WOW! What a trip!
Before I get into it I want to give a big huge THANK YOU to Al and Paula! We are grateful for the opportunity to celebrate your 50th wedding anniversary with you! It was a trip none of us will every forget!
Day 1
Jack has his serious face on...
You know the phrase 'getting there is half the battle'? Well, it had never been so true than our journey from economy parking to the plane. I can laugh about it now. I'm not sure Jack is there yet. As we watched the third full-to-the-brim bus pass by Jack was starting to sweat. We got on the fourth bus... it was to the point when every second counts. I am NOT exaggerating. We had to wait in line to check our bags and the agent said, "I will tag these as late bags. Hopefully they'll get on the flight. Now RUN!" There was a line at security. And there was no color left in Jack's face. We waited just a few seconds when a woman asked if anyone in line was going to Salt Lake City and started another line. We still had to wait in line; one person from our line, then one person from the priority line, then one person in the regular line... and so one. I had the carry on and got dinged when the bag went through x-ray. Everyone else got on the plane. Jake's shampoo, Jack's shaving cream and all toothpastes were over 3 ounces and removed. Then she had to put the bag back through the machine. I waited patiently. Jack, who was on the plane, was not as patient and, to my understanding, made it clear the plane door would not be closing without me on the plane. I finally got to the gate and was told the plane was packed and they would need to gate check my bag. (Do you see irony here?) If I would have had 30 seconds I would have run back to the gate and asked for my items back, but I didn't have any time to spare. I was the LAST person on the plane. They closed the door right behind me, before I was even seated.
Our KC flight left at 6:00 a.m. and went to Salt Lake City then on to Portland and finally to Kahului arriving at 2:20 p.m., 7:20 KC time.
The kids slept most of the first flight.
Airport antics... in Salt Lake City.
On flight #2 the kids sat in front of me.
And we all watched free movies.
Jack relaxed enough to get a little shut eye.
Annie and I want to revisit Portland someday.
Flight #3
This lady... sat in Jack's seat.
So, I graciously offered to sit in hers.
Sometimes I'm just too nice.
Her son and his long legs sat next to me.
He got up several times and crawled over her, I couldn't do that!
So, I sat.
One other thing about this lady,
she enjoyed reading...
a very dirty book
on her Kindle.
I don't know if you can tell but the text was HUGE!
I sat for almost 6 hours!
Never again.
We picked up our rental cars. (Getting 2 cars cost less than half of renting one mini van.) Stopped at the Walmart for breakfast foods, snacks, and beverages. Oh yea, and toothpaste and shaving cream, too. And then drove less than an hour to our final destination, the Honua Kai Resort, Konea building on Kaanapali Beach on the west side of Maui. Our suite was AMAZING! It was a truly stunning 3 bedroom, 3 bathroom palace! Marble floors, decked out kitchen with Viking appliances, 8 person dining room table, seating for six at the table on the balcony. And the view was surreal.
YAY!
The view from our balcony.
We got settled in and had dinner at Duke's on the property. I had coconut shrimp, shrimp tacos and Annie had seafood risotto. Delicious! (Al and Paula flew first class and didn't get much sleep, because they were too busy eating, so they skipped dinner and went to bed. It was after midnight in Florida after all.)
We watched the sunset from Duke's.
It was so beautiful!
We explored the resort and called it a day by 9:00 p.m.
Day 2
We were up bright and early. It was hard not to be since our bodies were 5 and 6 hours ahead of time zone. Al joined the four of us deep sea fishing with UFO Parasailing on the Cooper V - their boats do double duty. We were the only ones on the water that morning. Our captain was Paul and his first mate was John. I won't go into detail since I already posted on our expedition but here are a few more pictures. We all had a great time.
We all went to lunch and ventured out to Nachos Grande for some mexican food. Everyone found something they wanted and Jack gave the chips and sauce his seal of approval.
(If you ever get the opportunity to stay at the Honua Kai, there is a great little shopping center within walking distance. The grocery store, Times Market, has reasonable prices. Nachos Grande and Slappy Cakes are in the same parking lot.)
Then we spent the afternoon reading, relaxing, walking the beach and swimming.
We made dinner at the condo - grilled uku (Al's catch of the day) and tri tip steak, with salad, rice, fruit and cheesecake.
Relaxing on the balcony in the evening was a favorite.
