Vicki and I recently returned from a trip to Maui. We figured it was our sixth trip to the Hawaiian island. We took note of the new, much-improved rental car center upon our arrival at the airport in Kahului that wasn’t there when we last visited in 2019. That prompted me to exclaim: “I guess we haven’t been here in three years.”
Pandemic travel restrictions aside, it struck me how odd that statement was. Some members of our family have never been to Hawaii. I had equated a visit to Hawaii as if it were as commonplace as a trip to Eastern Washington or Canada. Spending any time at this tropical paradise should never be taken for granted.
Especially the first one. Let me explain.
I was nearly a decade into my job as a lead Sports designer at The Seattle Times and about to turn 40. I had no idea how I was to turn 40.
But one November morning in 1994, Vicki walked into the newspaper office wearing a grass skirt, sunglasses, a straw hat and puka shells and a Hawaiian lei around her neck. After much fanfare with others in the newsroom, she whisked me to Sea-Tac Airport for a flight to Maui.
Was I surprised? As cousin Eddie of National Lampoon’s Christmas Vacation once famously said: “If I woke up tomorrow morning with my head sewn to the carpet, I wouldn’t be more surprised than I am right now.”
I have been known to be clueless. So it goes without saying I had no clue what Vicki had up her sleeve – or in this case her grass skirt. In late summer of that year she had conspired with Seattle Times sports editor Cathy Henkel to kidnap me at the office. Vicki had arranged for our three girls to stay with friends during our five-day trip to Maui, packed up our suitcases, which would even include frozen steaks to be barbecued (we were on a budget!).
I was in charge of the Sunday Sports section at the time, and was in the early stages of setting up our Apple Cup presentation plan that week. So my first question to Cathy was “who’s taking my place on Saturday?” Not to worry. She had long ago scheduled my replacement, even though the posted work schedule said otherwise, contributing to the element surprise.
Two days into our Hawaiian vacation, I recall stepping into our hotel room after yet another snorkeling adventure to turn on the TV and get a glimpse of the aforementioned Apple Cup. To my astonishment, the UW-WSU game in Pullman was being played in a snowstorm. The juxtaposition of the snow globe on the TV screen and the view of the ocean and cloudless sky outside was very surreal. I didn’t waste much time heading back to the 85-degree temps and the beach.
That Vicki wanted to do this for me in the first place – not to mention the fact she was able to pull it off – made me the envy of many in The Seattle Times newsroom. A couple of editors – male and female – later told me “I wish I were married to your wife.” You have to remember this was 1994.
We stayed in the Kaanapali area just north Lahaina. In subsequent years we seemed to gravitate to the Kihei region of Maui. A little less-crowded than Maui’s west side, Kihei – or Low-Kihei as I call it– is a little more relaxed and less touristy in my opinion. I believe it also has better beaches for boogie-boarding and snorkeling.
So if you’re going to the Kihei region anytime soon, here are my five favorite beaches (although I’m sure there are others I don’t know about):
The Inside Scoop 