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c&d
09-10-2009, 11:22 AM
What can I say it was a spectacular vacation.

Day 1: Friday
We left Boston on the 6:45am flight to Salt Lake with a connection that would get us to Maui at 2:00pm. Or at least that was the plan. We left on time and arrived 30 minutes early and that was the end of the good times. The flight to Maui, originally scheduled to depart at 11:20 was now departing at 4:15. :shake: We finally departed and arrived in Maui at 7:10pm and arrived at our condo around 9:30. We traded in our DVC points for a 2 week stay in a 1 bedroom condo at the Kaanapali Beach Club. When we finally got into our room we were very happy. The first thing DS wanted to do was head to the beach, which we did and at least he got to stick his feet in the water. Although it was everything we wanted, not having a full kitchen was a little disappointing and the fact that there was 1 washing machine and 1 dryer for every 2 floors was absurd. But heck, we were in Maui for 2 weeks so how bad could it be.

Day 2: Saturday
DS woke up at 6:00am ready to face the day, after having been up for almost 24 hours getting to Maui we were shocked he was up. So we convinced him to wait a bit and at 7:00am we were down having breakfast. We finished up and then headed up to unpack, go food shopping and then off to the beach. With boogie board in hand DS headed down to the beach. :surfing: The best part of where we were staying was that we were right on the beach. Out of the elevator and maybe a 2 min walk and you were on the beach, 1 min. in the pool. 30 sec. to cocktails. After hanging around the beach for the morning we grabbed lunch and then headed out on the road. We headed up to Honolua Bay. We were a little concerned that DS might not like :snorkel:, but that concern flew out the window. I thought we might not be able to get him out of the water. He loved it and so did we. We then headed up the road to see some of sights before heading back to our condo and :marg:. We’re thinking this is going to be a great vacation.

Day 3: Sunday
Got up and headed back to the beach for more boogie boarding and lounging around the beach. We grabbed lunch and then headed over to Black Rock for some snorkeling. For those of you who have been there we started on the opposite side from the hotels and swam into the crowds. It was nice because there were very few people snorkeling out there and we were lucky enough to see a family of eagle rays (5) all swimming together. DH was snorkeling along when all of a sudden a sea turtle :turtle: swam underneath him. When we turned the corner to the hotel side of black rock we were stunned by the amount of people there. We just turned around and snorkeled back. We then hung out at the beach for a bit, headed back to our hotel. Early bed today since we are heading to Molikini tomorrow morning. Need to check in at 7:00am and it’s a 40 min. drive to the dock.

Day 4: Monday
Up at 6:00am, that is wicked early. Who sets their alarm clock while on vacation? Apparently we do and will be several more times this vacation. We headed over to the dock and then boarded for our trip out to Molikini. It takes a little over an hour to get to Molikini. On the way out the captain said the seas were rough and he was doubting we would be able to go, but he continued on and when we arrived he showed us how rough it was in the bay so we headed over to the coral gardens. Although we regretted not being able to snorkel there, it would have been miserable. Where he took us was beautiful. There was just so much coral it was amazing. After we got back we went to the Maui Ocean Center. DS loved it so much we went back later during our stay. He just loved watching the hammerhead sharks.

Days 5, 6 & 7: Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday
Tuesday was a hang at the beach/pool day. We drove down and did some shopping at Whalers Village. Wednesday, if at first you don’t succeed try again. We rebooked the trip to Molikini. When we rebooked on Tuesday they said it was going to be calm on Wednesday. So once again we set the alarm clock and headed out. The seas were calm and we were going to snorkel at Molikini. DS had been wanting to try scuba so DH and he signed up for snuba (scuba without the tank on your back). The both loved it and I got some good pictures of them underwater. After the trip we headed back to our condo for some more time at the beach and pool. I must say DS is getting really good on his boogie board. Thursday we hung around the beach and pool and a short trip over to the Whalers Mall for some more shopping. Need to purchase those Hawaiian shirts before we leave. :D

Part 2 to come soon.

NJGIRL
09-10-2009, 11:47 AM
Great report! I have never had a desire to go to Hawaii. We are not (but used to be) beach people so I have never considered it until 2 years ago when I watched a travel show and saw how much more there was to see and now it's a place we have on our list! We do like to snorkel and I would love to see the Volcano and my son wants to visit Pearl Harbor.

SBETigg
09-10-2009, 12:50 PM
Sounds like a wonderful vacation! Thanks for sharing.

Phantod
09-10-2009, 01:18 PM
Just had to share our Black Rock story. My wife had gone a few years ago without me (:mad:) and was telling me how great it was. So last August (2008) we are part of a group of 6 and head over there. We're getting ready to snorkle but the 5 ladies (I was the only guy) are already in the water heading around the point. I'm lagging behind but finally starting to catch up with them when all of a sudden they are swimming back to shore like Jaws is after them. I can't even catch up. Anyway, once I get back to shore, I find out that 4 out of the 5 of them have been "jellyfished". One teenager had a jellyfish stringer (what do you call those things) sort of wrapped around her arm and so was in pain for a while. My DW has a spot on one hand and another on a cheek (and it wasn't her face :D).

Boy, am I glad i lagged behind. That was our last visit to Black Rock. :(

But I'm glad you all had a great time.

faline
09-10-2009, 01:50 PM
We stayed at the Mahana which is practically next door to your resort. We've eaten at your resort a number of times! Sounds like you're having a fabulous vacation!

ozmom
09-11-2009, 11:31 AM
Love, Love Maui - and I'm not a beach person per se. But I do enjoy the snorkeling and seeing the turtles.

Did you try the Gazebo restaurant?

Glad you had a good time. Maui is always one of the most relaxing vacations for us.

nicster
09-11-2009, 11:56 AM
Glad your Maui trip went well. Getting there can be a drag, though. Last time DH & I went, we had a direct flight from San Francisco (about a 1& 1/2 hour drive from our house). We decided to leave the evening before & stay overnight at a quaint lodge type place that had park-n-fly arrangements for just about what it was going to cost for just the parking fees at the airport (great). Anyhow, we get there, have a nice meal on the way, check in and...... my cell phone rings. It's the airlines automated message, informing us that our flight has been canceled! Whaaaaaaaaat???? Then it proceeds to offer to put us on a flight in three days that goes to Chicago, then to LAX then to HNL:confused: NO WAY!!! I finally got someone (live) on the phone & got them to give us a flight the next day to LAX then transfer to another airline to Hawaii. Whew. We arrived about 7 hours later than our original time, but we were there;). Okay, that got long, for me to say; I felt your pain while I read the report.