Aloha!
It's a Bullet Sunday from Maui... which is probably the best place for Bullet Sunday to be! Today I'm posting early (internet access willing) because it's going to be a chill-at-the-beach kind of day. Since I don't want to think, I thought I'd just answer some of the comments I got from recent entries. I guess this makes me a lazy bastard, but isn't that what vacation is for?
• "Ohhhh, nice! Which island?" — Kapgar.
Four islands, actually... Maui, Oahu, Hawaii, and Kauai.
• "The monkey, how's it travelling? In a bag, or you paying for an extra seat?" — stephentrepreneur.
Bad Monkey flew First Class, as always. I couldn't get an upgrade, so I flew Coach. But I was able to get an exit row and an empty seat next to me, which was actually better, since I didn't have to watch my monkey get drunk and hit on flight attendants.
• "Speaking of Hard Rock... have you checked the HRC website's Coming Soon section lately? Seattle, Washington. Summer 2009. — Marc.
Yep, and this time it actually looks like it might actually be happening... though I've heard that a couple of times before as they tried to put a Hard Rock Cafe in Seattle over the past 20 years. As a bonus, I hear that a cafe is being planned for Portland, Oregon as well.
"Gorgeous pics! Are these with your new camera? What IS your new camera??? — SJ.
"Great photos... I need to now ask... is this with your new camera? At some point, you will get tired of me asking about it and just blog about it." — ChillyWilly.
Thanks! And, yes, my camera arrived the day before I left, and I've been shooting with it since I got here. It's the brand new Nikon D90 model, which I wrote about here. Since I've barely used it, I'm not quite ready to write a review, but I'm pretty sure it will go something like this... "OMG! I SO TOTALLY LOVE THIS CAMERA! IT'S AMAZING, AND IT LETS ME GET SOME OF THE BEST PHOTOS I'VE EVER TAKEN WITH VERY LITTLE EFFORT!"
"Do you experience any hostility from native Hawaiians?" — Avitable.
Never. Not once in the dozen times I've been here over a 22-year span have I ever experienced any hostility. Unless you count being honked at by Hana natives because I wasn't driving at reckless enough speeds on the Hana Highway.
"Do you eat fish?" — Rattling The Kettle.
"Don't know if you eat fish..." — Patty.
Nope. I am an ovo-lacto vegetarian (meaning that the closest I get to eating animals is eggs and dairy products).
"As for Big Beach/Little Beach, it was the one spot I wanted to go to and didn't get there. Next time, for sure. My exhibitionist side needed out!!" — Lewis.
"If I recall, there was a sign on that road that read 'Your rental car insurance expires after this point'." — TheQueen.
When I fist started coming to Maui in the 80's, the road to Big Beach did indeed violate you car rental contract because it was very rough and unimproved. As such, very few people went there. I have photos of me and my friends where we're the only ones on the entire beach. And the one time I went to "Little Beach" (the "nude beach") nobody was there. Now there's a paved two-lane road right up to Big Beach (and beyond)... complete with a parking lot! Sadly, this means the beach is usually fairly crowded. My how things have changed.
• "QUESTION, and stop me if you've heard this one: If you need a vacation so badly why are you blogging in realish time about it?" — Poppy.
Realish time? Not really. I blog once a day, usually at night before I go to bed. Once the sun goes down, there's not much to do on Maui except eat and get drunk. It's not a big deal to post a few photos and say what I did that day before I eat and get drunk.
"Those sunrise photos are breathtaking. I can only imagine how much more spectacular it must have been to be there in person." — Iron Fist.
"My goodness, thank you for sharing these magnificent photos of the sun rising!! Worth waking up for huh???" — Michelle Jacobs
Truly. Sunrise at Haleakala is truly an event that must be witnessed in person... I got some great shots, but looking at a tiny little photo is nothing compared to the massive event it is in real-life.
• "If you find yourself on Lanai, i have family there that own a restaurant." — hello haha narf.
Having never been to Lanai before (except to dive off the coast), I actually decided to do this! On Friday I made a reservation on the ferry for today with a 9:15am departure and a 6:30pm return. But last night I learned that the road to Lahaina would be overrun with The Maui Marathon from 5:00am onward, making it difficult to even get to the city for a 9:15am launch. This meant, sadly, I had to cancel my plans. Maybe next time.
