Aloha...

Hey look! I'm going to write about Hawaii in the same month that we got back from Hawaii! (shush, the last day totally counts!)

So the trip was truly a last minute deal. We went last year (to Oahu) and I thought that was last minute because we planned it a couple of months ahead, but this time it was really last minute, about a month out. We had two trips on the line for March and both fell through for different reasons so we ended up with vacation longing and no vacation planned. Brent really needed a break from work and finally just said, "That's it, we are going someplace. Pick Disney or the beach!"

I went back and forth. This is actually a really hard choice for me. But the beach finally won out. He booked tickets and a hotel and left the rest up to me. Maui was the island choice. I want to go to each of the Hawaiian islands and pick my favorite. So far the Big Island is still my favorite but I'm not sure if that's because it was my first trip there, because it was all three of us so it was good family time, or because the excursions we did were in between work meetings so the little breaks were really highlighted as special. Or it could just be that volcanoes are super cool. We will have to go back before I can make my final call.

Anyway...this time was Maui. Last minute and good deals meant a long travel day with layovers and connections but that was really the only travel woe. I know right? Usually there is a good travel story but other than the length of time it took there really wasn't one. I took a picture of us on each new leg and posted it to Facebook as a travelogue of sorts and, I'm not going to lie here, a fuck you to the people who gave me grief about our traveling and my posting too much. Yes I know, be the bigger person...blah blah blah...

Or fuck you...one of those for sure.

So we got to the hotel and BOOM! Upgrade! Wow, that's really nice. They gave us a junior suite with an ocean view instead of the queen bed ocean view. It was all very nice until we got off the elevator and walked the three feet to our room; there were little hints that someone had been in it already that day. So basically because we got in late they took our smaller room and gave it to whoever was in the elevator shaft room once they complained about the noise...It was too late and I was too tired to want to do anything about it that night (I had an hour sleep the night before) so we decided to wait and see how bad it really was.

Turns out it wasn't bad. We were exhausted and people stopped coming and going fairly early so the elevator noise wasn't an issue for most of the night. It started up fairly early in the morning but me being me had us booked every day early with activities anyway so it wasn't an issue. But next time we will ask where the room is located before getting impressed with our "upgrade."

But that view though...

Okay, first day! I booked us on the Road to Hana tour. I really went back and forth on this one. I knew I wanted to drive it, it is the thing to do right? But I wasn't sure about the actually driving it part. Or I guess us driving it. But if we took the tour it would be all day and since our time was limited did I really want to book and entire day? I finally went with the tour because that way Brent could look around and enjoy things as well instead of having to focus on driving.

It was the right call. The roads are narrow, the local drivers are crazy and the enjoyment factor for the person driving would have been super low. We passed one woman on one of the one lane bridges who was slightly confused about what one lane meant and tried to make it two; the entire side of her rental car paid the price. Ouch. So if you want to do the Road to Hana I highly recommend taking a tour.

We stopped numerous times to take in sites. Waterfalls, historic sites, pretty beaches, snack and potty breaks as well. They also supplied breakfast and lunch so not bad at all. It was pouring rain at the top of the mountain (also a great reason to be glad we didn't drive) so the Seven Pools (don't call them Sacred, they aren't that was just marketing, oh you marketers!) were closed when we got there. We could still see parts of them from the trail that was open, but no swimming that day since they figure people don't really want to be swept out to the ocean in a flood of water. 

This was probably my favorite stop. Walk through a narrow short cave then it opens to this. The beach was all black sand and the waves and water were gorgeous. 

See the post? That's the edge of the road. See how there is no road showing? That's how close to the edge you drive.

My last piece of advice on the tour is this...If you are a parent please know who your kid is when you book the tour. If your child is the sort that can tolerate a 12 hour van ride then have at it. If your child is one that will complain about oh...five minutes in...then don't! Also have a sense of humor and be polite. You are going to be riding in a van with strangers for hours and hours. Put your public manners on and keep them there. Okay? 

When we got back to the hotel we grabbed dinner (oh my god good lobster mac and cheese) and then took a walk on the beach. Brent was a little concerned with my mental health by this point. I hadn't been in the ocean yet. Or the pool. I had explained that the trip was short and there wouldn't be time for me to just be in the water, but he didn't really believe it. I love the ocean so I can understand his confusion, but I wasn't kidding about tight schedules. But we walked the beach until it was too dark for me to see anything anymore. Feet in the waves. Then legs. Then a couple of surprise BIG waves and we were good and soaked. I could do that every night and not get tired of it. 

