Tuesday, October 27, 2009

I'm Back!

Although if I could have figured out a way to stay in Maui, believe me - I'd still be there! And yes, I did read the "help wanted" ads in the Maui News every morning...there were several jobs available for me, but the only thing I could find for Jeff was "timeshare salesman" so sadly we had to get on the plane and come home. Can you tell that we had a great time? October in Maui is just gorgeous - lovely weather, and with the exception of a few raindrops on the drive to Hana and the 'Ohe'o Gulch, we experienced sunny, mid-eighties temps every day. It was so pretty there! We went swimming in the ocean every day but one (the Hana day), and also got to play in the whale-shaped swimming pool. Well, swimming is a stretch for me - mostly, I floated. The best $3.49 I ever spent was on a pink (naturally) inflatable ring - this way, I could hang out in the ocean while Jeff went a little ways off to snorkel, and then he would swim back to me and hang on the ring to rest. Why, you may be wondering, was I not snorkeling with Jeff? Well, getting that close to fish and sea turtles (and a manta ray!) creeps me out. So I hung out a little way from Black Rock, where Jeff did most of his communing with sea life.
Black Rock in the early morning during a gorgeous walk on the beach!

One thing that I kept realizing during our trip was that I was DOING things - like hiking up a half mile trail to see a waterfall at 'Ohe'o Gulch (aka the Seven Sacred Pools), and then down a mile to see the actual pools, and then back up a half mile to our car. I didn't have to stop and rest, nor was I out of breath, or sweatier than anybody else on the trails. It was like I was a normal person - I know that sounds weird to say, because you may look at my pictures and see the new me, but in my head, I still see the old me. Case in point: I was walking out of an airport restroom, where they had a huge full-length mirror positioned near the exit. I caught a glimpse of myself in the mirror and thought "wow - I look like a normal person" - I wasn't thin, but I also wasn't fat. It was a little surprising to realize something like that.
It was a half-mile hike up to this spot.Where we got to see this awesome waterfall!
A mile hike down from the waterfall brought us to the ocean and sacred pools.

And another thing that I "did" was to not only wear a swim suit, but get used to walking to the beach and the pool wearing it with no cover up. Of course, the only picture I'm going to share with y'all of me in my swim suit involves a cover up, or pareo, which are very popular and can be found everywhere...naturally, I had to get one in pink to match my flip flops! This picture was taken during my self-imposed, mandatory "shade time" - my pale skin can only take so much sun, even with using sunscreen at an SPF of 50!
Showing my bare upper arms for all the world to see!

At the nightly hula show, wearing our crazy cute Hawaiian clothes and the leis we made - our hotel had a lot of fun activities to participate in!


And as this post is getting a little long, I'll leave you with one last picture - I found my beloved bike's cousin in Lahaina Town!

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Don't worry - there will be more posts to come on our vacation, including such fascinating topics as food (aka "diet...what diet?"), the interesting characters I met in Maui, and shopping with my mother (aka the "pre-vacation"). Now I'm off to catch up on what all y'all have been up to!

31 comments:

  1. Oh, thank you for those beautiful pictures! I want to go back to Maui again... except I think they'd have to drug me for the plane flight after that landing I had at Kahalui airport... anyway, please do post more pictures!

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  2. Is the airport called Kahalui or Kahului? The Internet is showing me both versions. I think it's supposed to be Kahului.
    (Probably the Hawaiians themselves could care less how I spell it, but it irks me to get names wrong.)

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  3. It's Kahului - and when we boarded for Maui in Portland, the flight attendant welcomed us on our flight to Honolulu over the intercom...way to freak us out, lady!

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  4. I'm happy your back!

    Maui looks really great, you've got some great stories to tell, I enjoyed this one.

    You look fabulous and happy on the pictures! (So does the hub :lol: )

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  5. Aloha Shelley! Love the pics and glad you had such a good time. Look forward to hearing more about your trip?

