Bye Bye Maui

Every Hawaiian Island has its own flavor. Different paces and feelings.

The Big Island will always hold a special place in my heart. Maybe because it was the first Island we visited?

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But Oahu was special too. It was a much more urban Island. After all, it’s the “Gathering Place.” But Oahu will always be linked to Pearl Harbor for me. Very emotional. Everyone should visit the Arizona Memorial. Watching the History Channel specials about the Pearl Harbor attacks took me right back to the feeling I experienced the day of my visit.

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Maui falls somewhere in between. It seemed to have more commercial/urban areas but there was a lot of unspoiled area too. Of the 3 islands Maui was the hardest to drive around. The “Road to Hana” was without question the most dangerous and challenging. Its the only island I did not drive around completely myself. We took the tour.

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We didn’t get into the interior too much. That area is the wet section and is probably similar to the Hilo area on the Big Island. The road to the interior was washed out and closed. I hope to explore it more when I go back in February.

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Maui was filled with things to do. We kept busy on the sea , in the air and under sea. We filled our days with sunset dinner cruises and luaus, helicopter rides over  Haleakala and a submarine journey 127 ft under the sea. Great adventures all. And all in a tropical paradise.

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So which Island do I like the best now? I’m still not sure. I’m beginning to think it depends on what I want out of the trip.

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Its interesting that Sandy said the one regret she had about this vacation was that we didn’t go on the whale watch. That had been high on our must do list but the whales were just arriving while we were there. We probably would have seen some but the general scuttlebutt when i asked was that it would be a blow or a tail here or there. Not the wild antics Hawaii is known for. That comes later in the season. So we, or maybe it was me, made the decision not to include a whale watch trip this time. Maybe with the wisdom of hindsight, that was a mistake.

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We’ll just have to time it better next time we go. And there will be a next time!

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Aloha From Hawaii

No I’m not there yet but I did get a call.

Yes a nice surprise. The phone rang and caller ID said Diamond Resorts. That’s my time share so I grabbed the phone before it could go to voice mail. As I gasped out a Hello I heard a man’s voice call out “Aloha”.

SURFER AT PEAHI (JAWS), MAUI, HAWAII.

That got my attention.

It was a combination confirmation call and orientation, not that I remember everything he told me. He gave me so much information. We confirmed check in times,  talked about the facilities, tours and events, what I had in mind for the vacation, everything.  It wasn’t a short call but it was very pleasant.

Oh and we talked about the weather. I mentioned it looked like they were getting a lot of rain. He laughed. He said the weather reports always show rain because at any given time its raining someplace on the island. Right now he says its mostly 70-80, low humidity and sunny. If it does rain, its warm and no lightening so just keep on with what we’re doing!

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Nice touch Diamond Resorts. Mahalo!

Current Weather Conditions

A few passing clouds. Low 71F. Winds NE at 10 to 20 mph.

Gatlinburg Planning

That was a short break from planning but I must say a lot of it’s done now. I don’t play golf anymore which is too bad because I’ll be staying at Bent Creek Golf Village.

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Winding through the foothills of the Great Smoky Mountains, discover the Gary Player par 72 golf course at Bent Creek Golf Village. This three-time Masters and British Open winner designed what one magazine rated as one of the “Top Fifty Golf Courses in the South.” Discover the breathtaking blue mist of the surrounding mountains while relaxing in your own well-appointed accommodations. At Bent Creek Golf Village you can enjoy the splendor of every season and the adventure that awaits you in nearby Gatlinburg.

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I have a 1 bedroom DELUXE. Didn’t realize that I booked a DELUXE accommodation. I just took the one that met my schedule.  I’ll have a washer and dryer in the suite so I can pack light and wash often. 🙂 Queen bed, queen sleeper sofa, full kitchen, living/dining area, whirlpool jet tub, fireplace, washer/dryer, two TVs, DVD/VCP, iPod clock radio, hairdryer and screened-in porch.

