24 June 2004
where troubles melt like lemondrops
Tuesday night I arrived after much ado and fuss in Lahaina, the Land of Merciless Sun where flip-flops are "slippahs" and "thank you" is "mahalo."
Woke up Wednesday and realized I had four days left. My whole body itched, Type A personality met receded ADHD, as I walked from travel agency to travel agency, insisting on a better deal, a better adventure, sooner, quicker, cheaper, now.
And I got it (courtesy of Mom), after finagling and flirting with half a dozen salespeople: a cheapo 45-minute helicopter ride.
Mom and I had an hour to catch it, halfway across the island of Maui.
Without a car.
Mom's finagling and flirting began.
One hour later we were up in the air, where sugarcane fields Ruffles Have Ridges, where waterfalls = Wish You Were Here postcards, where 360-degree rainbows follow us around in ribbons of color through the Hawaiian rainforest, the second wettest location on the planet.
I've got pictures and a video that works in European VCRs.
Immediately afterwards I started the rounds of calls again, not accepting openings Monday-Tuesday-Wednesday-next year for an answer.
Today we snorkeled with turtles in Molokini, an inactive volcano disguised as a crescent-shaped crater off the coast.
One of the top ten spots in the world for diving. 150-foot visibility.
Spinning with sea turtles, circling them, watching them watch us watch them, diving down, blowing bubbles, click click of the underwater overpriced camera.
Tomorrow: swimming with dolphins all morning. Luau at night.
The next day, Saturday: my brother gets married on a deserted beach an hour's hike from civilization.
Sunday: Back to reality (also known as, eighteen hours of travel). Henna tattoos?
betholindo at 18:39