Trials and Tribulations vs. Elation and Exaltation

While eating our first dinner in Maui on our beautiful ocean front lanai, I made the analogy to my husband, that travel and running are one in the same; both have a balance of pleasure and pain.  There are parts you grunt through and labor past to get to the good stuff.  When you run, you push past the muscle aches, the cramps, the side stitches, the nausea, breathlessness; to get to that feeling of accomplishment, the fitness, the runner’s high.  Traveling is much the same; there are obstacles and challenges that you must pass through to arrive at your destination. 

Such was our travel day yesterday.  Though we began with a very easy security check.  We didn’t have to take our shoes off, remove any liquids, turn on our electronic devices, or participate in body scans, (well they did swab Greg’s fingers with some sort of liquid to check for explosive residue, but as far as TSA is concerned this was our least invasive encounter over the last few years.)  We enjoyed the lilting Hawaiian guitar music that played as we boarded our flight, which was on time!  But, it was not all smooth sailing. Though the flight started out gently, we were in for a rather bumpy ride.  The turbulence was dubbed moderate, but we didn’t let the rough weather dampen our spirits. So what, if the one-year-old in the seat in front of us cried non-stop and uncontrollably for the last hour of the flight?  So what, if the plane lurched and shook each time I almost dozed off for a nap?  So what, if the baggage claim conveyer belt broke and our luggage had to be re-routed resulting in a 45 minute delay in leaving the airport?  And so what, that we got soaked by sideways rain in a tropical storm while bolting for the rental car shuttle? 

All of these mild inconveniences of travel are what make a trip memorable.  And the frayed nerves, knotted stomachs, over-tired irritated feelings immediately evaporated as soon as we were on the road in our silver Ford Focus driving to the Westside down a beautiful highway that wound around to reveal blue ocean and verdant hillsides.  Just before Lahaina, We stopped at a roadside restaurant that I recognized from my pre-trip research, Leoda’s Kitchen and Pie Shop.  We purchased a delicious chocolate crusted, chocolate cream and caramel mini pie, mounded with whip cream and macadamia nuts for dessert later in the evening.  Our condo is all that we hoped for and more.   Maybe 20 steps to the sea wall, perhaps 30 steps to the ocean, our view is superb.  Our condo is decorated in modern island style, colorful and cute.  Small but clean, the living/dining area looks out on the ocean, the tiny but well equip kitchen peeks out on the view, as well.  Our bedroom and bath are tucked into the back, where we can still hear the waves, but have more privacy. 

After stocking up at the local health food store, we hit the fish market to grab a few prepared items; we were too hungry to cook.  For our first meal we each enjoyed a Cajun rubbed Mahi Mahi taco and fish of the day crusted in Mac nuts with pineapple salsa, and the traditional white rice and macaroni salad sides.  We enjoyed our meal on the lanai, with my first attempt at making a Jack Sparrow: Coconut Water, Coconut Rum, Ginger Ale and a squeeze of lime on the rocks.   Pretty good!  

We took a walk around the condo grounds after dinner, met a neighbor, some geckos, a banana tree and the laundry room.  Back in the room, we enjoyed our dessert, then we realized we had a few more minutes before the pool hours ended for the evening, we took a quick dip in the pint-sized pool, and found it quite refreshing.   Once I changed into my pjs I realized just how tired I was.  Perfumed by a breeze scented with Plummerias, I drifted off to sleep on a cloud.