The adventure continued with another day at sea. We drove to Ma'alaea Harbor and joined the Sail Trilogy crew on their catamaran, Trilogy II. Sailing out to Molokini crater the waves were quite rough, with lots of white caps on the waves. We joined many other boats in the crater and dropped anchor. While we snorkeled the kids tried snuba, which is a combination of snorkeling and scuba. They wear a mask, weights around their waist and regulator which is attached to a tube and tank floating on a raft above them. Jake embraced the experience wholeheartedly. Annie was more timid. Since they were attached to the same tank Jake felt like he was pulling her around but it didn't take away from his experience. He would snuba or scuba whenever given the opportunity. I think Annie would prefer to stay on top of the water. We were well taken care and they fed us breakfast, snacks and a delicious lunch. Due to the wind and waves we were only able to snorkel at one site, instead of two, so we enjoyed a sail around Molokini and "took the long way back". Even with rough waves the journey was enjoyed by all.
It was a fun day for everyone!
We returned to the condo, got cleaned up and relaxed for a bit.
We went to Hula Grill for dinner, located in Whaler's Village. Another delicious meal! Jake thought we needed dessert and ordered the Hula Pie.
Another early morning...
first light...
just fishin...
we don't need to hold our lines, they're attached to the boat.
(they really were)
Al got a bite!
Jack helped reel it in.
A nice sized uku (oo-koo)
Picture showing the prize!
Of course, Jake had to have a little fun at Annie's expense.
Enjoying the boat ride back.
We all went to lunch and ventured out to Nachos Grande for some mexican food. Everyone found something they wanted and Jack gave the chips and sauce his seal of approval.
They were thinking it was the same name as Ron's favorite
restaurant in one of their favorite childhood shows - Kim Possible.
They were mistaken. It was Bueno Nacho.
Still a fun memory.
(If you ever get the opportunity to stay at the Honua Kai, there is a great little shopping center within walking distance. The grocery store, Times Market, has reasonable prices. Nachos Grande and Slappy Cakes are in the same parking lot.)
Then we spent the afternoon reading, relaxing, walking the beach and swimming.
Posing with the beautiful flora.
Annie found some cool rocks.
Annie also found this sad bee sitting on her hat.
She made it a drink of sugar water,
fed it until it was strong again and
he flew away happy.
I enjoyed the shade, while she enjoyed the pool.
Our gorgeous girl!
We made dinner at the condo - grilled uku (Al's catch of the day) and tri tip steak, with salad, rice, fruit and cheesecake.
Relaxing on the balcony in the evening was a favorite.
Day 3
The adventure continued with another day at sea. We drove to Ma'alaea Harbor and joined the Sail Trilogy crew on their catamaran, Trilogy II. Sailing out to Molokini crater the waves were quite rough, with lots of white caps on the waves. We joined many other boats in the crater and dropped anchor. While we snorkeled the kids tried snuba, which is a combination of snorkeling and scuba. They wear a mask, weights around their waist and regulator which is attached to a tube and tank floating on a raft above them. Jake embraced the experience wholeheartedly. Annie was more timid. Since they were attached to the same tank Jake felt like he was pulling her around but it didn't take away from his experience. He would snuba or scuba whenever given the opportunity. I think Annie would prefer to stay on top of the water. We were well taken care and they fed us breakfast, snacks and a delicious lunch. Due to the wind and waves we were only able to snorkel at one site, instead of two, so we enjoyed a sail around Molokini and "took the long way back". Even with rough waves the journey was enjoyed by all.
Enjoying the sail out to Molokini Crater.
Our snorkel review...
Jack was not supposed to put on his fins so soon,
but he was excited.
Everything he needed to Snuba but his weights and fins.
Annie waiting patiently.
Just a bit more waiting
Snuba off the back - snorkel off the front.
Jack loves to snorkel!
He holds his breath and dives down.
Jake center bottom with Annie above him.
Jake loved it!
Annie had some trouble with her mask.
More waiting, they came in as a group.
I recognize those towels!
They truly enjoy each other's company some times.
Then Jack wanted a turn...
We returned to the condo, got cleaned up and relaxed for a bit.
We saw a rainbow every since day.
This was our favorite!
We went to Hula Grill for dinner, located in Whaler's Village. Another delicious meal! Jake thought we needed dessert and ordered the Hula Pie.
Gorgeous leis.
Delicious food!
