June 15th
Getting the vacation off to a stress-free start, Andy and I were left outside the gate with one other girl, trying to convince her that she should take the offer of stuff from the airlines. Two-hundred bucks out of pocket helped with her choice. American Airlines has apparently decided to just overbook every flight they have by fifteen people or so.
The flight was unspectacular; I sat next to two fairly well behaved children. It was all I could do not to burst into giggles when the stewardess dropped the child's meal's leafy accompaniment at my feet, and kept appologizing profusely for "tossing her salad." At least I got a free bottle of white wine out of it.
Late at night, in the rain, it's hard to find your way on circuitous island roads. Especially when they all have the same letters in their names. And you don't know which one you're looking for. But we found it!
Getting the vacation off to a stress-free start, Andy and I were left outside the gate with one other girl, trying to convince her that she should take the offer of stuff from the airlines. Two-hundred bucks out of pocket helped with her choice. American Airlines has apparently decided to just overbook every flight they have by fifteen people or so.
The flight was unspectacular; I sat next to two fairly well behaved children. It was all I could do not to burst into giggles when the stewardess dropped the child's meal's leafy accompaniment at my feet, and kept appologizing profusely for "tossing her salad." At least I got a free bottle of white wine out of it.
Late at night, in the rain, it's hard to find your way on circuitous island roads. Especially when they all have the same letters in their names. And you don't know which one you're looking for. But we found it!
June 16th
No spectacular sunrise greeted us in the morning, since our oceanview was west-facing, and mornings are hazy, but it was still pretty enough. The surf is loud, but relaxing.
Off to see the Tourist Town of Lahaina (french for 'the hyena') was first up today. It's perhaps six miles from where we're staying, by way of the one road, in the red mustang convertible we rented.
We took lunch at the Bubba Gump Shrimp Company, which we could've done in San Francisco, but it was pretty good anyhow. We walked up and down the strip, perhaps a mile, seeing sights ranging from Banana Republic to The Gap. Oh, and some smarmy art galleries, and stuff. Some tasty coffee icecream, then it was back to the resort for some beach time. Wading for me, snorkling for the others.
Back to Lahaina for dinner! The little japanese restaurant we had spied just behind the main strip proved to be closed, so we settled on the Hard Rock Cafe Maui for food.
Later, we craved some traditional islandy maitais and other such implements of fun, but had trouble finding a place to get them. The poolside bar claimed to be closed. We ended up just up the street at the bar in the Outback. It just wasn't as impressive, not sipping it on a beach, I think.
No spectacular sunrise greeted us in the morning, since our oceanview was west-facing, and mornings are hazy, but it was still pretty enough. The surf is loud, but relaxing.
Off to see the Tourist Town of Lahaina (french for 'the hyena') was first up today. It's perhaps six miles from where we're staying, by way of the one road, in the red mustang convertible we rented.
We took lunch at the Bubba Gump Shrimp Company, which we could've done in San Francisco, but it was pretty good anyhow. We walked up and down the strip, perhaps a mile, seeing sights ranging from Banana Republic to The Gap. Oh, and some smarmy art galleries, and stuff. Some tasty coffee icecream, then it was back to the resort for some beach time. Wading for me, snorkling for the others.
Back to Lahaina for dinner! The little japanese restaurant we had spied just behind the main strip proved to be closed, so we settled on the Hard Rock Cafe Maui for food.
Later, we craved some traditional islandy maitais and other such implements of fun, but had trouble finding a place to get them. The poolside bar claimed to be closed. We ended up just up the street at the bar in the Outback. It just wasn't as impressive, not sipping it on a beach, I think.
June 17th
Spam is a hawaiian delicacy, or so the breakfast menu at the poolside restaurant in the resort would lead you to believe. Nonetheless, we were able to find more digestable fare to start the day by there.
While we were at breakfast, Cleaning Ninjas stealthed in and shampooed the carpets in the condo. It was wet for a few hours when we returned. And wasn't really any cleaner, still leaving our white socks a volcanic ruddy brown wherever they touched.
Two o'oclock came around, and we piled into the convertible to head north along highway thirty, searching out the reputed 'best snorkling on the island'. Fording cute little twisty mountain roads, a muddy slope, and a freezing little river to cross, we came out on the rocky shore of the oceanic alcove. It was a little disappointing. Proving myself to be Captain Wussy, I made it out about a hundred feet, and was panting to stay afloat. The water was chilly, fed from that chilly mountain stream into the little bay, and the silt churned up was thick as soup. I headed back to sit amongst the warm rocks, while the others floated around for a while. I was just about dried out from my brief adventure when the rains came.
That night found us back in La Hyena, back to the sushi place which foiled us earlier, for an acceptable fishy meal. On the way back to the room, we stopped to rent 'Curse of the Jade Scorpion' and 'Unbreakable'. We turned off Woody Allen after half an hour, miserably disappointed by the sad old unfunny man. The latter was goofy, but okay.
Spam is a hawaiian delicacy, or so the breakfast menu at the poolside restaurant in the resort would lead you to believe. Nonetheless, we were able to find more digestable fare to start the day by there.
While we were at breakfast, Cleaning Ninjas stealthed in and shampooed the carpets in the condo. It was wet for a few hours when we returned. And wasn't really any cleaner, still leaving our white socks a volcanic ruddy brown wherever they touched.
Two o'oclock came around, and we piled into the convertible to head north along highway thirty, searching out the reputed 'best snorkling on the island'. Fording cute little twisty mountain roads, a muddy slope, and a freezing little river to cross, we came out on the rocky shore of the oceanic alcove. It was a little disappointing. Proving myself to be Captain Wussy, I made it out about a hundred feet, and was panting to stay afloat. The water was chilly, fed from that chilly mountain stream into the little bay, and the silt churned up was thick as soup. I headed back to sit amongst the warm rocks, while the others floated around for a while. I was just about dried out from my brief adventure when the rains came.
