WELL THAT WAS A BUST

Actually a couple of busts happened.

Yesterday we headed into Costco.  Going to Costco just isn't the same anymore without Bill.  Its kind of like those tv shows I just can't get into anymore without him around watching them with me.  Somehow Costco has completely lost its allure with out him and become a chore.  But paper towels and eggs I will only buy at Costco.

So in we went and battled the crowds, bypassed everything, grabbed the stuff and got out of there.  Last week, out at Whalers shopping centre past Lahaina (about an hour away) Monte was told at the flip flop store that they would have size 16 flip flops in this week.  So, seeing as how we were out and about already we decided to go have a look.

It was such a beautiful day and the drive up was gorgeous.  The water was a plethora of the colour blue.  So pretty.  And when we got to Whalers it was to find out that the flip flop store never get size 16.  A dumb employee got it wrong.  Disappointing.  But we still took time to look around, have coffee and buy a few items.  On the way home we decided that we would finally take the plunge and go up Haleakala, the volcano, to catch the sunrise.  Its a 'must do' whilst in Maui and none of us has actually done that yet.  It was time!

So before going to bed at nine, I got everything ready.  Little thermoses for coffee, bread and peanut butter and baby bells for snacks.  An empty huge vodka bottle washed and filled with water.  Sweatshirt, blanket, charged up camera…..

At three oclock the alarm went off and we were in the car and heading up the mountain by quarter after, feeling smugly proud of ourselves.  About 45 minutes later we were at the 4000 foot level, stuck in a long long line of vehicles, all doing the same thing.  I began to feel like a sheeple, or a lemming.  We finally reached the park entrance where you are stopped and pay a ten dollar fee.  There were so many cars in front of us and an endless amount behind.  

I read last night that when the two parking lots up top are full they simply shut the gates and you have to go back down.  Not only that there is very limited space against the railings facing the sunrise.  As we sat there inching forward, we saw up the mountain an endless long stream of cars already making their way up.

I finally said to Monte that given the amount of freaking people that were obviously going to be up there, that this activity had just hit the top of my shovel list.  I hate people.  They ruined the grand canyon for me years ago too.  How stupid can this be?  Gee! lets go cram ourselves into a great hoard of tourists and try to see the flipping sun come up over the horizon.  No thanks.  Monte totally agreed so we spun a quick uturn in the middle of the road and got the hell out of there. 

 I feel the same way about the road to Hana.  You don't have to drive all the way to Hana, in a long endless stream of jeeps and convertibles, to enjoy what Maui has to offer.  Thats why I really like the other side of the volcano, the edge of the earth.  Waaaay less people.

We drove back down the mountain, out to Ho'okipa and watched the daylight arrive there…all by ourselves!  No one was there…totally awesome.  Then we went into Kahului and treated ourselves to breakfast at Ihop.  I had a nice bowl of porridge.  Yum!

We came home, and we both passed out.  Monte is still asleep.  But I finally woke up and I think I want to go see a movie today.  San Andreas is in 3D at 4:30, probably a million noisy kids there but that seems unavoidable.  I think I am turning into a nasty old lady.  Oh Well!  TTYL

A HUGE HALF MOON STRAIGHT UP OVER OUR HEADS