Hawaii '09 - Day 6

Day 6 : Lahaina, Maui

A cloudless blue sky and temperatures in the 80's F greeted us on our first morning in Lahaina, Maui, the second of our overnight ports (our first being the embarkation port of Honolulu). Maui is my favorite of the Hawaiian islands, with its magnificent landscape and 'hang-loose' attitude. We were up early for a full day of adventure, our first stop being the Skyline Tours Ziplining expedition.

We were met on the pier by Peggy Sue. our charismatic and fun-loving shuttle bus driver. An hour's drive through the lush green rolling hills of Central and Eastern Maui brought us to the Zipline site, as well as the office for the horseback riding excursion. Peggy Sue had us leave our backpacks and other paraphenalia onboard the shuttle, which would park and wait for us. After checking in and signing waiver forms, we were fitted for harnesses and helmets by the very capable and wise-cracking George, who along with Jimmy would be our zipline guides/'catchers' for the next 2 hours.
 
Once everyone had been fitted with safety gear we set off on a short uphill hike which would bring us to the first zipline station. Since this was an eco-tour, with part of the proceeds going towards the Maui Parks foundation, we were given short lectures on Hawaiian bird species at each station. Jimmy gave us a brief safety demonstration, instructing us to keep our hands clear of the line and to hang on with 2 fingers through the carbonnier at the top of the harness and the other hand on the vertical strap. Unlike the ziplining I had done in Puerta Vallerta in November '08, this system had no breaks but relied on the slackness of the line itself to act as a self-braking device. With  a few jokes and some nervous laughter, we each in turn stepped off the wooden platform into thin air and zipped gracefully over to the side. When speaking of the landings on the far platform, the word 'gracefully' is relative, and subject to interpretation.

With a practice run under our belts, we hiked to the next platform and onto the next zipline. Since we were only allowed individual digital cameras and no film equipment, Ian and I took turns photographing each other on the zipline by taking turns running/jumping off the wooden platforms. There were 3 more lines and a very narrow suspension bridge to cross (we crossed in single file while tethered to a safety line on the brudge). Then came the grand finale...a 750-foot long 'boomerang' line. On this particular ride, we were to zip past the wooden platform, 'climb' a pole and be momentarily suspended, 'boomerang' back past the wooden platform a second time, and be caught by the ankles by a waiting George. He then rolled a ladder into place  in order for us to be unhooked from the line and to descend to the ground A short hike led us back a waiting van which in turn took us back to the office where we congratulated ourselves on a job well done.

Arriving back at the ship by 2:30 or so, we grabbed  a bite to eat and relaxed before preparing for our next event - the Old Lahaina Luau. I had enjoyed this dinner show five years earlier and wanted Ian to experience it too. We met some other Cruise Critic friends on the pier and shared a van to the Luau, checking in and then heading next door to a small bar for pre-Luau drinks. Cliff and Pauline from Edmonton were to be our tablemates for the Luau as well, and we left the bar to head over to the venue.

We were warmly greeted with fresh flower leis and Mai Tais as we entered the Luau grounds. Our Hawaiian waiter Kyle lead us to our table and invited us to walk around and enjoy the lush scenery and photo stations. Ian and I had several photos taken together and went to examine the mud pit where the pig was roasting, to be dug up later and enjoyed by all. Another tropical drink and some hula entertainment later, the pig was ceremoniously unearthed and the meat piled onto a huge wooden platter, hoisted by two able young men and carried off to the kitchen.

When the meal was ready to be enjoyed, the tattooed Kyle led our table to the buffet area and we were left to load our plates with various Hawaiian delicacies, including the aforementioned roast pig, octopus, and taro leaves cooked in coconut milk (my personal favourite). With plates piled high and fresh drinks, we sat down to enjoy the meal, which was delicious. Once dessert had been served , we settled back to enjoy 90 minutes of wonderful Hawaiian entertainment with songs, chants, and dancing. A wonderful show and a fitting ending to a great day in Maui. We shared a cab back to the pier, did some shopping on Front Street, and headed back to the tender line for the ship.

Tomorrow : Lahaina, Maui, Day 2