 The water was SO warm. Ahhh...

They had these boats all up and down the beach that would load and unload their passengers right on the sand. This was the end of the sunset cruise. I thought it was pretty cool.

Losing daylight...

The next day was snorkeling at Molokini and Turtle Arches. Another one I recommend. The water was super clear. The weather was perfect. It was really incredible. At Molokini. Turtle Arches not so much, I would recommend doing that one from the shore out rather than from a cruise. Everyone I have talked to that did it that way saw more turtles and fewer crowds than we did. But Molokini was incredible. 

The only part that was a bummer was rude people. We had seats facing the rails and these two couples from Canada came and stood in front of us. They got on the boat later and didn't care for their view so they blocked ours. Who does that? And then the people sitting on the other side of us kept using Brent's towel. The first time I gave them a pass, all the hotel towels look alike, though honestly, you should know where yours is and realize you are grabbing someone else's. The second time? What the hell, really? So Brent had a damp towel each time. 

Not exactly the view I was hoping for...

But when you are snorkeling in water like this how can you be mad for long?

And bonus whales on the way back to port!

The other funny part was this is where we realized we were in the height of Canadian tourist season. It was us and hundreds of Canadians everywhere we went. I told Brent that I thought the very large group of two families sitting near us were Canadian due to their accents. He wasn't sure. I made the joke that we should yell Hockey! and see who looked. We laughed...and then later the Canadians who blocked our view and the large family started talking hockey...I just smirked at Brent. And then was very proud of being a grownup and only saying the snarky things under my breath, like when they both announced their picks for The Stanley Cup and said, "Really any team as long as it's a Canadian team." *whisper to Brent* "Awww...here's an idea then, play better." And then they talked about or at least make it an Original Six team. Ugh. There is very little that makes me roll my eyes harder than Original Six talk. And yes, I know, the NHL team I cheer for is an Original Six team. But it just doesn't matter...

Yes, I was on a boat in Hawaii in 80 degree weather snorkeling, whale watching, diving with turtles and thinking about hockey...totally normal.

This was also the part of the trip where I messed up. I put on more sunscreen after each dive but I don't think I dried off enough after the turtle dive for it to stick. Between that and not thinking about reapplying before the drive back to the hotel (convertibles aren't designed for the translucent) I ended up with a sunburn. Which isn't hard for me to get, but I am usually really good about not getting much of one. The first trip we took to Hawaii we were there for a week, I was in the water every day, and I came back beige with a pink nose. That's the way I usually handle the sun. This time? Bright red. Ugh. 

We headed in to Lahaina for some site seeing and to see the world famous banyan tree. Okay, I'm going to be honest here, we should have gone back to the hotel and spent the afternoon in the pool or the ocean until dinner time. The tree was cool, I recommend seeing it, but it's a tree. It will take about 15 minutes. And unless you shop, Lahaina is not all that wonderful. But the guides all said GO! So I went. I wouldn't again. I would swim. But we saw it, and that was something. The best part of Lahaina was vacationing Canadians. Or I guess more specifically OUR vacationing Canadians. Friends of ours were there with their family and we got a chance to have dinner with them. It was awesome to see them and just reinforces that we need to take the drive and the ferry to their island soon!

It really is a cool tree. You should see it, just don't plan on it taking long. 

Yay for Canadians!

And on to the last day! Which came really quickly while we were living it, but I appreciate you are probably thinking, FINALLY! 

This was the geek day. I made Brent do a tour of a pineapple plantation. Yes, I know, not super exciting edge of your seat stuff, but I thought it would be cool. And I did think it was cool. Because I'm a geek. If you are interested in farming and pineapples and seeing how the only pineapple operation in the states runs, then take the tour. It's short. Like an hour and half long. You get to sample pineapples at different stages of ripeness that are cut right out of the field while you are there and you get to take home your very own pineapple for later. It was a yummy tour. 

