Saturday, June 22, 2013

JJ's Hawaii Vacation 2012



I can't believe that I have not written about this before.  I guess I just didn't ever find the time to sit down and write about it.  But  here goes.

Last June we waited for JJ to play his game on Thursday night in Oklahoma City and then we drove to Gainsville, Texas to spend the night because we were flying out early Friday morning from Dallas to Maui.  We made it to the DFW airport very early....we just did not find the cheap place to park the car.


We flew to LAX first, not only did we change planes, but we changed airlines.  This meant that we had to go out and come through security again.  We almost missed our plane but, the plane was not only delayed but grounded and we had to get off one plane and on to another plane.  We hijacked the next flight.  I'm not sure what happened to the people on that flight.  I guess they got them another plane.

JJ was so excited when we finally got to Maui, even if it was several hours late.  He loved flying.  We got our car and drove straight to our Condo which is right across from the Ocean.  You can see the pool and the ocean from our balcony on the top floor.  We were in Maui almost 2 full weeks.  JJ got to swim every day in the pool and pretty much every day in the ocean.

The pool from our condo

View of the ocean from our condo

JJ on the lanai


One of the first places we took him to was Big Beach aka Makena Beach.  He loved to boogie board.





We took him on a boat to go snorkeling.  He loved it and again he found a very pretty young woman to flirt with.  We snorkeled a couple of places.  He loved the boat.











He also learned to surf.  He had a very pretty girl for his instructor.  He got up the very first time he tried.  She was a great instructor and he was also a very good student.










We took him to a Luau in Wailea.  He made friends with a beautiful girl who was on her honeymoon.  That boy is going to charm the ladies some day.




 


We took JJ to the Maui Ocean center which has an aquarium.  There is a tunnel to walk through where you have fish all around you.  JJ really enjoyed watching the workers diving in the large aquarium with the fish.






Wailuku is home of the Iao Valley.  This is where some great battles took place.  It is considered a sacred place to the Hawaiians.  The needle was a good place for a look out.  The Ioa Needle is very often surrounded by clouds.  This is one of the wettest places on the island.

  






One part of the island that many people do not go to is the far Northwest end.  There is a place called Nakalele Blowhole.  There are times when the water spits up hundreds of feet in the air.  It is dangerous to get too close to it as it can suck you back into the ocean.  Many people hike down to the bottom, but we just watched its beauty from a safe distance.  We drove the back way to get there and there are some spectacular views.


Kahakuloa Head is 636 feet tall.

This is Nakalele Blowhole
JJ just taking in the view of the ocean


King Kamehameha Day is celebrated every year on each island.  On Maui they have a parade in his honor in Lahaina.  There are ladies on horses that are dressed up and each of the Islands is a different color.  It is right on Front Street which is right next to the ocean.  We enjoying going to this if we are there on the right Saturday in June.  As luck would have it we were there for the right Saturday.








After the parade we were hungry and since Lahaina is always so busy we decided to drive on north to the Plantation Golf Course to eat.  It is at Kapalua.  Golf Digest calls it the best golf course on Maui












  No trip to Maui is complete without at least one trip to Cheeseburgers In Paradise.  We took JJ to the one in Wailea at the Shops of Wailea.





We also went to the top of Haleakala Volcano.  He saw the state flower which is the Silver Sword.  We also saw a NaNa the state bird that day.  It was very cold and very windy up there.  JJ was shivering.  The crater is 21 miles in diameter.  the summit is 10,032 feet above sea level.  It is a really neat place.





We found a new place to eat this time.  It is a really, really good Italian place.  It was right on the beach between Makena and Wailea.  










After a great dinner we were driving back to the condo and this is what we saw....so we had to stop for a picture.




We went to a working pineapple plantation.  There is a tram that takes you around.  Lot's of plants and fruit trees here to look at.  It was a fun day.  JJ drank coconut water.  









On Tuesdays you can go down by the pool and learn how to make a lei to take home.  JJ and I decided to go for it.  Bop stayed in the room to rest.  It was almost time to go home.  JJ made one for Bop too.



And then as all things do....it was time for our vacation in paradise to come to an end.  We flew home the next day.  We made some wonderful memories.  I hope JJ remembers this trip forever.  I know I will and I'm sure Bop will too.

Last meal in paradise...Burger King at the Airport.