Written in late April (because I am a fantastic procrastinator):

Spring is finally springing, slowly day by day I watch the ice melting in the cove outside our house. Since returning home, Jim and I have felt overwhelmed with family deaths and moves, we've had an endless flu, all the while Jim has been working really hard and now I am recovering from foot surgery. Ohhhh, vacation where are you?

It's time to complete my writing about our trip to Maui in February before summer is here!

What is it like travelling for 28 days with another couple? It's not a question Jim and I could have answered prior to this trip as we rarely travel with others. And when we do, it's typically someone we meet on our travels or a friend with whom we rendezvous. We travel in a particular region usually for a short time.

We were both surprised that it was not only easy, it was a lot of fun with Jack (Jim's brother) and Brenda (Jack's wife; our sister-in-law). We never thought we would spend every day together but we did and we didn't tire of each others' company...at least that's what everyone said. I sure hope we were all being honest; I was, honestly!

Highlights of our month included:

• the never-ending teasing each other as only good siblings and their wives will do
• frequent good meals - some made by us, others from restaurants such as The Gazebo, Sea House, Cool Cat Cafe, Flatbread Company, Mama's Fish House and Barefoot Bar
• frolicking in the waves (us) and watching others (whale mamas and their young ones, surfers, windsurfers, children)
• adding coconut to everything
• endless pursuit of pastries, banana bread or other sweet delights. Jack led the pursuit and we happily rode along his coattails ("sure, I'll have a bite")
  
• front seat AND back seat drivers
• exploring hikes, 'first Fridays', art studios and sales, spas, luaus, beaches, and pursuing THE perfect photograph
• celebrating our belated 25th wedding anniversary, my 57th birthday and niece Krista's 30th birthday
• knighting Jim's massive camera lens as the 'Big Kahuna'
• meeting up with friends and family who happened to be travelling in Maui at the same time
• a wide range of activities and locations for sunset viewing
  
• the Haleakela 'sunrise' and other notorious experiences we had up there on that volcano
• road signs like 'the land of the love snatching wind' or no signs to be found to help us navigate
  
• a levitating-like clearing of my head and relief from most of my post-concussion symptoms
• sun, breezes and warm evenings that soothed the soul...
  

Written in Mid March:
Back in Nova Scotia and nestled into our cozy home with the woodstove wrapping the house in a down-like blanket of warmth while clean, white snow falls - creating drifts high enough to block out my view of Schooner Cove in St. Margaret's Bay - I feel nostalgic about our time in Maui. Quickly reality hits me out of my dream-like state and I'm swearing at the never-ending snowstorms and cold, ruthless winds on this 18th day of March, 2015. I feel like crying, no, more like sobbing or wailing, longing for the warm winds of Maui.

Reflecting back to our last few days in the not-technically-tropical weather, I re-experience my delight as we stepped into the lovely 'Meadow Lodge', a spacious, casual and welcoming cottage with walls of warm sunshine yellow. The breakfast nook was especially inviting with a cascading view of bushes, meadows, grasses and luscious fruit trees dancing in the never-ending breezes. Our first evening meal in the sleepy town of Haiku was at the Hana Hou Cafe where live jazz/blues/Hawaiian fusion music and hula dance accompanied our delicious meal.

Our quest for our last days here in Maui was to capture photographs of the legendary 'biggest surfing waves in the world' ...if we were so lucky to be here when they occurred.

We drove around a lot, looking for Jaws - the infamous hidden surf spot - and other surfing treasures. After investigation beyond the travel guide warning of no access, we turned into a field with a dirt road and potholes that reminded me of driving in off-the-beaten-track Costa Rica many years ago. Driving very slowly and cautiously for almost 15 kilometers, we came to a cliff edge parking lot where two other tourist vehicles had made their way. Alas, no waves. Not only were they not world record breaking mammoth waves, there virtually were no waves at all and, therefore, no surfers.

On our last day on Maui, while we awaited our late evening flight and journey home, we hung out at Ho'okipa Beach Park (a prime surfing spot for the pros) observing mighty youngsters practicing while being video taped and coached. An exciting diversion were the approximately ten large green sea turtles who were gathering and resting on the beach. The windsurfers collected at one end of the beach and the surfers and turtles at the opposite end preventing any turf conflicts.

Besides a bit of retail therapy at the shops in Makawao (pronounced Makka-wow), we searched for the apparent trails that were discussed on websites and in our guide book. Maui is notorious for bad signage or none at all...you may already have figured that out because we always seemed to be 'making our way'. The conflicting information from all sources made it difficult to know if the remote state park or locally well-known trails were open due to Hurricane Iselle that blew through here in the summer of 2014, leaving a path of damage with cleanup not yet completed. Only because Brenda had to see a doctor did we receive accurate information from the physician about a local hiking trail in the Makawao Forest Reserve. And what a lovely walk that was with massive trees, easy pathways and gentle inclines!

While looking for trails at the Kula Forest Reserve, we stumbled upon the Ali'i Kula Lavender Farm, perched on a gorgeous hillside. Brenda and I engaged in a treasure hunt likely meant for children visiting the farm but we still had fun reading the riddles and locating interesting aspects of the farm, Jim photographed and Jack, well, we were astounded to find him reading his book while sitting in the car! Here we were on our last days of nice weather in a beautiful location with park benches just meters away from him, why would he sit in the car in a gravel parking lot?!

The one thing I know being married to Jim for 26.5 years and confirmed by this trip is those Neales are enigmas! I also can firmly state that I don't like winter in Canada very much so be prepared for more postings annually through the winter.











NOTE: To see all of Jim's Maui images in higher quality, visit his Flickr page:
https://www.flickr.com/photos/jimneale/ sets/