Then on to the helicopter tour! When we were on the Big Island we went back and forth on taking a helicopter tour over the volcano. I finally decided there was no way I could justify the expense. This trip I justified. And it was amazing. If you can fit it in your budget (it's not cheap, I'm not going to lie) you should do it. We saw parts of the island we would never have been able to get to otherwise. We saw the Road to Hana from above and got to see all of the switchbacks and narrow roads we had been on. We saw waterfalls, and bamboo jungles, and whales in the ocean It was gorgeous. Really and truly.

The crater of the volcano

 The waterfall from the opening of Jurassic Park

One of the best parts for me was when we took off she played the theme to Hawaii 5-0. It was geektastic. There was also one point where just as we were turning in to a canyon and this majestic waterfall came in to view the theme from Superman started. Really nice! She did the "use their names to establish a connection" tactic a little too much for our liking, and needed to add a few more stories to her repertoire, there was a lot of repeat, but those are really nit picky things when you are talking about the views we got to see. Gorgeous. 

We wrapped up the day with a trip to the aquarium and dinner in Paia, or hippy town as they call it. Then the red-eye back home.

Whirlwind trip but I got us a pretty good overview of the island, I think. We have a list going for things we missed that we wished we hadn't so someday when we get back to Maui we will hit those up.

Some extra travel tips! Pack expecting it to be windy. The trade-winds on Maui are no joke. I wear skirts instead of shorts and had to wear my maxi-dress twice because the shorter pleated skirt would have been a disaster! The longer skirt I wore the first day took both Brent and I to wrangle it at one point on a stop on the Road to Hana tour! And watch that sunscreen! With the winds you might think it's not getting you...but it's getting you! Make reservations at Mamma's Fish House as soon as you know when you are going! We didn't and they could have fit us in on a cancelled reservation 45 minutes before our flight left Wednesday (remember we were taking the red eye!), or April 25th.  And remember, ask just exactly where that upgrade room is located...

Aloha!

Just trying to be helpful...

Travel seems to bring the worst out in people. Part of it I blame on the airlines. And the government. In allowing so many mergers over the years you are getting more and more in to mini-monopolies. Sort of like cable companies, in theory there aren't monopolies because there are three or four carriers but in practice they cover certain sections of the country so there really are. Airlines aren't quite as bad as cable, yet, but it's getting close.

And because there is a lack of competition airlines have reduced basic services more and more. And offered fewer and fewer flights. So instead of a 3/4 of the way full plane with free checked baggage you have an over sold flight with $25- $30 for the first checked bag so no one checks bags. You get the announcement of "only one carry on in the overhead compartment, one under your seat" but no one pays attention to that and the attendants don't enforce it so it's just sardines and hustle trying to get in ahead of everyone else so you can get your bag a space as well as your butt.

And now because airlines have figured out that we are all on-board with the charging us huge amounts for no service they have started to sell us premiums. Want to have actual leg room? Comfort plus. Add that to your ticket. Want to board early? We have a fee for that as well. Want to eat, drink, sit in the exit row? Yup, we are going to need your credit card.

So by the time you are traveling you are tense. Too much money. Not enough space. Too many people crowding you. Doing the "my boarding group is going to be called next so let me crowd right here by you" push. By the way, I have a big butt and bony elbows, I will box you out if you try to bump me in line...

But then this trip I noticed something that I have been noticing more and more everywhere lately, but because of the extra travel stress feeling I was really aware of it.

People are just not as inclined to be helpful anymore.

We left Portland really early so grabbed breakfast in Salt Lake on our brief layover there. There was a sandwich shop near our gate so I popped over there to order us breakfast. Standing in line three people away from the register and down the counter another register opens up and the clerk calls for the next person in line. Now the guy at the front was looking at juice or something and didn't hear her. The person in front of me and behind him starts to get antsy. Making huffing noises and starting to do the shuffle like he's going to step around him and take the spot. So I reach around him and touch the guy on the arm and point to the open register. He smiles, apologizes, says thanks and heads over.  The guy in front of me says, "SOME people" which I think,  "yep." Because it would have taken him 2 seconds to do the same instead of getting all worked up about the guy not paying attention.

