Journey to Hawaii....The Big Island: Days 1 and 2

A Long Day of Travel

If there is one thing that is constant about a trip to any of the Hawaiian Islands it is that is a LONG trip!  Every time we go my husband and I toss around the idea of building in a stay over in Los Angeles or San Francisco so it breaks up the length of the flight.  We are always so anxious to just get to Hawaii and don't want to give up a day of our stay in the Islands that we end up giving up that idea fairly early on in our travel planning stage!  This was once again the pattern for our recent journey to the Big Island!

For those of you who haven't read my previous blog, our airfare was purchased with miles. In order to maximize the miles, this sometimes means taking some strange flights to get to where you want to go.  With this particular trip it was pretty straight forward Cleveland to Los Angeles and Los Angeles to Kona.  The only thing was the 7 hour layover between flights!  Most airlines fly to Hawaii from the west coast airports and usually just have one flight a day to each of the islands so this is quite common to have long layovers and very long travel days...even if your flights are on time.  My biggest tip for the travel portion is just to make sure you pack lots of things to do on the plane...and make sure to pack your chargers and power cords!!

Once our plane landed in Kona, you just knew you were somewhere on an island!  In fact it felt really remote.  I looked out the window and saw a truck with stairs coming at the plane!  I leaned over and said to my husband....uh...they don't have a jetway here...we have to walk across the tarmac!  That's just not something that you see at most airports unless you are on a small plane.  We arrived on a 757!

So we land on the runway and taxi toward the airport.  There are no gates....just these steps....the truck pulls the steps up to the doorway....we all disembark....parade across the tarmac and head to the baggage area.  The whole airport was outside!  Baggage claim was outside!  The evening was warm!  We were definitely in Hawaii!

After a short shuttle ride to the rental car lot and picking up our rental we were on our way to our home away from home for the next 10 days....The Hilton Waikoloa Village.  The resort was about a 30 minute drive from the airport and the first thing that we noticed was how dark this Island was.  I mean....dark!  There were only a few traffic lights and even fewer street lights.  Luckily we had our handy dandy Garmin to guide our way.

Once we arrived at the Hilton, we turned our car over to the valet and had bell services take our bags to our room.  We were exhausted and a little worse for wear from the long day of travel and we were greeted by Frank at the front desk when we checked in.  He was amazing!  He instantly made us feel welcome at the resort and gave us so many tips and pointers for maneuvering the resort as well as what to see there  and on the rest of the Big Island.  It was so good to see a friendly face at the end of the day!

After checking in, we headed to the boarding area for the tram and took the ride to our room in the Ocean Tower.  It was so dark outside that we really didn't get a feel for the resort other than it was large and looked nice.  Our luggage arrived at our room just as we were arriving...perfect timing.  The bellman took time to show us around our room and our lanai and pointed out that the ocean was out there even if we couldn't see it!  He told us where we would be able to see sunset and also filled us in on some of the things that the resort had to offer.  I have to say....our first impression was very good!  You just got that feeling of "Aloha".  We turned in for the night just after the bellman left and woke up to start our real "First Day" of the Big Island.

Waking up in Hawaii

One of my favorite things about traveling to Hawaii and arriving late in the evening is that the first view in the morning when you wake up is just amazing!  All of a sudden all those things that you couldn't see when you arrived are clear and you know you have arrived!

The First View from Our Room Hilton Waikoloa Village

Big Island Breakfast

After a lazy morning enjoying the view from the lanai, we headed on over to the Big Island Breakfast.  This was an amazing breakfast buffet.  We had read several reviews about how it is an expensive breakfast and at $30.00 a person a case could be made for that.....however, we felt that it was an excellent value for what you got.  Since we were Hilton Honors Diamond Members we received coupons for $10.00 each off of a dining purchase each day.  We also purchased the dining card which gave an additional percentage off (and paid for itself almost immediately) so the cost was not too bad at all.  Even if we had paid full price, we felt that this breakfast buffet was well worth the cost.  There was an omelet bar, a buffet of hot breakfast foods which always included, scrambled eggs, bacon, sausage and at least one other breakfast meat, breakfast potatoes, french toast with syrup, biscuits and sausage gravy.  Then there was another area of bagels and bread for toasting as well as cereals and milk.  

