Maui Day 3

Hey yall!  Just wanted to let you know I blogged about our Maui vacation today on my new blog.  Check out Maui Day 3!

Also if you've included me on your blogroll, you might want to double-check that you've got the new domain.

Thanks guys hope you're having a terrific Tuesday!!

Maui Day 2

Our day 2 itinerary was a bit shorter than the previous day’s but it wasn’t short on excitement. We tackled our first hike of the trip. I think it goes without saying but I’m gonna say it any way, but the mountains of Maui are much different than the mountains back home. While we have our share of elevation change, we rarely have a constant up. And most always a good mountain hike is well shaded. Not so when the mountain is a dormant volcano.

We parked the trusty Jeep and headed toward the trail head. One advantage of staying with friends? We didn’t have the token rental car that screams “rob me – I have valuables”. We frequently left our windows down when starting out on hikes – that way we didn’t have to worry about getting into a sweltering car after a tough climb.

The Ridges hike was hard yo. The first part was straight up. Sure it was paved, but that didn’t really help. Jay ran off and left me and waited where the trail started into the woods.

There were lots of beautiful sights along the way, but unfortunately when we got to the top the clouds had rolled in and the view was nonexistent.

Once again we lunched in Wailuku, but this time we found a local Italian restaurant to enjoy. I had the lasagna plate – with salad, at this point I was desperately craving one – and Jay enjoyed a Philly cheese steak. Not exactly traditional Hawaiian cuisine, but very tasty.

The weather had held out, so we headed to the Swinging bridges trail. We’d be cautioned about flash flooding problems that came with a rain storm, but since it hadn’t started raining yet we thought we were in the clear.

Pulling up to the pay gate, we noticed rescue vehicles at the trail head. “Flash flooding?” Jay asked. Turns out a woman had hurt her leg on the trail and was being airlifted out. I had seen a helicopter at a baseball field at a nearby school, but I assumed they were running a drill.

Guess not.

When we came to the first bridge, we ran into some of the rescue personnel. They advised us to not proceed because of the flash flood threat. Chad had told us that as long as it wasn’t raining we were fine. We smile politely and continued on our way.

We made it safely across the 2 swinging bridges as well as the creek crossings that required us to take off our shoes and socks.

 I had learned my lesson the day before and had my bikini conveniently under my clothing.

We enjoyed ourselves at the final pool until it started to sprinkle. Definitely our signal to head back. At this point the trail was deserted and I started to get worried. Then I heard the first thunder crack. I started to get annoyed that Jay insisted we push on.

The real rain didn’t start until after we made it across the last creek crossing. I don’t know if God was holding back the storm or what but I was very much relieved to be on the right side of the trail. Once we made it back to the car Jay checked in with Chad. They discussed potentially going out to eat but I was tired and drenched so I just wanted to go home.

A showered and a wonderful homemade hot meal rounded out our 2nd day in paradise.

Maui Day 1

We woke our first day in paradise to a delicious breakfast prepared by our hosts. After asking them for pointers, we began our Maui adventure. Some of the roads in the less touristy sections are pretty rough.

 So it was with the north side of west Maui. The road itself was smooth enough, but it was 1 lane wide while accommodating 2 directions of traffic. Thankfully Jay was in the driver’s seat to deal with all that stress.

Our first stop was a fruit stand – but not just any fruit stand – Julia’s. This stop was highly lauded by both our hosts and the guide book. We sampled some taro chips – and the world’s cheapest couple paid $4 for a tiny bag of chips. We also purchased a couple of loaves of banana bread – one for Jay and one for Chad and Caroline.

As we munched on the taro chips, we hit the road again looking for the Nakalele blowhole. It was a tiny hike, but very much worth it when we got down there.

Caroline had told us of a group of kids that got killed getting to close, so I made sure Jay observed from a distance. Thankfully another couple was down at the base to snap our photo.

We returned the favor and snapped their picture.  When we saw their pose we knew we had to play copy cat!!