That night found us back in La Hyena, back to the sushi place which foiled us earlier, for an acceptable fishy meal. On the way back to the room, we stopped to rent 'Curse of the Jade Scorpion' and 'Unbreakable'. We turned off Woody Allen after half an hour, miserably disappointed by the sad old unfunny man. The latter was goofy, but okay.
June 18th
Back to Bubba's for lunch today. (Breakfast skipped entirely due to laziness.)
Today the fire alarm began going off for brief moments, for the rest of the trip.
A lot of driving around looking for places to eat, only turning up two-hour waiting lists and vacated properties, ended us up at the Outback, where we spent entirely too long in the company of our server, Keith, who lingeringly told us of his past five-year employment history, encouraged us to go to some clubs to hear a band consisting of the remaining members of 'Wham', and in general exuded a very creepy gay vibe.
Back to Bubba's for lunch today. (Breakfast skipped entirely due to laziness.)
Today the fire alarm began going off for brief moments, for the rest of the trip.
A lot of driving around looking for places to eat, only turning up two-hour waiting lists and vacated properties, ended us up at the Outback, where we spent entirely too long in the company of our server, Keith, who lingeringly told us of his past five-year employment history, encouraged us to go to some clubs to hear a band consisting of the remaining members of 'Wham', and in general exuded a very creepy gay vibe.
June 19th
Another poolside brunch started us out on a day full of beach-sitting. Wary of being burned, I spent the afternoon under a sun umbrella.
Dinner took us back to the sushi place previously visited.
The movies tonight were 'Orgazmo' and 'Jay & Silent Bob Strike Back', both of which evoked chuckles from us all.
The fire alarm stopped sounding at 12:30, thankfully.
Another poolside brunch started us out on a day full of beach-sitting. Wary of being burned, I spent the afternoon under a sun umbrella.
Dinner took us back to the sushi place previously visited.
The movies tonight were 'Orgazmo' and 'Jay & Silent Bob Strike Back', both of which evoked chuckles from us all.
The fire alarm stopped sounding at 12:30, thankfully.
June 20th
The unit above ours is getting new carpetting. From six to nine in the morning. It requires a lot of hammering on the floor, new carpetting, it would seem.
Andy and I stayed in the room today; my ankles developed some hideous burn/rash/thing which hurt like the dickens, throwing a wrench in our plans of heading to Molokai for a boating snorkling adventure thing. Oh well.
I hobbled my way along with everyone to the Fish & Game Brewing Company for dinner that night, enjoying a tasty but pricy Mahi Mahi sampler.
'Ocean's Eleven' was the movie for tonight, enjoyed thoroughly.
The unit above ours is getting new carpetting. From six to nine in the morning. It requires a lot of hammering on the floor, new carpetting, it would seem.
Andy and I stayed in the room today; my ankles developed some hideous burn/rash/thing which hurt like the dickens, throwing a wrench in our plans of heading to Molokai for a boating snorkling adventure thing. Oh well.
I hobbled my way along with everyone to the Fish & Game Brewing Company for dinner that night, enjoying a tasty but pricy Mahi Mahi sampler.
'Ocean's Eleven' was the movie for tonight, enjoyed thoroughly.
June 21th
Breakfast at Longhi's restaurant, a baked vegetable omlette in Hollandaise for me. Some meandering along the strip, then off to the cinema for a Matinee showing of 'Lilo & Stitch', an enjoyable little cartoon, set in Hawaii.
A cheap dinner at Denny's, christ, what were we thinking.
Finally saw the sunset from our unit's view. Ready to go home now. Vacationing is tiring.
Breakfast at Longhi's restaurant, a baked vegetable omlette in Hollandaise for me. Some meandering along the strip, then off to the cinema for a Matinee showing of 'Lilo & Stitch', an enjoyable little cartoon, set in Hawaii.
A cheap dinner at Denny's, christ, what were we thinking.
Finally saw the sunset from our unit's view. Ready to go home now. Vacationing is tiring.
June 22th
A lazy but incessant rain started this last day of ours. It cleared up as we headed south down the island, towards the airport, though. Lunch at Ruby's in the mall, then to the airport at one. Dave & Shawn's flight was off by three, and we secured ourselves boarding passes, thankfully.
Rather than fuss with getting a new rental car (Dave and Shawn arrived before us, and rented the car) or finding a hotel to stash our bags for a half a day (no lockers in the airport), we decided to tough out the remaining eight or so hours until our flight in the comfort of the airport.
They confiscated the tiny little branded pocketknife I had on my keychain, and had never thought about, and had flown down with without a problem. I'll need to get a new one.
If you intend on sleeping on a plane, never, ever, get an exit row seat immediately behind a bulkhead. It's utterly impossible to be comfortable or relaxed. It was a long five hours. But a very nice week.
A lazy but incessant rain started this last day of ours. It cleared up as we headed south down the island, towards the airport, though. Lunch at Ruby's in the mall, then to the airport at one. Dave & Shawn's flight was off by three, and we secured ourselves boarding passes, thankfully.
Rather than fuss with getting a new rental car (Dave and Shawn arrived before us, and rented the car) or finding a hotel to stash our bags for a half a day (no lockers in the airport), we decided to tough out the remaining eight or so hours until our flight in the comfort of the airport.
They confiscated the tiny little branded pocketknife I had on my keychain, and had never thought about, and had flown down with without a problem. I'll need to get a new one.
If you intend on sleeping on a plane, never, ever, get an exit row seat immediately behind a bulkhead. It's utterly impossible to be comfortable or relaxed. It was a long five hours. But a very nice week.
