Deep-Thots
06-24-2006, 05:56 AM
When we arrive at OGG (Kahului airport in Maui), we collect all of our baggage (being that we flew first class and our luggage was given priority handling, it came off the conveyor belt last, of course), and made the long trek to the shuttle for National Car Rental. We are Emerald Club members, and while we should have been able to get our car lickety-split, everything went lickety-splat rather quickly. My membership profile was rejected. Immediately, I knew why: I had renewed my driver license less than a month ago, and had forgotten to change my profile. Doh!
So, we waited in line for approximately 45 minutes, just behind *one* couple (he was having a hard time trying to decide the worth of extended coverage [he got it] and pre-paid gas [he got that, too], while his two children engaged in high-pitched screaming fits in the lobby. Joy. Anyway, after a good deal more hassle and interruptions (the “customer care-less” representative taking care of us had to keep leaving to attend to other more important matters), we were finally given our car. Can we say “clunker?” Even though it only has 6k miles on it, the Malibu Maxx we have been given (this was a “free upgrade,” the counter person told me as we were leaving the counter. I had specifically requested a smaller car, due the twisty, turny roads on Maui. I didn’t want some bus.) is a beater. Even its antenna is broken. Still, I am so anxious to just get the he** out of there, I take it, almost missing the security check point on my way out.
The drive to Ka’anapali is pleasant enough, excepting the huge traffic jam in Lahaina. Eric gets to observe the lush scenery while I play stop-and-go. When we arrive at the Westin, I am immediately impressed with how *gorgeous* the place is. Exquisite, open-air lobby (with free wireless access) from which you can just glimpse the beach in the background. Unfortunately, the check-in line is very, very long -- it being close to the normal check in time. Still, it moves pretty quickly. We are assigned our ocean-view studio, and are on our way.
Okay, I know I am going to sound like a turncoat, but so be it. This studio (all of their studios are “deluxe”) is 500 (yes, that’s 500!) square feet of oomph, and is far more impressive than any DVC studio villa. Yep, I said it: Far more impressive. The king-size Westin Heavenly Bed. The queen-size and comfy pull-out couch. Small table with two nice chairs. Small lanai. 27” flat screen TV with Bose sound system (very nice for watching those movies we brought along with us) tucked into a cut-out of the room. FULL KITCHEN, including full-size refrigerator, a two-burner stove top, microwave, toaster, can opener, dishwasher, granite countertop, washer/dryer, and all of the dishes you could possibly want. Huge bathroom, including separate toilet compartment, a shower bigger than the 1BR showers at DVC and complete with the Westin Heavenly showerhead (which we have at home), a vanity as big as the 1BR main vanities at DVC, and even a Jacuzzi. This place is the nuts!!!!
We unpack quickly, head down to their open-air restaurant for some dinner, and then decide to finish off our evening with some very expensive grocery shopping at the local Safeway (hint: apply for the Safeway card, which you can do right at the check-out; it can save you lots of money). After that, we get back to the room, shower, and collapse in a heap.
Sunday, the next day, is spent in hooded beach chairs on the beach -- a mere 100 feet from the door to our building. This beach is pretty calm, and that makes for some awesome snorkeling (which we do the next day). We also get a couple of drinks at the poolside bar. I develop a surprising affinity for “Lava Flows.” You see, I don’t really like Pina Coladas – just too coconutty for my taste. A Lava Flow is like a Pina Colada with a twist: They splash some slightly sweetened strawberry puree in the bottom of the glass, then add to that a frozen concoction of coconut juice, cream, half a banana, and coconut rum, which they top off with a maraschino cherry and a slice of pineapple. I think I have died and gone to Hawaii – ha – I have!! We try out Giovanni’s Tomato Pie (above Jonny’s Burger Joint) for dinner, and then call it a night.
Monday, we have reserved a poolside (but beach-facing) cabana. Really love this. It’s like the best of both worlds. Plus, they have a server come around and take your drink orders! On the downside, I find that I am imbibing far more than I usually do when I travel. On the upside, however, my increased fruit-drink consumption means that I no longer have to take 4 Citrucel tablets a day! Bonus! We spend the day getting in and out of the surf, snorkeling, feeding the fish (you can buy special food to feed the fish, and let me tell you: they feed. They almost swarm! Kinda freaky, but also very much fun!).
I think one of the things that surprises me about this resort is how many families are present. It seems that a lot of them come over from CA (only a four to six-hour plane ride, depending on where you are in CA). And yet, the kids aren’t annoying and throwing temper tantrums in the way that many of the kids at WDW can seem to. One of the other things that surprises me is how much I am enjoying doing… nothing. Typically, we are “active” travelers who don’t really sit in one place, doing nothing. But it just *feels* like the right thing to do here. Of course, into each of our travels, a little excitement must come. Next: we go powered hang gliding!!!
