Marvelous Maui!
Maui Sunset
I just returned from a wonderful Hawaiian vacation. I was attending a friend’s wedding in Maui (Wailea). Hot sun, warm ocean waves, fresh pineapple and coconut - what’s not to like? Some of our group activities included a day at the spa, hula lessons and a sunset cruise. I also spent an afternoon in Lahaina, a sea port where one banyan tree covers an entire park.
Banyan Tree in Lahaina
Because I was delayed flying out, I only had 5 days in Maui, but I would return in a heartbeat. I would also like to visit some of the other Hawaiian islands. If I were an American, I would consider living there. Sure, it’s expensive, but I would just eat at Taco Bell and live on the beach. 
What was your favourite trip? What was your most expensive? Share some highlights by clicking on the No Comments/Comments link below. Today’s Jack Nation bonus code is MAUI. It’s good until August 14th.
August 12th, 2008 at 3:15 pm
ARUBA, ARUBA, ARUBA…Jewel of the Carribean and for only a 5 hour flight, it is paradise close at hand. White say beaches, great restaurants, shopping, great site like natural bridge and of course CASINOS and Fabulous jewellery to spend your winning on. I love this place so much I go once a year.
Carly’s Note: I haven’t been to Aruba, but you make it sound pretty enticing.
August 12th, 2008 at 3:20 pm
One of my cousins was graduating from the University of Miami in Florida a few years ago and I flew down to celebrate with her and a bunch of my cousins and aunts and uncles.
One of the events that was planned was a cruise that included dinner and a show on a little island. On the cruise, we were able to pass by houses of the rich and famous, then the dinner was all-you-can-eat, but not the buffet type. Instead, it was people coming with big bowls of chicken, ribs, steak, etc. I wasn’t hungry after that!
A few days later, we went from Fort Lauderdale to Miami along the intercoastal on my aunt and uncle’s boat along with my grandmother. It takes about 3 1/2 hours but it didn’t feel like it. The weather was hot but not sticky since it was early in May before the humidity started. That trip was also the last time I saw my grandmother, since she passed away about a couple weeks after I had left. At least she was able to be reunited with my grandfather who had passed away the summer before that.
Anyway, I’m glad that you had a great time on your trip to Maui, Carly! I ain’t never been to Hawaii except for a short stopover, so maybe we should go some time.
Carly’s Note: What a memorable trip! I spent a few days in Miami in March 2006. I loved the vibe. They say NYC never sleeps, but that could easily apply to Miami, too.
August 12th, 2008 at 3:39 pm
Did you driver around the island what a drive and did you go to the top what a view one of the best trips I’ve had and I’ve be around!!! hope you had fun and that its wild!!
Carly’s Note: You’re right - spectacular drive. Lots of rented convertibles.
August 12th, 2008 at 5:25 pm
Wowie - nice pics Carly. Welcome back…my favourite trip was also Hawaii, went when I was 11, that was what, 7 years ago now? Yeah RIGHT.
I remember it being absolutely beautiful, and the distinctive floral smell in the air when we de-planed on one of the smaller islands.
I hope you enjoyed it as much as I did. Did you get to Pearl Harbour? Very chilling.
Carly’s Note: No Pearl Harbour this trip. The smell of the leis is intoxicating. I hung mine on my bed and the scent would help me fall asleep every night.
August 12th, 2008 at 8:00 pm
My favourite trip was Maui as well. My husband and I got married in Maui in 1993. It was a sunset wedding on the beach. We had the most beautiful weather everyday. We spent 15 days there. We would sit by the pooside sipping fancy drinks, fine dining every night and late night walks on the beach. It was beautiful, but very expensive. I would love to go back there, maybe someday we will return, perhaps on our 20th wedding anniversary.
Carly’s Note: I was the last one to fly out, so I spent my last day alone by the adult pool, writing out postcards, drinking mojitos, swimming, hanging out in the hot tub - heavenly! I think you should go back for your 15th anniversary, though.
August 12th, 2008 at 9:51 pm
Hi Carly, welcome back! Cool pic of a wild-looking tree.