Hula Pie Spork!
Jake loves sporks!
It was HUGE and oh so good!
Hula Pie is ice cream pie!
Day 4
We went to Slappy Cakes for breakfast. Slappy Cakes is a "make your own pancakes" restaurant. Based in Southeast Asia, with two U.S. locations, Portland, Oregon and Maui. We were seated at a table with a griddle in the middle. We ordered a bottle of buttermilk batter and a bottle of chocolate batter. We all had fun making our own creations.
The whole crew.
On guard!
The first one was bit larger than expected.
Creative works of art.
And yummy toppings!
Annie thought it was great!
Jake cleaned his plate...
and finished Annie's biscuit and gravy!
Jake did a bit of snorkeling.
The kids fought the sea building a sandcastle.
I'm not sure how I got lucky enough to catch this wave.
Jack and I enjoyed the shade...
on the beach...
and by the pool.
Annie and I took a walk around the gorgeous property and took a few shots...
Day 5
My birthday!
We ate brunch in Lahaina at MALA Ocean Tavern. It was another recommendation and delicious! I was surprised with banana bread pudding and fruit for dessert. It was huge and everyone got their fill.
Our next stop was Banyan Tree Park. It's a place you just stand back and saw WOW! The tree is huge. There was an art fair with a portion of the profits being donated to a local children's charity. Annie, Jake and I each found a few things we couldn't leave without.
Old Lahaina Courthouse
Annie had an ice cream mishap - and turned it into art.
After an early dinner and we were off to bed.
Day 6
Our alarm went off at 1:29 a.m. and we were picked up at 1:55 a.m. Doug, our driver, tour guide and early morning entertainment shared more knowledge about Hawaiian culture and history than I will ever be able to remember. We went stopped at Haleakala National Park Sunrise Bike base camp and were given a light breakfast, helmets, wind pants and jackets. There were 23 in our group and we were divided into two smaller groups. Doug then drove us for another hour and a half to the top of Mt. Haleakala - House of the Sun God. The ride was quite and I slept. Jack was sitting next to me and unbeknownst to me was fighting car sickness. The A/C was really cold and had only one setting so Doug would manually turn it off and on every few minutes. Whenever it turned off Jack was praying for it to be turned on again. On our way off the bus we were given a pair of gloves. We had come prepared and had sweats and sweatshirts on under our wind suit. Somehow Jake and Annie both got off the bus without gloves, and didn't put on all the items given. We found our way to the railing in the dark and waited for a good long while in the cold. I think the temperature was in the lower 40's but the wind was brisk! It didn't take either kid long to decide they should have suited up. It was so dark you couldn't see your hand in front of your face. I have no idea why I wandered away... but I ventured off the path and fell in the volcanic rocks. A gentleman said, "hey lady, use the flashlight on your phone!" That would have been a great idea, had I brought my phone! I don't recall exactly what I said but he laughed and came over and helped me up. I somehow found my way back to Jack and the kids. By the time the first colors of dawn were starting to show there were at least 1000 people gathered around the railing (that separated us from the slope into the volcano). It was magnificent! And as soon as the sun was up a ranger could be heard chanting their thanks to the Sun God for returning, just as the monks have done for as long as people have ventured to the top of the mountain.
Two hands - one glove.
This one in particular is really big.
Onward!
Family pic!
The ride was breathtaking!
With less than a mile left of the ride we took our planned exit and stopped at Skyline Eco-Adventure. When we were in North Carolina two years ago we did a zip-line - from one tower to another. Today, was 5 zip-lines progressively longer and higher with a suspended bridge in the middle. And the final was a pendulum line where some have gone up to 45 mph. We all had a blast!
Some of you may be aware that as I've gotten older my fear of heights has grown. I thoroughly enjoyed this whole day but it really put me outside of my comfort zone, in particular the suspended bridge and last zip-lline but I did it. My fear was definitely something the rest of the family found enjoyable
Holding on tightly!
Yes, I screamed.
No, I did not wet my pants.
We enjoyed happy hour food and drinks while watching game 5 between the Cleveland Cavaliers vs the Golden State Warriors at Ohana, located at a hotel a few buildings away. There was a fun crowd cheering for Golden State and one lone guy cheering for Cleveland. I had fun just people watching.
Day 7
I should have taken better notes. I don't remember exactly what we did that morning...
