The Hawaiian Islands

Oahu, Kauai, The Big Island, Maui

Many years ago---around the year 1998--- Ken and I went to yet another timeshare presentation in St. Louis (for the entertainment and free stuff they gave us), but this time we ended up buying into it.  This presentation was for Pahio Resorts (specifically Kauai Beach Villas---- one of the 4 Pahios on Kauai).  We had never been to any of the Hawaiian islands and didn't really figure we'd go to the Pahio resort, but we were sold on the idea that we could bank the week into RCI and go anywhere, anytime, that we desired.  We were so naive back then!!!  So we bought a 1 bedroom/1 bath EOY (every other year) unit.  

About the same time that we went to the presentation, I came across a great TWA Getaway Vacations to Oahu for $599/person which included airfare from St. Louis and 5 nights on Oahu ( at the Maile Sky Court Hotel which we extended to 7 nights for a couple hundred dollars more).   With our first year at KBV set to be 1999, and we already had reservations for Oahu for Nov. of 1998, we banked the KBV week into RCI---and began to learn what "go anywhere, anytime you want" really means - go anywhere that is available, at the worst times of the year!  That usually means somewhere over saturated with timeshares (like Orlando or Las Vegas); or where you really want to go (usually only available during off season) if you're lucky enough to catch it as soon as it's banked.  Since we had a really good time on Oahu in 1998, when our next EOY week rolled around in 2001, we decided to go with the sure thing and see exactly what we bought into.  

We never banked that week again.  In fact, we bought more and more weeks at Pahio until we had 2 weeks every year (1 bedrooms in even years and 2 bedrooms in odd years).  That worked so well, that when Wyndham took over as the management company, we eventually converted our weeks into Wyndham points by buying another EOY 1 bedroom unit at Bali Hai.  With that purchase, all our Pahio weeks were converted into Wyndham points.  Which ended up being a rather inexpensive way to become Platinum VIP in Wyndham (which has been great!).  Part of what got us to convert, was we were told we'd be able to reserve ocean view rooms 13 months out.  That did work for a couple years, then they "learned" that we could only reserve our original type units that far in advance.  But it worked out.  With lots of persistence and patience, we still got a lot of ocean view rooms in the 10 month Wyndham open reservation window and even often within the 60 day reservation time when our Platinum VIP privileges of 50% off the number of points non-VIPs pay and free upgrades takes place.   

And this is my blog of my love affair with Hawaii! 

1998 Oahu - first trip to the islands

2001 Kauai - first trip to Kauai

          2nd trip to Oahu

2002 The Big Island 

2003 Kauai with Dad (buy a 2 bedroom week)

2003 Oahu with Dad for Sean's reinlistment

2004 Kauai with Tim and Faith

2005 Kauai

2006  Kauai with Tim and Faith, then Dad

2006 Maui father/daughter trip - first trip to Maui

2007 Kauai

2008 Kauai

2009 Oahu by myself, 

         Kauai with Ken, Angie and Josh (and we convert to Wyndham)

2010 Kauai with Tim and Faith, again

2011 Kauai

2012 Kauai with Schneiderjans

2012 Maui sisters' trip

2013 Maui with Baileys

2014  Kauai

2015 Feb. 6-26
          Kauai 
          Maui

2016  8/18 - 9/14 (2 weeks each place)
          Maui 
          Kauai starting 8/31

2017  no Hawaiian islands!!!!

2018  Maui for 4 weeks  with Fischers

2019  Kauai (with Carolyn) / Maui (solo!)

2020  Glioblastoma hit and COVID 19 pandemic---our 2 weeks at Maui Schooner             and 2 at Kihei WM for March had to be cancelled. 

2021  Ken still fighting Glioblastoma and COVID 19 pandemic still raging ---week           at Kauai Coast Resort at the Beachboy and 2 weeks at Kihei WM canceled,             again. (for April).  Now I have WM reservations for March 2022.

2022  Ken STILL fighting Glioblastoma.  Covid still going around, but people are beginning to ignore it.  But had to cancell our reservations for Kihei in March, again.  Now have reservations for Feb. 2023.

2023  Ken STILL fighting Glioblastoma---not doing well, but is a long term survivor now.  Covid, not so bad.  But had to cancel 2 weeks at Kauai Coast Resort at the Beachboy and 2 weeks at Kihei Worldmark on Maui.   As of Jan. 2023, I have 1 week booked for Feb. 2024 on the Big Island.

