Since this is the first trip out to Maui for uncle Mickey's family, my parents happily take it upon themselves to show the sights. They really enjoy nothing more than taking hawaii newbies to the islands and showing them around; my parents really do know quite a bit about Hawaii, having taken vacations here nearly every other year for the last 16 years. My dad of course fits in everywhere regardless - but in Hawaii, the natives really think he's a local.
Giving The Minivan A Workout
The first day in Maui consisted mainly of a road trip around the western side of the island. Maui roads run in something of a figure eight; the western side is a mountain range, and the eastern side is a dormant volcanic crater. After breakfast, the seven of us squeezed into Jonathan's rental minivan, loaded in some bags, and set off.
Driving around Maui is a lot of fun, as the landscape changes as quick as an eyeblink. At one point, you're looking at large fields of sugar cane, the next you're driving through the touristy section of Lahaina (la-HA-ee-na). The roads all run along the coastline as well, so you can look out one side at the beautiful ocean blues and sandy beaches, or out the other side at the high green mountains swathed in clouds.
My dad excels in the role of tour guide. He regales us with stories about his and mom's various trips, or with tales that he's read out of the Hawaiian history books he's been reading. My cousin Linda notes that driving around the island like this is a great way to get familiar with the territory.
After driving for about 20 minutes or so, we've just about left civilization. The roads start heading upwards, we start seeing guardrails, and the background becomes a uniform jungle green. As we head higher and higher, the road becomes less improved, and we have to pull over to let people pass more and more frequently. We hit one lane bridges, and see villages on shore cliffsides where people live with no running water or electricity. The views become beautiful panoramic vistas of waves crashing on rocks and deep valleys.
Jonathan is driving, and Linda's riding shotgun... and she's frequently providing driving instruction. My parents comment on how familiar this all sounds.
My family is not a small family, either in numbers or in size. The minivan all but groans every time we take a switchback turn or other sharp curve. We're packed like sardines, and everyone's a little nervous when the road becomes one muddy lane on the side of the mountain. My uncle Mickey frequently makes jokes about his underwear not surviving the journey, and it becomes the joke of the hour.
On Top Of West Maui
We reach the top of the range, safe and sound. On the top of the mountain, there's a really nice art gallery and gift shop: the Kaukini Gallery, owned by Karen Lei Noland. The story of the gift shop is an interesting one, as told by my folks.
Karen's family owns much of the land on the mountain range. She's an artist, and wants to promote island artisans by opening her own gallery, so she starts one in the house that her grandparents left her the use of upon their death. It's a huge success, and people drive up this insane path to get at the amazing items she has in this place. Karen's family is very upset by the whole thing, and they pretty much force her out of the house - so she builds herself a new house on a different part of the property (and that's where we're at now).
It's a great little place - she and her husband live on the second floor, and the whole first floor is a great little gallery, representing at least a hundred different artists of all strains. Great woodworking, ceramics, glass, and paintings and drawings of all kinds. Very unique and pretty stuff.
There are a couple of big black labs laying around outside the building, and a 21 pound Maine coon cat sleeping in a rocking chair inside. It's absolutely gorgeous up here, with some pretty gardens and truly breathtaking view in all directions. We shop around and hang out, stretching our legs and such.
In talking to the guy at the cash register, we learn that Karen can't have a web site due to zoning - she only just recently was allowed to have an email address associated with her gallery. I'm fascinated by this. I've never heard of zoning that dictates Internet advertising, but apparently Maui is very progressive in this respect.
We head down the mountain, and the way is much easier and less nerve wracking. We go around the highway full circle, and stop for lunch at a nice place called Jacques On The Beach (which is, surprise surprise, a pleasant place in a hotel right on the beach with a beautiful open air view).
A Slight Change In Schedule
Upon returning to the resort, we all settled in to relax a bit. The plan is to chill out for a while, then get ready to see a great Polynesian dancing and singing revue at the Maui Cultural Center just down the road. Time passes, and my mom comes over to use the laptop to look up some info. She stares at the screen for a bit, then frantically searches around for some papers that have schedule details on them (since she's forgotten her fullitinerary at home).
It turns out that the show at the Maui Cultural Center that we'd been planning on attending actually started not at 6:30pm, but at 2:00pm.
My mom is furious with herself. She rants on and on about how stupid she'd been for not checking the time more carefully; she pretty much beats herself into a pulp while swearing a blue streak. Since this show is an annual event, she essentially planned the vacation itinerary around it - it was the one thing she was really looking forward to the whole vacation. So in addition to being upset about not coming through for our relatives, she's also upset about missing the show for another year.
It's Sunday, so there aren't many things to do - everything's closed up early, and there aren't any shows of any kind anywhere else. My mom and dad pore through guides and magazines looking for something to take the rest of the family to, and finally settle on just driving out to hang in Lahaina for a while, since Lahaina's a tourist trap (think P-town) and is always open.
We finished up the day with dinner at a place that one of Jonathan's co-workers recommended - Kimo's on Front Street. A good restaurant, definitely a cut above average, but not really a five star place (more like three and a half). There are so many places out here to eat, it's a little overwhelming. And they all have tons of ambiance and atmosphere going for them; that just kind of comes along with being an open air place with a full view of the ocean and islands.
Last Words
Tonight was really great - a nice family dinner, lots of laughs and fun in the van all the way there and back.
Maui is people watcher's paradise. I feel a teensy bit out of place being the pasty thing that I am. I must rectify this immediately and soak up some rays, but it looks like the weather prognosis for tomorrow is clouds, clouds, clouds. I can see that I'm coloring a little bit just from being outside, but compared to most (even my mom, who's notorious for being really pale) I'm a whitefish.
See you tomorrow!