Past that was an entire room of food.  There was an assortment of fruits, cottage cheese, salad with dressings, banana bread, muffins, pastries, and another whole hot food section of soup and mahi mahi and rice.  You name it....it was likely on this buffet!  Then there was an entire table of juices to choose from, coffee, tea, soft drinks were all included.  

If you wanted to treat this as a brunch it was certainly possible to do that.  So to defray some of the cost of the breakfast I would suggest eating a bit later and turning it into two meals.  I guarantee you will not leave hungry!

 The first day we had a wonderful server by the name of David.  He was a delight as he made us feel at home as he waited on us and told us stories of the Big Island.  Service in Hawaii takes a little getting used to for us Mainlanders....things move at a little slower pace.  We call this "Hawaii Time".  Just be prepared to slow down and relax and take your time!

One thing that we noticed when arriving for the Big Island Breakfast, you were much more apt to find a longer line if you arrived at the same time that tram arrived.  If you walk to breakfast and time it properly you make it in between tram arrivals and have a shorter wait.  Even if you do have a wait, it doesn't take long to be seated so just relax and slow down!

A First Look Around

After breakfast we did a quick look around the resort.  It truly is a beautiful place and this would be one of many walks around the property.  In fact it took us the entire week to get to the entire thing!  We were still finding new details up until we left!  Here are a few of our first impressions:

There were so many things to see!

The Kohala Coast

About midway through the afternoon we decided to take a short day trip up the Kohala Coast up to the Pololo Valley Lookout and through the mountain area of the Island before we ended up at Ruth's Chris for dinner.  It was a beautiful drive up the coast and we were able to see whales breaching in the ocean from the roadway!  It was an amazing sight to see and really peaked our interest to book a whale watching adventure!  We continued on our way and when we arrived at the overlook it was a whole different set of scenery.  

Just didn't really expect to see horses grazing along the cliffs!  This was a beautiful area and well worth the hour or so drive up the coast.  It makes a nice little day trip with a big payoff.

After leaving the Pololo Valley Overlook we headed back into the small town of Hawi.  We passed a small church on our way that just grabbed our attention.  It just looked so pretty sitting on a hill.

We also had to stop and take a quick look at the King Kamehameha statue in town.  He is such an important figure in Hawaiian history.

After leaving Hawi, we turned down Route 250 and headed through the mountains.  I swear if you didn't know you were in Hawaii you would have sworn you were in the western United States!

 Who knew there were cacti in Hawaii??  We also were fascinated by the duck like birds that were near the cows.  It seemed as though each cow had it's own bird.  Great thing about smartphones is that you can look it up while you are thinking about it!

Turns out these birds are not ducks but rather are Egrets!  Again...who knew?  Well maybe some people do but not this girl from Ohio!  The Egrets stick with the cows and help control the flies and pests for the cows while eating bugs and things that the cows wrestle up from the ground when they graze.  The cows weren't all that happy when we stopped to take their pictures!

Time for Dinner

After our trek to the northwestern portion of the Island we ended up in Waimea on the Kohala Coast for dinner at Ruth's Chris Steakhouse.  If you have read any of my blogs you know that my husband and I are huge fans of the Ruth's Chris franchise!  We try to get to one any time we are on vacation since we don't have one that is close to us at home.  This Ruth's Chris was a little different in that it didn't offer valet parking and was in a plaza.  However, there was no need to worry..there was lots of parking available.  

There was indoor and outdoor seating offered at this restaurant and dress was island casual as most restaurants in Hawaii are.  They had a bar area which was both indoors and outdoors as well as a nice sized dining room and outdoor patio.

It was a nice end to the day and we headed back to our resort to get ready for another road trip the next day!

Coming up Next:  Day 3 of our Big Island Adventure - Coffee Farms and More

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Dreaming of Warmer Temperatures....Let's Go to Hawaii!

The Winter of 2013-14 is dragging on and on at this point.  We have seen storm after storm and bitter cold temperatures this year.  I don't know about you but frankly I have had just about enough of this winter.  So as I am sitting here looking out my back door at the mounds of snow piling up on my patio furniture, I am  thinking of warmer temperatures and places to travel!