Next on our list were the Olivine Pools – the footing here was a bit more tricky to navigate and this Dare Devil Diva had to be talked into it.

After pouting and refusing to go down for about 5 minutes, I saw another couple safely make their way to the pools and I decided to give it a go.

Here we learned our first rule of Maui travel – always wear a bathing suit. These pools would have been the perfect place to relax and enjoy the water, but neither Jay nor I had though far enough ahead. We soaked our feet for a bit, and did dare to walk around in the pools that only met our knees.

I was starving, so I made Jay stop in the nearest city (Wailuku) for lunch. Typically we prefer Mom & Pop restaurants, but we couldn’t spot any and Jay knows better than to make his wife go hungry for very long. McDonalds would have to do. After a successful refueling stop (both body and vehicle) we headed toward the ‘Iao Needle. This site was geared more toward older folk and families as far as the trails were concerned, but the view wasn’t disappointing.

On the way to our temporary home, we stopped at a beacon I read about in the guidebook. The lighthouse fixture itself wasn’t anything impressive, but our stop was well worth it. While there we saw our first whales of the trip.  We also kicked back to relax a bit at a nearby beach park, but since we didn't have our swimming gear we just enjoyed it from the beach.

A brief trip to Lahaina (a touristy area similar to Gatlinburg near where Jay & I live in Tennessee) for ice cream and shaved ice, as well as a pop into the used book store (I can’t pass one by without stopping) and our first day in paradise was almost complete.

We dined on the first of many dinners prepared by our expert chef/hosts then called it a night.

Check back in a month or so to read/see all about day 2!  I kid (hopefully).

An Odd Take on Vacationing in Paradise

Can I confess something?  Not an "I ate too many girl scout cookies" kinda confession (something I did not do just in case you were wondering).  But a straight up, on my heart, I feel bad just typing it kinda confession.

I don't wanna blog about my vacation.

Don't get me wrong it was wonderful, but I'm just not feeling it. 

We hiked to falls.  We swam in fresh water.  We snorkeled in the ocean.  We saw breaching whales.  Up close.

But I just don't know how to put it in to words.  Maybe its a perfectionist thing.  I've been battling that monster since before vacation.  All my life really, but he seems to have grown larger recently. 

It as perfect as a vacation can be, and I know I'm going to do a horrible job relating that to you.  Also?  You've probably already seen the pictures on facebook so that'd be redundant.

While I'm confessing?

I'm a horrible person.  The gross, icky kind that you don't wanna be friends with.

My first reaction upon seeing the morbidly obese woman walk toward our gate?  Dear god please don't make me sit next to her.  (The "g" in god is lower case because this certainly wasn't a real prayer to a real God.)

After Jay and I had boarded and had taken her seats.  She got on the plane.  Her discomfort was very obvious as she attempted to make her way up the aisle, knowing every eye was staring straight at her.  Knowing every mind was thinking that same prayer I'd said moments earlier.

"I guess that'll teach me to wait to go to the bathroom." She tried to make a joke of getting on the plane after most everyone else had.

I waited until she got a couple rows past me then started sobbing.  I made sure to be quiet, so she couldn't hear, but I couldn't hold the tears back. 

How selfish are we that we presume that a few hours on plane next to an obese person could be any where near as uncomfortable as living her life?  Dealing daily with the stares, the judging eyes.

Lord forgive us!

True Confessions - Back from Vacation

My first confession?

I'm wearing white after Labor Day.

*Pauses for the collective gasp.*

Here's the thing - is September, its still 90 degrees out, and I wanna wear this sundress.  And the white short sleeved blazer is the only thing that makes it work appropriate.

Also, I'm not going to do a vacation synopsis post.

Jay's got most of the pictures posted on facebook and I didn't do much of anything besides this:

When we did venture away from the beach we had fun.  Be it thrift store shopping (because Jay didn't pack enough t-shirts) or playing with our food...

If you're not my friend on facebook and wanna be, just email me and I'll let you know how to find me.

I'm nervous about my triathlon but not worried...

