Day #8 - New week, new island, new adventures...

Day #8 We have arrived in Maui; whew, what a day. This is why we like cruising – unpack once and be done with it. There was a lot of drama this morning getting all repacked and getting out the door before 9:30 a.m. to catch the shuttle from the resort to the airport. Jeannie had a nice side adventure; I went down to the koi pond one last time to take a picture of the white swans and lo and behold, I arrived just in time for the koi feeding. There were probably 100 people there. A man from the resort first gave us a history lesson about the resort – it has passed through several hands before Marriott took it over in ‘95. I also learned about the grounds, some Kauai history and how the koi came to be. Then, he began the feeding – imagine hundreds of fish swimming with all their might to converge on one area. I have never seen anything like it. Then we each were given a small container of food to feed them ourselves. They would eat right out of your hand. It was a wonderful experience and was a sweet memory to me as we said our goodbyes to this lovely place.
Our flights here (in two segments; one to Honolulu and one to Maui) were so quick in the time you settled into the flight you were landing. Each segment was just 100 miles. I had a window seat both legs so I got some good pictures, especially of the neighboring islands. Once we landed we loaded the car (a silver Cadillac) which was no easy feat. Our best memory? We decided to try to bring the two lime green noodles with us for the pool. Believe it or not they made it through every security checkpoint onto the plane. It was quite a sight! Another not so fond memory? Two of the four checked bags were over the weight limit so Craig and I were reshuffling luggage contents faster than you can imagine. I will let the guilty bags go nameless.
Our first stop was…Costco, located right by the airport. Provisions were obtained and a hot dog lunch was enjoyed by all. Then, one more stop to the Krispy Kreme. Gotta love Maui. If you could have seen us loaded down in that car. A full trunk and each of us with various bags on our laps. It was a beautiful 45 minute drive over to where we are staying, the Sands of Kahana on the west side of the island. Not a Marriott, no amenities, but the view more than makes up for it. You can stand on the balcony (we are on the 8th floor) and literally throw a stone into the ocean. I am not kidding. Craig and I have enjoyed introducing John & Doris to this island that they have never been to before. Even for Craig and me it is fun to be reacquainted; we have not been here since November 2003. And a special treat for all of us – many whale sightings! Most of which we have seen right from the comfort of our balcony. Who needs to pay for a whale watching expedition?
Afternoon was spent unpacking and then we headed out for the evening. We drove through Lahaina which is an artsy, touristy small town bustling with restaurants and shops. We had dinner at Outback – okay not original but it was substantial. Now that we are back at the resort some are doing laundry, relaxing and whatever they want. I think we all are tired after our busy day.
One item of note we didn’t think about; the only internet connection here you have to pay for so I am using Craig’s computer with his wireless card but when it comes to adding pictures to the blog or Facebook, I’m going to have to go off-site. We were told about a coffee shop near here so I guess I’ll have to sit in there every few days to get my pictures posted. So, sorry there may be days without a picture of the day. But it is only temporary. So, today's picture is courtesy of Craig's blackberry...