Maui time

There is no better vacation than Hawaii. It has warm weather, tropical fruit, ocean, pool and most importantly, grandparents. It's been 4 years since we last visited, when the girls were just 3 and 5, and was before we moved to New Zealand. It was so great to be back!

Despite their great distance apart, there are so many similarities between Hawaii and New Zealand, owing to their common ancestors. For example "Kei te pehea koe" is how are you in Maori and "Pehea 'oe" is how are you in Hawaiian!

Babo and Baba met us at the airport with leis. So nice of them to come all the way over to the other side of the island to shepherd us back to the west side.

Back to our favorite beach in Lahaina, where we spent every day. The island of Lanai in the distance. No wetsuit needed!

This is the girls in the same spot last time we came. So little!

Still loving all the same activities but this time much better swimmers.

Every day the girls also went into the pool, spending hours playing both morning and evening. They had fun playing train with Baba.

The reef is in shallow water so we could snorkel easily. Wren with a small friend.

We were lucky enough to watch three of these beautiful creatures!

The girls watching one of Baba's cats eat. The cat watching them back.

Lahaina's famous banyon tree

And from the last visit...

We all went to a luau one evening and got to see dances from all over the Pacific, including the kapa haka from New Zealand.  

They gave the kids moko from NZ too! The girls were well versed in how to do the pukana with their moko.

They also jumped at the chance to learn how to do the hula up on stage.

It was a very easy going holiday. Hanging with Babo out on the lanai.

We happened upon a hula show in Lahaina and were amazed at how good the little kids were at dancing.

pool time with Babo

The second to last day Wren developed a rash on her face, possibly from too much sun. So we stuck to the shade and hid from the sun.

Out to dinner on our last evening in Maui, catching the sunset over the ocean.

For our last day we went to the island of Oahu and stayed in Honolulu for two nights. The big city. But still beautiful.

We hiked Diamond Head, a volcanic crater in the city. With no vehicle we took the open air trolley to get there. 

Up up up. We weren't sure how the hike would go with so much uphill, but the kids walked it with nary a complaint! They are becoming good hikers.

At the top! View of Waikiki in the distance. 

Beautiful view of the island and Diamond Head crater.

Just like in New Zealand, the most sacred of indigenous sites is often capped with a US military installation. 

So the steps up to the top are through a concrete facility and tunnel through the mountain.

At the end, the reward was a cold treat. Wren was in heaven with all the fruit.

And Quinn with her shaved ice...

Diamond Head from our apt

The next day we donned our winter clothes and headed back to our own Pacific Island!