I was super worried after reading a book on vacation that mentioned walking your bike is illegal and grounds for disqualification.  Christie O. assured me that she'd seen it plenty of times.  She then consulted the USA Triathlon rules which served as more reassurance.  If I'm walking my bike I have to get out of the way for those riding, but I can walk it if necessary.

Planning my marathon training gave me a high, although I am a bit intimidated by the number of workouts in the week.

Excluding the long run mileage, its nothing I haven't done before.  I just haven't gotten back at it full throttle and I'm a little nervous about it.

I got more mud out of my ear this morning.

Too bad Jay hasn't sent me the pictures to share.  After the mud run last Saturday it took 6 Q-tips (both ends) to get the mud out.  When I cleaned my ears out this morning I found more that had apparently been hiding. 

I get home Internet this morning!!

Jay is meeting them to install sometime before lunch.  We had been relying on his Verizon Internet card for service, but after 2 months of outrageous overages ($150 last month, $300 this month) we I called to get home serviced hooked up.

I could do a whole blog post about this one.  But I won't, cause I'd be whining and you don't wanna hear it.  I'll just say that if we can afford $300 Internet overages I can afford to put the a/c down to 78 when I'm cooking and hot.

I hope to eventually get a net book, but for the time being I'll probably use Jay's old laptop.  It works okay except he's a diva the power cord has to stay plugged in all the time.  Totally a reason to buy a brand new $700 replacement right.

Okay I'm going to end this post before I get bitchy and run off everyone with tales of how my husband has woken me up with stoopid talk radio MP3s at 4:30 AM two consecutive mornings and my patience is wearing thin due to exhaustion.

So - what do you have to confess this week??

NC part 2

The 3rd and final day we were in Blowing Rock, NC we visited Grandfather Mountain.  Jay & I thought it was just a mile high swinging bridge - turns out it was much more!

We picnic-ed near the nature museum so that we could catch the 1 o'clock snake demonstration.  Once we learned all about corn snakes, we were allowed to touch it.  The Little Man was the first to raise his hand, but the Princess took some convincing.

In the end, the thought of being able to chase Mamaw (my grandmother who's terrified of snakes) and her JuJu (baby sitter who's like an extra grandmother to the kids) with her snakified hand.

Then it was on to the animal exhibits.  Claire saw the "one armed" eagle first and had to tell us all about it.  Apparently it lost its wing to gunfire before being relocated to the park.

The otters had just been fed, so they were hiding out behind logs the first pass through, but we finally got a glimpse of them. 

The black bears were just hanging out. 

After a fudge pit stop, we were headed to the swinging bridge - the main attraction.  For Jay & I at least.  My mom, sister, and the kids had no interest.  Actually the Little Man was interested, he just wasn't allowed.

Upon further review, my dad decide he wasn't going to cross either.  So it was just Jay, BIL, and myself.  At least we had a camera man come with us right?

That's us in the very middle.  Jay is wearing a yellow shirt and I'm in a pink/red tank.

The Princess finally got brave enough to meet her dad in the middle of the bridge & my dad put on his big girl panties and crossed.  The rest of the crew kept with their original decision.

While the bridge itself isn't a mile from the ground, it is a mile above sea level. 

Then it was on to the rock cliffs ahead.

And while this last picture is photo shopped - its not for the reason you think.  The BIL didn't notice that I was imitating a plumber before he snapped the picture.  The only touch ups that were done on this picture were just making my pants look like they came up higher than they really did!

Following Grandfather Mountain (and the purchase of some silly bands to swap with the Princess) we headed to a pizzeria.  It was recommended to us by a GM clerk, and it looked like it was a nice place.  When we got seated we noticed some extra decor added to the windows.

Turns out several years before they had a waitress with a very jealous boyfriend.  He suspected that the owner was a true Italian stallion and paid the restaurant a little visit.

That's some strong glass!

We parted ways and headed home.  The end of a fun trip is always the hardest part, isn't it?

