Hi there...or should I say "Aloha"?
After the saga of getting Mom and Firebaugh to the airport and off to Washington (see previous PREQUEL entry), it was time for my low-budget Maui adventure to begin. In the time between their departure and mine, I could start to get my head around the upcoming trip. I got my clothes washed and packed, toiletries down to travel-sized bottles, and...oh my stars! I had forgotten my Ativan! How in the heck was I going to endure a FIVE HOUR flight to and from the islands withOUT my ATIVAN! I am the world's most nervous flyer. EEEK!
It was bad enough having to get up so early in the morning and get to the airport by 5:30. Our friend and traveling companions, Ricki and Ted, had taken an earlier flight two days before us (for some "alone time". Oh my STARS!), so it was just Erich and I on the flight. After getting through security, we opted to have breakfast at a Chili's restaurant inside of the terminal.
Even though it was early in the morning, I opted for pain pills (left over from my knee surgery) and a bloody mary!
All too soon though,it was time to board the plane. EEK! The pills and drink had not kicked in.
Amazingly,I survived take off and the climb to 35,000 feet (!!!!! Do the really have to tell us things like that? EEK!). But I still was NOT in any condition to fly. So I ordered drinks--a LOT of them!
Sure, I probably seemed like a lush---but I was so nervous, I was completely unphased. Altogether it took me 6 cocktails and 2 pain pills just to survive the flight---and that didn't even calm me down enough (but I was too embarrassed to ask for more)! Golly, I hate flying.
As we got close to landing, the plane had mercifully come down closer to the planet and we could see the ground. Phew! Although the airport landing strip is right there as we approached, the traffic heads out over the water. ARGH! That meant 10 or 15 more minutes longer in the air.
We actually had to cross over Maui and circle the huge 10,023 ft extinct volcano that makes up the bulk of the island. Notice that the peak is way above the cloud line. You can even see where the vegetation stops.
As we circled to get ready for our landing, we also got an aerial view of tiny Molokini, a tiny crescent-shaped island-ette that is actually the partially submerged cone of another extinct volcano. You can't go to Molokini, unfortunately. It's a bird sanctuary. No people allowed.
Anyway,we LANDED SAFELY! Phew! No vomit bags were used.No pants were soiled. Man... what an ordeal. But we were on the ground for now.
Although we had left at 7:30 or so in the morning and had endured a 5 hour flight, it was only about 9:30 in the morning local time when we arrived. The condo would NOT be available until 3 p.m. We had some time to kill. After dealing with the car rental place for about an HOUR (long story--and I'll spare you the details, but just know the price of the car ended up being far, FAR more than we thought it would be. UGH!), we headed out to Kihei, our home town base on Maui. Kihei, as it turns out, is also the town with the only real tiki bar on the island. (There is another sort of tiki bar pool side at some fancy schmancy hotel in a resort area of the island--but more on that later.) As it was pushing towards Maui lunch time by the time we were getting close to town, and was way past our lunchtime in California time (which I did my best to stay on the entire trip), I suggested we hit the tiki bar first, so I could get that out of the way and wouldn't be bugging everyone about it the whole trip.
Thanks to the magic of Google Maps, we soon found Kihei and the South Shore Tiki Lounge! Only, when we got there, it was CLOSED for remodeling! UGH! (Coincidentally, it was next to a place called "The Love Shack". You can just make out the sign in the 2nd picture on top of the pink building. I thought--Oh, just like in The B-52s song about a cool, little friendly bar. I should check that out. WRONG! It turned out to be an adult marital aid store. OOPS!)
Being that the tiki place was closed, we asked suggestions on where to grab lunch. We were directed to Fat Daddy's just across the parking lot.