Carly’s Note: Yeah, that banyan tree is over 150 years old and has all these off-shoots. Pretty neat.
August 12th, 2008 at 10:35 pm
Hi Carly,
First off, GREAT TO HAVE YOU BACK, WE MISSED YOU!! I’m glad you had a great time as you went to one place where I’ve always dreamed of going!!
I’ve had 2 awesome trips.
One was a repeat trip to Provincetown, MA and my girlfriend and I laughed as everyone thought we were a couple (since it’s a gay city), but a beautiful and quaint one. The sandy dunes and to date one of the biggest highlights of my life, deep sea fishing with dolphins swimming along side our boat as we went out to sea. We caught (which beat ,my last record when I was there about 9 years before with my ex boyfriend by 35) 43 bluefish, which I was told are the best fighting fish in the ocean for their size, and they were pretty big. Each line had a triple hook so you could catch up to 3 at once and I did twice. It’s an expensive way to spend half the day (as you charter the boat, but can do what ever your heart pleases) and we had a blast. My friend didn’t even want to catch any, she just came along for the ride but as soon as the lines went and I hopped in the chair, she did the same thing as the lines never stopped and she was hooked and LOVED IT. I can see now, why my favorite book by is Ernest Hemingway’s “Old Man in the Sea”. It cost $375 and that was back in 1990, so I can just imagine how much it would cost now, but I’m dying to go back for the 3rd time. I even went out the next day on a whale watch and saw everyone of them, and it was unreal, got great pictures too!!
The next great trip was to Puerto Vallarta, Mexico (the only time I’d been out of Canada and the U.S.) and it was to recuperate after a few surgeries, so I thoroughly took it all in and relaxed and another highlight of my life, parasailing!! I was just standing on the beach (with a camera around my wrist) and was lifted up ever so gently and SO HIGH, that my pictures were amazing!! I got all the cruise ships that had come into shore for the day and everything on the ocean. I honesltly felt like I was flying and it was so freeing!! When I came down I was brought down ever so gently it was unreal, just came down and was standing on the beach, almost in the exact spot I left and after going to another private island, I saw other parasailers that weren’t so lucky as they were actually being dragged through the water before they could get up into the sky and their landing’s were pretty darn hard, so I ony hope if I ever do it, the next time, that I get the same GREAT treatment as I did my first time, LOL!!
Memories, they make me so happy, thanks for that Carly!!
April
Carly’s Note: And thanks for reminding me about parasailing! I tried it in the Dominican Republic last year. I normally have a fear of heights, but this was no problem. Fantastic view!
August 13th, 2008 at 6:04 am
Hi Carly, Welcome back! I went to Hawaai in 1979 with a girlfriend and WOW, what a trip. We went to the island of Hawaii, met some locals who showed us all their hangouts, which was good, we were ’starving’ students then. 2 weeks in paradise is not enough. If I could still get inot that bikini I’d go back in a heartbeat, the beaches are awesome aren’t they. Tahnks for bringing me back some happy memories.
Carly’s Note: You’re long overdo for a return trip - bikini or no bikini!
August 13th, 2008 at 6:31 am
Hi Carly,
I would say that my favorite trips would be Florida in 97 which was the first trip i took with my wife after we just started dating a few months ago and our honeymoon in Hawaii in 04.
In 02 and 03 we took a trip with our best friends to an all-inclusive resort in Mexico which was great too. I got forced into a male beauty pageant and came in 4th in the Mr. Iberostar contest. Unfortunately there were only 3 contestants! Just kidding! It was a riot but i have to admit i’m the worst dancer in the world and have these fears of my terrible routine showing up somewhere on the internet!
As a child my parents took me to Hawaii back in the 70’s and it was like paradise.
BUT there was a fuel shortage so on our trip home we had to fly from Honolulu to Oakland to Chicago to Montreal to Toronto. The journey home took 2 whole days including an 8 hour layover in the Windy City and 4 hours in Montreal. Plus it was my first expereince with time zone changes.
I was so exhausted when we got home that i slept for 12 hours straight and missed my first day back at school!
