Flat Stanley in Maui!

I was introduced to Flat Stanley back when I started teaching grade one.  I loved the story of the little boy who became flat when a bulletin board landed on him.  Being flat, he could fit in an envelope and travel the world.  Classes, usually around grade two, read the book and then do numerous activities.  My favourite is when they colour Stanley and send him to some family or friends that live in a different part of the country or world.  The person who receives Stanley is then responsible to show him around and take some photos of him on his adventures.  They then return him to the student along with a short write up about their adventures together.

I have seen some teachers make wonderful bulletin boards with a map in the middle, and then photos and letters of Stanley's adventures all around the outside.  It looks awesome when they place a string between the photos and the location of the map, so you know where in the world Stanly has visited!

I received my own Flat Stanley from a coworker over five years ago and I still take him with me.  Last summer, we took him to Maui with us, and I wanted to share a few of his adventures with you.  We went snorkeling at Black Rock, hiking at IAO Valley, and suntanned at Big Beach.  Pretty good vacation, don't you think?

Have you ever heard of Flat Stanley?  I would love to know if you have ever shown Stanley around, or where you would take him if he came to visit.

Pin It

Day 8: Beach Time!

Day 8 was all about the beaches of South Maui.  We lucked out and were given some boogie boards from a family that was checking out of our condo.  Next we headed to Kihei where we stopped at Boss Frogs to pick up a paddle board and some snorkel gear.

Our first stop was Makena Landing Beach Park.  We were told this was a hot snorkeling spot, so my husband and I tried it out.  There is a little grass area and a public bathroom, but not much of a beach.  We were also disappointed with the snorkeling in comparison to the other places that we had already been.  It was a beautiful spot though.

Pin It

Day 7: IAO Valley

Day 7 of our Maui adventure included a trip to the Iao Valley State Park located in Central Maui, just west of Wailuku.  This 4000-acre park is home to the Iao Needle, one of Maui's most recognizable landmarks.  Not only is it beautiful, Iao Valley is considered sacred due to its historical significance.  In 1790, King Kamehameh I fought in the Battle of Kepaniwai, defeating Maui's army in order to unite the islands, and ultimately changed Hawaiian history.

The 1,200-foot Iao Needle

Pin It

Day 6: D.T Fleming Beach

One activity that I love to do while traveling, is writing a journal about what we did each day.  It is a great way to remember the small things that helped to make the trip so wonderful.  I am also a big scrapbooker, and I find that it helps me to organize and journal about our trip as well. 

It is days like today that I am so happy that I keep a travel journal.  I have been searching through all of my Maui photos, and still can't remember all that we did on Day 6.  I know we spent most of the day at D.T Fleming Beach, boogie boarding and laying on the beach.  From there I draw a blank.  I cannot find any photos either.  My photobook is sitting at about 80% complete too.  It is so frustrating.

I am saved by the fact that when I get back to Alberta, I know I can find my journal to help fill in the blanks.  I am also hoping that the other couple we went with might have some photos too.  Until then, I encourage all of you to write a journal when traveling.  I also know, that I will continue this tradition for all of my future trips!

Please stay tuned for my post on BeadforLife later today!




Do you keep a journal when you travel?

Pin It

Day 5: Molonkini and Lana'i Snorkeling Adventure

My first snorkeling experience was ten years ago while visiting Grand Cayman Island.  The moment that I broke the water surface and saw the amazing underwater world, I was hooked.  I was in awe of the multi coloured fish and coral.  I was truely an experience that I will remember for a lifetime!

We booked a snorkeling adventure with the Pacific Whale Foundation, that included a full day on the water with a stop at Molokini and off the coast of Lana'i.  We chose PWF because all of the profits go towards supporting their work to protect the oceans.  Our tour included numerous free options including learn-to-snorkel class, a fish ID class, a Jr. Naturalist program and a free guided reef tour.  They even provided snorkelers with reef-safe sunscreen.

For an extra fee, you can rent an underwater digital camera, which I highly recommend.  We captured some amazing photos and video footage!  We also rented wet suit shirts which added some extra protection from the sun, and the water which felt quite chilly to start with. The snorkel gear included was top class, and included optical masks for anyone who wears glasses.  I tried these out and they worked great, but they have limited numbers, so ask about them early.

We met at the Pacific Whale Foundation Ocean Store at The Harbor Shops at Ma’alaea.  After an orientation, we boarded the boat and enjoyed a tropical-style continental breakfast including delisious, local grown fruit.  Our first stop was Molokini, a world-famous crater with crystal clear waters, and home to more than 250 species of fish.  The views were absolutely amazing!  Try to be one of the first people off of the boat because the time goes by so quickly.  I felt really safe on this tour. The Pacific Whale Foundation had members kayaking in the water, and had noodles available for anyone that wanted a little extra help floating.

