I just returned from my belated honeymoon in Maui. To say that I wanted to stay longer (or maybe move there) would be an understatement. We began the trip at the Ritz Carlton in Kapalu. I’ve never stayed at a 5-star hotel, and now I’m genuinely wondering, can I stay anywhere else? They literally wait on you hand and foot, putting down a towel before you lounge by the pool, bringing up wine glasses, and giving you free champagne. Did I mention the Nespresso machine in the room? Well, that may have been my favorite perk. That or the luxurious robe. Our stay in Kapalu was the adventurous part of our honeymoon. On Thursday, we took a Hike Maui tour to a rainforest. It was beyond amazing and may just be my favorite day ever. Even better than my wedding or when the Spurs and Cardinals clinch championships. We hiked to five waterfalls and lounged and swam. It was truly lovely. We also got to eat delicious fruit right off of the trees including passion fruit and guava. That was Jarrett’s favorite part! Our tour guide was incredible, so very knowledgeable and I never felt unsafe even though I’m not much of a hiker. I highly recommend Hike Maui if you find yourself there. It’s an incredible experience and you get to see some of the most beautiful sites while learning about the history and culture of this magical island.

I can’t remember the name of this fruit. It was kind of weird…very crunchy and sour.

Lush

This may be ginger but can’t remember

The easy part of the hike

Gorgeous

On to the next waterfall!

Another beauty

Guava

Guava

Then, on Friday, we took a sailboat tour to Lanai. This was put on by Sail Trilogy, another awesome, highly-recommended company. On the two hour ride there, we enjoyed the breeze and checking out the islands from the middle of the ocean. Plus, we snacked on some delectable cinnamon rolls…yum, yum. Lanai – you just have to see to believe. It’s much more secluded and private than Maui and the beach is absolutely gorgeous. Now, it was time to snorkel. Those of you who know me, know that I have an irrational fear of sharks. Yes, I have seen Jaws 50 times and it’s my favorite movie, yet, I’m terrified of these magnificent creatures. I was seriously debating not snorkeling, even though that was the main draw of this sailboat trip. But, when I saw how professional the guides were and how much fun people were having, I decided to give it a go. I’m glad I did. Granted, I was maybe in the water for 20 minutes tops, but it was still a big step for me. I saw some beautiful fish, including many Parrot fish and swam around the coral reef. After a little bit of time looking around, I decided to head to shore. I was pressing my luck…ha! A few of us decided to take a van tour of Lanai and learned about the people and culture. Let’s just say that time moves slower on this lovely island, and that’s a good thing. You can just get bogged down by the hustle and bustle of daily life, and it’s just nice to relax and enjoy the sights and sounds of a very different place. It’s definitely a place I’d like to visit again and spend more than a few hours. They are currently remodeling two incredible resorts, so I expect tourist season to be big for them when they are completed.

Lanai!!!

Another shot of Lanai!

Aloha!

Well, I don’t want to bore you too much tonight, so I’ll take a break. Part II will cover Kaanapali, the tradition of the luau, and a magic show. More to come!