When I was little I made a list of things i’d like to do in my life. Part of that list I still remember. The list itself I know is in a sketch book I have. Where the sketchbook is you ask? I have no idea.
This list had the usual dreams of a little girl, like riding a horse on a beach, going in a hot air balloon and swimming with dolphins. I did not manage to swim with the Dolphins, but I did swim with a few turtles. Turtles are such beautiful creatures and seem wise. So wise I thought if I could just touch them, I would see the world through there eyes. Then again it’s not hard to see we are going down the toilet bowl.
When I went to Maui with The Man 2 weeks ago, we went to a small little area that was said to have some wonderful snorkeling called La Perouse Bay. There we met a Parks officer policing the waters making sure no one was stealing fish to sell to aquariums – didn’t even cross my mind until he told me- and he mentioned that at Makena Landing Beach Park in a secret little cove two turtles had decided to rest. The Man and I an hour or so later, made our way to this little secret cove and took our snorkling gear, aqua sox and went searching for Turtles. No turtles had been found, and as we where about to leave, until a boy on the other side of this cove at the highest point had spotted 2 swiming with the waves. At this point the waves started to come in high and if i jumped in I knew I would have a hard time getting out. Needless to say I was too excited to see these turtles to give it a second thought. So I took my mask and jumped in letting the wave carry me passed the stones and the sea urchents. Sea urchins don’t scare me once I was wearing shoes! ( take that Sea urchin!)
I looked for the turtles in a murkey and wavy sea and suddenly I came face to face with one. I am not kidding! I was a foot away from his head and I offered him a banana…. he probably thought “oh my god did that turist just offer me a Banana? excuse me do I look like a monkey to you!”
I was thinking they would accept the Banana and sit down for tea with me while we chat about the meaning of life. Needless to say the reaction I got from this turtle was along the lines of “where the hell did you come from and how do I get by you”. I got right out of the way, as he swam by me I tuched his little fin and shell and watched him go into the misty waters. It was an amazing moment as much as it might not have been a shared happy moment, but it opened me up to a world I never thought I could come close to until then and our trip was full of moments with whales coming up to the sale boat to invastigate, dolphins giving us a show and then rasing each other and the boat all the way from Molokini Island to Maalaea Bay.
I also swam with an other turtle while ‘Snuba diving’ and just about touched this one until my instructor pulled my leg and said “they can bight your finger off!” (picture below). I probably would not have jumped into the waters the day before, chasing a turtle if I knew that…ignorance is bliss!
Overall our trip to Maui was far from Relaxing. We both like adventure and we both like to see it all. We managed a hike though a bamboo forest, jumped into pools and waterfalls and traveled from the Kapalua down to Makena, up to Kahului, to Hana and around the Volcano to the airport all in 5 days.
Maui is so versatile. From beautiful white beaches, volcanic rock, and palm trees and as you take the road to Hana, a forest consumes you, waterfall after waterfall, cliff anfter cliff and a little road with 100 bridges that fit 1 small car at a time. It was magical! If we go again, The Man and I are spending more time in Hana.
A wonderful trip! Now I need a vacation from my vacation!
Next trip I hope to cross off Hot air balloon or horse back ride on a volcano or a beach.
cattedtails 