 

With 20+ trips to the islands between 1998 and 2018, we obviously LOVE the islands!  It feels like another home to us!  Can't wait to go home again!


 

2018 Jan. 25-Feb. 22 Maui --- 28 night vacation: (Fischers)

2018-1-25  through 2-22  Maui trip:

4 weeks in Maui!!!!  

Longest we've ever vacationed in one spot.  I'm so anxious, I'm starting my blog a couple days early.  I'll get all the mundane stuff stuff out of the way:

Flights:  ATL-OGG

We're using award miles again.  This time we're using Alaska Airlines for our flights to OGG and AA for our flights back.  I booked the flights about 300 days out, knowing there would probably be changes before Jan. 25.  First one came while we were on vacation in S. Florida in May.  AA decided to eliminate our red eye flight out of OGG to LAX.  So they moved us up to a 2:30pm flight and changed our LAX - ATL flight to LAX - Charlotte (CLT) - ATL.  With an 8 hour layover in CLT!  I had to call twice before I got someone who could or would change the CLT flight to one with "just" a 1 1/2 hour layover.  Then in Nov.---while on an 11 night Caribbean cruise---our Alaska Airlines flight ATL - SEA got eliminated and we got an email telling us to call them.   So I called and they put us on a flight to SEA a day earlier and said they'll put us up in a hotel that night.  Then we would take our 10:30am SEA - OGG flight on the 25th.  So our really LONG travel day becomes 2 long travel days, but at least we don't have to get to the Atlanta airport by 4am!  As always, I kept checking our flights for better itineraries and/or seats.  On Jan. 20 AA put their non-stop LAX-ATL red eye on mile-saver award travel, so I was able to called and got us switched to that flight instead of LAX-CLT-ATL.  Now we'll get back into ATL about 7:30 am instead of noonish----just in time for the lovely Atlantic rush hour traffic!  As we're driving through the city to get to the north side I'll just keep reminding myself it's better then sitting in the Charlotte airport waiting for another flight!

Accommodations --- Kahana Villas Resort and Worldmark Kihei

Car rental --- Nissan Pathfinder

Cameras this trip: 

 My Canon 60D DSLR with a Tamron 17-300mm zoom lens and a Tamron 150-600zoom lens; and a TG-4 Olympus underwater camera. 

For our day to day fun, click on the links:

1-24-2018  Day -1 --- off to Seattle:

1-25-2-18  Day 2---SEA - OGG and settling in: 

1-26-2018  Day 3---snorkel Kahekili and Lahaina for sunset: 

1-27-2018  Day 4---snorkel Kapalua and Lahaina for sunset

1-28-2018  Day 5---Sea House breakfast, Napili bay, Kapalua snorkel, Kahana sunset, Lahaina 

1-29-2018  Day 6---the Fischers arrive!

1-30-2018  Day 7---trip up to the North/West side and the Super Blue Blood Moon:

1-31-2018  Day 8---snorkeling Kapalua with newbies

2-1-2018  Day 9---whale watching tour out of Lahaina 

2-2-2018  Day 10---move to the South side by way of Haleakala: 

2-3-2018  Day 11---checking out the high surf on the South side

2-4-2018  Day 12---half the road to Hana

2-5-2018  Day 13---RAIN and Fischers leave

2-6-2018  Day 14---Oneuli whale watching and walking the Hoapili trail

2-7-2018  Day 15---a walk along the Wailea Walking Path 

2-8-2018  Day 16---snorkeling!  Kapalua and MM14

2-9-2018  Day 17---snorkeling Makena Landing 

2-10-2018 Day 18---snorkeling Ahihi and a walk along the path by Maluaka

2-11-2018 Day 19---snorkeling MM14 and sunset at Kam 1-2 

2-12-2018 Day 20---snorkeling Kam 3 and Po'olenalena

2-13-2018  Day 21---snorkeling Po'olenalena and The Dumps!

2-14-2018  Day 22---Valentine's Day Trilogy whale watching tour 

2-15-2018  Day 23---A rainy day, but a great sunset  

2-16-2018  Day 24---Kula Gardens, Hookipa turtles, Kam 1 sunset 

2-17-2018 Day 25---Snorkel Honolua!!!  and Kapalua, then off to Lahaina 

2-18-2018 Day 26---Water spout!  walking north of Kam 1 

2-19-2018 Day 27---Walk along the Kam beaches and disappearing ring

2-20-2018 Day 28---Snorkel Maluaka and Wailea

2-21-2018  Day 29---last day!!! So sad!

