“Nui ko’u hau’oli no kou hiki ‘ana mai!!!!!” 💖
That is “I’m so happy that you’re here!!,” written in the beautiful Hawaiian language!!! 😃
At least I hope that I wrote it correctly!! I did have to use a translation so if anyone finds a mistake, please let me know and I will fix! Wow, I really do love learning languages. Such a nice reminder for me! 😍
Alright, back to the epic tale of my excursion-fest throughout the islands of Hawaii!! Oahu, CHECK! Maui, Half-CHECK! And the B. I. otherwise known as the Big Island, otherwise known as the island of Hawaii (because it’s the biggest one of the island chain)…. No CHECK yet!!! Yet I can’t wait to share the rest of the missing pieces within this blog!!!
Starting with the second-half of my Maui adventures!! HOORAY!!! So far, you have heard about ✅ The Road to Hana, ✅ Horseback riding at Mendes Ranch, and ✅ The “Pride of Maui” Boat Tour that took us to Molokini and Turtle Cove!! And no, I did NOT see any sea turtles at Turtle Cove. 🙁And I REALLY searched while I was snorkeling!!! “Come out, come out wherever you are….”❓🐢 ❓ BUT, alas, no sea turtle sightings…(YET!!!!! 🙃) All of these checkmarks were incredible experiences, nonetheless!!!
And here’s a fun semi-tangent that will eventually lead us back to the checkmarks in a VERY creative way….😉 Come and see!!!
SO, this is where I stayed while I was in Oahu:
And then in Maui, we stayed here:
What did both the Ilikai and the Kihea Akahi have in common??? Well, they both had beaches 🏖 in walking distance, OF COURSE!!!!!
In Honolulu, beaches like Waikiki Beach and the North Shore were VERY highly populated. They felt like how you would imagine overcrowded touristy places to be, but surrounded by superb Hawaiian scenery!!!
In Waikiki beach, there is this iconic bronze statue of Duke Kahanamoku. He was a Hawaiian hero and a master of swimming and surfing. He was a catalyst in spreading the sport of surfing around the world and soon became known as “the father of modern surfing!” Behind this idolized statue, you can get a tiny glimpse of the busy stretch of sand that is Waikiki beach. ⬇️
And then it switches from the bustling, touristy, and “big energy” arena of Oahu to a much quieter, more rural, intimate, and less-people-infested setting in Maui. Though the energy found within Maui is still VERY inviting and expansive, I assure you!! ✨✨✨
ANYWAYS, this is how the beach across from the Kihea Akahi often looked: way more sparse!!
Just some of the more obvious differences that stood out to me between Oahu and Maui!!! I loved the variety found between the two islands. 😍
AND going back to the last photo with Haleakalā in the distance, you may have heard me mention this particular “landmark” before. Which is EXACTLY how I shall resume my checkmarks for you: Starting with when I visited the Haleakalā National Park!!!!!!
Not too shabby of a segue, right?!?! It even serves as a connector from Part 1, the last post, to this post!!! Please note the creativity before we continue….
Perfect!! Thank you. 🤣🤣 And on to the next checkmark we go!!
✅#4: Driving one hour to the summit of Haleakalā with my amazing cast- and crew-mates, being awed by the floor of surrounding clouds, and watching the mesmerizing sunset. 🌄
SO, before I show you the pics, here’s the scoop. The Haleakala Crater is known as the “house of the sun” and it is visible from just about any point in Maui!! It is a towering dormant volcano and it is known to have the most sensational sunrises on Earth!!! 🌅
Now, I cannot speak of the sunrises, but I can speak of one particular sunset and it was, indeed, sensational!!
And one of my favorite photos taken that day was this dance-pose pic with Janel and Ria, while our crew-mate, Kevin, took the shot! I wished he could have joined us in the photo but there was no one at the summit this particular evening but us!!! And yes, it was quite chilly at the top, especially once the sun started to set – – hence all the hoodies and layers!!
✅#5: Janel and I decided that we HAD to go ziplining because what better place to have our first experience?? Soooo, add that to the list!!
It was quite the exhilarating experience because we were literally soaring across the sky and over tree tops!!! 🌳😀🌳
AND THEN, somewhere during all of these Maui activities on my last week in Hawaii, along with rehearsing and doing shows – – because remember, I was in Hawaii for my job and NOT just to run wild 😜 – – Janel and I found this fantastic opportunity to do a speed trip to the Big Island!!!
It was called the Big Island: Full-Day Circle Island Tour and it lasted about 12 hours. And let me just say, we did A LOT on this circle tour!! If I showed you all the photos, this post would be 30 pictures longer – – and that’s with me being selective!! So, instead I have chosen some of my favorite “checkmark” photos and moments from this trip to share with you!!
✅#1: It began with getting up around 3am for a flight that was around 5am. I just remember it was very nice and early!!!
✅#2: We drove around the island in a big, comfy bus and got to take in all the varying landscapes! It was as diversified as they come:
✅#3: I got to see a waterfall called Waianuenue, or Rainbow Falls!! Depending on the amount of rainfall, this waterfall can be full and sometimes have multiple streams. When I saw it, it was a mini waterfall – – but I still loved it. How can you not love waterfalls???!!!!
✅#4: We visited Big Island Candies and I got to observe their staff making their well-known shortbread cookies!!
✅#5: We, of course, took a tour of a Kona Coffee Farm to learn about the harvesting and milling process of their rich and famous coffee….or so I am told it is delicious and well-known!! I am not a coffee drinker…..
But it was still really fun to be there!! I did end up purchasing some Kona coffee as a part of the souvenir collection for my family!
Why tomorrow??? Well, normally I post every Wednesday. However, on this fabulous Tuesday, I did not foresee these technical difficulties….so it’s a good thing that I started this particular blog early! Seriously, I did not mean for these Hawaii stories to become a trilogy, yet, here we are!!!! SO, I will definitely be posting the last part of my Hawaii adventures tomorrow, without fail!!!!
As long as these technical difficulties work themselves out, of course….I HOPE!!!!!! 😬
Before I go, I did learn another Hawaiian phrase: “Maui nō ka ‘oi!!!” Which means “Maui is the best!” Though, from my many experiences, I believe that all of “Hawaii ka oi!!” Even though I haven’t been to ALL of the Hawaiian islands, the three that I have visited were truly unforgettable! I hope you are enjoying all the stories and highlights of my time there. ☺️
And I hope that you will join me tomorrow for Part 3 of this spontaneous trilogy!! A paused ‘Aloha from Maui and the Big Island’ until it can resume. See you soon! ❤️