So they say things come in threes, thank goodness that’s not true because 2 bumps to the start of our vacation is enough… Bump 1 – We had an hour delay on the plane in Toronto because the water system was frozen on the plane (-20 °C outside) and for some reason loading the luggage was behind schedule. Not a big deal, as we did have a 1 1/2hr. layover in Chicago. The flight from Chicago to Maui was long, but we were in First Class and the scenery along the way was beautiful – fluffy clouds, Rocky Mountains, and finally Maui.
Bump 2 – In all our years of travel and numerous trips throughout, we have never had a lost or delayed bag….until now. The suitcase with ALL my clothing, my toiletries, some sweets, the coffee, and other “necessary” items was delayed (???) and not scheduled to show up until later at night. On the positive, it is only delayed and not lost. Note to self – split up clothing into both suitcases from now on… Not sure if customs delayed it as you can see they were good enough to give us back the lock they cut off ! Todd says they probably though the 12 pack of toilet paper we brought (to avoid buying it in USD when we get there) was a bomb !
After being up almost 20 hours, we arrived at our condo for the next 27 nights in Lahaina. We are right on the water…so beautiful, and we arrived in time to experience the sunset. We are in Paradise!
We have spent a very low-key first week here in Lahaina. Our condo unit is oceanfront (so spoiled by the amazing views). Each morning we sit on the lanai drinking our coffee and watching the developing rainbow.
Countless humpback whales swimming by, keep us hooked as they breach and slap their tails.
We did do a couple of drives. One day we headed north towards Napili and a bit beyond. On our way back, we stopped at the Maui Brewing Pub to quench our growing thirst. The bar was very unique – it had a frosted edge around the inside perimeter to keep the drinks cold and stop the glasses from condensation.
Lahaina has a micro-brewery, Kohola Brewery. It looks like it is in a former Maui Brewing building because the logo can still be seen on a part of the building. The bar offers a range of beers, but not really any IPAs for Todd.
Thursday, we took a drive to the Maui Tropical Plantation. We walked the grounds (versus paying $20 ea to ride the tram). Not many plants were flowering, but it was a good walk and we did get a few nice pics of the plants that were flowering.
On our way back to Lahaina, we took a detour to Kihei to compare it with the area we are staying – much more spread out. Once we got back to the highway (the only road in to Lahaina from this side of the island), we hit a traffic standstill. We travelled 1 mile in 1 hour…enough of that…so we joined a few of the other drivers who decided to turn around. We drove back to Kihea and found a bar we were familiar with from Waikiki – Moose McGillycuddy’s. We stopped in for some food and drink (and a bathroom break). Turns out the road was completely closed due to an accident. After an hour and a bit, when the road finally opened, we started home again – movement was really slow (1 ½ hours to go less than 20 miles), but at least traffic was moving.
Friday night was a potluck / meet ‘n greet at the condo. There was a ton of food and lots of variety. About 75% of the units here are occupied with renters….lots of older folks who return year after year. We met a group from Winnipeg and ended up chatting with them long after others retired for the night.
We are totally enjoying ourselves in this laidback lifestyle as we spend our time in Lahaina. The plan is to go and explore some more of the island in the coming days…just as long as we are back on the lanai for the beautiful sunset.
