Hawaii Part III

It's Travel Tuesday (I know, it's Wednesday, but use your imagination!) and we've made it to the last segment of my Hawaii adventure. Is it time to go back yet?

The week was shooting by, but some of my favorite parts of this vacation were saved for the end. Finally, finally, the water was calm enough to go stand up paddle boarding! I had been waiting for this all week, and it was well worth it. My sister and I each had a paddle board, and my dad took out a kayak. It didn't take long to get the hang of it, and I was up and paddling in no time! My sister, on the other hand, kept thinking her paddle board's shadow was a shark and refused to stand up for fifteen minutes. But she was up and going soon enough! My dad, on the other hand, fell straight backward on his first attempt to stand up. I would kill to do it again, and it was an awesome leg and arm work out to boot!

Good thing my dad has connections, because his friend was able to hook me up with a helicopter tour of Maui and the surrounding areas! It was beautiful! After I got over the weird feeling you get in your ears when riding a helicopter, I was able to really take in the nature of the island. There were huge waterfalls, enormous sea cliffs, and mountain goats scaling the side of these vertical cliffs. We even flew into the crater of a dormant volcano - one that the Hawaiians have believed to be dormant for a million years. It was pure beauty, and an experience I wouldn't trade for the world!

My dad and I were also able to go snorkeling again - and this time I brought my GoPro! We went along Kaanapali beach and around Black Rock. My dad had a hunch that this would be the best place to find some sea turtles. We hopped in the water and I began to film. The water was incredibly deep - deeper than the previous snorkeling trip. It took me a good amount of time to stop looking behind me every five seconds to make sure a shark wasn't nearby. Once I calmed down, I was able to enjoy the nature that surrounded me. We saw a manta ray on the floor of the ocean, long needle fish, and even a scuba diver instructor handling an octopus! However, the highlight of this trip it when I turned around to see an enormous sea turtle just feet away. I handed my dad the camera and swam over to lightly stroke its shell. I marveled at how calm and peaceful it was, despite our presence.

But alas, all good things must come to an end...for now! I departed Friday night, just after the sun had set. After eleven hours of travel time, a stressful layover in San Diego, and a more relaxed pit stop in Dallas, I had finally arrived in Cincinnati. And it was just in time for a last minute road trip - stay tuned!

Hawaii Part I

Hawaii Part II

Hawaii Part II

It's been almost two months since I was in Hawaii, and boy do I miss the fresh mangoes. Each day, we would pull one off of the tree in the back yard, cut it up, and eat it as a snack. It was incredibly delicious, and probably the freshest fruit I've ever had!

After a fun day full of para sailing, I was absolutely exhausted. I spent the next couple days relaxing on the deck, laying on the beach, or nursing my scorched skin with the fresh aloe leaves from the backyard. Warning: Snorkeling causes your lower back to burn. A lot. Try wearing a rash guard or a ton of sunscreen. At one point when I was laying out on the beach one morning, a man and his two dogs came running down the beach and into the crashing waves. The smaller dog decided he didn't like the waves and came to sit next to me the entire time. It was pretty adorable.

Later in the week, I went out with my dad to go snorkeling in the reefs. Baby beach, where my sister had taken me earlier, was about 4 feet deep, murky, and nearly fishless. The beach my dad took me to couldn't have been more different. The water must have been fifty feet deep in some areas, and it was crystal clear all the way to the ocean floor. The fish were so beautiful and colorful - red, yellow, blue, silver, and everything in between. I even saw a rainbow fish and an eel! At this point, my GoPro wasn't charged so I don't have any pictures of this particular snorkeling trip, which I totally regret!

Though the ocean water is lovely and warm, I sure miss a dose of chlorine in my life every now and again. One day when everyone else was at work, my dad and I took off to the row of hotels that line the beachfront. For two or three hours, we swam in about five or six different pools at these resorts, judging which one we liked the best. There were water slides, bridges, lazy rivers, volleyball, and more. In case you were wondering, if I remember correctly, my favorite pool was the Sheraton Resort & Spa.

My sister and I also made some time to walk down Front Street, which is located right off of the shore and is lined with shops and restaurants. I bought a couple souveniers, took a stroll through the art galleries, and even sat at the Forrest Gump bench! (Note the missing foot in the picture, haha!).

Only a couple days left, and so much on my to-do list to check off!

Hawaii Part I

Hawaii Part III

Hawaii Part I

After a month long hiatus, it's about time to recap my Hawaii/Florida/Seattle August vacation!

I got off the plane Wednesday night in Kahului and drove for a little under an hour until we reached Lahaina! The next morning, I woke up and walked to the closest beach, which is about a ten minute walk. Baby Beach was almost empty when I got there at about 8 am, which was great! After a couple hours, I headed home and hopped in the car. Driving south along the Honoapiilani Highway is a beautiful sight! It stretches right along the west coast of the island and there are many lookout spots to stop and take pictures at along the way.

Honoapiilani Highway lookout

The next morning, my sister and I headed out to Baby Beach again. This time, with a pair of snorkeling gear. We didn't go too far out, because she has a slight fear of snorkeling. The water was a little murky as well, so we could barely see five feet in front of us. So snorkeling was a little bit of a bust, but we're going to try another beach later this week. That evening, we walked down Front Street, which is filled with shops, restaurants, and art exhibits that line the beach. I even got myself a Dole Whip! It tasted just like I remember it at Disney World.

Saturday morning, we got up early and began our journey on the road to Hana, which is on the furthest east point of the island.  This is a must-do if you ever come to the island of Maui. We first went to the Haleakala National Park and hiked up a mile to the famous Bamboo Forest. From there, we hiked another mile up to Waimoku Falls. It was a beautiful sight, and a great workout! Although I warn you, the pool at the base of the waterfall is not large enough to swim in. We chuckled to ourselves when people hiked past us, two miles up with flip flops on and a towel over their shoulder. From there, we drove further up the road to Black Sand Beach. Honestly, it wasn't all that in my opinion. And apparently the water is very chilly, so I did not intend on swimming. However, the shaved ice they sell in the parking lot is to die for!

Sunday morning, we woke up with the intention of going stand up paddle boarding, but the wind was too strong. One impulsive decision later, and we were up in the air para sailing! It is insane how calm everything is once you get in the air. And the view of Maui and the surrounding islands is absolutely beautiful! Later in the day, we went pool hopping at the resorts that line the boardwalk. That was a blast, and well worth the scorching sunburn it caused!

Hawaii Part II

Hawaii Part III

News!

Happy Wednesday everyone! It is my favorite day of the week, thus some good news is long overdue. As you all know, I love to travel. New York City, Orlando, Atlanta, Salt Lake City, Nashville, Philadelphia, Cincinnati, Seattle... you name it, and I'll add it to my list. This coming August, I'll be happy to add another adventure to my list: Maui, Hawaii! 

After my quarterly pit stop into Seattle to visit my mom, friends, and the rest of my family, I will happily make my way over to a vacationers paradise to visit my dad and little sister. I've already began concocting a list of to-do's for my trip. Snorkeling, hiking, maybe some skydiving? We'll see! And I get to add some more cities to my layover list (this includes cities that I have stopped in during layovers, but have not explored fully...still exciting though!) - Denver, San Diego, and Dallas. Stay tuned to hear all about this Hawaii adventure!