North Carolina part 1

Two weekends ago my family took a trip to Blowing Rock, North Carolina.  Jay was a little slow at getting the pictures uploaded, so here is the full report just a tinsy bit late.

We left early on Sunday, but tried to keep the excitement to a minimum.  We had trouble finding a breakfast meeting spot (where my parents, Jay & I were supposed to meet up with my sister and her family).  The first mom & pop place we tried wasn't open on Sunday, and the 2nd confirmed via a phone call they were open, but when we arrived at their location no one was there.  (We've since discovered that they moved.)

Though we were all starving, we decided to stop in at a place my sister had eaten at before 30 minutes up the road.  My mom decided to ride between the princess and little man's seats and got hit with some projectile vomit (courtesy of the princess's car sickness) for her trouble.

Once we got into town, we didn't do a whole lot.  We walked up and down the street going into the cute little shops, stopping at the park to play, even finding a garage sale to shop!  After checking into the cottage, we freshened up then went back out to a pub for dinner.  After trying a sip of my BIL's beer selection, I went with a pint of Old Speckled Hen. 

It wasn't until Monday that the fun really got started.

Something that we didn't realize when booking the cottage with Blowing Rock Resort Rentals, was that their policy only allowed for 1 bag of garbage for the entirety of our stay.  8 people in a cabin for 3 days, and we only got 1 bag of trash.  If we left anything above that we'd be charged an additional $10 per bag.

Ridiculous right?  They did, however, include directions to the nearest trash dumps. 

My father instructed me not to tell you the story about the dump.  About how due to road construction he didn't see the dump entrance until it was too late to turn in, so he went out the in.  About how the "gentleman" working the dump lectured us about how we'd cause an accident coming in the wrong way.  How he and my dad argued for 5 minutes about whether or not it hurt anything.  About how my dad tried to explain it was an accident and we were tourists (and the problem wouldn't happen again) but the guy kept being a jerk about it.  About how my dad called him all kinds of names once we pulled away- names we were hoping the Little Man wouldn't try to repeat.

Then it was on to Tweesie Railroad - the Little Man loves trains (and all things "go-go" related) so we figured it'd be fun for him.  I was less than enthused about Jay and I shelling out $32 each for a stupid train ride, but we were pleasantly surprised at everything the park has to offer.

First off, they allowed us to bring in our picnic lunch.  Coming from a tourist town ourselves, we're use to being told we can't even carry in a bottle of water in our purse, much less lug in a rolly cooler full of sandwiches, fruit, and drinks.

After the train ride, we had lunch, then headed into the park toward the rides.  Jay took a million pictures (as always) and while some of them didn't turn out to his liking, it meant that I could post some on my blog.  You see my sister thinks the Internet is full of crazies just waiting to kidnap her children.  I've been given specific instructions not to post their gorgeous faces on my blog.  Enter Jay's photo fails.

The princess was too tall to ride the kiddie rides, and surprising (and sadly) enough the Little Man was big enough to go it alone!

One payoff for the princess being as tall as kids a year older than her was that she got to ride the adult rides - here's one of her in between her parents are the tiltawhilr.

The Little Man (with my sister & mom) were in front of the Princess and I on the Merry-Go-Round.

The photo fails of the Princess are few and far between - in true diva fashion she always knows where the camera is and is always willing to pose.  Here Jay has caught us in the middle of enjoying an ice cream snack.

The Princess and BIL were in the pole position.  Followed by Jay & I, my dad and the little man, then my mom and sister.  No, that isn't a possum on my dad's face.  Its his beloved mustache that makes him look about a decade older than he really is.

Here are a couple of mean rascals we found in the Tweesie jail, but the must have broken out because we found them riding off into the sunset a couple hours later.

As I said we were pleasantly surprised at how much fun the park was.  When we'd finally had enough we headed back to the cottage for some grilled steaks (courtesy of my dad).  The evening was capped off by a rousing game of Apples to Apples, before everyone headed to bed in the late 9 o'clock hour.

We're getting old!