I place my order and while they are cooking breakfast head to the bathroom. They have the stupid bathroom design where there are 4 stalls then the sinks then another section of stalls. Ladies will understand this is a serious design flaw. Nobody is ever clear on if each area should have its own line or if one line should feed both places. It's dumb. Anyway we are doing to one line thing for both areas. When you see someone walk out of the far one you go to it. So finally my time comes I walk to the far section and see that there are three open doors. Three empty stalls. So I stepped back out and got the attention of the next two women in line. How long had those stalls been open and nobody said anything? We had all been waiting in line so every woman who went ahead of me in that area, at least 5, knew there were other open doors, but nobody could backtrack two seconds out of their day and say anything?

People get so focused on themselves, getting where they need to be, getting what they want, that they forget to look out for other people around them. And I get it, we all do it at times, but does it really take that much out of your day to hold the door for the woman trying to lug in a car seat? Or return the cart of the elderly gentleman with the cane at the grocery store? Have we really been listening to the "get yours and screw everyone else" mantra for so long that we are completely incapable of even seeing it anymore? That by constantly looking out for number one we have become less than?

Less than helpful. Less than kind. Less than compassionate. Just less than what we could be.

Just something to think about...

A traveling we will go....

Decided to start the blogs with just a general travel update post before I delve into the reason for the trip. Mostly because this one will be more of a random collection of pieces than that one so the flow doesn't have to be as tight. And Monday morning writing is rarely tight.

So anyway...Last Monday I headed off to Arizona. I had family business to take care of and since it was most likely not going to be pleasant and most likely going to be a bit overwhelming and I needed to handle it on my own due to the fact that I'm the only one in my family who can just take off without much notice I fell back on my years in advertising and the travel I did through that and turned the trip into a complete boondoggle. That was a super long sentence.

I could have probably taken care of what needed done in a day and a half. Flown in to Tucson in the morning, did what needed done and flown out the next afternoon. Instead I flew in to Phoenix, met a friend for lunch and another one for dinner, drove down to Tucson the next day, took care of business, had dinner with friends and spent the night with them, then visited some more the next day, drove back to Phoenix had dinner with other friends then flew out the next morning. See?  Boondoggle. And I'm not even ashamed.

Though I do believe that I had to burn off some boondoggle karma at the start of the trip. The stories aren't as great as "Is this your cat?" but nothing really is....

So here we go...

Monday morning early flight time. I am trying to figure out what time to get to the airport and Brent reminds me that it will be busy that time of day and since I've got the direct flight in to Phoenix I won't be able to use the super short Seattle only line. So I add a few minutes to what time I thought would be good and head on out. I get to the airport and of course the line is super long, but it's moving at a good clip. Until the woman a few people ahead of me didn't actually download her boarding pass on to her phone, just her travel itinerary and couldn't figure out why that wouldn't work. And the older couple in front of me is freaking out because the tickets they have in their hand say they are going to Atlanta instead of Orlando and can't figure out that's because they are going to Atlanta. Then they are going to Orlando. And this is where I start to wonder, "Have you people never flown before?"

Finally we get to security and well...

Security is always a treat these days. I'm not talking about how stupid TSA is or how they are infringing on my rights or any of that bullshit. I'm talking about those of you who have either A. Not flown in the past decade or B. Like to make a public spectacle of yourselves. You know you can't bring liquids so don't. You know you have to go through a screen so if you are going to insist on not doing it then drive. Or take the train. Or any number of other options. But don't hold up the entire line while you rail against "the man" so you can make a post on Facebook later about how unreasonable TSA was. Because let me tell you something...at 6 AM without coffee which is right on the other side of security you and I are about to have a lesson in unreasonable. And you are going to lose. And if you must wear a metal belt, a three pound watch, a jacket, a necklace and steel toed boots how about you do us all a favor and wait until you get to the airport to get dressed?

So finally I'm on the other side of security and the line for coffee is super long. A quick check at my gate to see when we are boarding and I have plenty of time. Well I would except for the people who can't figure out how to get through security without making a fuss also can't figure out how to read a menu while in line for coffee instead of waiting until they are at the register. But I got my stuff, got on the plane and wasn't even the last person to board... second to last, but not last!

So not happy at this point!

So we are off.  I posted about this during the trip. One of the things you can always count on when you are flying in to Phoenix is the mass confusion on what time it will be when you get there. They don't time shift (yay Arizona!) so half the year we are an hour behind them and half the year we are the same time. And nobody ever remembers which is which. For the record this time we were the same time.