Deciding Where to Go

Twenty-seven years ago my husband and I decided to get married in February.  We also decided that to celebrate our anniversary we would go somewhere special each year.  Now some years have been more extravagant than others but we have been able to find somewhere to go each year and every year we worry about what the weather will be like and ask ourselves who thought it was a good idea to get married in February?????  Be that as it may....there is no changing it now so February travel is a part of the Brady tradition!

A few months ago, I was looking at places to travel that might be warm in February.  It's hard to find a place in the continental US that you can count on for being warm.  I recently saw that there is currently snow on the ground in 49 of 50 states...so finding a consistently warm location can be a bit of a challenge in any winter and especially THIS winter!

Florida is always a pretty good bet but we went to Florida on our honeymoon and it was 40 degrees in Orlando when we landed and it never got above 60 degrees the whole time we were there.  So even Florida can be iffy.  We have gone to Southern California in February.  Last time we were in Los Angles in February there was a snow storm in the mountains just outside of town, there was lots of rain and mudslides.  You just never know!  So we tossed around quite a few ideas and the only place that we could think of that we could be pretty sure that we would have warm temperatures and sunshine was Hawaii.

How to Make it Happen

So Hawaii it is....or is it?  Now the research part of the vacation begins.  Making the decision is easy....figuring out how to make it happen within a budget is another thing!    

With all of the winter weary travelers trying to find some warm temperatures, this is peak season in Hawaii.....flight costs are higher....hotel costs are higher and Hawaii is expensive as it is!  I always compare it to a Disney vacation.....you just go into it knowing that you will pay more.  But how can you make it more affordable?

If you have read any of my past blogs you know I am a firm believer in loyalty programs and using them to get you to these more expensive places.  What I am going to share with you is the very reason that I believe so strongly in this.

We started out looking at flight costs.  Flights were well over $1000.00 per person.  I don't know about you but that is expensive to me!  We checked out flights to the Islands of Oahu, Maui and "The Big Island" to see if there was one that was any cheaper than the others.  Turned out that there wasn't....all of the islands were equally expensive.  Hotel costs are much higher on Maui than the other two islands.  We have been to Oahu before as well as Maui so we started to focus on Hawaii "The Big Island"  Once we narrowed down the Island we started to think about award travel.

We had quite a few miles banked in our United accounts.  Now to check dates and see how that matched up with reward travel (how many miles it takes for a round trip).  These amounts vary depending on how much in demand a certain date is.  Be flexible with your dates!  We checked several dates in February and found that if you avoid the long President's Day weekend, you can cash in on a flight using fewer miles!  We just kept moving things around and settled in on a dates for departure and return that used the fewest miles possible.  It was time to book!  So for 20,000 miles each way per person (40,000 miles per person Round Trip) and $10.00 ($20.00 total for taxes and fees) we were on our way to the Big Island!

Next up...finding a hotel.....again.....we had banked quite a few Hilton Honors points from other stays.  Tip:  Pay for less expensive hotels and bank your points to use at a more expensive hotel in a more exotic location.  So we checked out our options at staying at a Hilton Hotel on the Big Island.  We found there was just one real option....The Hilton Waikoloa Village....it's a large resort hotel near the beach....hmm....I guess we could handle that.  We checked our points balance and found that we had banked enough points in the past 14 months (double points, 4X points promotions like that are very helpful...always sign up for any promotions that the company is offering  to gather more points) to stay for 10 nights free in a Deluxe Ocean View Room.  This sounds good! 

So now we are at $20.00 total for 2 Round Trip Flights from Cleveland to Kona, HI and a free hotel for 10 nights.  The only thing we are missing is a rental vehicle.  Hmm...well we have 3 free days from the rental car loyalty program....might as well use that.  That leaves only 7 days of a rental vehicle.

All of a sudden this Hawaii idea is much more doable!  Activities, food costs, gas for the rental vehicle, are all still expensive compared to other areas but the budget allows for this now that the big expenses have been minimized.  

Planning Our Adventure

Once we had our plans made and itinerary booked, it was time to check out what there is to do on the Big Island.  

1.  Websites such as www.gohawaii.com are very helpful to give you a lay of the land in the islands.  It has things to do and a terrific interactive map so you can familiarize yourself with what there is to do.  

2.  Buy a "real" book.  Personally I like to have a guidebook with me that shows the top rated attractions, has a map and tells you how to go about getting to the sight and what to do when you get there.  Call me "old school" but you never know when your wireless connection isn't going to be all that good on a backroad in Hawaii and then the website isn't of any help!

