Here today, gone to Maui

[catbyte]

Well, I'm taking the plunge and going on my first vacation since the plague hit. I'm a bit worried, but I figure I'd have just as good a chance of catching it here in Lansing as I will on Maui, so I'm going for 2 weeks. My flight leaves tomorrow at 5:30 a.m. (UGH). The last time I went to Maui was in March of 2020, and I returned home 4 days before everything shut down--the best-timed vacation ever. I plan on being just as cautious there as I am here and, to be honest, I spend a lot of my time watching humpback whales from my lanai and spend most of the rest of the time outdoors anyway. We're renting a condo so we don't eat out much.

Anyway, I just wanted to give folks a heads up in case I miss a day or two posting my critter videos.

Thanks!

[calimary]

1. Have a great time!

[Nittersing]

2. Yahoo!!!!!

Have a great time!!!

[Duncanpup]

3. Awesome enjoy catbyte

[RainCaster]

4. I got back 2 weeks ago

Maui is great right now. Most of the shops have opened up in Lahaina, and the whales are out in all their glory.

[abqtommy]

5. Maui? Wowee! nt

[brer cat]

6. I hope you have a great time!

[MontanaMama]

7. Enjoy every minute.

I'm headed to Kona in 3 weeks!! Staying in a VRBO and eating at the house for the most part. The little house I'm renting is on the beach so there isn't much reason to go anywhere else.

[MLAA]

8. Enjoy! Wishing you blue skies and gentle breezes!

[mnhtnbb]

9. Have a great time!

I'm going to Bonaire in April--where I was in March 2020--and have been wishing I'd scheduled it for this week. Since I have to go through Immigration & Customs on the way back, I had decided it would be better not to have to stand in line with hundreds of spring breakers, so opted for April, even with masks.

Enjoy!

[beaglelover]

15. Have never been to Bonaire, but we used to go to Aruba every year. I LOVE it there.

We were last there the first 2 weeks of February 2020. I was just searching on VRBO to possibly go this May for my birthday. We have 2 old dogs so we were not going to travel too far for a year or so, but I have a real itch to scratch about going back to Aruba. I'm sure you'll have a terrific time!

[mnhtnbb]

18. Bonaire in March is usually a birthday trip for me.

I was on Bonaire in March 2020 when the plague hit. Cut my birthday trip short by a week for fear I'd get stuck. Turned out the last American Airlines flight out for 15 months was the one I'd been originally booked on for my return. I only left because of my old dog--who had been really sick the last two times I'd left her for vacation over a week in the previous six months--and I didn't want to get stuck on Bonaire and need to have my son take care of her. Otherwise I would have stayed. And probably would have ended up buying a condo there and be living there full time.

I've never been to Aruba. I have friends who've lived on Bonaire for more than 25 years and she told me she's expecting family: 6 adults and 6 teenagers next week! Spring break.

Going in May to Aruba is probably a good idea. Book it!

[a kennedy]

10. So jealous......have just the most perfect vacation EVER!!!

[Totally Tunsie]

11. Have a blast, catbyte!

Don't worry about us if you miss a day or 12 not posting the critters. We'll survive...somehow.

[SheltieLover]

12. Have a wonderful time, Cat!

[skylucy]

13. Have a wonderful time!

[beaglelover]

14. Have a great time. We have friends who used to live here in L.A. but now live near Portland, OR.

They also have a condo on Maui and go every year. Now that they're both retired, they've been on Maui since mid December and don't come back until mid April. One of them is a photographer and posts wonderful pictures on Facebook daily. The whale watching is incredible this year apparently. We went to Maui first week of February about 10 years ago and seeing all the whales everyday right off shore was a highlight of the trip!

[Biophilic]

16. Have a great time. Enjoy.

[Claire Oh Nette]

17. Sea House in Napili Bay.

Skip the snorkel cruise, and snorkel in Napili Bay, north of Ka'anapali, south of Kapalua.

Love and miss Maui!

[catbyte]

21. I'm staying at Napili Point so I'll be a 1-minute walk to Napili Bay.

I'm staying in the same 1-BR oceanfront/point unit I've stayed in since the 1990s. A perfect view of Molokai and whale watching from the lanai is awesome. I LOVE that side of the island and Napili isn't nearly as crowded as Ka'anapali or Kapalua.

[Claire Oh Nette]

23. Shhh. Don't let that secret out.

We stayed there for two weeks every other year while we lived in California. It's much harder to get to from Western NC.

Maui no ka oi!

[Emile]

19. Get rid of all that stress and relax with some Maui Wowie!

[Nictuku]

20. I miss Hawaii so much!

We lived on Oahu and then Maui, and then later on Kauai. I lived there from age 10 to 18. I wouldn't change my life for the world. Now I live on the mainland. I am very homesick for the islands. If you go up country Maui, and pass through Kula, you will see my favorite part of the island, although who doesn't love the Sacred Seven Pools, or Iao Valley. Lahina for night life! Kehea for the Beaches. Have fun, and thank you for all the wonderful posts you do.

Aloha nui loa!!!

[catbyte]

22. I love Maui. I've never lived there, but it feels like going home to me.

My late husband and I took my folks to Hawaii in 1991. My dad was in the Marines during WWII so we had them stay on Oahu for the 50th anniversary of Pearl Harbor then flew them to Maui to stay with us for the rest of the trip. My folks fell in love with Maui so much that now their ashes are scattered on Mt. Haleakala and my husband's ashes are scattered in front of our favorite condo in Napili. So I'll be visiting my family, in a way.

Thanks so much!

[Claire Oh Nette]

24. The Iao Theater does good productions, too.

In Wailuku.

So envious.

[catbyte]

25. Great idea. Mahalo! And of course I wouldn't miss the Maui Swap Meet every Saturday.

[Nictuku]

26. That was my first real job!!! Iao Theater

I worked in the concession area when I was 15. At the time it was owned by Seiks. Previously, that theater had been known for showing a lot of porn..... and those disgusting couches were still there. I only worked there for a couple of weeks, the commute to up-country was too much, and my mom had to drive me. So she eased up on me getting a job. I moved back to Oahu to be with my high school friends (and a boyfriend). My mom worked in a hair salon up in Wailuku called 'Great Lengths'. The owner moved to Kauai and built a shop there in Hanalei, and that was when my mom left Maui. I stayed on Oahu for a few more years. The drinking age changed to 21 the year I turned 18. (that never stopped us). Rock N Roll!!! OK, time to get back to my 60 year old Life. Thanks for the memory lane trip. I needed it!