Maui Plans and Evil Plots

Ya’ll are going to get reeeeeeeeeaaaaaaaaalllllllllllllllllllllllllllyyyyyyyyyyyyyy sick of reading posts about Maui. But, I think you’re going to have to just DEAL WITH THAT SHIT, because I’m not gonna stop. But certainly feel free to chime in and help me plan the trip – you know, if you are so inclined. So far, I have three days of the 12 that are open for adding stuff to.

Let’s do a run-down of the trip and how we came to plan it, shall we? M’kay!!!

2 years ago, hubby and I went to Maui for the first time for our 20th wedding anniversary. Having never been to a tropical locale before – and also since this was my DREAM OF ALL DREAMS – I planned every minute of the trip.

I remember as the plane took off as our adventure wound down…how a piece of my soul was left on that island. There was a physical ache that occurred as the plane started the departure…as if something in my chest was tied to the island in some way – I literally felt a “tug”. Hard to imagine or explain if you haven’t experienced it, I suppose. All we have thought about since we got back…was how we were going to get back there and when…and when we do? We are takin’ the kids.

ANYWHOO – I’ll share with you our plans and you can feel free to give suggestions, tell me to fuck off or whatever. 🙂 The numbers will represent which days of the trip we are on totaling 12 (13 if you count the day we are leaving…):

1. Arrive in Maui around 1pm: Get the rental car, hit up Costco and the grocery store for vittles and libations. Get the condo organized after running full blast into the ocean and playing with the kids. BBQ steaks for dinner.
2. Wake up pre-butt-crack-o-dawn for the drive up to The Crater of Haleakala to experience the sunrise on our first full day in Maui. Walk through the hippy town of Pa’ia grab some ice cream, check out the shops and wander our way back to the condo for naps and snorkeling and crap like that.
3. Chill day: Wander about looking for great beaches to hang out on and to snorkel as much as possible ending in the town of Lahaina for perhaps a cheeseburger in paradise at Cheeseburger In Paradise.
4. Wake up early for our all day adventure on the Road to Hana – waterfalls, winding roads, sudden downpours, roadside ice cream at Coconut Glenn’s which may be a front for some whacky weed sellin’ – but don’t quote me on that, banana bread stops, ocean playing, lunch in Hana continuing the road all the way around Haleakala back to the condo. By the end of the day we will have driven around 2/3 of the circumference of the island and probably have taken about 1000 pictures – yeah…we are “those people”.
5. Beach hopping: Stopping at all the beaches bordering the ritzy hotels, also hitting up Big Beach/Little Beach(to gawk at nekkid people and snorkel) and the Lava Beds. Snorkel as much as possible.
6. Shopping day in Kihei. Wandering through the farmers market, little shops, perhaps stopping for lunch at Da Kitchen (OH SO YUMMY!!!!).
7. Drive the remaining 1/3 of the island starting with the northeast side, travelling north. Buy pineapple from the dancing dude in the street, eat shave ice from the pink house where the lady took us into her back yard and told us to just chill and enjoy the view. Snorkel and play on any beaches that we find along the way back down to Ka’anipali where we will partake in a Luau.
8. Molokini Snorkel Trip – check in at 7:15am – breakfast and lunch on the boat – swim with the fishies and turtles. See a dolphin or two. Back to the condo for pool/hot tub/beach chill time.
9. Head out to Nipili for snorkeling adventures.
10. Filler day
11. Filler day
12. Filler day
13. Time to pack and return the rental car as we try not to cry after 12 full days in paradise.

And thus concludes our trip planning. I may throw a Sugar Cane Train ride in there or a trip to Upcountry to see the lavender fields…

So far, as a family, this is what we have all agreed upon. The only things set in stone are probably the Haleakala sunrise (we want to do that right when we get there because waking up at 3am is fine since it’ll be 6am at home and it’s our first day and haven’t adjusted to the time change yet.) as well as the Luau and Molokini boat ride. After packing every moment of our last trip with something to do in such a hardcore way – I am hoping the family is happy with the amount of “Chill time” I’ve included in the trip and if hubby doesn’t want to go with us on some of these outings, he can certainly stay at the condo while my girls and I explore new places to snorkel and new beaches to experience.

Any suggestions? Things you’ve seen or done that you think we shouldn’t miss?

I also promised an Evil Plot: The kids want to see how many pictures they can photobomb as people take their vacation photos. This activity promises to be A LOT OF FUN and will probably result in some laughter and possibly the peeing of pants.