    P.S. Does that mean our bikes are cousins? lol

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  6. We went to Maui on our honeymoon 25 years ago. We loved it and didn't want to come home. We did the same thing with the help wanted ads! Glad you had such a great trip!

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  7. Great photos! I'm so glad that y'all had a good time!

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  8. Sounds like a great trip. I'm looking forward to hearing more of the details. Welcome back.

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  9. Your photos are lovely! You look like you had a great time. By the way you look awesome!!!

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  10. Welcome back! Looks lovely and I can't wait to see more!

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  11. :: sigh :: My soul lives in Maui. I, too, look in the want ads (employment) whenever I'm there. LOL

    WELCOME BACK! I missed you lots. Glad you had a great time!!! :D

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  12. Welcome home Shelley! Sounds like the trip of a lifetime...so glad you enjoyed it...and can't wait to see more pics!! :)

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  13. Welcome back Shelley! Sounds like you had a great time and I can't believe you found your same bike - what a coincidence!

    Love that you got exercise in and it didn't feel like it! :D

    Can't wait to hear the rest of the recap!

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  14. Yayy! You are back at last - I came by your blog and looked forlornly around many a time during your vacay :(

    Sounds like you had a great time and those photos are lovely!

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  15. I'm so glad you had a wonderful time! Your pictures are fantastic! You look great. What a thrill it must have been for you--just doing! Wonderful!

    I'm glad you're home, you've been missed!

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  16. Looks like you had a fabulous time!

    I hear you on the whole in your mind you still see the old self. Still happens to me but I'm getting better with it.

    Look forward to seeing more about your trip.

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  17. Oh wow....what breathtaking pictures! Looks like you had an awesome trip, and thank you for sharing the pictures with us!! I'd love to be able to go to Hawaii!! Someday!!! Glad your back!!! Glad you had a wonderful time!

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  18. Looks like you had a great time! Gorgeous photos. Welcome home!

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  19. Welcome home, we missed you!

    It looks like you had a wonderful time, loved the pics. I was at an all time high weight when I went a few years ago. I wish I could go back. I would be able to enjoy it more where I am at now.

    Can't wait for all the vacay stories....and more pics.

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  20. Welcome home! I can't wait to hear more! Don;t you love it when you subconsciously catch a glimpse of yourself in the mirror, and like what you see? You have done awesome! Glad you had a great time!!!

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  22. Your vacation sounds absolutely amazing, and the pictures that you've shared so far are breathtaking! It looks (and sounds) like you had an absolutely fantastic time - I can't wait to hear more!

    I love the photo of the bike ;o)

    PS - check out my blog - I have a contest going on for the Holidays and am trying to get lots of people in it!! :o)

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  23. Your pictures remind me of a trip I made to Maui. I also dreamed about moving to the island and finding a job!

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  24. Glad to see you back and in great shape, happy and appreciated by all of us.
    Cute photos too.

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  25. Thank you so much for sharing your pics!! I love your bike's cousin - how fun.

    You look fabulous in your coverup and pink flip flops - and you look like you are having a wonderful time.

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  26. Thank you so much for sharing your pics!! I love your bike's cousin - how fun.

    You look fabulous in your coverup and pink flip flops - and you look like you are having a wonderful time.

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  27. I LOVE IT!!

    Thanks for letting us peek in and live vicariously.

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  28. Yay for DOING. That is what I feel like I am getting out of this journey, more DOING, more LIVING, more FUN.

    Glad you are back, and that you had such a great time!

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  29. So glad you're back safe and sound and with fabulous memories. Loved these pics and can't wait to see more.

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  30. Welcome home!! Glad you had so much fun - both emotionally AND physically! Can't wait for the food post. A friend of mine just returned from Hawaii and she was all about the tropical drinks :) Not that you'd have any of those....

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  31. Oh, I am so jealous that trip looks fabulous! I'm hoping to get to Hawaii someday...

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