Thursday 20th July
An early morning start for us this morning as we prepare to take Matt To Kahului airport for his return trip to Honolulu and home. Matt certainly has shopped well while here, his experience in retail and his frugal lifestyle make him the perfect bargain hunter. Now though the chickens come home to roost, those extra pounds & kilos need to be expertly packed into his suitcase, just as well mum is on hand!
All packed we are ready to hit the road by 8.00am a 40 minute drive and plenty of time for him to make his 10.00am flight to Honolulu. He as had a great time meeting again as an adult the US side of his family and exploring another side of his roots. And so it is that we drop him off at the airport say our somewhat sad goodbyes to drive back again to Ka’anapali.
Our early start has paid off we are back in time to catchup on domestics and my blog that has fallen behind due to our very busy schedule over the last few days.
We manage a few hours to ourselves before our lunch guests arrive in the lobby. Peter, Kylie, Krystal, Ken, Tyson and Alissa are here to have lunch with us, they have had a wonderful time so far and we are anxious to hear their stories and bath in their excitement. Lunch is at Dukes, the hotels only beach bar and restaurant over looking the ocean. We have a wonderful light tropical lunch starting with a cocktail, listening to their stories, their excitement infectious, they will all no doubt all be visiting these magical islands again at sometime in their lives. We finish off sharing a slice of Hula Pie, a local ice cream cake shaped like a volcano with macadamia nuts and chocolate lava. Delicious if a little sweet!
We say our goodbyes to Peter and Kylie they leave for Honolulu and a Waikiki experience tomorrow. We are treating all of our grandkids, new and old to a sunset to night-time luau at the Westin hotel tonight, also in Kaanapali just a few minutes away from our hotel. We arrange for them to meet Jimmy, Susan, Gaby and Troy and Heathers crew in the lobby of The Outrigger where they are all staying and for them all to meet us at the Westin at 5.30pm for the show.
We have a few more hours to ourselves, I quickly finish up the longest blog I have written and deservedly so, for the wedding day was a wondrous day indeed. If you want to see more photos of that day https://www.facebook.com/groups/405391093136311/ one guest alone posted 143 photos to this site.
At the appointed time we descend to the lobby to meet our cab and we are off to the Westin for our luau experience. We arrive first followed by Abbey, Cadence, Aubrey, Calista, Gaby & Susan. Then soon after Krystal, Ken, Tyson, Alissa, Justin and Jimmy. We are soon shown to our tables outside in the Aloha Pavillon. Actually there is a large buffet food service and bar area inside that then spills out onto an outside space with another food service area that stretches into the eating area filled with large tables dressed for dinner service. We are shown to our premium tables, we wanted to make sure all the kids had the best possible view, not disappointed they are right in front of the stage.
The stage for the show is then set in front of a raised pond that sits at the base of a rocky cliff face with surrounding tropical plantings and coconut trees their curved trunks reaching skyward. The show is a multi nation Polynesian experience showing off the dress, music and dancing styles of Hawaii, Fiji, Samoa, Tahiti and New Zealand.
Before dinner service we are invited to have our pictures taken by a professional photographer, young Hawaiian girls adorn us with leis as we slip into tourist mode to have these special memories documented as images we can revisit and share.
The area adjacent to the stage is set with tables selling various local artisan products, a wood carver chips away at a log with a mallet and chisel carving out another Hawaiian tiki. Krystal buys a locally pottered dish featuring a turtle design. The youngest three girls have faux tattoos applied to them of various designs and Amanda buys them locally woven bracelets.
The meal is buffet style: Pupu’s of Lomi Salmon, Pipikaula Poke, Cucumber Seaweed Salad, Kula Island Greens, Hawaiian Style Potato Macaroni Salad, Maui Gold Pineapple, Tahitian vanilla dip and Island Poi.
Main courses of: Kalua Pua’a slow-roasted pork, Huli Huli Chicken, Steamed I’a Fish, Pa’ia Dry Mein Noodles, Moloka’i Sweet Potatoes and Steamed Sticky Rice
Desserts of: Hawaiian Sweet Bread Pudding, Pineapple Upside Down Cake, Chocolate Chantilly Cake and Haupia hawaiian coconut pudding. The kids enjoy there own special menu of spaghetti bolognese, fish fingers, BBQ chicken, hotdogs pizza and a variety salads
After we have stacked our plates and ordered some wine we begin our meal as the show begins with the sun slowly sinking into the ocean in front of us, thankfully eliminating the suns glare.
First up is a very funny Fijian dressed in traditional grass skirt and top. With the help of a member of the audience in an hilarious manner he shows how to break off the husk of a coconut and crack the coconut in away that creates a bowl and lid. He then invites a child from the audience to drink the juice to the last drop that of course dribbles down the child’s chin and eventually all over the stage.
During this event he asks the audience where they are from, we announce that we are from Australia, he proceeds to ask me “what do you call a boomerang that doesn’t come back” I answer a stick, probably spoiling his joke. He mumbles something about we know where the drinkers are then and moves on.
Darkness is descending fast, flaming torches are lit around the stage, we are next treated to a procession of dance and music from the various Polynesian islands. Starting with the gracious story telling hula of Hawaii and culminating in the familiar to us Aussies, “Hakka” performed by the Maoris from our near neighbour New Zealand.
There is a short break while we enjoy dessert, then a build up to the most exciting part and culmination of the show the fire twirling display. Double ended torches are lit, thrown between the dancers and twirled like drum majorettes batons a spectacular fiery display. The dancers move forward and back at times climbing on each other while all the time twirling the fiery double ended torches. They lick the flames with their tongues and balance the torches on the soles of their feet in fearless displays of disregard for the potential skin burning flames.
All to soon the performance comes to an end, with a little more dancing and fanfares the show concludes.
We have all enjoyed a wonderful night the kids are buzzing with the excitement of it all, so satisfying.
Before leaving the Westin hotel we all walk under the waterfall that greets guests after they pass through the lobby, the water from the falls drops into a pond where pink flamingoes stand single leggedly beaks tucked into their curved necks probably sleeping. We follow the path under the waterfall then around the pool area before returning to the lobby hailing cabs and returning to our respective hotels.