MAUI - PART II (Tuesday - Friday)

TUESDAY

Today was our kick back and take it easy day. We slept in, had a late breakfast, did some snorkeling outside our condo, then wandered into the old part of town down by the pier just to see the shops. Nothing special kind of day.

For lunch we drove up to The Sea House, (located at the Napili Kai Beach Club). The lady who was selling the pineapples by the side of the road the other day told us about this place. From 2 - 4pm everyday all the appetizers are only $5 and all the drinks are $6. This is the place that all the locals go. So we drove there around 2pm for a late lunch. Order some yummy light appetizers, and a couple of cold fruity drinks. The portions were more than enough for lunch and delicious. And the view are great - right on the beach.

Back to our condo for some more relaxing time - I think is beginning to get the hang of this...

That evening we had reservations for Warren and Annabelle's Magic. It's a nightly comedy / magic show that sells out EVERY night and it is a MUST SEE. We laughed so hard. The theater only seats 78 people and it is very up close and personal with the magician. Before the show they have a small appetizer platter and yummy ice cold drinks / cocktails and dessert. Even though it is billed as an appetizer it is definitely a full meal.

If you only have one show to pick - GO SEE WARREN and ANNABELLE'S - but reserve your seats before you leave the mainland, because they do sell out each night.

WEDNESDAY

Another day of snorkeling, swimming in the condo pool, walking old Lahaina downtown and the Pier. Just a relaxing day in Maui. That evening we went to a Luau, and this Luau featured foods and entertainment from the different islands, (Hawaii, Figi, New Zealand, Tahiti and Samoa). Dave even found a new friend!!

THURSDAY

Today we had reservations on the Trilogy to sail over to Lanai' for a day of snorkeling. Early morning we met at the dock and boarded the boat. We were greeted with a light breakfast, a brief overview of the boat and safety requirements. Then off for our days adventure and landmarks pointed out by our captain. About 1 hour into our cruise, we came upon quite a few schools of Spinner Dolphins, (there were hundreds of them). They were jumping out of the ocean and spinning in the air. They would play with the boat and race with us. Several passengers said the chance to get that close to the dolphins was well worth the cost of the excursion. The dolphins stayed with us for a good half hour.

Next we were treated to a light but filling lunch on the ship. More landmarks and stories from the captain. The ship was in no hurry and in about 1/2 hour we finally arrived. Boarded a small van to the beach. The cove was home to some of the best snorkeling, scuba diving, surfing, fishing - you name it. We first went a guided 1 hour tour of the island with a 7th generation tour guide. The island used to be owned by Dole Pineapple and the WHOLE ISLAND was pretty much a pineapple farm and a town for the workers. Whenever supplies were needed you would take a ferry to Maui, or waited for them to be brought over to the store once a week. Then back to the beach for about 2 hours of snorkeling. We saw some fantastic fish, very different that we saw in Mexico and Catalina.

Next we were shuttled to a picnic area and treated to delicious BBQ dinner. Then back on the ship for the return trip home. This time, they hoisted the sail and we quietly sailed home using the cool evening breeze. How nice and romantic.

FRIDAY

Today is our last day on the island and tonight we return home. But we have time for one more excursion, so we book a van trip on the "Road To Hana". The trip takes about 8 hours the complete way around. We had thought about renting a Harley and driving it one day, but we were so glad that we sat in the van and left the driving to a more experienced guide. The road is VERY winding switchback. And in some areas it is one lane dirt road. When you reach the middle of the road, there's a sign that says "If you proceed any further in your rental car, you will void your rental warranty!" At one point we had to stop and wait for 4 cows to leave the road so we could proceed. At another point, there was a dog, and the road was so narrow - we wondered if there was room for both us and the dog :) . BUT, the sights we saw were so amazing. We saw the 7 pools, (one thing you will notice is that the black sand beaches are not sand - but small black volcano rocks).

We saw Jim Nabors home, Oprah Winfrey's home and the 1000 acres she recently purchased, Woody Harrison's home, Kris Kristofferson's home. We stopped and toured the ONLY winery on Maui. Most of the waterfalls were not flowing - they haven't had much rain in almost a year.

We saw wild while ginger, (used for perfume), it grows wild all over the area. And of course we got the "I survived the Road to Hana" t-shirts. Dave always tells people, "it's not the road TO Hana, it's the road on the other side BACK from Hana that so bad".

Finally we it was time for our flight home, but our 10:00 pm flight was delayed until 2:00 am. So we caught up with Dave's oldest brother and his wife, (Rob and Jeanne), who were also in Maui with a group of friends that week. We took a quick shower at their hotel room, visited for a few hours and then off to the airport at midnight to catch our flight.

As we always say after each vacation, it felt SO GOOD to get home to our own bed. Our pets missed up and we missed them. But we brought back many photos and memories to last us.