...all about Maui, as told by DD & DS....

R

reggae

Guest
Well the kids are back from their trip to Maui, and I thought I'd share some of the things they did tell me about their trip (and we just have to wonder about the things they didn't tell)....

First off, they would never have been able to go on a trip like this without the free passes DD had. And they were able to stay with my niece, not having to pay for a hotel.

This is their perspective of the island....

Yes, it was beautiful but VERY expensive! Eating out was done only occasionally because of the costs. DD said they had to walk out of one place because the cheapest thing was $40.00

They stayed with my niece, who lives in a residential area in a 4-unit house. They went to the grocery store and ate in most of the time.

DD said that she was in the shower and looked down to see a little gecko in the shower with her. After lots of screaming, she finally managed to scoop him out with a cup. She said she couldn't pick him up because she was afraid his tail would fall off?

She then mentioned that there were some kind of large beetles "living" in my niece's jeep. Also she said the front windows of the jeep did not roll up, and the back windows did not roll down.....vehicles are very expensive on the island. You take what you can get...

They said there were a lot of junk cars on the side of the road. My niece told them that when someone's car dies, they just leave it there, and that way people can come along and take whatever parts they need. Lots of recycling on the island.

Also, there were stray cats everywhere! She said they seemed to be well-fed, but so many of them. They stopped by the road to buy some banana bread, and they were surrounded by cats. They ended up feeding all the bread to the cats. Of course, she was wishing she could bring them home....YIKES

My niece works two jobs, one waitressing at a resort, the other job is on a whale-watching boat. (after 5 years of college) Supposedly, she makes great money though. She's still finding her way....

DS & DD were able to use the facilities at the resort where she works, so that worked out to save them some money.

The kids did a lot of sight-seeing, went on the road to Hana (sp?) for many hours to watch the sunrise from up there. She said the drive back down was the most frightening thing she's ever done....(and she's used to driving the freeways through Detroit).

She also played "mother" to DS a couple times. He wanted to do some cliff jumping from up there. She insisted that he didn't. There was a battle, but she won (thank God).

Also, they were at a beach with black sand, and signs everywhere that said "No Swimming, Snorkeling, etc" because of jellyfish, currents, etc. But she said there were still a few people out there snorkeling. Of course, DS wanted to go, but she hid his snorkel in the car, so that he would think he forgot it. (Good thinking, girl!.....she's going to make a good mother, some day :lol)

They did meet a guy that worked on one of the snorkel tour boats (a friend of my niece) who took them out several times on the catamaran. Then he mentioned that he had a wake-boarding boat. Needless to say, there was a lot of wake-boarding going on, after that. So DS was extremely happy.

On the bar scene, they were at a local place for some evening festivities, and ran into Chelsea Lately (from TV). She was there on vacation with her husband. I'm sure they all had great fun that night....(one of those nights that I'm not going to hear about).

All in all they had the time of their life! They came home looking extremely tired, with long faces.....DD said she had a very hard time getting DS on the plane. Of course, now he has decided he wants to live in Maui. I told him he has to figure out a way to make a lot of money, then he can live where ever he chooses.....something to work for.

Now back to the real world for both of them :(
 
D

Donna - dsw

Guest
So glad they got to go! It is a once in a life time adventure. I hope to go back someday.
 
B

Beryl

Guest
reggae said:
The kids did a lot of sight-seeing, went on the road to Hana (sp?) for many hours to watch the sunrise from up there. She said the drive back down was the most frightening thing she's ever done....(and she's used to driving the freeways through Detroit).

Unlikely they went to Hana for the sunrise. More likely drove to the top of Haleakala. It is a long and winding drive up a narrow road and many people find it harrowing in the dark! The black sand beach they visited was likely in Hana!

I loved the story of finding the gecko in the shower. I remember having a heck of a time getting to sleep one night on my first visit as there was a gecko on the ceiling right over my head~Now I go out of my way to look for the little guys!

It is lucky they had family to stay with during their trip. (I'm adding this bit for folks that think they might like to visit Maui!! ) Maui is expensive ... I don't remember when it wasn't and it's getting worse ... although you will also find lots of the usual chain restauants and can still eat fairly reasonably. My favourite Maui restaurant is Sarento's on the Beach and the prices there will take your breath away while SeaWatch is still a lovely and upscale place for dinner with much more reasonable prices. If you are a visitor to the island and want to save some $$$$ stay in a condominium. You will have more space than you would have in a resort hotel, you will have a kitchen facility and can save a bundly by getting your own groceries and preparing some of your own meals and you can have a washer and dryer so packing light is a cinch. If you really want to save rent a 2 bedroom unit and travel with friends!

Guess I had better start travel shopping again. All this talk of visiting Hawaii is making me want to visit again. I'm with your DS! I want to live there too. Maybe if I had discovered how beautiful and alluring Hawaii was at their ages I might have accomplished it! I couldn't afford to even visit way back then!

Thanks for sharing their trip with us! Maui no ka oi! Aloha!
 
R

r8derfan

Guest
Sounds like a good time. When we were on Maui we drove the road to Hana. Once is enough. It's a very long and winding road (like the Beatles song). It's pretty though.
 
N

nieciez

Guest
Oh to be young and adventurous again. Sounds like they had a great time....thanks for sharing their story with us.
 
S

ShipMaven

Guest
I must agree with Beryl's observation of what, where, etc....

Maui, indeed, is very expensive - especially since it became one of the playgrounds of the rich and famous. But I'm so glad DD and DS enjoyed themselves.
 
B

BostonsJ

Guest
I'm so glad they had a great time together. Your daughter sounds like she has a good head on her shoulders.... You son needs to live in CO in the winter and Maui in the summer so he had better get well established somewhere making big bucks! :lol :lol It is just good to see siblings doing these things together. I had a ball with my sister when we cruised together. It was being little kids again.
 
H

Hooked

Guest
Actually I was bumbed out with seeing the junk cars along side the road? We did the road to Hana and had a great time. Sorry to say this Beryl. But I can be just as happy on some of the Caribbean Islands (I think the beaches and water is nicer, heck Hawaii is in the middle of the Pacific and the Caribbean Islands are in the Caribbean) than in Maui? It's expensive and it costs a lot more to get there than the Caribbean.
 
C

Cruise cutie

Guest
=coolsign on the story, and what insight Thanks so much Patty.. we have a trade option from Aruba to Hawaii, as it'a about the *only* way we could afford it ...:(..airfare is =eek.. it's on our to do list and creeping up it fast..Thanks so much for the share..:grin..Joanne

oh and BTW give your daughter an extra hug from me..she is fabulous.!!....and sigh your son is a mirror for my Stephen..he makes my silver come more and more ,and more...I have hardly any.. but since he tore his ACL snowboarding in 2003....4 days before our cruise.. .=shrug.....:lol...what I have he OWNS!!....

=hugs
 
Top