I get in to Phoenix and it's going to be smooth sailing picking up my rental car because I checked in online the night before. So according to their email I will be in and out and on my way so much faster!

Or not.

Okay, so the only benefit to checking in online was...ummm...well...yeah, I've got nothing. I still had to wait in line with everyone else for the next available representative. I still had to go through the endless round of "no I don't want insurance, yes I'm sure I don't want it, I'm covered by my own policy, yes I'm sure" and "no I don't want an upgrade for only $20 more, a convertible in the middle of a sand storm? Really?"  I asked the clerk what the benefit of checking in online was and he didn't have an answer for me either. Good to know.

So anyway, car taken care off, and off to the hotel. Let me just say right here and now that the Google turn by turn maps are a gift to directionally challenged people. Because not only do they tell you exactly how to get someplace but when they tell you silly things like go North they recalculate the directions when you actually go East. It's awesome. And off to the hotel. Which I got the free upgrade to my room. Score! Or it would be if I needed all of this...

Though I did sit in the comfy chair and read so that was nice.

And then off to lunch with Jenny! I missed her visit to Portland a few weeks earlier. It was during C's Spring Break and with only one car trying to get him to appointments he had and picking up Brent from work it was a little tight to get downtown and back in time for dinner. And honestly I knew I was going to be in Phoenix in a few weeks so I could see her then, and get her one on one instead of having to share. Yep, I'm spoiled, and I'm okay with that. We caught up as best we could in limited time. She had an emergency dentist appointment to get to, boys and baseballs...not a good combination if you use your face to catch. It was great to sit and talk and laugh with her. We knew the basics of each other's lives, thanks to Facebook and my rambling in my blogs, but there is nothing like getting the real time inappropriate smile when bad news is delivered. 

I'm not entirely sure what I'm looking at...

Then Jenny was off to take care of teeth (which she had in a bottle in her purse, which could be the oddest flavor of water ever, Toothy) and I was off to find a pedicure. Which didn't go well. See, I was in Scottsdale and there aren't a lot of walk in $20 toe joints in Scottsdale. There are a lot of "we have an appointment next week" places. And a few "we could squeeze you in, that will be $50" places. So the pedicure was pushed and I went back to the hotel to read instead. 

As I was leaving the hotel I got my required dose of "people are so odd" that has to happen every trip. I was at the front desk talking to the clerk about my room upgrade, they wanted to make sure it was everything I had ever dreamed and more, when I hear someone loudly voicing their displeasure about the "ridiculous Barbie" I look down the hall and there is a very inebriated woman being helped out of the bar by her two friends and she is not happy about some Barbie. Then she points and me and says again, "Look at her! She's just a ridiculous looking Barbie!" I include this story because drunk people are funny and because I took it as a compliment. The blouse I was wearing must have been very flattering for her to think I looked like Barbie. I think I might have to wear it all summer long...

Then it was off to meet Dana for dinner. She is an incredibly talented writer who makes me insanely jealous with the worlds she creates. Do yourself a favor and check out My Caffeine Fueled Muse if you haven't already. Now Dana and I have been friends for years. We have talked about our kids, our husbands, our writing, told inappropriate jokes, gotten pissed at people together and this was the first time we had ever met. Yep. Another one of my Facebook connections! It boggles my brain at times how close you can get to someone without ever seeing them face to face. Dana is like my other friend Corrie in that I believe if life had taken a slightly different turn she could be my kid. She would fit right in to the family and nobody would ever question that her off kilter perspective was all mine. She also picked a sport's bar to have dinner in not realizing that it was the final game of the NCAA tournament and was a little surprised how many people were there watching. So she didn't get my love of sports, I blame her biological parents for that one. So anyway after about three hours of talking about everything from sports (she listened, I talked), families, high school, college, work, blogs and food it was time to let her get back to Marc and the kids. 

She took her glasses off for the picture so I did too. 

