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Three planes east

Yep, we made it thru check-in, screening and onto gate 27 for our first flight..United 46 to LAX..it's a smallish plane for this trip..a 757 with 3& 3 seating & tight. I sleep most of the way and KK does pretty good..better than usual..and we get into LAX about 4:45 am. On to the next gate..not far..and a 767 to Denver. It's a full flight, but great room, as we have 2-3-2 seating and plenty of leg room. I once again, sleep most of the way & we snack on cookies & crackers. Into Denver ahead of schedule & a short walk to the connection to OKC. A smaller plane..Airbus..but only 1/2 full & room to stretch out. One hour & 10 minutes to Will Rogers World & no problems! Wayne & Jean pick us up in a few minutes & we're home by 2:00. A long night/day, but well worth it! See ya on the next trip!

The Hidden Jewel by the Pool

And what is that you ask? It's the neat little bar & restaurant at the Sands of Kahana, where we had a farewell breakie on Tuesday morning..the 3.99 special! Eggs & roasted potatoes for me & just pineapple & an English muffin for KK. Checkout time for us is noon, so I go by to get a late checkout and I'm told the road to the airport is closed due to a massive grass fire..since 1:30 am. So we may have to go around the the north side, which takes 3 hours. So we decide to go to Honolua to snorkel & maybe by then the road will be open. The Bay is pretty crowded but big enough for all and we go out for a long swim thru the coral reefs and by the time we finish, there are 3 catamarans tied up. We do see a lot of fish, but not like yesterday...the wind is up & big waves are churning up the area. We visit with a few couples & head back to the car. Back to the condo & sure enough, the road is open! Finish packing, shower & check out. The road is fine, not much traffic, but lots of fire-trucks still working & a helicopter dropping water on hot spots. Down to the Wailea area & have lunch at "Cheeseburger, Island Style". A great burger & a good cold draft Kona brew. Off to see BIG Beach, Makena & a long drive thru the last lava flow on Maui (1790) more beaches and a wildlife refuge area. One more stop at Wally & then to the airport, return the car & suffer thru checking in at the United counter..a nightmare! (So much for the "EZ check-in.")

Reefs and Shark at Black Rock

Off to Black Rock on Kaanapali Beach this am & we get a parking spot at the beach access lot! (only 17 vehicles will fit here.) Some big waves here, but we get in & see lots of fish & a sea turtle swimming by. On my second trip out, I see a reef shark, about 5' long & he swims by real fast. Back to the condo for a sandwich & off to Honolua Bay...this time we park up the road & walk down the old road to the site (much shorter.) Quite a few people here, but no boats. We go out on the left side & see lots of schools..Hawaiian Flagtails, Convict Tangs & a sea turtle swims by and goes to the bottom to "rest". Also a new one is sighted: a Stocky Hawkfish, way down on the bottom. Back to our rock beach to warm up and chat with some folks from Argentina, before I go out again..to the right this time & see a Peacock Flounder and literally, thousands of the Tailfish in a school..unbelievable! Then out over the reef there are a few schools of Convict Tangs with some Whitebar Surgeonfish. What a great day of snorkeling! Back to the car and we proceed up & down this windy road toward the blowhole, but even with some stops, it proves to be too curvy for KK. But I can tell you that the views are fantistic! Ok, clean up a bit & head down to Lahaina for supper & shopping. We decide to try a new place, The Mala Beach Tavern. I'm telling you, it was the BEST seafood pasta I've ever had! (Pricey, but FAB!) KK had the Mahi-Mahi on mashed potatoes in a sauce with pita bread wedges, and a great view of the sunset over Lahaina Harbor. WOW! A little shopping on front street followed this feast & back to the room to pack for the flight back to land-locked Harrah, Amrica. See ya at the Airport.