I had such a dark tan though and it was winter in Toronto so my friends hated me for weeks.
Finally i do have some nice memories of road trips to Florida, Myrtle Beach and the Maritimes during my childhood. Ah.. simpler times.
Glad you’re back Carly:)
Carly’s Note: Thanks, Dave! Recounting your trips makes me want to get right back on a plane…except, maybe, for your crazy 2 day return flight.
August 13th, 2008 at 2:09 pm
I have to agree with Liisa. Aruba is amazing. It’s everything she says pluss the snorkeling at Baby beach is fantastic. The diving was great although not as good as Cozumel. The one big plus about Aruba (and Bonaire and Curacoa) is you don’t have to worry about the drinking water like so many other Carribean islands. We just traveled there a month ago and can’t wait to go back. Put it on your travel list…
CHEERS
SPYDERMAN
Carly’s Note: Done! Thanks for the recommendation.
August 14th, 2008 at 8:52 am
Hi Carly,
Oh yeah i forgot to mention that when i got back from Hawaii the first time i suffered from the worst case of post vacation blues.
Have you ever had such a good time on a holiday and then come home and been down in the dumps? it happens to me when i go away somewhere hot during the winter months.
It was part of the reason that we would take romantic weekends away in the winter to break up that November to March period of bleakness.
Have a great day:)
Carly’s Note: Yeah, I really thrive in a hot climate - I feel better, eat less, exercise more and just seem to be more at peace. But unless Canada pursues a union with the Turks and Caicos or I meet and marry a rich man, I don’t see myself moving anywhere hot permanently.
August 25th, 2008 at 5:01 pm
Aloha Carly & Your Loyal Fans,
First I want to apologize to your fans for luring you away to the tropical paradise of Mau’i with our wedding. As a long-time Carly fan I can imagine the loss for the loyal listeners to lose you for a week.
Second I must say Carly, you are one class act - always have been and always will be. It was an honour to have you attend the wedding. Not only did you participate in our ceremony but you also gave the perfect “Infinity Toast” and Thomas and I will always be grateful. You could say your local listeners’ loss was definitely our gain. I’m also glad we had a chance to ‘chill’ with the dolphins amidst all the celebrating. It was a truly unique moment that I treasure.
To answer your question, my favourite trip to date is biased by our recent festivities. Since we got ‘Maui’d’ on 8-8-08 the ‘Valley Isle’, it will always be special to me. For our honeymoon we escaped to the ‘Garden Isle’ of Kaua’i and discovered an equally enjoyable and memorable locale. It’s more diverse, and ‘wild’ than Mau’i. As we trekked around it rekindled thoughts of your Costa Rica vacation stories from a while back. Few places on earth can compare to the breaktaking beaches, sea, mountains and jungle of Kaua’i and I can’t recommend it enough.
For a more urban and ‘old world’ favourite trip, Rome is at the top of my list. It also qualifies as one of if not the most expensive but it was worth it! The architecture, history, cuisine, wine, shopping and people were just fabulous. Plus I loved that we were able to walk from our hotel on the Via Veneto to every district and site we desired.
So - if you want to enjoy a slower pace and true R&R vacation, I’d go with the Hawaiian Isles every time. If you’d prefer a busier pace within an urban setting with some of the best indulgences and experiences the world has to offer, head to Rome or other parts of Italy. And no - I’m not American nor Italian but I am a fan.
Mahalo Nui Loa again Carly,
With Aloha & Mahalo,
Leah
Carly’s Note: Mahalo, Leah!!! As per usual, you have gone “above and beyond” as a friend, but I think you missed your true calling as a travel agent. Great reviews!
September 8th, 2008 at 12:32 am
Any time you want to head back to Maui Carly, you know you can count on me! I’m thinking I might take myself back over for a month or so in February or March to escape part of Seattle’s loooong winter. All I need is an internet connection and a place to get my morning latte. Can you convince the power that be to let you broadcase remotely???
More Alohas!
Lori
Carly’s Note: I like the way you think, Lori! Sign me up.