Next day was Tucson. I took care of the stuff that needed taken care of, blog to follow later this week, and headed off to the Staggs' house. Which my TripIt app had changed to Staggs Lodging. Which made me laugh. Because sometimes really odd things make me laugh. Okay, all the time. I visited with Brenda and Lindsey while we waited for Brenda's beau John to show up so we could go to dinner. And we visited and waited and waited and visited and then Brenda checked her phone and saw that we were supposed to meet him at the restaurant! Oops! So off we headed to dinner. And we had a small intimate dinner...okay, no we didn't. As we got there another firefighter that works with Brenda and John was arriving so we pulled two big tables together and had Brenda and the girls, John and his kids and this whole other family including infant triplets all together! It was a lot of fun. Now I'm not going to write a lot about the Staggs right now because Brenda pointed out I hadn't blogged about them yet so that blog is coming later this week. Now if you want to flatter a writer tell them you want them to write about you. It works like a charm.  But I will include a picture.

Brenda, John, John's son Adam, John's daughter Bri, Jaycee, Lindsey and Lindsey's friend from school.

Now as you are are looking at the picture you are thinking that Bri and Jaycee could be sisters. And it's even more pronounced in person. It was wild to watch Bri before Jaycee got there and think how much she looked like her, and then have it not go away once Jaycee got there! And one of the best parts of dinner was John admitting unless he is looking right at his daughter when she is talking he has no idea what she is saying. Years ago when I did a commercial for the auto dealership I got to watch how they make the super fast disclosure that happens at the end of a spot. They had me read the copy like normal then digitally they went in and just removed all of the spaces and pauses between words so when you played it back it sounded like I was speaking SUPER fast. Well Bri talks like that normally and every sentence ends in giggles. It's hilarious to watch and only Jaycee seems to understand what is being said. So Bri giggles, then Jaycee does her lady like gasp choke laugh, then Lindsey snorts and I about had to be picked up off the ground from laughing. 

The Staggs girls and I headed back out to the house and visited a little more then a little more the next morning, but like I said, most of what I will write about them will be another blog. But it was so good to spend time with them.

Checking out of Staggs Lodging

Then back up to Phoenix. Another hotel, a walk around a mall and then out to dinner with the Kleins. Andy went to school with Brent and I and he and I actually dated a little in school. Anita and he have been together since the late 80s but we've never met. See it's Facebook again. Andy was a year behind us in school so we didn't see him at the one reunion we went to, he left Albuquerque so we don't see him when we go back and we had lost touch with him for years after we left town. But thanks to Facebook we've been able to reconnect and catch up. And Brent and I "met" Anita and "met" Emily and found out everything he had been up to since we last saw him. Which may or may not have included a few hours in the gym. It was so much fun to reminisce about high school days with Andy and fill Anita in on details she was curious about. And to hear about when they got together. Andy lied about his age but he had a fake ID to back it up so that was okay. Well okay except for the fact that eventually he had to come clean to Anita that he was younger than he let on and his birthday was actually on a different day and he just admitted in front of his daughter with the mind like a steel trap that he had a fake ID...but other than that it was all good. 

Seriously though, it was a great dinner. I am a little in love with Anita, and not just because she's gorgeous and funny and sarcastic and can dance. Okay, well, maybe because of all of those things. And their daughter was perfect. Adorable and well behaved and taking notes on all of the embarrassing stories to use to her advantage later. But mostly I just dig this family. Here's where I blow a little sunshine Andy's way. Andy's best feature has always been his smile. He smiles with his whole face. Do you get that? There are some people whose smile never reaches their eyes. But Andy's whole face gets in to the act and I have always really liked that. Seeing him with Anita and Em and how they interact with each other and kid and joke and all of those great things it makes me smile with my whole heart that he found this family. And it makes me wish they lived closer so we could all hang out more. I believe if Anita and I teamed up we could take over the world. And it's always nice to talk politics with someone as smart as they are. By smart I obviously mean agrees with me. Ha! 

And it was nice to hear Andy mention my blog because that meant it was a clean sweep and all of the people I saw talked about reading my work. Which, as you all know, I don't care if people are reading it...but you know...it's always nice when people actually are.  ;-)

Seriously, how gorgeous is this family?

So back to the hotel then an early flight back out of Phoenix. After a flight delay in Seattle I finally made it back home with my mind brimming with stories and my phone full of pictures. I would expect a blog a day this week. So block out some time to read them all, because you all know when I say I don't care if anyone is reading this I really mean that's what I tell myself to make my 2 people saw this blog on Page Overview not sting so much...

Ah...boondoggle...how I've missed you.