Category Archives: beach vacation

Luaus in Hawaii

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imu

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Luau’s are everywhere in Hawaii

Luaus are to Hawaii as barbecue is to the South. I’ve been to Luaus on Oahu, The big Island and Maui. I’ve lost count of the number I’ve attended. They all have certain elements. You’ll have Kalua Pig. Its usually the center prices of the celebration. A whole pig is cooked in an underground oven called an imu. You’ll also get to taste poi, a paste made from the taro plant. Some of the other traditional foods are Lomilomi salmon, chicken and long rice. You’ll probably be served Haupia, a coconut milk based treat that’s been popular since the 1940’s for dessert.

The Luau Shows

Princess Dance

There’s a lot of pomp and tradition to the Luau shows. Some start with a procession of Hawaiian Royalty others begin with the opening of the imu. Many just begin as a stage show. No matter what the  format, all of the shows tell a story of the Islands. Different types of native dance and song are showcased. Most have a fire dancers which is always a crowd pleaser.

The Feast at Lele

I was told this Luau was different from any I’d been to before and it shouldn’t be missed. It was a sales pitch and I fell for it but  I was getting a nice discount so why not. Usually tickets are $110/head. I paid $49.00. At most luaus you are seated at long family style tables and go through a buffet line for food. Not so at the Feast of Lele. You’ll have your own table and server.

Our Band

The Band played popular ballads but they all sounded like Hawaiian music. As they started another familiar song I commented ” Here’s another traditional Hawaiian  favorite for your listening pleasure.” My tablemates thought that was quite funny.

Feast of lele dancersJourney across Polynesia

The Feast of Lele differs from other Luaus because you don’t go through a buffet line. You’ll enjoy a 5 course meal themed  by island  and delivered to your table by your server. The entertainment features the dances of the island to match your meal, Hawaii, Aotearoa – New Zealand, Tahiti, Samoa and dessert.

 

Let me tell you how I really feel

I fully agree that everyone should attend at least one Luau but by now my luau experiences were approaching double digits.  I love Hawaii but I am not a fan of Hawaiian food. Give me a good steak anytime.  I like the shows but after seeing as many as I’ve seen I don’t need another one. Even the fire dancer has lost it’s exotic feel. Disney includes a fire dancer in it’s Festival of the Lion King.

Fire Dance

What Happened to the Stress Free Zone

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Even Paradise can encounter Stress

Dealing with an owner update shouldn’t be filled with stress. They aren’t supposed to be trying to sell you anything. Its supposed to be educational. That’s why when my owner update came due at 8 AM Sunday morning I was eager to get it over with. Not that I didn’t want to know what changes had been made to my program. I just didn’t want to spend the whole day with the reps from Diamond Resorts. Nice people but my time on the island was limited. I had better ways to spend my time than locked in a meeting.

Changes are Coming

I enjoyed a nice breakfast while I watched several whales cavorting  just offshore. What a way to spend a morning. The rep assigned to me was originally from Chicago and he was very upbeat and fun. We finally wrapped up breakfast and settled down to the nitty gritty. A lot of his presentation had my eyes crossing. There was some interesting stuff but he sure liked to talk! Once he got into the part about maximizing my return and making my timeshare work for me I perked up. Now he had my attention. It all sounded great. Then he pulled my file and the sales pitch began. Oh too bad, you don’t have enough points to qualify for these perks. You have to be at 70,000 points not the 50,000 you’ve worked so hard to reach.  Now I was mad. I’ve scrimped and struggled to reach this level and now he’s telling me within 2 years it won’t be enough to let me vacation when I want. 

It was a Long, Long Morning

That peaceful breakfast with the whales seemed a long time ago. It was only at 8 am but now it was 1 pm. I had an appointment at 2 pm for a massage. I was led upstairs where I was supposed to sign off on the update. It was not to be. First they had a legal question on my last upgrade. Then I still had to wait for someone else to give me my incentives (gifts). I called the spa and moved my massage to 3 pm. No time for lunch. Finally the last person came out and again tried to sell me the upgrade. I was seeing red at that point and stood up to walk out. That’s when they finally let me go. I’d have to come back to see the concierge for my gifts.

Puamana Day Spa

 

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I arrived at my appointment at 3:15. My stomach was growling but I really wanted to try a massage for my hip problem. I knew a deep tissue massage would hurt and it did, especially on that left hip but at the end I was like rubber. I had to really concentrate just to walk. The ladies at the Spa are mother and daughter and have a very peaceful way about them. Just what I needed after that wasted morning!

The Thing About Hawaii

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RainbowsHawaii is a Paradise to me

As this trip to Hawaii approached I was surprised by the different reactions I got from people that knew where I was going. I admit I was a bit ambivalent about this trip. It’s a long plane ride and I’ve been to Maui before. In fact I’ve been here quite a lot. As one person said to me “It’s a long way just to sit on a beach”. I have to agree with that but the trip was booked so I was going.

Upgrade To First Class

As I was checking in for my flight I was given the option to upgrade to first class. At least for the first leg of my journey from Boston to LAX. I made a quick decision and clicked on yes. Oh my! I think I am hooked for life. I’ve traveled first class before but only for short trips. I thought it was nice then but for a long flight it’s going to be a “must” in the future. Did you know that even water is served to you in real glass cups, not plastic?! The breakfast that came with First Class was a turkey and cheese sandwich on flat bread, a side of fruit and yogurt, a beverage and a bread choice like a cinnamon roll or biscuit. There was real silverware. No plastic knives and forks. I was given a warm towel to freshen up with. So nice.