2-22 and 23-2018---heading home to ATL

Highlights and lowlights of this trip:  

The biggest highlight was sharing vacation time with good friends for a week.  Biggest lowlight is apparently having my wedding ring stolen!  Another lowlight is my glasses disappearing in the ocean and having to get new ones made at LensCrafters.  Speaking of things disappearing---so did my hat!  Definitely too many lowlights!  Our trip ended with another highlight!---finding my assumed "stolen" ring! 

2016---Aug. 18 - Sept. 14 Maui and Kauai trip

This was our 3rd time to Maui (my 5th, but Ken's and my 3rd together); followed by our 15th trip to Kauai.  Originally I booked award travel for the usual time we go to Hawaii---Feb.  It's a nice escape from the St. Louis winters.  But little did I know when I made the reservations that in Feb. 2016 we'd be living in South Florida!  No need to escape that weather!!!  So I paid the exchange fee and changed it to Aug/Sept out of Miami.  Again, little did I know that when Aug. 2016 rolled around, we would be living in Atlanta!  Another exchange fee and rebooking (loosing a day of our Maui vacation in order to get the award travel again)!  This time we left from Atlanta.  And this time we spent 2 weeks on Maui, then another 2 weeks on Kauai!

2015 Feb. On to Maui from Kauai:

 Usually we spend our whole vacation on one island, but this time I took advantage of good award travel itinerary to Kauai and from Maui.   We did have to pay $90@ plus $15 for one checked bag on Hawaiian for our flight between LIH and OGG, but I felt it well worth it to get to see Kauai for a few days, too.  But the 6 nights flew by and before we knew it, it was time to head to Maui. 

Feb.12, 2015--on to Maui from Kauai:

Feb. 13, 2015: to Kahului and the Maui Tropical Plantation:

Feb.14, 2015--Valentine's day and Whale Day:

Feb. 15, Sunday: Whale Tales, West shore sights.

Feb.16, 2015---Kapalua and TripAdvisor Meet and Greet:

Feb. 17, 2015--Ulua and Kapalua;

Feb.18, 2015---Maluaka Beach:

Feb. 19, 2015---Road to Hana and beyond:

Feb.20---Maui Ocean Center:

Feb. 21, 2015---Wailea Coastal Walkway:

Feb.22, 2015---Olowalu:

Feb. 23, 2015---The Dumps and Kameole 3---
 
Feb. 24, 2015---Back to the Dumps and a visit from Elvis:

Feb. 25, 2015--Maluaka, Ioa Valley:

Feb.26,2015--Depression setting in!  Time to go home:

I'm finally getting Ken to stay in Hawaii longer and longer.  Sure makes for a welcome break from midwest winters!!!!

To see my blog from Kauai, click here---   2015 Kauai

2013 Feb. Wowwie Maui!!!!

2013 Wowwie Maui!!!!

After years of trying to get Ken to go to Maui, he finally agreed to go.  I had been there twice before, first with my Dad and another time with my sister, but neither of them are snorkelers.  Maui has a reputation for much better snorkeling then Kauai.  I was anxious to see if that was really true!  Ken thought it would be more crowded and more of a party island.  

We were fortunate to have the trade winds with it's low humidity the whole time we were there.  Kona winds were expected soon after we left.  I had planned on going to Lanai, but the snorkeling was so good on  Maui that we didn't bother going there (this time)---plus there were small boat warnings much of the time we were there. 

Note about my cameras:  above ground-Canon 60D; underwater-Canon D20
 

Feb. 18, 2013--STL-DFW-OGG; the long travel day---

 

Feb. 19, 2013:  Makena Landing snorkeling---

 

Feb. 20, 2013: Honolua snorkeling--- 

 

Feb. 21, 2013: Just another windy Thursday and snorkeling Maluaka---

 

Feb. 22, 2013:  "A" is for Ahihi!

