Following our day in Upcountry we decided to spend Saturday on the beach. It was such a relaxing day, though by mid-afternoon we were staring in the face of boredom.

I finished another book making two in one week. This is a 100% improvement over my previous year-to-date total of two. I need to make more time for reading (and exercise and meal prep and knitting and social connection….).

No beach day is complete without a walk along the beach for shave ice at Ulilani’s. That was the most effort made all day.

We made our own dinner, simple grilled fish and a salad, and watched the sun set from the patio.

Having had a very satisfactory dose of peacefulness, we decided to step out for the evening with a drive to Wailea for a drink at the Fairmont. Even on a Saturday night, things were pretty quiet through Kihei, and it was only 8:00 p.m. when we passed through.

The Fairmont is lovely. We explored the lobby, which was of sufficient size that ‘explore’ is not an over-statement. In the end we settled for a drink in the lounge. Rick had 2 fancy tropical drinks including their version of a Mai Tai. I had a tropical Negroni with Yuzu; very refreshing.

We were up early on Sunday with a plan to take the road to Hana. We had done this a few years ago when we were here with the Moms and Catherine. Sharing a few throwback photos here! (Hope you don’t mind ladies.)

Somewhere around 10:30 we dragged ourselves, some sturdy shoes, a bag of snacks and a map to the truck and headed off.

Our first stop was Pa’ia, which is just before the official start of the Road to Hana. It was a charming little town filled with shops that were mostly filled with Aloha wear.

We wandered into a few galleries and found one piece that we really liked. We may order a smaller version online for the Ukee house. I also spotted this little ukele shop filled with beautifully crafted instruments.

We had a brunch smoothie at a nearby health food restaurant, the only place I have seen on this entire trip that used compostable cups and paper straws. My protein berry smoothie was delicious, though a tad on the sweet side for me. This may have been the result of the apple-bananas, a tiny banana that packs a powerful sugar punch.

I must say that I was quite surprised at the limited amount of recycling available in Maui, and the broad use of plastic. No plastic bags anywhere – that was good. I do think of Hawaiians as stewards of their land “Aloha ʻāina”. Natural beauty and living creatures are everywhere here.

The Road to Hana is 52 miles long with 617 curves and 56 bridges, most single lane. Multiply that by 2 for the out and back drive. The average speed limit is 15-20 mph so it is a slow journey, albeit a beautiful one filled with scenic views, waterfalls and short hikes.

The enjoyment of the drive was largely determined by who was in front of us – an anxious driver always on the brakes, or a comfortable one that glided around the corners at a fairly constant speed. We had the first type for half the journey out, and the second for the entire journey back. The return trip was delightful and allowed Rick to get into the rhythm.

Rather than sharing specifics of every stop, I have collected some photos here. The pictures do speak for themselves.

The journey return trip, with stops along the way, was about 6 hours. We did not rush and there were so many breathtaking views. We stopped at one of the many roadside stands for a snack. The homemade taro chips, cooked in coconut oil and lightly salted, were delicious. We also bought another loaf of banana brad which I think we will end up bringing home with us.

We stopped at a surfing beach right outside of Pa’ia and watched the surfers, wind surfers and a kite boarder do their thing. Very impressive.

As we came back through town we noticed that miraculously – there was no line at the Pa’ia Fish Market. This would be our early dinner stop! The Fish Market had been recommended by one of the paddlers in Rick’s canoe. The one in Kihei always had a huge line up, as did the one in Pa’ia so we grabbed the moment.

Dinner was wonderful. Rick had the fish tacos and I had the salmon burger which was spectacular! I was only able to eat half. Rick was forced to give up on his coleslaw and cajun rice sides in order to eat the other half, which he also enjoyed. We each had a robustly sized glass of wine. Weirdly, the white Sauvignon Blanc and the red Cabernet were kept refrigerated, and both served in a chilled glass. Still yummy.

We stayed up long enough to check in for our flight. My hopes for an upgrade to Business Class were completely dashed. I am dreading the overnight flight home and we are both on deck for work Tuesday morning. We had sprung for the preferred eats which offered a bit more leg room so hopefully that would help.

Tomorrow morning will find us packing up early and discovering ways to keep ourselves occupied until our flight departs out at 10:10 p.m. Laura tells me that is a good time to travel as 10 is the number for new beginnings.

Rick is going to investigate a late checkout which would be a blessing. I wouldn’t mind a bit more beach time, but am ready with some ideas about how to pass the time if we can’t stay here.

We will see what the day brings. After all this relaxation, I can be flexible :0)