Monday...already?

We are one week into our trip...already! The kids fly home today...sigh! We will miss them. They are a lot of fun when work, school and university are not cluttering their lives. Lealand has bought a Ukelele! Anything with strings! We went out the other night to celebrate mother's day and my birthday...

Yesterday, Sunday we spent the better part of the day at Big Beach...saw another turtle and Tage and I saw a shark...we think...it was the biggest fish we had seen...and it was long and sleek like a shark...at least 5 feet long...we promptly swam out of the water...but it did not deter us from heading out again...

Turtle Swimming...

We have been watching the days fly by...the kids will head home on Monday night...we will miss them...then again...we will be happy to have a bed . of our own....Peggy and I sleep on the hide-a-bed! So today we went to Big Beach for the morning but it turned out to be cloudy and cool... I know, I know...even a cloudy cool day in Maui is better than....you fill in the blank. After lunch we headed out again for coffee of course and to search out a beach where turtles can be found. That is where these pictures were taken...and yes we saw a turtle or two.

We swam along a coral reef, scuba style...and sure enough a turtle showed up... each of us took turns heading out to the same reef...only some got to see the turtles...but we all saw tons of beautiful fish and coral, urchins and anemones. It was really exciting...and snorkeling is easier than I ever thought...thanks to Dawn and Sheldon for offering their gear! It has made our trip all the better.

Aloha...

We have been here three days and we are smitten! Maui has exceeded our expectations and we may not go home...ever!

Our flight to Seattle was delayed and the worried agents...told us we might have to spend the night in Seattle...and then connect the next morning (which would have been a collossal drag!) We were told that there was a slight chance that we would make it if we would run, turn left, go down the escalator and catch a train....etc etc. It didn't seem too hopeful.

But we made it. We made it in time for the Maui flight...from that point on though we were the reason for every other delay. "This is the captain speaking...because we had to wait for the people from edmonton...because their bags had to be screened..etc. etc.) When we got to Maui our bags did not arrive....and after a long wait...we were told we each had a fifty dollar credit to get essentials and our bags would arrive sometime the next day. So our first order of business was a shopping trip to K Mart for essentials like a swim suit and toothbrushes.

Our first morning here (we were up around 5 AM...we went for a walk on the beach closest to us and discovered that it had been closed to swimmers...due to shark attacks. A lady had been bit by a Tiger shark. However by the afternoon...all was well...and we spent some time floating around. The water is warm and clean...no nasty ocean smell!

We got to our Condo without any mistakes, thanks to Aimee's navigation and went to bed!

...As you can see we have gone local...well as you can see by Tage! We spent our first day getting our bearings, hanging around Kihei, grocery shopping and getting pounded by some pretty big waves.

Yesterday we spent our morning at Big Beach...and did some body surfing and "caught some waves" on our cheapy boogy boards. In the afternoon we went up the island and checked out Lahaina (the former royal capital of Hawaii), and Kanapaali. We were all in agreement that our own location was ideal!..

We are not entirely turned around time wise so we tend to wake up early and go to bed early. The best thing about that is...24 hour shopping, you can bump around Safeway with other jet lagged shoppers...nice!

One for my gardening buddies

Maui...

We are heading for Maui, on May 7. The 5 of us...it will be great to be with everyone and spend some down time on the beach, hangin' out and checking out the sights. I know that it is kind of a strange time to be going on a holiday but we have heard it is prime time in Hawaii...off season (as far as the snowbirds are concerned) but smack dab in the middle of pineapple season and the beginning of the rise of summer temperatures...I am soooo ready for that! I will be blogging our trip and hope to upload pics as we go...

One for my coffee buddies...

A few more pictures...I suppose they are not typical toursit pictures.

Ah...Montreal

Thought I'd post some pictures of Montreal. It was my pleasure to be there for a few days as spring hit the big city. It was the first time I had been to Montreal when the snow wasn't flying. It is a big, busy and fully alive city. It was a pleasure...