Maui Day 7: Aloha Oe – Land of Lloyds

Sunday we went to church, slept the day away, and watched a couple of movies while eating chimichangas and English muffins. If I could do the trip over again, I’d spread this relaxation around throughout the week or nap each day. At church they sang a very touching goodbye song Aloha ‘Oe while exchanging a fond embrace and saying “Until we meet again” to those who were leaving. It was so special and powerful seeing a people so united. Definitely one of my favorite memories of Hawaii is the feeling here from the people.

Our last day in Maui we decided to take the morning to do our favorite activity—snorkeling! We tried Ahihi Reserve again but there were cones set up to block the entrance, and even though other people walked right past them to the trail it wasn’t clear if it was for something small like a parking project or something dangerous like a shark warning. “When in doubt, don’t go out.” We couldn’t get more info on it to make sure it was safe, so we headed to nearby Ulua Beach instead. A very cheerful local at Ulua told us that if it was dangerous they would have posted signs- good to know for next time!

It took quite a while for us to get ready, return our snorkeling fins, pack our (somewhat wet) stuff, and make a plan on where to put the ukulele we bought at this craft fair in Kihei day’s prior. I was so glad we were able to get late checkout for an extra hour! We used our last minutes to clean the dishes and fridge. Some guests feel like you’ve paid to leave things messy, but at home I am housekeeping and I know firsthand how wonderful it is for those I am serving to make things easier for me. I am always grateful for the people who work hard to make my bed and clean my shower daily while I play… It only took 5 minutes to run the dishwasher in a token of consideration for my hardworking housekeeping. Just my own thoughts.

Was the Costco trip worth it? The pineapples we got definitely were! However, we were 2 adults let loose in paradise where every night was date night—we wanted to try out the local eateries rather than staying in and cooking frozen chimichangas! We didn’t end up using a lot of the food. In hindsight, it would have been a great idea if we were with our kids and didn’t want to eat out all the time to save money. Thankfully when I called guest services to ask about the options so I didn’t have to throw out unopened perfectly good expensive Costco sized food, they said to leave a note telling housekeeping that they could take it.

Always wanted to drink from a fresh coconut! It was neat watching a Coconut get opened with a machete. The coconut I got didn’t seem ripe enough and was really small, so the coconut water was a little on the sour side and the meat was tough rather than the soft melt-in-your-mouth kind Jeremy talked from the tropical country where he served for 2 years. Even his more ripe fruit didn’t compare, but if we have the chance to visit Hawaii again I’d definitely do it again! Just be sure to check for a place that has good reviews rather than a random stand.

I did not come home with a souvenir for myself, but if I did it would be either a topographic map of Maui to put in an office one day, or one of these handmade “volcano bowls”! It reminds me of Haleakala and the gorgeous seas we have enjoyed here, and I can remember our time here happily as I grab keys or small objects inside over the years. Totally regret not picking one up now, but I’m glad we got stuff for the kids and I have memories to tide me over.

Kealia Pond

Exploring the town of Paia more was my plan (especially those colorful surfboard walls), but we had a rented hatchback full of our stuff and unfortunately, Paia’s kind of famous for thieving. Instead we drove around to this boardwalk at Kealia Pond. It’s got info on the revival of the Hawaiian wetlands, and a trail to a beautiful beach perfect for a picnic. We took a walk and got a glimpse of a storm we had just missed.

Having serene experiences like this all week with my sweetheart has been so fulfilling for me. I wouldn’t want to weather the challenges or find joy with anyone else these 10 years. I have loved every minute being in Hawaii and want to come back ASAP!!