Join Thor and me for a quick winter getaway to this Hawaiian paradise.
NOTE: If all goes well, I’ll resume next Saturday my photo journal of our latest Greece trip. I’m trying to stay in sync with my blog posts on my publishing group’s website, which has been experiencing a lot of challenges in moving from a sub-par web host to a new server. All looks good for normal service next week, so please stay tuned here and at www.bookviewcafe.com
Our usual Hawaii getaway had been postponed due to my hip surgery, so we were eager for some sunshine and (gentle) swimming. The best laid plans…. A windy, rainy cold front was sweeping the islands, and I ended up wearing my winter fleece for part of our visit. But at least it was better than back home, where an Arctic freeze from Canada was hitting. We came home to our back yard fountain turned ice sculpture — but Bear dog was dressed for the weather!
So even with the wind, rain, and rough waves, escaping to Maui can’t be bad.
We took advantage of every sun break between rain squalls to get into that nurturing, healing ocean. We’ve both needed it this past year!
As long as it was raining anyway, we took a little side trip to the lush rain forest of the sacred Iao Valley.
And nearby town:
We checked out a gallery in Wailea where native wood carvers displayed their gorgeous creations:
During the winter, the humpback whales are migrating north to Arctic feeding zones, after giving birth in the warm tropic sea. We enjoyed watching them from our condo lanai, breaching in crashing splashes or flapping their big flukes. With binoculars, I spotted a mother whale resting on the surface with her baby. Magnificent creatures!
The weather started clearing up, for more sunny breaks at different beaches.
Since my hip injury has been slow to heal, I was cautious about getting into the big waves, but finally I just had to get my fins and snorkel and head out beyond the waves to some lovely coral reefs on the lava promontories. We got to swim with colorful fish and the big, sweet Honu turtles, who always radiate a mellow vibe. Aloha! And thanks to the sea, once more, for its nurturing magic.
I didn’t escape quite unscathed, since I’m still a bit clumsy in the rehab process. I tripped, and the lava monster bit me:
Now we’re back in the freezer, we’re already anticipating our next island trip. Aloha!
*****
You will find The Rambling Writer’s blog posts here every Saturday. Sara’s latest novel from Book View Cafe is available in print and ebook: The Ariadne Connection. It’s a near-future thriller set in the Greek islands. “Technology triggers a deadly new plague. Can a healer find the cure?” The novel has received the Chanticleer Global Thriller Grand Prize and the Cygnus Award for Speculative Fiction. Sara is returning for another research trip in Greece and as she works on the sequel, The Ariadne Disconnect. Sign up for her quarterly email newsletter at www.sarastamey.com