Maui-With the Right Flip Flops You Can Do Anything
HAWAIIAN ISLANDS
COMPLETE PARADISE ADVENTURE
"From Big Island to Maui • Shoveling Sunshine • Island Life"
Kona
Coffee & Blue Hawaii
Kona has coffee; and where there is coffee there is caffeine, and where there is caffeine, there is Starbucks and the opportunity to do stupid things faster. Kona's ocean water almost always reflects a blue Hawaii that leaves me thinking "Where is the ukulele and Elvis sightings?"
"American coffee is 'dirty water' and Instant coffee takes too long. Kona, however, is 'Ono'. Tastes good."
Philosophy
Follow Your Bliss
We're on the Big Island, the west side, at the local Starbucks, for some Kona Joe, sitting with our friends cream and sugar. As Joseph Campbell says, "Follow your bliss"... Time doesn't exist in Hawaii but being stupid does (has its benefits). Ignorance is bliss.
"The irony of Starbucks being everywhere, even in Kona, has its gravitational pull on me - exerting almost cosmic influence on my life!"
Hello Hilo
Artistically Bohemian
Hilo is artistically bohemian, and in terms of authenticity, is the real deal - papayas, homemade jams, roasted macadamia nuts and koa wood carvings. The Banyan trees are worthy of a hug. It's the type of tree that moved me to tears of joy (For Real). I've often biked to Rainbow Falls too.
"That whole area - the nature, the land, the people speak, and it's easy to listen. They seem more resigned to the way they have to live than New Yorkers like me do."
Kilauea
Lava Rivers & Moon-Lit Magic
Hilo is so cool to sail to because, overnight, with a moon lit backdrop, we steam past Kilauea, the active volcano lava rivers spark and spill into the sea, and leave its aftermath of molten rock at the waters edge. Only the view from Maui's Haleakala offers such a once in a life time view.
"Something you probably never have seen before."
Biking
Volcanic Rock Adventures
I often took my bike (that I stored on the ship - You could have a surf board or a bike - cool!) I soon realized the terrain on the Big Island is a bit like the moon with all that razor-sharp geo-volcanic rock. It only took one time to catch a sliver of black volcanic rock and flat tire.
"I upgraded to flat-resistant tires and was good to go for the season and I was back to living happily every after in King Kamehameha's Kingdom - Don't worry Be Maui!"
Transition
Change of Heart & Shirt
Moving from the Big Island to Maui, experiencing the contrasts between islands. Different cultures, different vibes, but the same magical Hawaiian spirit that keeps drawing you back.
"I thought I would change my mind, but instead I changed my shirt. Aloha!"
Lahaina
Cruel Sun vs. Moist Resistance
Lahaina means 'cruel sun' in Hawaiian - describing the sunny dry climate with only 13 inches of rain per year. What a contrast from 2 months ago sailing in the Inside Passage to Ketchikan, Alaska - one of the wettest places in North America with 162 inches of precipitation per year (over 13.5 feet of wet!).
"I knew there would be days like this, I just wish someone would have told me how many!"
Paradise
Smell of (Na)Palm in the Morning
Surrounded by the tropical paradise of Maui, palm trees swaying in the trade winds, the scent of tropical flowers and ocean breeze. Every morning feels like a gift when you wake up in paradise.
"The nose knows. I love the smell of (na)palm in the morning."
Flip Flops
Extreme Business Casual
There's no such thing as bad weather, only bad clothing. But in Hawaii, it doesn't take much. It's flip flops forever. There's Aloha Friday, business casual - then there's extreme business casual. Going to work in flip flops. It's the closest thing to going barefoot and enjoying life.
"These flip flops have sailed around the world with me and I kiss the ground they walk on now here in Maui."
Philosophy
Walk A Mile in Flip Flops
The Hawaiian way of life embodied in simple footwear. From volcanic rock terrain to sandy beaches, these flip flops represent the freedom and laid-back lifestyle that Hawaii teaches you. It's not just about the shoes - it's about the journey and the mindset.
"Don't criticize a man till you walk a mile in his flip flops."