Feb
26
We were in Maui last week and while we did get a couple days of consistent rain, Hawaii rain is warm. Like, yes your sundress is now soaked, but it’s somehow pleasant, or at least not actively unpleasant, unlike the cold-ass downpour I received yesterday while loading eight thousand grocery bags into my car. There’s something specifically vacation’s over, motherfucker about having to immediately re-stock your entire kitchen while Mt. Laundry looms moistly in the background, isn’t there?
I can’t complain about being home, though; we had a really great time and a week felt about right. Any longer and I would have maybe had to start cutting back on the number of chocolate-covered macadamia nuts I was eating each day and I think we have discussed my issues with moderation.
Some cool things we did: ziplining, which was surprisingly not as terrifying as I thought it would be, at least after the first “training” line; an escape room, something I’ve always wanted to try which ended up being a wildly entertaining distraction on the rainiest day (we successfully completed the challenge, which was to defuse a bomb, although I admit the staff ended up giving us several clues and also extended our time by a few minutes); a fair amount of snorkeling, which Riley really got into; some truly memorable meals at delicious restaurants, one of which was a DIY pancake place called Slappy Cakes which apparently has a location in Portland too (roooooad trip!).
Also cool: this super-boss shirt Dylan picked out.
Less cool: what is up with people who stand two inches upwind of you and empty, like, an entire bottle of spray sunscreen onto their kids or themselves? Bruh. If your attempts to mist your squirming toddler results in the stranger next to you getting a surprise coating of SPF for their trachea, you are breaking the social contract. I am pro-sun protection but not pro-accidentally-inhaling twelve chemical ounces of Banana Boat, why is it so hard for people to check their surroundings and walk their ass down the beach a few feet in order to unleash the aerosol?
Spray etiquette aside, Maui is an excellent place to visit and so relaxing. I think the overall island vibe can be summed up by this random cat we came across:
Sounds and looks like it was a fantastic time; perfect time of year for it too. I envy that cat.
So glad you had a great time away. We have done Maui a couple times and each time the weather has never been consistently amazing, but you’re right, the whole island vibe and amazing food and views makes it all OK. We just got back from a trip to Mexico and while it was warmer, I didn’t like worrying that everything I ate was potentially going to give me the runs. Maui is just so safe, and beautiful.
Yay Slappy Cakes! We went there a lot when the boys were younger. Show up early!!! Like 30min prior to opening early… on a tuesday. Seriously! :)
Hooray for happy island vacations! And totally not the point of your post, but you have really nice teeth. :)
I know it’s not really your blog style, but you should do a Maui how-to post. What to see and do, where you’ve stayed, where to eat, best times to visit (I loathe crowds), etc. We’re a three-child family that is addicted to traveling and we’re nearly out of ideas in the contiguous US. Or just email me some links :)
My father in-law kept asking us to spray his back with sunblock for him IN THE KITCHEN OF OUR RENTED HOUSE!