From here, we crossed the channel to snorkel off of the beautiful coast of Lana’i, enjoying a delicious BBQ lunch along the way.  Several of the PWF workers also shared a wealth of knowledge about the variety of fish species in the area.  Once at Lana'i, we had the option of jumping into the water or 'sliding' off of the boat.  The reefs in this area did not disappoint.  We saw many more fish and were lucky to sight wild dolphins as well. 

On the boat ride back, they swam next to us for a while putting on quite the show!

The ride back was pretty rough, so we stayed put while the workers served everyone with refreshments.  We enjoyed the time to talk with the other tourists while enjoying the amazing views.  Overall, we had an amazing experience.  The only thing I did not like was that I ended up getting some "sea legs" later that night!  I went to be early and felt great by the morning. 

Stay tuned tomorrow when I look back at Day 6 including boogie boarding at D.T Flemming Park.

Have you ever been snorkeling or SCUBA Diving?  If so, where?  I would love to try SCUBA Diving sometime but I am a little chicken!



Pin It

Maui Day 4: The Road to Hana

I had been looking forward to our trip along the road to Hāna since I started planning our trip.  The road is extremely narrow and is comprised of 620 curves and 59 bridges, most of which are only one lane wide.  Along the way, there are amazing panoramic views of Maui’s east coast, along with miles of lush tropical rainforest that are dotted with waterfalls.

Along the way, you will find an amazing variety of flora.  The colours are amazing, and so unique!

Pin It

Day 3: Kaanapali

After the early morning on day two, we all wanted to sleep in on day three.  We packed ourselves a picnic lunch and headed north about twenty minutes to Kaanapali.  This area has a great beach and has lots of resorts.  I was so excited to get to spend the day on the beach and in the water.

We decided to go parasailing with West Maui Parasail.  We chose to do the 1200 ft Tandem Ride which cost $160.  I try not to worry about how much things cost when I am travelling as these are one in a lifetime opportunities.  We located West Maui Parasail on the beach under their umbrella, and were then taken out to the main boat on a smaller one.  We were travelling with another couple, and it was only the four of us on the boat, which was great.  One of the workers used to live in Canada so it was great getting to talk with him.

I was expecting parasailing to be scary, but the anticipation was the worst part.  You have got to love my facial expressions when we first left the boat, but I promise it was not that bad.  Next time I will have a smile on my face, since I will know what to expect.

Pin It

Day 2: Haleakala National Park and more

We got up bright and early on our second day, to make the drive up to the Summit at Haleakala National Park to watch the sunrise.  The road is very windy, and the drive is in the dark.  I did get a bit of a headache, so next time I would take something for motion sickness.  When we got to the top, there were lots of other vacationers already there.  Make sure not to arrive too late, in order to get a nice spot to watch the sunrise from.  Remember that you are 10, 000 feet up, and the temperature is chilly so bundle up!  Allow yourself some time to stop by the Visitor Center to learn more about the area.

Check out some of the amazing views from the top! 

After the sunrise, we took a hike into the crator on the Sliding Sands trail.  For every twenty minutes down, it takes forty minutes to get back up.  Yikes, right?  We decided an hour hike was probably enough for us since it was so early in the morning.  The views were awesome and while we wanted to keep going, we knew it would be a hard hike back up to where we started.  Overall, we hiked for approximately one hour.  There are lots of other trails throughout the park, so if you have more time, make sure to check them out.

When we made it back from our hike, we decided to go a little further up to the actual summit at Puu Ulaula Overlook, which is over 10,000 ft above sea level.  From here you can see the Haleakala Observatory, and Silversword plants.

From Haleakala National Park, we continued on and stopped at Tedeschi Vineyard where we enjoyed tasting some delicious pineapple wine and a visit to the General Store right down the street. 

From here we stopped at the Ali'i Kula Lavender Farm.  We enjoyed a walk around the property and then enjoyed the picnic lunch that we had packed.  It was beautiful.

We had an amazing time, but headed back to Lahaina to get settled into our condo and enjoy some down time.  Stay tuned for Day 3 including our parasailing adventures!

Where was the most beautiful sunrise that you have ever experienced?

Pin It

Looking back at Maui One Year Later: Our Condo

It has been one year since my husband and I visited the amazing island of Maui.  It was an incredible trip that we will both remember for the rest of our lives.  Over the coming week I am going to share some of the favourite places we visited, tours we took, and restaurants where we ate. 

One of the Amazing views found on Maui

Pin It