Thursday, April 26, 2012

Ma'ukele Lodge

Truly a destination unto itself!






My husband and I stayed at the Ma'ukele Lodge for three days and absolutely loved it! Raven is a wonderful host - friendly, kind and caring. We met several of her friends (including a trained botanist!) and the experience could not have been better. 


The idea of the outdoor bathroom takes some getting used to but in practice, it's wonderful - and totally private. The four post bed made for a very comfortable night's rest. 


Breakfast each day included Hawaiian coffee, juice, and half of a papaya filled with fruit salad and yogurt on the side. From the stove came an omelet, banana pancakes (my favorite!), and scrambled eggs with ham and cheese. 


I could have easily spent a whole day at the Ma'ukele Lodge, walking along the beach and watching geckos run around the lanai (veranda). There are coconuts, pineapple and noni growing on the property, as well as several plants that would be considered house plants in Virginia. Many flowering trees as well but my favorite was the plumeria.




And the view is amazing! You can see straight out to the ocean from the house.






There's a great selection of books (everything from Clan of the Cave Bear to Harry Potter), music, and movies to borrow. And Raven has no problem with guests using the kitchen to cook dinner. We have recommended this place to everyone, friends and strangers alike. Would definitely stay there again!

Wednesday, April 25, 2012

Hawaii


Can a vacation change your life? I can only hope so! Max and I just got back from 9 days in Hawaii and seriously, I wanted to stay. Totally fell in love! The weather was great - warm sun, cool breeze... The people were so nice, definitely experienced the Aloha spirit.

We spent three days on the Big Island in Kaimu. We stayed at the Ma'ukele Lodge and I'm so glad we did! Raven and Mark were wonderful and we had a really authentic Hawaiian experience. I wish we had stayed longer!

After leaving from the Big Island, we spent 6 days at Disney's Aulani Resort on Oahu. It was a "cleansed" version of Hawaii but wonderful in its own way. We went horseback riding at the Kualoa Ranch - my first time riding a horse! I was terrified at first but once I got a little more comfortable, I was able to enjoy the scenery and talk with our guides. After two hours I was definitely sore but the next day wasn't too bad.

Still trying to get over the 6 hour time difference. Will post more pictures later!

Have you ever been to Hawaii? What did you love most?