, happy to be home! Already miss Maui, wanting my bed desperately! Might need another vacation to recover from flight!