Jake took a walk down the beach and climbed some trees. Annie relaxed in the shade and did some reading and sketching. Paula and I spent some time at the pool - got rained on and I ended up with a pretty nasty burn. The four of us then ventured into Lahaine to find the location of our evening plans and walk around a bit.
Enjoying the sun a little too much.
I got burned today.
Jake can not pass up an old school video game.
The 18th hole.
The tee box was at a much higher elevation.
You can barely see the green to the left of the clubhouse.
The Feast at Lele came highly recommended. It was an incredible luau with five courses that takes you on a tour through Polynesia. We enjoyed courses from Aotearoa, Tahiti, Samoa and Hawai'i, with dancing from each region, too. It was pure entertainment with interesting food. Some items we liked more than others but it's fun to expand your palate. As we reflected on the trip it was one of the highlights for all of us.
Our Master of Ceremony for the evening.
"That was cool!"
Day 8
Time to pack up and relocate. We headed back to Kahului, dropped off the bags and passengers at the airport before returning the cars. We were very early. Several hours early, in fact. We weren't exactly sure how long it would take us and Jack did not want a repeat of our first flight of the trip. We were flying Hawaiian Air between islands and we flew first class. One perk was the first class lounge at the airport. It was a nice place to wait, although extremely cold.
It was a quick 25 minute flight but we all enjoyed our taste of first class
Jake's playing it cool.
First glimpse of Oahu.
Honolulu was culture shock from Maui. We all expected it but the first thing we noticed was the noise.
Our destination was the Ilikai Waikiki Beach. We rented an end unit that was originally two units redesigned into a 2 bedroom, 3 bathroom condo with 3 balcony's. Very fancy! Each of the kids had their own living space, which was a welcome change.
Views off the front balcony.
Jake planted himself at the desk.
We took a walk and it didn't take long to find a tree for Jake to climb.
I'm not gonna lie, this made me nervous.
We got settled in and had a early dinner and called it a day.
Day 9
Do they look like tourist, or what?
A red double decker bus picked us up in front of our hotel. It was suggested that we take a tour going to Pearl Harbor rather than going on our own because of our time frame. After an interesting tour around the city we stopped at the National Memorial Cemetery of the Pacific, we made our way to Pearl Harbor.
Thomas Square
Overlooking downtown Honolulu
National Memorial Cemetery of the Pacific.
Pearl Harbor and the USS Arizona. I tried to see things through my Dad's eyes. I looked for landmarks he had told me about. It was hard! So many of the buildings were new or redesigned. It was a powerful for me to walk those grounds. So many lives lost. So many young men, Jake's age. The USS Arizona memorial is being worked on so we didn't get off the boat. We just took a boat ride, which was a bit disappointing.
On the ride back to the hotel I sat up top with Annie. It was interesting because we couldn't understand a thing the tour guide said in the wind. Windy but fun.
On the ride back to the hotel I sat up top with Annie. It was interesting because we couldn't understand a thing the tour guide said in the wind. Windy but fun.
We returned to the hotel and took a stroll along the boardwalk. Lots of people, hustle and bustle for sure and fun people watching. (I didn't take a single picture. !?)
It was Thursday night and Annie and I had talked about going to see Finding Dory on opening night. Jack and Jake joined us and we grabbed a bite to eat for dinner near the theater.
Waiting for our Lyft.
The movie did not disappoint!
Jake showing off the Pokemon belt he won in "The Claw" game.
Day 10
The day was spent relaxing, swimming at the lagoon and hotel pool.
Fun in the lagoon.
Shade, please.
Annie's 1st Blizzard from Dairy Queen.
Relaxing!
Beautiful sunset!
The hotel next door has fireworks every Friday night. While waiting for the show we were entertained watching people look for parking spots. There was one mostly vacant permits only parking lot right by the harbor. Cars would pull in, sometime the occupant would get out and read then , then get back in their car and be on their way. Some people made their own parking spots. Some people sat on their cars. Some people tested their luck and parked in the lot. Two tow trucks drove through the lot. Several cars pulled in... one stopped to talk to a tow truck driver then pulled back out of the lot. The two tow trucks moseyed on their way. Another car pulled in and parked. We had fun making up a conversation between the man and woman... "This is a bad idea. A really bad idea!" "It'll be fine!" "I'm going to tell you, I told you so..." Jack in particular was really into it. Watching and giving updates on this car or that. The fireworks show was maybe 10 minutes long and I don't know how much Jack actually watched because as soon as the show started a tow truck showed up. The hitch bar was already down, the driver got out and quickly took pictures. There were two cars and how he decided which on to take we'll never know. I thought he may have put a yellow parking boot on the black one but I was mistaken. Just before the fireworks were over he pulled away with the little white car attached behind. And just a quick a white van pulled into the same spot. Lots of people running to their cars and leaving quickly to avoid traffic. The funniest part about what happened next was Jack's commentary. Something else I wish I had recorded. They returned, walked past the van a few steps, turned around... another funny conversation made up by Jack
Pre-show entertainment - the parking lot!
