Love & Light and everything bright... |
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23 Dec 2008 |
Hawaii
Twenty-O-Eight, an Encore (Nov
2008) Hawaiian Thanksgiving My n-th visit to Maui; first with Elizabeth; updated Dec 8 - aerial views |
FROM MAUI, HAWAII
(click on thumbnail images to enlarge)
Farewell to Maui, Hawaii
WAILEA, Maui, HAWAII, Dec 6 - Saturday morning was even more beautiful than Friday's. Not a cloud in the sky. What a send-off from Maui the weatherman is laying on for us! In the morning, we drove to Kahului again so Elizabeth can go to a flea market (or "swap meet," as they call it here).
While she was at the market, I got some things I needed, and then drove on to Kahului beach (left), from where I took pictures of both Haleakala (middle) and Puu Kukui volcanoes. It was the first time ever in my 20+ years of coming to Maui that I have seen both volcanoes without any clouds at the same time. So chalk another one up in the record books.
When we returned, it became obvious that Elizabeth ran out of steam today. Looks like flu. Or just exhaustion. Either way, her body signaled the end of the trip before I even printed the boarding passes. So while she was resting in the afternoon, I went to the Wailea beach where I did a special shamanic ceremony - the second time I have done it at sea level. Shortly afterward, I began to collect some wonderful stones, corals and shells that Maui was giving me as farewell gifts. Of special significance was that that heart-shaped black basalt stone in the middle. I felt as if Maui was giving me its heart, complete with the two volcanoes and the valley in between.
The stones and shells from Maui (left) and those from the Big Island (two right shots) are the only souvenirs I am bringing back. "Typical for a shaman," do I hear you say? Anyway, it seems that I will need to start a new Hawaii mesa using some of those kullas as starting point.
When I returned to our hotel ground, I was greeted by a beautiful white egret (bird) and a colorful butterfly. The egret was so tame that we stood and 'talked' to each other no more than four feet apart. The butterfly kept fluttering around us for a few minutes before moving on. The egret then found a worm in the tall grass and had an early supper. "So you're bringing me the Maui spirits' blessings, are you?" I talked to the bird. Another man, passing by, must have thought I had flipped. But the next passer-by joined us, taking pictures of the bird with his camera. Unfortunately, I did not have my camera with me, so this file photo will have to do (right). "My" Maui egret actually did look exactly like the one in the photo - with yellow eyes and an inch-long orange mane of hair fluttering down his beautiful long neck.
Elizabeth joined me at the pool for a farewell sunset. It was the best of any we have seen on this trip.
And with that, aloha from Hawaii! We fly home tomorrow (Dec 7), auspiciously the Pearl Harbor Day.
Aerial Views of Three Islands & A Hui Ho!
SCOTTSDALE, Dec 8 - Well, we finally made it home this morning around 2AM. We brought with us tons of fond memories of Hawaii, as well as some aerial pictures of the three islands that I took during our flight from Kahului, Maui to Honolulu, Oahu. Enjoy!
The views of the rugged north shore of Maui as we were taking off from the Kahului airport.
The scratches you can see in some of the pictures are actually on the airplane window. Made you wonder how they got there and what happens when scratches become cracks. Anyway, the rightmost shot is a close up of the scene in the middle right frame. I've saw something on the ground that I had never noticed before - a large sign in the land that looked like "chakana" - the Inka cross that symbolizes the three worlds with the sun in the middle. I highlighted it on the above picture.
From there, we circled around the northwest tip of Maui. The above views are toward Kapalua and Kaanapali resorts, with Lahaina (on the south shore) hidden somewhere under those clouds.
In the two rightmost shots you can see the top of Haleakala and Mauna Kea on the Big Island sticking out above the clouds.
And then it was time to observe the southern shore of Lanai (above), while flying over the channel that separates Lanai, Maui and Molokai (see above maps).
Not long afterward, we had Oahu in our sights. The airplane approached it from the south east, made a 180-degree turn, and landed parallel to the south shore of the island. The views you are seeing above are all to the northwest and north.
As we flew over Pearl Harbor on Pearl Harbor Day 2008 (click here for a news report about the ceremony that was taking place at that time), I pointed out the Arizona Memorial to Elizabeth - a little white line on the distant horizon. I marked it for you in the middle right shot.
After only about half an hour's flight, we touched down, changed planes, and said our final Alohas to the islands. A Hui Ho, Hawaii! ("Until we meet again" or "see you later").
THE END.
