Lubna Hawaii on My Mind
It might be that today is a particularly dull and gloomy day, that I find myself wishfully looking out the window and dreaming of sandy beaches. Hawaii pops up on my newsfeed on FB, and in my mind, and I figure today is the best day, if any, to encapsulate those memories.
If you’re looking for a quick escape, Hawaii is not the place. Once you enter this heaven, you will not want to leave anytime soon. However, 7-10 days is a good chunk of time to explore one or two of the islands. We chose to visit Maui and stay there for the entire length of our stay. Big Island is another popular spot in Hawaii, and its active volcanoes were a big temptation for us. However, shaving even a few days from our itinerary meant cutting short our time on the idyllic beaches. Nope! Big Island must wait our next visit.
Departure
Leaving a cold, wintry, Denver behind ( March happens to be our snowiest month), the 8 hour flight (with a layover in San Francisco), was filled with anticipation. The boys were equally excited. They relished their independence of sitting with each other on the plane, a row behind us. It gave them freedom to sleep, chat and catch up on inflight entertainment undisturbed. Thank you, United!
Arrival and First Impressions
As the plane approaches the Maui airport, you are struck by the vivid, velvety green all around. Coming from dry and arid Denver, made us appreciate the humidity as well. I got the very first taste of Hawaii right in the car rental station. As we were waiting for the car to get ready, a random hen clucked its way through the crowd! Now, coming from Pakistan, this might not be an unusual sight, but I’ve certainly not seen this in mainland US. We can’t even rear chickens on residential property unless you are in a designated agricultural land. Throughout our vacation, hens and roosters were a common sight, be it shops, parking lots, or even restaurants! Don’t be surprised that while you gorge on your fish tacos, a rooster might decide to cock-a-doodle-doo you, and strut away proudly!
A Pleasant Surprise
One of the highlights of our trip actually was in a Safeway. Yes, you heard right! The local grocery store where we went to shop for snacks and food, gave us the opportunity of a life time! Somewhere between the rows of oranges and pineapples, we were destined to meet greatness. I noticed that Azfar and the boys were huddled in a corner whispering to each other. It seemed important, so I strolled over to inquire. They discreetly pointed to a man, and I heard the whisperings of ‘Magic Johnson’. Lo and behold! It really was him. Shopping for oranges. Like us! So I did what any normal mom would do in this situation. I went over, said hello and asked if I could take a picture of him with my boys. I think both Taimoor and Haaris were so over-awed by his presence, (and his height!) that they just stood there, numb! I must say, he was extremely kind at not getting upset with me for intruding on his privacy, and graciously gave fist bumps and high-fives to the boys! How cool is that?!!
Now, back to what we really planned to do in Hawaii. Explore!
Chasing Sunsets
If you want to maximize your visit to Hawaii, I would highly recommend that you spend the extra money and get an ocean view room. Ours was ocean side, even better! Trust me. Nothing quite compares to waking up with the sound of ocean waves, and the sight of cool, blue waters spread out to infinity and within stone’s throw (literally!). It truly is a taste of heaven! We stayed at the Wailea Marriot, which is on the south-western coast of Maui. Other popular resorts are located throughout the beautiful coastline and accompanying beaches. Lahaina, Kaanapali and Kaapalua are to the north, and usually very touristy, and heavily crowded. Even Wailea had its fair share of visitors.
On arrival at the hotel, we were greeted with the traditional Hawaiian greeting and garlands. Then, we got whisked away on a golf cart to our suites. Our room was spacious enough, and the best part was that it had a Lanai (balcony). I cannot emphasize enough how unforgettable the experience of sipping tea is while you feel the cool breeze of the ocean, and watch the sun set on the Pacific. Tip: For picky tea drinkers like us, having a coffee pot in the room means that we can customize our tea. A can of condensed milk, and our preferred brand of tea bags ( Wagh Bakri) along with some oreos – Paradise complete.
Treehugger
I fell in love with the whimsical Jacaranda trees. I had seen these in San Diego on a prior visit, but they were not as profuse. It was a delight to drive down roads lined with these beauties, with their overarching branches interlocking in a lover’s embrace.
Interestingly, another kind of tree evoked strong memories of childhood. It was the Banyan, with its large roots hanging down, a temptation to swing on its muscular arms. I vividly remember the banyan that used to grow in our school playground. As kids, we would try to jump up and grab its closest root, and swing like Tarzan, but our short bodies and tiny hands didn’t help much!
The 150 year old Banyan that we found in Lahaina was truly magnificent. Sitting under its canopy and eating Kona ice (another truly Hawaiian experience), felt very soothing. There was a band playing nearby, and numerous art vendors had their wares on display around this behemoth tree. I felt transported to Sacred Heart, my school’s playground in Lahore, like a little girl enjoying her ice-cream, frolicking in our green and white uniforms, hand-in-hand with friends in pigtails and ponytails, replaced only by the squeals of laughter from my boys as they pretended to be Avatars protecting the Tree of Souls.
You can get more insight and history on the trees of Maui here.
More Sights and Sounds:
But wait! The best is of our Hawaii adventures is yet to come. Continue reading Part 2 here and post your feedback in the comments!
