Snorkel, Surf, and Sunburns

Our last full day in Maui was dedicated to the art of snorkel. A history of severe ear issues has left me unable to perform any serious water stunts without the use of ear plugs. In Maui I was determined to change that, but alas, one wave too many and my ears were feeling very angry. As the doctor put it, my ear canals look like a war zone filled with craters, scarring, and a giant hole in my ear drum from a surgery gone very wrong. It is very frustrating to observe others partaking in snorkel and scuba dives, boogie boarding and surfing, and just the act of letting the waves crash them over, while I am high and dry on the shore.

Regardless, I still found ways to work around my limitations by using a pool float to keep my ears out of the water while I snorkeled to my heart’s content. Watching the silvery and colorful fish glide along beside me was like something out of a dream. I enjoyed myself so much that I eventually bought my own snorkel set to take with us to Kauai.

Together with my sisters and Dan we snorkeled away the afternoon until the sun started to scorch their backs turning them a bright red. I, on the other hand, apply sunscreen like it’s going out of style, while Dan continues to this day to peel off his skin from one sunburn too many, I instead am still glowing with a nice bronze tan. Perhaps one day he will learn!

With Aloe Vera applied on everyone’s backs, Dan and I then took Leah and Brianna into Lahaina where we browsed the shops, sat beneath the Pacific’s largest Banyan Tree (It literally takes up an entire city block!), and topped off the evening with a sunset dinner at Cheeseburger in Paradise.

As our families were leaving early the next morning we spent the rest of the night at the condo with them. We spent the evening mixing drinks, gorging ourselves with all the remaining food in the house, and playing some giggle infused rounds of Apples to Apples – probably the world’s greatest game.

Although we were inside, eating, drinking, and playing games such as we could anywhere, something about the ease of the Hawaiian culture had gotten to us. Sure we were technically travelling, and yes I am a strong advocate for getting out there and experiencing the local culture and people, but that night there was no place I would have rather been than sitting around that table laughing away the evening with those I love most. We could have been anywhere, but with the doors of the lanai propped open to the sounds of the tropical birds and ocean waves with the sweet floral smell of the gardens below us, I truly felt I could identify with those who make Hawaii their home.