Hi Again
Lots more to tell you about Maui but it was a long series of flights to get back home. We left Maui at 7 pm on the 18th and finally landed in Albany at 8 pm on the 19th. After a night at my sister’s house I left NY in a snow storm arriving at my home in Taunton, MA about 2:30 pm Sunday 11/20.
It was a warm welcome from my furry friend Rocky.
I’ll get back to my Maui stories real soon.
We didn’t make plans for Saturday because Kathy’s plane came in so late. We wanted to give her a chance to rest but we did go to the the resort’s orientation. I thought it would be a good way for Kathy to get up to speed on the things we can choose to do.
But Kathy’s a trouper. She didn’t want to waste a minute. As soon as we finished at the orientation, booking a whole list of events and tours, she suggested a drive to Haleakala. I made sure we had a full tank of gas this time.
Kathy took over the navigating so we didn’t need to use the crazy GPS. (It doesn’t work so well on the Island)
It was another twisty, turny drive. But the clouds were spectacular this time. When Sandy and I went up the first time it was gray and rainy, but this drive was beautiful with lots of blue sky.
We made a quick stop at the first visitor center then on to the 2nd. The views were amazing. Kathy kept saying the clouds looked like cotton candy.
The summit was in reach and the gas gauge was looking good so we hopped back in the car and continued to the top.
By now we were at 10,000 ft.
There were stone stairs to cover the last few hundred feet but all 3 of us looked at that and said Oh No! This is good enough! It made my knees hurt just looking at them!
For any of you that might consider climbing the stairs, there is an observation deck & building when you get to the top.
Now that we know that the Ka’anapali Beach club is the “Pink Pyramid” we need to move our things from the Ka’anapali Shores. I just knew the “Pink Pyramid” would haunt me forever!
Almost everything was packed the night before. There were just a few perishables left that we were trying to keep fresh including the pineapple I received as a Welcome Gift. Check out at the “Shores” was 10 am but even with my early check in we couldn’t get our room at the Beach Club until 2 pm. I took my larger suitcase down to the car on my way to the update breakfast with my timeshare counselor. I left Sandy in the room to wait for me to return.
I met Tara in the Ohana Bar & Grill where we had a very nice breakfast. The table was on the deck and we could watch the breakers roll in. After breakfast we went inside to chat. I don’t know why it always happens to me but when Tara went to added a recommendation to my account she couldn’t do it. Finally after much digging we learned that the previous counselor had added a recommendation that should have expired but didn’t. They wanted me to sign a release. Problem was that only Diamond Resorts would benefit. I’d be leaving myself open for a big cost jump if I wanted to add on at all.
Finally we came up with a compromise. They would let me move my points from the US collection to the Hawaii Collection. That action removed the previous recommendation but it took forever to get to this point.
In the meantime, Sandy was still sitting over at the “Shores” waiting for me. I sent her a text telling her I’d be late. Her reply was that the cleaning lady had come by twice. Tara’s boss made a call to the Shores to arrange a late check out. I’d already arranged for early check in at Ka’anapali Beach club (KBC).
Finally the paperwork was done and I was free to get us checked in, pineapple and all.
Next stop was the airport to pick up Cuz Kathy. When we arrived a band was playing to entertain people waiting for their luggage. Kathy’s plane kept getting later and later. First the Starbucks closed down for the night. Then the musicians packed up and left. Still no Kathy!
When she finally arrived she came from the opposite side from where we were expecting her. Needless to say I about jumped out of my skin when she came up behind me.
No matter, we were all together now so let the fun begin!
I had my sister and me booked for an event that was billed as “The Event of a Lifetime”.
Located at the foot of the West Maui Mountains is the show Na Lio.
Promptly at 5 pm 2 shuttle buses would pull up to the front of the resort to take us to the ranch. But which resort? I still had not met our coordinator. All communication had been by phone, text or an itinerary left for me at the front desk.
I finally got an actual address but them I couldn’t find it. Driving around I spotted a post man. Surely he will know where this address is located.
Turns out he did and the “Pink Pyramid” strikes again. The address I’d been searching for belongs to that big pink resort right next to the Ka’anapali Beach Shores! Once inside we found the ping pong tables and settled in to wait. It wasn’t long.
After being given a lei and the courtesy photo we all climbed aboard for the short ride to the location where tables were all ready set up and waiting for us.
After an excellent dinner the show began. Slack Key artist, George Kakumoku, Jr started the action off .
The show is the story of horses in Hawaii.
The story is told in song and dance (Hula)
and with the horses. The 2nd story line is the story of young love that triumphs in the end.
I’m not sure which was more amazing, the dancers or the horses.
At the end of the show the riders brought their mounts to the edge of the stage and we were invited to meet them and say hello to the horses. We were given carrots to feed the horses.
One of the horses liked my lei better than the carrots. He got a big bite of it before I could get it out of his reach. As it was just flowers there was no harm done and the rider and the others standing with me joined me in a good laugh.
Then it was back on the shuttle buses for the return to the resort.
After wrapping up our Aquarium visit we decided to do a little exploring, Sandy had heard of a place with wild animals, like a sanctuary. I tried a google search on my phone but the only thing I could find was the Kealia Pond Wildlife Refuge. Off we went to check it out.
Kealia Pond National Wildlife Refuge is one of the few natural wetlands remaining in the Hawaiian Islands. Located along the south central coast of Maui, it is 691 acres of wetland which provides a home to the endangered Hawaiian coot.
Upon arrival it looked pretty quiet but there was a nice boardwalk so we decided to just take a walk. I wasn’t expecting anything special. Boy was I surprised.
The first bird we spotted was a “stilt”. These are striking black-and-white birds with very long, thin red legs, the Black-necked Stilt is found along the edges of shallow water in open country.
Once we spotted one, we began to see them all over. They were funny little birds with those long skinny legs and we had a lot of fun watching them as they hunted tiny minnows in the shallow water.
Sandy spooked one stilt and when it took off it spooked another bird. This time it was a heron of some type. I thought it was a green heron but some folks came a long with a bird book and said it was a Black Crested Night Heron.
What ever it was, it was a willing subject for a photo shoot once he roosted again. He stayed put while I snapped away.
There were a number of white egrets. According to history these are cattle egrets.
They are an invasive species brought to the island by man to control such pests as fleas, ticks, flies and other cattle parasites.
Last but not least we came upon a pair of the endangered Coots. They are really cute little birds. They reminded me of the common mud hen in Florida but they don’t have the red coloring.
It would have been nice to walk further along the board walk but truth be told, both of us were getting tired and it was a very hot, sunny day. Time to wrap it up and head back to the car.