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Grocery Delivery Perk

As you know from my last post I arrived at my resort with limited options for a late meal. My TimeShare offers a grocery delivery perk. I’ve never used it but maybe I’ll look into it for future trips. Basically you tell them what you want to have in the condo when you arrive, bread, eggs, juice, soda etc. And they order it and make sure it’s there waiting for you when you check in. If I had thought to use that I wouldn’t have been in a dilemma  about what to have for dinner.

Now That I’m Here

Hawaii has already begun to work her magic on me. I had a wonderful first night sleep. I can feel the tension of the last few months draining away and I haven’t done anything  more than look out the window at my ocean view. It’s like this every time for me. From that first trip back in 2007 to today Hawaii never fails to sooth and calm me. Hawaii is more than ocean waves and palm trees. I can get those in Florida. No,  there’s something else here.  I hope I don’t sound stupid but I really feel like the islands speak to my soul. Welcome to Paradise!

Under the falls

Just Another Day in Paradise

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I  Made it to Paradise

Stock Photo- Landing at LAX

As the plane began it’s decent into Maui’s Kahului airport the pilot announced Welcome to Paradise! I made it, again. If the plane ride ( 11-12 hours) is hell then yes, Maui is Paradise. I don’t mind the plane ride. I sleep, eat, drink water and subsist on the little bags of pretzels the airlines provide. My body is not fond of the trip but I’ll cope. Even with all of the napping I was tired and achy when we landed. Of course it was raining when I picked up my rental car. It’s always raining when I make that first drive in the dark to my resort. At least I’m more familiar with the drive now that I’ve been here a few times.

All Checked-in in record time

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I arrived at my resort (Kaanapali Shores) right at 8 pm Hawaiian time.  I didn’t get lost once. My sister can tell you how much trouble we had locating it the first time because it is dark in Hawaii. And if you don’t know where you’re going it’s easy to miss. Thankfully I have a good memory and cruised right in. I was supposed to have a 1 bedroom ocean view but I think they may have been out of those. They gave me a free upgrade to a two bedroom ocean view. I can sleep in a different bed every night.  (Ha Ha)

Dinner Options

I was in my condo by 8:30 pm. Time to think about a real meal. I had upgraded the first half of the flight (Boston to LAX) to first class and that came with a breakfast. (I could get used to those comfy first class seats!) Airline food isn’t 4 star but that breakfast wasn’t bad. Still that was along time ago and in addition to being tired I was hungry. My options were to walk to the little restaurant on the premises and ruin some poor server’s night because the restaurant closes at 9. I’d probably be walking in at 8:45. No I’d let the staff wrap up and go home. Next choice was driving somewhere, probably Lahaina,  to another restaurant. That didn’t appeal to me. I could drive across the street to the TIMES. It’s a 24 hour grocery store. Buy something and bring it back to cook.   I wasn’t really excited about that either. As I was considering just skipping dinner I saw a pizza delivery truck pull up.

Pizza in Hawaii

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Pizza delivery in Hawaii is just like it is at home. I called Pizza Hut. But just like the last time we ordered pizza in Hawaii (on Oahu) it would be easy to get sticker shock. The pizza, a large mushroom and pepperoni was only $12.99. That’s comparable to a pizza in Boston but then I added a 2 liter bottle of diet coke. With delivery charges and taxes it was now at $22.00! Of course I had to tip the driver so it ended up being a $26.00 pizza meal. Not complaining just sharing. I’ll get 3-4 meals out of that pizza anyway.

Reminiscing

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First Cruise and Reminiscing

Reminiscing, remembering, a walk down memory lane. What’s the point of making memories if we don’t pull them out and dust them off now and then? Sometimes things look different after some time has passed. For example let’s talk about cruises. If you ask me now if I like to go on cruises I’ll tell you no. It’s not my cup of tea. I’ve been on 3 cruises in my life, The  Bahamas , Cozumel and Alaska. Now I’ll share my feelings about each cruise, the good and the bad as I remember it. I wonder if I’ll still feel the same way after I’ve brushed off the memories.

The 40th Birthday Cruise

The first cruise was a “destination” cruise. My BFF was turning 40. It was a traumatic milestone for him so 3 of us got together and decided we’d take him on a cruise to the Bahamas. It was a short cruise. If I recall it was just 4 days. We spent one day on a private island. That was the best part of the trip for me. I got to spend the day snorkeling. My 3 friends hung out on the beach.

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Formal Night

Like most cruises at that time, one night was formal night. We were cruising with the Royal Caribbean. We all got dressed to the 9’s and had our picture taken with the captain. Then we retired to one of the lounges. The entertainment was big band music. Everyone was dancing. We didn’t stay long. My 3 companions didn’t want to dance at least not ballroom dancing. Instead we went to one of the shows. I’m a team player so I went along. Most entertainment on cruise ships is top notch and these shows were no exception. It was a good 2nd choice to the dancing.

Chihuly

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Bahamas

When we arrived in the Bahamas my 3 friends wanted to go shopping. I suggested we explore the ocean activities, like swimming  with dolphins, as I was not interested in shopping. I can go shopping anytime. Once again it was 3 to 1 so we went shopping. After shopping was over we took a shuttle boat to Paradise Island to visit the famous Atlantis Resort. I saw my first Chihuly, a glass masterpiece and became an instant fan. The aquarium under the resort was very cool too. It was like walking through a submerged ancient city. 

Atlantis resort

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The Cruise Home

The last day was a sea day. We were headed home. Since I don’t gamble I avoided the casino. I wasn’t interested in the art auction either. A deck chair and Dan Brown‘s book, The Da Vinci Code were calling my name.

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