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According to the events calendar I’ll be visiting during the Smokey Mountain Spring Fest; A countywide celebration of the season featuring special events, local craft shows, and much more.

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Just in case I get bored on Fridays and Saturdays in May, visitors can meet characters, hear mountain music and learn about life long ago in the Smokies on the streets of Gatlinburg. Storytellers, musicians and cloggers perform along the strip of downtown Gatlinburg.

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But the main reason for the visit is the Natural beauty.

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Majestic waterfalls and hemlock-covered forests glisten beneath the breathtaking sunrises and legendary blue mist of the Great Smoky Mountains.

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I plan to take lots of pictures.

3 More M States

We’ve covered Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, so we have 5 left. The 3 today are Michigan, Minnesota, and Mississippi.

Sad to say I have not been to any of them.

M is for Michigan…No.

A quick hit on Michigan’s travel page reveals something I should have guessed…Fall is big business here. Any northern state must have a fall as the cool nights and warm days practically guarantee lovely colors. It certainly seems that Michigan is blessed with the phenomenon.

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The web site has a fall color’s map and the first link is to the many scenic drives along the coastline of Lake Michigan. From apple orchards and farms to Wine and Beer trails, Michigan looks like a fall vacation destination extraordinaire.

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For Cities we have Detroit, the Motor city. (I’ve flown into the Detroit Airport many times), Ann Arbor and Grand Rapids to name only a few.

Speaking of  coastal drives , did you know Michigan borders 4 of the Great Lakes? Yup, Lake Erie, Lake Huron, Lake Michigan and Lake Superior. Here’s another intriguing fact, Michigan has more lighthouses than any other state! That was a shocker for me as I would have expected the most lighthouses to be on an ocean coast. I think I heard the are 115 Lighthouses in Michigan. Amazing!

M is for Minnesota…another No 🙁

So I’m searching for fun things to do in Minnesota and what do I find? The SPAM Museum. I’m surprised it’s in Minnesota. I know Hawaiian’s have a love affair with Spam so I thought that’s where it would be.

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But no, Just as every Elvis fan longs to visit Graceland, SPAM fans worldwide now have their own pilgrimage to make. In Austin, Minnesota a 16,500 square-foot SPAM Museum opened in September 2001.  Museum visitors will be welcomed to the world of SPAM luncheon meat. Now if we move it to Atlanta, GA we can put it next to the World of Coco Cola and then we can eat and drink. Maybe we should suggest that.

Minnesota also has a rich outdoor heritage. There are 5 national Parks or Monuments. One is  Grand Portage National Monument – Located on the  magnificent shore and boreal forest of Lake Superior in northeastern   Minnesota, Grand Portage National Monument preserves a vital  headquarters of 18th, 19th and 20th century fur trade activity and Ojibwe heritage. The monument is enclosed within Grand Portage Indian        Reservation, for centuries home to Ojibwe Indian families.

The last “M ” State for today is Mississippi…No, have not yet been there

Does anyone else remember the spelling rhyme . M, I, crooked letter, crooked letter, I, crooked letter , crooked letter, I , Hump back, Hump back, I ? For the longest time it was the only way I could spell Mississippi.

Once again I turn to the search engines of the internet. One of the first things that comes up to visit is  the Hurricane Katrina Memorial located in Biloxi. Also in Biloxi is a little lighthouse we could tour.

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A must do scenic route is the Natchez Trace Parkway. The Natchez Trace Parkway follows an old Indian trail and a route used during the American revolution. In 1796 Natchez Trace was a mail route. Today it is a scenic parkway that travels from Natchez, Mississippi (a beautiful small city on the Mississippi River in the southwest part of the state) to Nashville (passing through Jackson and Tupelo on the way). There is a small park on the river in Natchez with a stone monument to the beginning of the route.

I’ve run out of space and time so we may have to revisit Mississippi in some future post.

Only 2 more “M ” states to go. Have you got all 8? We’ll tally up the count in the next post.

Don’t forget…If you live in or have visited any of these states, chime in. We want to know your recommendations.