3.  Check out www.tripadvisor.com to see what other travelers have rated as "must do" activities or sights to see.  This also gives you ideas of things to see that you may not have found otherwise.

Once we took a look at all of the above, we chose some of the things that we definitely want to get to while we are visiting the Big Island.  Hawaii Volcanoes National Park, Kona...to check out how they grow and process their wonderful coffee, the beaches and waterfalls and botanical gardens that are on the island and of course a trip to the summit of Mauna Kea to see the stars.  

The Adventure Begins......

February 20th is the day.....the day that we leave the cold and snow of the winter behind and start our adventure to The Big Island of Hawaii.   Come along with us as we explore the Island together!

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Maui vs. Oahu....Which Island to Visit?

When you first think of going to Hawaii...you must decide which Island you are going to visit.  This is a tough decision and one that you may spend much time making....after all it's not a cheap vacation and could be a once in lifetime trip so you want to be sure you are making the right decision!

I have been fortunate enough through the years to have gone to Oahu twice and Maui once.  Here are my thoughts on the differences between these two popular Islands.  Hopefully it can help you with your decision making process!

Oahu

Weather

The weather in Hawaii is pretty darn close to perfect no matter which Island you choose.  It ranges from about mid 70's to mid 80's year round.  Winter may bring a few more clouds and raindrops but the temps are mild.  The first time we went to Oahu it was mid-August.  Weather was great (other than the full day of rain and flooding that we had from a close call with the first hurricane in Hawaii in 50 years!...figures!) The second time we went was the first week of January.  Big waves were on the North Shore and were absolutely amazing. Weather was mid 70's and there were a few clouds and raindrops but mostly it was just perfect!  I actually preferred the winter visit more...you just don't get to see 20 foot waves every day!

Hotels

There are all kinds of hotels and resorts in Oahu.  Most tourists head toward Waikiki Beach and stay there.  You will find high rise resorts, regular hotels, big hotels...small hotels...you name it...it's there.  There are other resort areas that are less highly populated in other parts of the Island but the vast majority of visitors congregate in the Waikiki area.  The beach is long and is very accessible.  The weather is nice and waves are small enough to handle...unlike the North Shore waves.  If you are a Disney fan, Disney has recently added a new Resort the Aulani which is in Kapolei.

Attractions

There are many attractions on Oahu:

1.  Pearl Harbor is perhaps the most well known.  It is definitely a "must see" if you are on this Island.  It is educational, emotional and beautiful at the same time. 

2.  Diamond Head is another favorite area.  You can take a hike up to the top or just look at it from the bottom...either way it is a beautiful sight.  

3.  Polynesian Cultural Center - This is a fun day trip for the entire family.  You can learn about the culture and history of the polynesian people and enjoy a luau and spectacular nighttime entertainment.  It is run by the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints so there is no alcohol served. 

4.  Dole Planation - What says Hawaii more than pineapples?  Head to the Dole Plantation if you want to see how they grow and are harvested.  They have a terrific gift shop and you can even buy Dole Whip there!

5.  USS Missouri - visit this real battleship to get an idea of what it's like for our Navy at sea.  It's near Pearl Harbor and another place to stop if you are out and about.

Restaurants

There is no shortage of restaurants in Oahu.  You name it...they have it!  There are local favorites like Duke's on the beach in Waikiki and there are chains like the Hard Rock Cafe.  There are luaus at various places on the Island.  The luau's provide transportation from many hotels so make sure you check that out when book one.  You will not be disappointed with your dining options in Oahu!

Shopping

There is also no shortage of shopping in Oahu!  There are shopping malls like the Ala Moana Shopping Center which is huge and offers high end as well as regular stores.  There are really high end shops on the main street in Waikiki....you can literally spend at least an evening, if not more, just strolling down the street and heading into some of the shops.  There are touristy shops in Waikiki also....here you can buy any touristy souvenir you can imagine....from bamboo wind chimes to t-shirts to ukeleles.  Oahu is definitely a shoppers delight!

