We have one more day left, and then our vacation is over, which means we are swapping one paradise for another. Our own paradise in the Pacific Northwest is 50 degrees colder than this one on Maui, but both paradises are lush, that's for sure. And Maui has better sunsets and waterfalls.
Still, I am very much ready to go home. I really miss our dog Raka, and whenever I see a dog at the beach or on the road, I try to entice it over so I can pet it and baby talk to it. The owners usually give me dirty looks, because I'm quite desperate in my need for a dog fix.
I also miss our amazing drinking water at home. Here on Maui, we have to buy water in yucky plastic bottles, and it tastes terrible.
I miss eating lots of vegetables and food that we put up in summer and fall.
And I miss hanging out with my goats at our beautiful homestead.
Honestly, I get a little bored doing nothing. I'm not complaining - I like to relax, reading at the beach, sleeping in, watching buff surfer dudes and hot chicks... but enough is enough.
On this vacation, I've been happiest when we were hiking. The landscape here is so gorgeous, lush, colorful, delicious-smelling and different, and I'm most blissed out when I get to be in the company of nature.
We went on several hikes to amazing waterfalls, through mind-blowing bamboo forests and palm trees, past hundreds of plants we can't identify.
Nature is surely showing off here. Luke and I have been taking hundreds of pictures of flowers, and since I can't possibly upload them all and do them justice, I'm sticking to trees here.
Let me show you:
Even with all the hiking, relaxing and swimming, we get some work done. I am teaching Eva how to read, and by golly, a vacation won't get in the way of that.
I've also been having coaching sessions with clients on the phone, which is really amazing - working on the beach!
The whole family is tanned, sunkissed, or sunburnt. We will enjoy the heck out of our last day, and then we'll hop on the airplane and wave goodbye to Hawaii. It has been beautiful.
Without any more words, let me sign off with pictures to send some Aloha your way.
Yah! I really love Hawaii. I can't wait to go back again. I love the Aloha spirit. But I don't like the tiny-ness of islands themselves. Love wide open spaces where you can drive for days. But everything else? Wonderful! So glad you had a good time. You might be on a plane right now. Love that look on Eva's face! Priceless!
ReplyDeleteI hear ya. It's a little bit freaky knowing that we are on a tiny dot on land in the middle of a huge island. And on a volcano.
DeleteAn alien world!!
ReplyDeleteAnd that look on Eva's face!!
And you look very much like my wife, who is now working as a teacher, with those glasses. Even you look teacherlike!
Personally I really do not feel the need for a vacation, but I sure would like to show the kids around a bit more. Guess they'll have to do their own looking in due time....
Here's the backstory on Eva's face: She loves learning to read, but whenever her brother takes pictures of her (like he did in that picture), she gets really pissed off.
DeleteWe both look kind of intense in that photo!
I guessed as much. Seems to be a universal thing... ;)
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