"When in Maui - Eat at Peggy Sue's (Kihei)!! Tell them Aynde sent you! Visited Maui a couple of years ago to visit the in laws (they own peggy sues). Fun vacation." — Aynde.
Wow... seems everybody's family owns a restaurant in Hawaii! Actually, I am very familiar with "Peggy Sue's"... it was an inspiration for a restaurant back in Washington that some friends own!
"BTW, how's the WiFi at your hotel?" — ChillyWilly.
Uhhh... it pretty much sucks. Couldn't even use it the first day, and last night was so slow that I couldn't post my entry for the day until this morning. Still, it's better than nothing!
And that's the end of that. Time to get out of bed and drag my lazy ass to the ocean.
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Now I’m feeling really bad fot not making any question!!
oh fuck, probably a good thing as i think the restaurant is closed on sundays!!!
so wait, does this mean that you aren’t there specifically to run in the marathon??
I’m still curious if that Hard Rock is pretty hip inside or more subtle than others. Based on the outside, it gives the impression that it’s more conservative.
Thanks for posting on your new D90. We are all now curious to see some video from it to see how well it comes out (I’m sure it’s awesome)… and see how your readers are never satisfied… selfish bastards we are.
And sucks about the WiFi. It seems that good, strong WiFi is hard to find these days, even in Hawaii.
No sushi recommendation for you, then. 🙂 You’ll just have to make do with the local produce.
Those are some very pretty palm tree pictures. Is the water always that blue?
siiiiiiiiigh
I am so misunderstood.
Next time you go on vacation please take another human being to share it with. And don’t you dare tell me there are none to take. The internet loves Dave2.
So, let’s be clear, we’re going to the nude beach when we go there together…right? As for hitting on the flight attendants……..ahem.
Have a blast! It sounds like paradise. You’ve also won a little award. See my site for details when you’re done chilling on the beach.
That’s good. I’ve heard from friends who live there that they do experience hostility, so I was wondering how it is as a guest.
As it turns out, Big Wave Cafe is about two blocks up the street from Peggy Sue’s! It’s just on the other side of Piikea Ave. They get great reviews, and have several vegetarian choices.
Just in case you’re looking for someplace to get a good breakfast – I hear their Banana-Macadamia Nut Pancakes are wonderful.
Betta… Don’t feel bad… I was running out of answers!
Hello… Heavens no. I run only when chased.
Jeff… By definition, all of Hawaii is a bit more relaxed than the mainland. However, the Hard Rock Maui is actually a pretty hopping place.
ChillyWilly… Haven’t even shot video yet! Need to do it.
Rattling the Kettle… Fortunately, the local produce is awesome!
yellojkt… Every time I’ve been here it’s been that blue!
Poppy… Oh, I never said I was alone! I just don’t blog about people in my life who are happily outside the blogosphere! Any friends, family, co-workers, lovers, whatever… they’re all omitted from my blog.
Lewis… Well, it’s clothing OPTIONAL… so, if we ever end up on the island at the same time, I’d be happy to go. Though I’ll be wearing my swim trunks.
Black Belt Mama… I so totally deserve awards for my blog! Thanks!
Avitable… Well… I’d imagine LIVING here you’d run into a bit of local hostility. That would make sense. Nobody likes to be invaded. 🙂
SJ… If I’m going to brave the tourist masses in Kihei, I’ll go for the banana and macadamia French Toast at the Kihei Caffe. I’ve not heard anything about Big Wave Cafe, but I did email you a photo.
My co worker’s daughter lives on Kauai. No restaurant though. She makes and sells bikinis and her 17 yo daughter models them in all the photos on the internet. It looks like everything is going perfectly for you. That’s the way a vacation should be.
Yay! Yay! for Kihei Caffe! So, good and kinda quirky (in a laid back kind of way). I even liked the little doves all over the ground eagerly awaiting the errant crumbs coming their way. It took me a minute to get over my mainland way of thinking that “I’m eating breakfast in the middle of a flock of birds!”, though. Fortunately, they were Hawaiian and they were doves and just enhanced a vacation in Paradise. (Alternately, the pigeons, here in NYC, are so brazen they’d try to take the food right out of your mouth!)
Haha, the monkey gets lucky yet again!