Maui

Weather

The weather in Maui is virtually identical to the weather on Oahu.  The islands are not far from each other so they both enjoy the same beautiful weather year round.  We were in Maui at the end of November/beginning of December and temperatures were still in the mid to upper seventies.  There were a few overcast days but no real rainy weather to speak of.  it makes the perfect place to visit no matter what time of year you are planning to go!

Grand Wailea Resort and Spa

Hotels

There are two main areas of hotel concentration in Maui.  The Wailea area and the Lahaina area.  From what we were able to see, these areas are quite different,  If you are looking for high rise hotels....book your room in Lahaina.  If you are looking for a sprawling resort with beautiful gardens....book in Wailea.  The rest of the Island offers a few hotels but certainly not the variety or quantity that Oahu offers.   (See my previous blog on the Grand Wailea  http://travelswithmel.blogspot.com/2013/02/maui-day-2-grande-wailea-little-slice.html

Hotels on Maui are quite a bit more expensive than those on Oahu so be prepared for the price difference.  The supply is lower on Maui so you will pay!

Attractions

There are more limited "attractions" on Maui.  The attractions that do exist are more of a nature variety. They also involve some travel time.

1.  The Road to Hana:  Plan a whole day to head to Hana from any of the more populated areas of the Island.  It is a long and winding road that leads to the small city of Hana.  It's not about the destination....it's about the journey.  As long as you keep that  in mind you will enjoy your day.  This trip is not for everyone...it's full of one lane bridges and big bends and it requires you to give up an entire day at the beach.  However...the payoff is big for those of you who enjoy nature.  If you would like to read more about the Road to Hana please visit my previous blog http://travelswithmel.blogspot.com/2013/03/maui-day-4-road-to-hana-its-about.html

2.  Haleakala Crater:  This is a "must see" when you visit Maui.  If you do no other day trip....make sure that you take time to visit the crater at sunrise.  It is unreal and possibly the most beautiful sunrise that I have ever witnessed.  Please visit my previous blog for more information http://travelswithmel.blogspot.com/2013/02/maui-day-3-part-1-sunrise-at-haleakala.html

3.  The beach in Paia:  This is a great spot to stop and watch the surfers.  It's beautiful and entertaining at the same time.  Definitely a worthwhile stop to put on you list!

Restaurants

The restaurants on Maui are not nearly as diverse or in as great of quantity as on Oahu.  There are restaurants...there are chains and local restaurants...there just aren't as many of them as you will find on Oahu.  Lahaina offers the most variety so if you are looking for a nice restaurant or some nightlife you will probably want to check out that area.

Shopping

Again, shopping is an area that Oahu wins hands down.  Maui has shopping but not nearly the amount that Oahu offers.  There are some high end shops in the Shops at Wailea and also in the Lahaina area.  There is a shopping mall near the airport but it's not nearly as nice as anything in Oahu.  You can shop....so don't worry about not being able to get your shopping fix....it's just a different experience.

Oahu vs. Maui.......My Thoughts

I have been to Oahu twice. Both times that I was there I enjoyed my time but was ready to head back to the mainland.  I have been to Maui once and I didn't want to leave.....in fact the valet had to console me as I was leaving the resort LOL!  

If you are looking for action, nightlife, hustle and bustle, and the draw of the big city.  Oahu is the place for you.  If you are looking for relaxing, beautiful, tropical and what most people think of when they think Hawaii....Maui is your spot.  That being said, I think everyone should visit Oahu at least once.  It's a great Island and has so much to offer.  Once you have done that....head to Maui for a real Hawaiian adventure!

Coming up Next:  Colorado Springs on a Budget

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Maui Day 8: Our Last Day in Paradise

As the saying goes...."time flies when you are having fun" and this week was no exception.  Much sooner than I was ready for it...our last day in Maui had arrived and I found that I was more than a little saddened by this fact!

As our last day dawned I found myself reliving the past week in my mind.  It was absolutely wonderful in every way!  It was so wonderful in fact that I found it difficult to leave the view from our lanai!  It was like I wanted to burn the memory of the view into my head to keep with me during the long winter months in Ohio!

One Last Walk Around the Grand Wailea Resort

We had asked for and received a late check out for the day.  Our flight didn't depart till 9:30 PM (which is very common for flights to the Mainland from Hawaii) so we had the entire day to enjoy the Island.  Once I was finally able to drag myself away from the lanai...I wanted to take one more walk around the beautiful grounds of the Grand Wailea Resort just to enjoy the place that we had called home for a little more than a week.  Here are some of the parting shots that I was able to take.....

