Well, Christmas has come and gone and as much fun as we have on the day, it is always contented bliss when everyone has gone home. If this is confusing to you, it is because we had our Christmas yesterday. Since 2005 we have been away for Christmas and celebrate the day a couple of weeks early, normally finding it far less stressful. We had ours Saturday night and other than the entire turkey bursting into flames on the BBQ, leaving it charred AND undercooked, the overcooked vegetables, meatless beef and pork cabbage rolls, everyone drinking too much (Side note: Red wine, white wine, Edradour whiskey and more of those damn Candy Cane martinis – how could anyone over drink?) and being LOUD and disorderly, it was a great night! Lots of laughs all the way around, with only about a 3 hour clean-up this morning! (Side note: One must feel sorry for Joe’s friend Kieran who met us for the first time – what an introduction.)
You know how the leftovers from Christmas dinner are always really good the next day? Well, when you see the entire bird on fire, it leads to not so good the next day! Time for recycling the leftovers.
Christmas Shoe Blog
And now back to Hawaii…
I have mentioned Todd, our hospitality and vacation ownership salesman. After we booked and paid for our snorkelling experience, the salesman asked if we would like to reduce the cost to $20. I said, “Where’s the timeshare?” We agreed to visit the resort in Kapalua – 8:00 Sunday morning “For no more that 90 minutes and likely less.” we are told. Hah!! We figured they would at least have a continental breakfast of coffee and muffins. No, they had coffee and either a granola bar or a small bag of potato chips. Some of Todd’s lines: “We don’t do high pressure here – we aren’t in Mexico”, “I am going to speak very quickly and you will be out of here in less than 90 minutes”, “If you say you just need to think about it, I hear ‘Give us more information’ ” “If you say you aren’t interested, I will say thanks for your time and we’ll go our separate ways”. After 2 hours – I think that that is more than 90 minutes, and after Terry said no three times, we finally got up to leave. “Could you please just spend 2 minutes with my boss answering a few questions on how the presentation was?” Half an hour later we got out. They were nice enough people but the concept of a. Time and b. No High Pressure were not ones they grasped.
From there it was back to Lahaina for a wonderful brunch at Koa. I thought we had returned to the 70s.
Who knew Pete was in Hawaii when we were.
This may look like rich rich soil, but it is actually the lava field which flowed from Haleakala. The fields are now a preserve where vegetation is noticeable and black goats are, apparently, repopulating the area. We never saw one.
When we took our helicopter tour, the pilot pointed out where Aunt Julia’s famous banana bread could be bought. We spent Sunday afternoon winding our way to Aunt Julia’s. Even if it was very good banana bread, it was not a fun drive for Terry. The road was very narrow for most of the 20 mile way, frequently being single lane.
It certainly makes the road to Hana seem like a leisurely drive through Stanley Park.Check out the video right at the end. I think the minivan went over the edge.
And back to Port Coquitlam for a couple of weeks
The Shoe Blog
And so it is Aloha Maui. With a temperature of 82° at the airport, we spy this young lady. I hope she was going home to Alaska.
We are off for more travel adventures over the next six weeks – stay tuned.
Dear Geoff and Terry,
Wow, that is one ugly bird! Sadly the amazing Peninsula Hotel supplied turkey we had together last year is not available this year. Something about China customs and restrictions on turkey imports causing a shortage. I don’t give it much more thought than that — as my friend Benoit says “Rob it’s a China thing, if you try to figure it out it will drive you crazy.” Anyway, we’ll miss you guys this Christmas. Merry Christmas! Rob, Shelley, Matthew and Xander
And it was even uglier in person! Would it work to Skype you Christmas morning? Or is Christmas Eve morning better?
I actually thought that the meal was quite wonderful, especially enhanced by the martini, wine and scotch. The Taxi ride home lasted about one minute (that I was awake) for $70. A deal! Great conversation too, I think…
BTW: don’t you ever complain about my friendships with people from your past…
?