We have a term here for when your friends or family come to visit and you get to show them around and show off your beautiful island. It's called "playing tourist." We get to go and do all the fun adventurous things our island is known for because unfortunately we get stuck in a routine and don't take advantage of all the fun things to do around us!
My sister Heather just graduated Sacramento State University with a Bachelor's in Speech Pathology. We are very close aside from the struggle of a time difference, work schedules, and homework. She is an amazing human being. She worked at Learning Arts teaching Autistic children how to progress and learn social, verbal, and school skills. She is one of the most patient people I have ever met (she got that from our dad). Alongside a full work schedule, she worked her butt off in school and barely had a minute to breathe for the past 3 or 4 years. I wanted her to enjoy a vacation in the best place you can, alongside a local (me) to show her a good time. My parents, her friends, and I all pitched in to buy her a ticket to come play in Maui for a week.
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| Excuse my arched back, I was trying to keep the door open |
We welcomed her with a beautiful orchid lei and we went to lunch at my work- Hula Grill. I gave her a minute to breathe before she jumped right into my lifestyle- love ya sis! I had one of my NightLife Fitness events the night she arrived. It was held at a nightclub setting at Lulu's in Lahaina. My two co-founders and I switch off with our dance formats teaching the crowd dances while working out! It's a fun nightclub setting with a disco ball, nightclub lighting, a DJ, a stage, and a bumpin' bass. I know it was a bit much to ask her to work out for 2 hours right off the plane, but she was a champ and loved every minute of it, aside from being exhausted haha. We planned a possible meteor shower viewing evening on the beach with wine, beer, and laying in the back of a pick up truck, but we all fell asleep haha.
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| Heather borrowed my Zumba shirt that said Instructor on the back and everyone figured she was a fellow Zumba instructor of mine. For how tired she must have been, she definitely kept up! |
The next morning we used our hook up with some people from Jon's work to go kayaking in one of Maui's best snorkel spots- Oluwalu. We snorkled with over 30 turtles, many fish, and kayaked around the white tip and black tip reef sharks!
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| See all the turtles?! |
We went guava picking up the Kapalua Walking Trails. Organic, non-gmo, non-sprayed SCRUMPTIOUS guavas! They make for good snacks along the walk!
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| "I found one!" |
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| Such a beautiful view along the trail! Pictures never do it justice! |
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| We got to see a cane spider and wasp face off along our walk! Cane spiders are huge freaky fast jumping spiders that can bite if they feel threatened. They are well known here, coming from the sugar cane fields and can get huge. We were happy to see the WASP won!! Muahaha |
We stopped for a minute upcountry in Kula along the early morning drive to Hana. I like to go the backside to Hana because it is not as congested in the morning and it is a different kind of beautiful!
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| Hike to the Pipiwai waterfall through the Bamboo Forest |
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I don't like to be told what I can and can't do...
"come on Heather, don't mind the warning and danger signs through this barbed wire fence!" |
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| Off the beaten path Venus Pools |
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| Hidden hike to the Red Sand Beach, or the nude beach of Hana |
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| Red sand from the red dirt cliff that have been eroded by the ocean |
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| Wainapanapa |
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| BLACK sand beach |
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| Lava Tubes where the lava flowed into the ocean |
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Dinner at Milagros and gelato at Ono Farms to refuel after our Hana adventure
This was right before we went out to a night club to dance to a local favorite Reggae band Sounds of Addiction, a DJ, and enjoy drinks with friends! |
I was given a gift certificate for a Sunset "booze cruise" for my birthday, so I took my sister on it! There were many dance parties, deep conversations, and wine. This old man in the plaid farmer-looking outfit danced with me.
-He said, "guess how old I am!"
-I said, "I don't know, 70's?"
-He said, " I'm 83!"
-I said, "Wow, I would't have guessed that!"
-He said, "I go to Vegas a couple times a year, come with me!"
-I said, "... Hmm thanks for the invite but I have a husband and a job here... kay, bye"
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| Teaching some guys the Gangnam Style dance |
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| We got to have lunch with our auntie Candy at Jon's restaurant Pineapple Grill, with Heather sporting some of her new clothes after our shopping spree in Lahaina! |
On Heather's last day we went bar hopping along the beach walk of Ka'anapali from Duke's Beach House to Hula Grill. We spent most of our time a Hula Grill. My friends met up with us and we all packed into my best friend Toni's boyfriend's truck and headed up to a million dollar house on the Ka'anaplai hillside, where one of our coworkers was house sitting, for a pool party and dancing. It is illegal to ride in truck beds in California and it's one of my favorite things to do in Maui, I'm glad Heather got to experience it. SO fun, wind in your hair, with the ocean view, and good company.
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| Sister time |
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| She had it coming, spraying everyone with the water gun and all... |
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View from the pool. So beautiful.
I spy Heather and Bronson threatening to spray me... |
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| Couldn't stop this dancing machine! |
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| A memorable dance party |
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| View |
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| Alas the trip ended with a BBQ at our place. Good food provided by Jon, a hilarious naughty game of Cards Against Humanity, and friends. The evening concluded in the police coming... but my lips are sealed |
Playing Tourist is getting to experience Maui outside of our work schedule and other priorities that hold us locals back. The island is so beautiful and has so much to offer. Jon and I have tried to set a few "adventure days" aside a month to get out and see the Maui all the tourists come to experience. We've found some sick little gems that tourists do not know about. That's what I can show you if you come over to Maui. Who wants to play tourist with me friends and family?!!
Maui No Ka Oi
We welcomed her with a beautiful orchid lei and we went to lunch at my work- Hula Grill. I gave her a minute to breathe before she jumped right into my lifestyle- love ya sis! I had one of my NightLife Fitness events the night she arrived. It was held at a nightclub setting at Lulu's in Lahaina. My two co-founders and I switch off with our dance formats teaching the crowd dances while working out! It's a fun nightclub setting with a disco ball, nightclub lighting, a DJ, a stage, and a bumpin' bass. I know it was a bit much to ask her to work out for 2 hours right off the plane, but she was a champ and loved every minute of it, aside from being exhausted haha. We planned a possible meteor shower viewing evening on the beach with wine, beer, and laying in the back of a pick up truck, but we all fell asleep haha. 
The next morning we used our hook up with some people from Jon's work to go kayaking in one of Maui's best snorkel spots- Oluwalu. We snorkled with over 30 turtles, many fish, and kayaked around the white tip and black tip reef sharks!
On Heather's last day we went bar hopping along the beach walk of Ka'anapali from Duke's Beach House to Hula Grill. We spent most of our time a Hula Grill. My friends met up with us and we all packed into my best friend Toni's boyfriend's truck and headed up to a million dollar house on the Ka'anaplai hillside, where one of our coworkers was house sitting, for a pool party and dancing. It is illegal to ride in truck beds in California and it's one of my favorite things to do in Maui, I'm glad Heather got to experience it. SO fun, wind in your hair, with the ocean view, and good company.