Jack and I took a walk so he could see the sign.
Day 11
Al and Paula's 50th Wedding Anniversary
We enjoyed another relaxing day at the lagoon. We rented a stand up paddle board. It was basically a huge surfboard with a paddle. We all took turns. Jake took Annie on a ride. Jack thought it looked like fun and decided we should try. It was not easy. We fell in the water A LOT. A kind woman tried to give us help. I was sitting down and tried to find my balance but I couldn't and started laughing and I fell in again. And again. And again. And then the lady paddled away. Feeling water-logged and tired we took a break. We got a bite to eat at Gilligan's Snack Shack. After lunch Jake took another turn. He was really good.
Thankfully there is photographic evidence of Jack and I trying to drown ourselves.
After we got cleaned up Annie and I ventured off to the Honolulu Museum of Art. It's located across the street from Thomas Square, which contains a banyan tree larger than the one in Lahaina. The tree surrounds a large pool and fountain and was stunning. The museum did not disappoint. Annie was delightfully surprised with the collection of artwork and took a lot of notes and pictures. It was so much fun for me to watch her excitement. And her knowledge of art history was impressive. Here are a few that caught my eye.
Rough iron Stitch
We made reservations for Al and Paula at Ocean House Restaurant, a short taxi ride away. They said it was top notch fancy, starting with the waiter putting their napkin in their laps for them. Their table overlooked the ocean and the food was absolutely delicious. Every person they interacted with wished them a Happy 50th Anniversary. They were very impressed and commented that it was perfect.
Thank you
&
Until we meet again!
Day 12
The alarm at 4:25 a.m. We caught a taxi by 5:00 and arrived at the airport by 5:40. Little did we know Alaska Airlines doesn't open screening or baggage check-in until 6:00 a.m. We were not alone and waited patiently. We got our bags checked in and made our way through security. The kids and I waited long enough that we found a place to sit... it seemed like it was taking Jack a long time so I went back in to investigate. I was feeling paranoid since the sign said do not enter. I did a quick look around and couldn't see him. ? Weird! I looked around a bit more saw his hat, so I sat back down. Turns out they did not want to let him through security with a Swiss Army knife on his key chain. The blade was maybe two inches long. They wanted to take the whole thing but Jack snapped off the blade. She quickly said, "don't tell anyone I let you do that." I can repeat it because I don't know her name or what she looks like.
We had plenty of time, so stopped at the PGA Tour Grill around the corner from our gate for breakfast. It was just what we needed.
The flight was packed. I think there were 2 empty seats. I sat in between the kids. Jake played a video game. Annie listened to music and slept. I listened to music and played games on my Kindle. It was like revisiting fun memories - some of the games I found were old favorites of the kids. Once in a while one of the kids would ask if they could play one that caught their eye. It made the time pass relatively quickly. I'm not gonna lie, it's not a short flight from Honolulu to Seattle. I don't know how it was possible for Jake not to get up a single time but he didn't. We spent an hour in Seattle - long enough for Jake to realize he'd left something on the plane and we able to retrieve it. The kids gave Jack his Father's Day card... it was nuts. And we got a bite to eat.
Jack and I splurged and flew 1st class the last leg. I didn't realize we be eating or wouldn't have eaten at the airport. We each watched a movie - I watched Eddie the Eagle and Jack watched The Martian. Time literally flew and just after Jack's movie ended it was time to land. The kids had a good flight too. There was a empty seat next to Annie so she moved to the aisle seat and it was nice to have space between her and Jake.
We landed early and even though we had to wait for our luggage longer than expected we were at the truck by 12:20 and home by 1:15 a.m. (Day 13)
Ahhh! I love adventure but it's good to be home.
xo