Believe me it was not a pretty site when my hubby finally dragged me out of the room and loaded me in car to head out for the rest of our day!  Even the valet kept telling me it was ok...I could come back...LOL.  I really just wanted to stay!

Heading back to Paia

Once we got on our way from the resort we decided to head back up to Paia to catch some more of the big waves and watch the surfers.  When we got there we were greeted with lots of vehicles in the parking area by the beach.  Turns out we were there just in time to watch a Kite Surfing Championship!  Now that's not something you see in Ohio!  

The sadness of leaving the resort quickly was replaced by the excitement of watching World Class Kite Surfers handle some big waves!

The sights and sounds were like nothing I had ever experienced.  The bright colors of the kites....the warm breezes...the deep blue of the water...the sound of waves crashing.  There is nothing like it!  Here are some of the photos that I took....it doesn't do it justice but perhaps will give you an idea of the beauty of Paia!

Of Pineapples and Bringing them Home

We had time to head out to dinner after watching the kite surfing and then before we knew it, it was time to head to the airport for our flight.  Just a couple things to remember when you head to the airport in Hawaii...get there ahead of time.  Your baggage must go through a US agricultural inspection which is an extra step in the process.  You cannot pack produce in your bags.  However...there are ways to bring a bit of Hawaii home with you.  If your friends are like mine....they will appreciate the fresh pineapple you can bring home!  There are a couple of ways that you can do this.  You can purchase your pineapples ahead of time and pick them up to take as a carryon on your flight home or you can have them shipped home.  There are pros and cons to each method.  We were bringing a dozen Maui Gold pineapples home with us so carrying on was really not an option for us.  We read other travelers advice and headed to Mr. Pineapple.

Mr. Pineapple

Oahu has the Dole Plantation so it's really easy to find a way to ship some pineapples home.  Maui is a bit of a different story.  They sell the Maui Gold Pineapples but it isn't real convenient to find someone who sells and ships.  We found a brochure for Mr. Pineapple.  It was near the airport....you could buy and ship home...sounded perfect.  We actually went a day or two before we left and placed our order.  First of all Mr. Pineapple isn't exactly easy to find.  It is true that it is near the airport.  You will see a van parked in the parking lot.  The actual store is above a gas station in a small room.  Once we located it...we headed up and spoke with Mike who was running the store.  He was the only one there and was frantic with phone calls and other customers.  We waited our turn...tried the samples that were out and finally were able to place our order.  Now...the price of the pineapples isn't too bad....the cost to ship them home is slightly on the outrageous side...like about $100.00 or more so be prepared.  We wanted pineapples so we paid for the shipping.  We paid and headed off.  

Once we got home the pineapples arrived as scheduled.  There were two 6-packs taped together.  I opened the top pack and started passing them out to friends and family.  They were great...beautiful...fresh.  When I opened the bottom box...which was leaking (my first clue that something was out of whack)....four of the six pineapples were rotten.  I was able to save a little from each pineapple but certainly wasn't able to give them out as gifts.  I made a couple of attempts to contact Mr. Pineapple since their brochure indicated "satisfaction guaranteed" but alas...no one ever returned a call or email.  Left me feeling a bit rotten about Mr. Pineapple I must say!  So buyer beware...maybe it was a fluke...maybe not.  Just be careful if you are using Mr. Pineapple to 

There are also stores to purchase pineapples (same Maui Gold) in the airport.  I do not know if they ship them or not but certainly if you wanted to purchase a small box to carry on the plane it is possible to do that at the airport.

The Long Flight Home

So once you get to the airport it's time to prepare for the long trip home and it is long....even if you live on the west coast you still have a 5 hour flight back to the mainland.  Luckily our flight home was uneventful and our flights were on time unlike the trip there so about 15 hours after we left Maui we arrived in Cleveland.  This included our 5 hour layover at LAX.  Once again we were very happy that we has used the miles to  upgrade to First Class so that we could at least have more room to stretch out and get some rest on the way back.  It's a long trip to Maui (or anywhere in Hawaii for that matter) but it's a trip that will always be remembered!

Next up:  Maui vs. Oahu

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