Back to continue the recap on our trip to Maui...
Day Six:Ken left the resort early in the morning to go snorkel Molokini. We didn't think it was a good idea to go as a family since we didn't know how Nathan would behave being stuck on a boat for 5 hours. Our resort offers a free shuttle to the other Starwood hotels nearby, so Nathan and I went out to Black Rock and Whaler's Village. The shops weren't really open yet, so we spent some time in the lobby area of the other Westin resort where they had a pond with koi, swans, and flamingos. We tried going to Sansei for dinner, but the line up for the early bird special (25% off) was too long, so we opted to make reservations for another night. Ended up eating take-out in our room and mac & cheese with frozen veggies from the grocery store for Nathan.
We woke up to clear skies, so we drove out to Haleakalā National Park. It was a long drive. Most people come to see the spectacular sunrise here, but we didn't bother since it would require us to head out at around 3 a.m. We were there late morning and it was still a pretty spectacular sight even without the sunrise aspect. We misjudged the amount of time it would take to go up and down the summit and didn't end up having lunch until past 2 p.m. The first place we tried going to was already closed, so we ended up at another place down the road (in Wailuku) called A Saigon Cafe. The pho was yummy, but pricey. But it's Hawaii, so everything is somewhat pricey. After lunch, we went off in search of a ukulele. Our guidebook mentioned a shop in Wailuku that's supposed to be the place for buying authentic hand-made ukuleles so off we went to Mele Ukulele. The owner's wife showed me the different kinds they have and the differences the three main types of ukes. After much thought, I ended up with a mahogany concert ukulele. Can't wait to learn how to play it!
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| Gazebo Restaurant on Napili Beach |
Of all days, Nathan ends up sleeping in until past 9 a.m. today. We had hoped to head out early to have breakfast in Napili at Gazebo Restaurant. Apparently this place always has a line up so it's important to show up early. We ended up waiting in line for over a half hour, but kept Nathan occupied by feeding him his breakfast. The wait didn't seem too long, probably because we were chatting with the couple in front of us. They recommended that we try the fried rice (for breakfast!), so we ended up getting that and a small order of macadamia nut pancakes. The portions were enormous, so we had enough leftover for lunch as well. The food was delicious though and the view was amazing. While Nathan took his nap, Ken went out to snorkel Black Rock. He ended up seeing a turtle and a stingray up close. Also jumped off Black Rock a couple of times. He said that was the best snorkeling he had on the trip. These are the times when I wish I were a more confident swimmer. I'd love to see a sea turtle up close!
That night we headed to Sansei for dinner. This restaurant came highly recommended by several friends (and also by the couple we met that morning at Gazebo), so we were quite excited. We basically just ate a bunch of appetizers for dinner and got a udon for Nathan. We had their famous Panko Crusted Ahi Sashimi Sushi Roll and Shrimp Dynamite to start. Both award-winning. For dessert, we had the Tempura Fried Ice Cream. We were so full that we couldn't finish it, but it was yuuuummmy! Ken and I agreed that this was the best meal of our trip. It was fairly inexpensive for good Japanese food too. If you place your order before 6 p.m., you get 25% off. Definitely a good deal.
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| Nathan's first taste of Hawaiian shave ice. Cold! |
Last day in Maui. Our flight got changed. We were supposed to leave midday, but got put on the red-eye instead. Initially, we weren't too happy about that, but the flip side is that we got to have an extra day on the island. We got a later check-out time and went to the beach and pool first thing in the morning. Our plan was to go to the Maui Ocean Center, but Nathan fell asleep in the car on the way there, so we continued driving and ended up back in Kihei at Alexander's Fish and Chips for lunch. I had Mahi Mahi fish and chips the first time, and decided to try Ono this time. Even better tasting! Back to the aquarium after lunch. It was pricey, but a great place to take kiddies. Ate a quick dinner at Whole Foods Market and then off to the airport. Nathan did not get a seat on the overnight flight. We were told that the flight was full, but I ended up finding out that there were empty seats when I was walking with Nathan mid-flight. There's such an obvious difference between United Airlines staff and Air Canada staff. United could care less that you're travelling with a toddler. Air Canada tried their best to get us a seat for him, even asking people seated next to us if they'd mind moving to a different row so that we could have more room. The other passengers were happy to oblige since they'd probably rather sit away from a toddler anyway. All in all, Nathan was pretty good on all the flights. Understandably he was cranky on the overnight flight since it was really hard for him to get comfortable on our laps. I don't think his behaviour would deter us from future trips. "Yo Gabba Gabba" episodes on the laptop definitely helped A LOT!
We met some great people on our trip and Nathan had fun interacting with some of the other children. I wish I had taken pictures of him with some of the other kids (he even held a little girl's hand at the luau), but I thought the other parents might not want some stranger taking a photo of their child. Though speaking of which, we had three strangers at the luau ask to take a photo of Nathan. It was weird, but I felt like I couldn't exactly say no. The resort we stayed was also a great place for families. We had a washer/dryer and a kitchenette in our studio which was great. I ended up doing a few batches of laundry while we were there. Had I realized there were laundry facilities, I think I would've packed a lot less. Overall, it was a relaxing and fun time away. Maui is wonderful and we hope to return some time soon!
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