Fat Daddy's, it seems, was also going through some remodeling--but was actually open. (It turns out that the whole little shopping area where the tiki bar, Love Shack, and Fat Daddy's is was this really cool little touristy shopping area that had sort of morphed and grown from stalls and make-shift huts. Really kind of funky. I found it much nicer and comfortable than the ultra luxurious shopping centers in the resort areas I'd later visit.) Fat Daddy's turned out to be NOT good (well, with the exception of their divine truffle mac & cheese! Mmm!), but they did have this incredible cocktail called the Lava Flow! OMG!!!! That was IN-CRE_DI-BLE!! I think it was made with ice cream? Jeepers, it was yummy. Cocktail #7 of the day... My liver was probably freaking out, but I had been so stressed I was completely buzz free. Here is a picture of the same drink elsewhere (but it wasn't nearly as good as the one at Fat Daddy's):
Anyway, we got a hold of Ricki. She said that she and Ted were able to get into the condo early and they were there now. We headed over.
The condo was the Royal Mauian and it was built right on the water.
The selling point is the view, of course. Our unit had an amazing one. From the terrace you could see the pool (and off in the distance, little Molokini and Kaho'olawe, which is an uninhabited island that the military used to do practice bombings on--swell...). Straight out you could see the island (NOT shown in the photo--but it is there) of Lanai (which USED to be known as the "Pineapple Island" because it is where Dole pineapples used to be grown, before some rich guy bought the place for $500 million. Now 98% of the island is privately owned! Jeepers!). To the north, you could see the northern part of the island and the beautiful beach (which I cut off in the shot--Ha!) right next door.
I spent a lot of time on the terrace (writing postcards. If I had your address, you should have gotten one!). The only thing wrong with the terrace is that whoever designed the A/C units (which were only in the bedrooms--not the whole condo) had the exhaust part on the terrace facing towards the table, so you'd be blasted with HOT air. UGH!)
Ricki and Ted's room overlooked the water and had an entrance to the terrace as well. Our room had a glamorous view of the parking lot. I was on the twin bed closest to the wall (Erich by the window). I HATED that bed. I slept horribly the whole time I was there. I lived out of my suitcase, but Erich used the dresser and the closet. He would always leave the closet door open and I'd bang my elbow on it while tossing and turning. I know--complain, complain,complain...but hello? We were in HAWAII! Zowie!
The rest of the condo was nice, but small.The kitchen looks big from an angle, but it was rather narrow--but functional. The living room was between the kitchen and the terrace. It was comfortable enough, but I never seemed to be in there much. I was always on the terrace or the dining table writing postcards. Ha! I wrote close to 60 while we were there. (I had a bum knee from my surgery... I wasn't exactly being Mr. Active.) The TV also presented us with problems. We couldn't get it to work the first night we were there. We called the 2nd day and the on duty management couldn't fix it either. Finally, on the morning of the 3rd day we got it going.
The roof was a nice space. There was a row of barbecues (4 or 5) along one side with lots of tables and chairs scattered about, benches and planters. There were also, of course, amazing views! In the upper left corner you can see Molokini (the darker shape in the water) with Kaho'olawe behind it. (Click on the photo to make it bigger.)
The view overlooking the parking lot also afforded a view of the volcano straight ahead (NOT pictured--boy, I'm a lousy photographer. ha!), which was usually obscured by clouds.
For dinner that night, we went to a place called THREE'S (in that same funky shopping center as the tiki bar and Fat Daddy's).
I don't remember what I had--but I don't think I was thrilled with it. We ate on one of the patios.I'm sure there was a cocktail (#8?) as well. What I remember most was, as the four of us sat there, there was a rooster walking around crowing (there were wild chickens out all over the place) and, more amazingly, there were all of these birds and they were just so LOUD, calling and calling to each other. Wild! For a bit there, I almost expected Tippi Hedron to pop up or something. Zowie!
After dinner, we headed to the local Safeway and stocked up for our week in Maui. Once we got home, while there may have been another cocktail or two (and numerous postcards written), that was pretty much it for the first day. I retired for my first of many uncomfortable nights in my lil twin bed, not knowing exactly what adventures would lay in store for me.