Beware of the VOG

Yes, it was a little Voggie today (volcanic fog) sorta hazy, but 86 and we cook breakfast here again & eat on the lanai. Off we go to a craft fair just down the road & a lot of the same people from yesterday's Swap meet. These folks are are local artists or crafters & it's mostly indoors. We buy a couple of things & head off to the old airport beach to snorkel. By the time we get there, the surf is pretty rough , so I go out and check out the spot. Lots of really good coral & fish but the water is churned up from the big waves..the stand up surf boarders love it! Load up and go to Kapalua where it is more protected, but a lot of people. We both go out and it's great as usual, with lots of humu's, unicorn fish & wrasses. Relax a little & head back to the condo to have lunch..sandwiches & a brew. Clean up a bit and head off to Whaler's Village mall to shop, listen to live jazz & eat at the Hula Grill. We did stop along Kaanapali to find a new beach spot by the Royal Kaanapali villas. A big parking area and nice grassy areas, with facilities. Oh, back to Whaler's & the Hula Grill, where I had the fish (mahi) tacos & KK had a fish (Ahi) sandwich & the band & hula girl doing their thing. Out to the parking garage to get our car "out of hock" & a short drive back to our room

Craft Fair & Turtle flips

YEA! It's the weekend..as if we care, but that does mean it's time for the Maui College Swap meet & lots of bargains. First, we cook breakie here at the condo & head over to Kahului to the swap meet & just how do we get there? Aw yes, now I remember..over by the harbor. It's a hot day (87) and the shaved ice sure tastes good. We buy a few things and then go over to Queen Kaahumanu Mall to cool off and look around. Where should we eat lunch? Well, not here, so back to Lahaina we go to eat at Aloha Mixed Plate. And we luck out! It's happy hour(s)! So we order mai tai's & coconut prawns to start it off & follow up with the entrees..mixed plate for me & KK gets the Mahi-mahi..fried (plus you get macaroni & rice)! We can skip supper! We have our stuff so we drive straight-as we can- to Kapalua & catch some late afternoon snorkeling. I even doze off after an extended swim with the reef fish & a few sea turtles. Then we walk over to the left side and watch 3 or 4 turtles playing in the rocks by the shore. A little rain sends us off the beach & back to the condo & once again, it's sunny, so for the first time this trip, we go down to the pool. Man, is it warm compared to the Pacific. Hit the showers & down to ABC to get a couple of things & onto the DQ at the Cannery Mall to top off the day. As I said, no supper..not even a bologna sandwich!

Heavenly Honolua

ALOHA from paradise! We changed a little today, getting ready for snorkeling in the morning, while it's still warm, sunny & calm waters. A little breakie here & watching for whales..not much activity...and heading up to Honolua Bay. Lots of people there today, including two big Catamarans, but plenty of room for all. We both went out & saw thousands of reef fish, with many schools of 100 or more. One sea turtle, resting on the bottom, about 20 feet down. A new one today was a Spotted Boxfish-cute little thing. I went out again after chatting with a couple from Newcastle, OK, staying in the same hotel we are..small world, and saw another turtle, and more schools of Mackerel Scad & Bluestriped Snappers. Back to the car & a stop at Napili Plaza for groceries & lunch at a hole-in-the -wall spot that had rotisserie chicken lunches for 5.99..what a deal! Down to the condo to eat the chicken, shower and head over to the Wailea area for some sightseeing & shopping. Man was traffic horrible! It must have been "rush hour" Friday evening traffic, as it was stop & go all the way to Maalea harbor. At least we had the ocean to look at..no whales however. Finally, over to the Shops at Wailea, and you know the type..Louis Vitton, etc. So, not much buying, but we did keep updated with the OKC Thunder game vs the LAL. Down to the beach walk and some massive hotels, a luau, sea turtles & lots of wealthy folks eating down by the beach. The sunset was pretty awesome too, but we wind our way up thru the Grand Wailea & it is a FAB place! Works of art everywhere & waterfalls & massive swimming pools. OK, back to reality & our Jeep & back home thru a lot of police cars all over the place. A little easier trip back to the condo & supper here..sandwiches, chips & a cool one.