maui - part 1

Last year on our ninth anniversary we agreed to save up for a big trip.  Neither of us had been to Hawaii so the plan began -- ten year anniversary in Maui.  

We've been home for one solid week and we're still sleepy.  Still lazy, slow, hungry, heavy.  Hawaii made us fat and happy.  

I debated about posting these pictures.  Didn't want to be lame.  Didn't want to make anyone feel bad that they didn't spend a week...wait...eight days in paradise.  But I wanted to remember.

I want to remember the day we spent on our floaties, bobbing in the ocean.  We saw a sea lion swim right next to us and even spotted a huge sea turtle.  Which Tod chased down the beach, still holding his pink floatie (his color choice). 

He caught up to it and even got a picture.

 

Then there was snorkeling.

Before we got to our destination we ran into a pod of dolphins.  I was in dolphin heaven.  They were beautiful and almost made up for our tour guide who hated men and had really hairy armpits. She and Tod would totally get along.  She'd also lived in Portland and Boulder.  

Oh really?

 The dolphins -- Hairy Armpit guessed there were about 100 of them.   Even babies.

The day was perfectly overcast -- not too hot. 

Tod took some good ones.

And then there was Hana.  The most beautiful place I've seen.  The coolest stuff we saw on Maui.  And the day we almost got a divorce.

Tod and I actually get along really well.  Our personalities compliment each other.  When we fight, it's generally in the car.  Mainly because Tod is a horrible driver and I don't want to die.

The road to Hana takes an entire day.  People recommend taking a couple days...we did it in one. Rental cars are prohibited the back way so everyone takes the twisting roads there and the twisting roads back.  Except us.

Since marrying Tod I've gotten used to breaking rules.  It goes against my nature but I like to think it makes me a well rounded individual.  Stopped for breakfast across the street from Oprah's house and ate at her favorite place.  It was unreal food.  Next post: Eating all of Maui.

 The views -- pictures are never enough.

 At this point on our day trip, Tod and I are still speaking.

It was upon our arrival in Hana that Tod asked me where to go next.  I told him I didn't know...I was waiting for our GPS guy to start talking to us.  Which is when Tod pulled over and let me know I was crap at navigation.  Which is true but I didn't like his tone.  Then he showed me, LOOK! all I had to do was press this button! and all this other stuff and I was NOT having it.  It was all downhill from there.  Although -- Hana was incredible.  We enjoyed it separately.

Hiking views

Bamboo forests

Venus pool -- Erica told us about this little spot.  Couldn't see it from the road but when we found it, it was a gem.  Where a fresh water stream meets the ocean.  Perfect for swimming and jumping off cliffs (Tod) or rocks (me).

 

I hate heights.  

On our drive home from Hana we were exhausted.  We did a lot of hiking/swimming/driving in one day.  I was still mad and that made Tod mad so I finally told him (after 30 minutes of silence), "Well why don't you just buy me a plane ticket home and you can enjoy this trip alone!" to which he replied, "Uhhhhh, buy your own plane ticket" which is when I knew, yeah...he's bugged.  

People say the Road to Hana has also been nicknamed the Road to Divorce.  Glad it wasn't just us.  And the next morning, we were fine.  Close call.

Paddle boarding in the mornings.  We had never tried it before and now we're hooked.  It's so relaxing and nice to be out on the water.  You look down and see fish and turtles right below you. 

And even though Tod fell off his paddle board like 100 times, I still really enjoyed his company. 

Our final hike was the best.  Erica told us how to find it.  We headed back towards Hana on our last day to get it in before our flight home.  It was a four waterfall hike; I felt like we were in Romancing the Stone (my favorite childhood movie that I shouldn't have been watching).  We had to climb boulders, swim in rivers, hike up riverbeds...it was incredible. 

This picture is one of my favorites.  He was jumping off a rock but threw his hands in the air.  We had a good laugh.  I'm sure the people on our flight didn't mind how we looked or smelled.  They were just glad we'd had a good time.

Next post -- Eating all of Maui.  You thought I was kidding.