But now that we were settled in, the adventures would begin. STAY TUNED.
ALOHA and CHEERS!
After the saga of getting Mom and Firebaugh to the airport and off to Washington (see previous PREQUEL entry), it was time for my low-budget Maui adventure to begin. In the time between their departure and mine, I could start to get my head around the upcoming trip. I got my clothes washed and packed, toiletries down to travel-sized bottles, and...oh my stars! I had forgotten my Ativan! How in the heck was I going to endure a FIVE HOUR flight to and from the islands withOUT my ATIVAN! I am the world's most nervous flyer. EEEK!
It was bad enough having to get up so early in the morning and get to the airport by 5:30. Our friend and traveling companions, Ricki and Ted, had taken an earlier flight two days before us (for some "alone time". Oh my STARS!), so it was just Erich and I on the flight. After getting through security, we opted to have breakfast at a Chili's restaurant inside of the terminal.
Even though it was early in the morning, I opted for pain pills (left over from my knee surgery) and a bloody mary!
As we got close to landing, the plane had mercifully come down closer to the planet and we could see the ground. Phew! Although the airport landing strip is right there as we approached, the traffic heads out over the water. ARGH! That meant 10 or 15 more minutes longer in the air.
We actually had to cross over Maui and circle the huge 10,023 ft extinct volcano that makes up the bulk of the island. Notice that the peak is way above the cloud line. You can even see where the vegetation stops.
Thanks to the magic of Google Maps, we soon found Kihei and the South Shore Tiki Lounge! Only, when we got there, it was CLOSED for remodeling! UGH! (Coincidentally, it was next to a place called "The Love Shack". You can just make out the sign in the 2nd picture on top of the pink building. I thought--Oh, just like in The B-52s song about a cool, little friendly bar. I should check that out. WRONG! It turned out to be an adult marital aid store. OOPS!)
Fat Daddy's, it seems, was also going through some remodeling--but was actually open. (It turns out that the whole little shopping area where the tiki bar, Love Shack, and Fat Daddy's is was this really cool little touristy shopping area that had sort of morphed and grown from stalls and make-shift huts. Really kind of funky. I found it much nicer and comfortable than the ultra luxurious shopping centers in the resort areas I'd later visit.) Fat Daddy's turned out to be NOT good (well, with the exception of their divine truffle mac & cheese! Mmm!), but they did have this incredible cocktail called the Lava Flow! OMG!!!! That was IN-CRE_DI-BLE!! I think it was made with ice cream? Jeepers, it was yummy. Cocktail #7 of the day... My liver was probably freaking out, but I had been so stressed I was completely buzz free. Here is a picture of the same drink elsewhere (but it wasn't nearly as good as the one at Fat Daddy's):
The condo was the Royal Mauian and it was built right on the water.
I spent a lot of time on the terrace (writing postcards. If I had your address, you should have gotten one!). The only thing wrong with the terrace is that whoever designed the A/C units (which were only in the bedrooms--not the whole condo) had the exhaust part on the terrace facing towards the table, so you'd be blasted with HOT air. UGH!)
I don't remember what I had--but I don't think I was thrilled with it. We ate on one of the patios.I'm sure there was a cocktail (#8?) as well. What I remember most was, as the four of us sat there, there was a rooster walking around crowing (there were wild chickens out all over the place) and, more amazingly, there were all of these birds and they were just so LOUD, calling and calling to each other. Wild! For a bit there, I almost expected Tippi Hedron to pop up or something. Zowie!
After dinner, we headed to the local Safeway and stocked up for our week in Maui. Once we got home, while there may have been another cocktail or two (and numerous postcards written), that was pretty much it for the first day. I retired for my first of many uncomfortable nights in my lil twin bed, not knowing exactly what adventures would lay in store for me.
But now that we were settled in, the adventures would begin. STAY TUNED.
ALOHA and CHEERS!
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