So, we waited in line for approximately 45 minutes, just behind *one* couple (he was having a hard time trying to decide the worth of extended coverage [he got it] and pre-paid gas [he got that, too], while his two children engaged in high-pitched screaming fits in the lobby. Joy. Anyway, after a good deal more hassle and interruptions (the “customer care-less” representative taking care of us had to keep leaving to attend to other more important matters), we were finally given our car. Can we say “clunker?” Even though it only has 6k miles on it, the Malibu Maxx we have been given (this was a “free upgrade,” the counter person told me as we were leaving the counter. I had specifically requested a smaller car, due the twisty, turny roads on Maui. I didn’t want some bus.) is a beater. Even its antenna is broken. Still, I am so anxious to just get the he** out of there, I take it, almost missing the security check point on my way out.
The drive to Ka’anapali is pleasant enough, excepting the huge traffic jam in Lahaina. Eric gets to observe the lush scenery while I play stop-and-go. When we arrive at the Westin, I am immediately impressed with how *gorgeous* the place is. Exquisite, open-air lobby (with free wireless access) from which you can just glimpse the beach in the background. Unfortunately, the check-in line is very, very long -- it being close to the normal check in time. Still, it moves pretty quickly. We are assigned our ocean-view studio, and are on our way.
Okay, I know I am going to sound like a turncoat, but so be it. This studio (all of their studios are “deluxe”) is 500 (yes, that’s 500!) square feet of oomph, and is far more impressive than any DVC studio villa. Yep, I said it: Far more impressive. The king-size Westin Heavenly Bed. The queen-size and comfy pull-out couch. Small table with two nice chairs. Small lanai. 27” flat screen TV with Bose sound system (very nice for watching those movies we brought along with us) tucked into a cut-out of the room. FULL KITCHEN, including full-size refrigerator, a two-burner stove top, microwave, toaster, can opener, dishwasher, granite countertop, washer/dryer, and all of the dishes you could possibly want. Huge bathroom, including separate toilet compartment, a shower bigger than the 1BR showers at DVC and complete with the Westin Heavenly showerhead (which we have at home), a vanity as big as the 1BR main vanities at DVC, and even a Jacuzzi. This place is the nuts!!!!
We unpack quickly, head down to their open-air restaurant for some dinner, and then decide to finish off our evening with some very expensive grocery shopping at the local Safeway (hint: apply for the Safeway card, which you can do right at the check-out; it can save you lots of money). After that, we get back to the room, shower, and collapse in a heap.
Sunday, the next day, is spent in hooded beach chairs on the beach -- a mere 100 feet from the door to our building. This beach is pretty calm, and that makes for some awesome snorkeling (which we do the next day). We also get a couple of drinks at the poolside bar. I develop a surprising affinity for “Lava Flows.” You see, I don’t really like Pina Coladas – just too coconutty for my taste. A Lava Flow is like a Pina Colada with a twist: They splash some slightly sweetened strawberry puree in the bottom of the glass, then add to that a frozen concoction of coconut juice, cream, half a banana, and coconut rum, which they top off with a maraschino cherry and a slice of pineapple. I think I have died and gone to Hawaii – ha – I have!! We try out Giovanni’s Tomato Pie (above Jonny’s Burger Joint) for dinner, and then call it a night.
Monday, we have reserved a poolside (but beach-facing) cabana. Really love this. It’s like the best of both worlds. Plus, they have a server come around and take your drink orders! On the downside, I find that I am imbibing far more than I usually do when I travel. On the upside, however, my increased fruit-drink consumption means that I no longer have to take 4 Citrucel tablets a day! Bonus! We spend the day getting in and out of the surf, snorkeling, feeding the fish (you can buy special food to feed the fish, and let me tell you: they feed. They almost swarm! Kinda freaky, but also very much fun!).
I think one of the things that surprises me about this resort is how many families are present. It seems that a lot of them come over from CA (only a four to six-hour plane ride, depending on where you are in CA). And yet, the kids aren’t annoying and throwing temper tantrums in the way that many of the kids at WDW can seem to. One of the other things that surprises me is how much I am enjoying doing… nothing. Typically, we are “active” travelers who don’t really sit in one place, doing nothing. But it just *feels* like the right thing to do here. Of course, into each of our travels, a little excitement must come. Next: we go powered hang gliding!!!