 

Feb. 23, 2013: Kapalua  snorkeling---

 

Feb. 24, 2013: Po'olenalena and Makena Landing--

 

Feb. 25, 2013: Po'olenalena and Drums of the Pacific 

luau---

 

Feb. 26, 2013: snorkel Olowalu (MM14) and Baileys arrive

 from PDX---

 

Feb. 28, 2013:  Kapalua snorkeling and Lahaina---

 

March 1, 2013:  Ahini and Mama's Fish House---

 

March 2, 2013: Ulua, peggy sue's, kameole and more----

 

March 3, 2013: Oneuli Beach, Whale watching tour, Bubba Gumps:

 

March 4, 2013: Kula Garden, Haleakala---

 

March 5, 2013:Maluaka---

 

March 6, 2013: time to leave!---

 

I'm pretty sure we will be returning to Maui.  I wasn't sure if hubby would like Maui because it's busier then Kauai, but he really did.   In fact, he seems to like it more then Kauai.  He liked that there were more snorkel beaches right next to each other so if one was full, we could quickly go to another one.  As for the snorkeling being better then Kauai, that would be a yes.  But Kauai has the edge on being prettier on land.

 Next year when we're in Kauai we'll probably be missing Maui!

2012 May 28-June 4 Maui May sisters' trip

May 28-June 4, 2012:

When my sister suggested we take another sister's trip, I immediately thought of where we should go----Maui!  I had Hawaiian airlines miles which were about to expire and  I had lots of Wyndham points left over after getting our Kauai weeks this past Feb. for half off.   So I called Wyndham and had them place a Wyndham week into Trading Places for me in exchange for a 2 bedroom condo in Maui from May 28 - June 4th.   All I had to do was pay for my flights to/from STL-PDX. 
The day finally came and I was on my way to PDX.  My sister, Carolyn, picked me up and we headed back to Dallas, Oregon, for a couple days.  Then we spent the night before our Maui flight in a hotel by the airport.  On the 28th (Memorial Day), we were on our way bright and early (to me!) to catch our 10:30 flight to OGG.  Since Ken and I usually travel to Hawaii from STL all in one day with a couple stops and long layovers, this travel day seemed to go fairly quickly.  Only long part was the 2 1/2 hour layover in Honolulu.  Originally we were suppose to fly non-stop to Maui---one of the big reasons why we picked Maui over Kauai, but Hawaiian decided to eliminate that flight and keep an extra 8000 of my miles that I used to book the non-stop instead of a connector flight---I was not too happy about that, but Hawaiian was!  The only good things about it were the views of Honolulu and Maui county as we flew over them.

2012-5-28 PDX-HNL-OGG and Maui Hill Resort:

2012-5-29--to Iao Valley and riding around S. Maui

 2012-5-30  Kapalua:

2012-5-31  to the up country:

2012-6-1  Ulua beach and Lahaina:

2012-6-2  Molokini and sunset at Kameoli:

2012-6-3 Maluaka beach and sunset cruise:

2012-6-4 time to go home:

 It was a great trip.  Possibly the best "sisters'" trip we've done yet!  Wonder where our next sisters' trip will be?!



2006 Oct Magical Maui (/ Dad)

Oct. 30-Nov. 6, 2006:

Another wonderful father/daughter trip.   He had just been diagnosed with stage 4 prostate cancer, but was feeling pretty good at this time---so he wanted to get as much traveling in as he still could.  It was a bitter sweet trip---knowing there wouldn't be many more father/daughter trips.  He was a great travel companion! 


Oct. 30:  travel day:

Oct. 31---Haleakala:

Nov. 1---a ride to the West side:

Nov. 2---RTH (Road to Hana):

Nov. 3---the South side lava beds, Iao Valley, Kepaniwai Heritage Gardens, and the NE side of Maui:

Nov. 4---Haleakala, again:

Nov. 5---Maui Ocean Center:

Nov. 6---Ahihi snorkeling:


Our week was over way too quickly!   I'm sure Dad was in pain a good part of the time---thus his hanging back on some of the walks.  He was always such an adventurer.  But he would never complain!  I just hope he enjoyed the trip as much as I did. This was both of our's first trip to Maui.    I really didn't expect to like Maui as much as I did. I'm always reading that people who love Kauai as much as i do are disappointed with Maui. But I loved it. Maybe not as much as Kauai, but there was certainly enough here to keep me interested. I'd love to go back and do more snorkeling. If I can ever get myself to give up one of my yearly 2 weeks on Kauai, I will be back!