Day five... we're almost done...

Day five started a bit later than the rest. We didn't take too long to adjust to Maui time (heck, we pretty much adjusted by day two), and it took us even less to give a shot at sleeping in a bit. Gina, James and the kids returned to California that morning, which meant alone time at the pool and beach and two inherited bottles of Rum - who can complain with the latter part of the deal?

We also deviated a little from our traditional pool and beach at the resort and instead took off to D. T. Flemming Beach (also see 2006 Best Beaches in America), West of Napili, officially located in Kapalua. The last unexplored territory in Maui from where we stood, having previously explored the South, North and upcountry areas. The beach didn't disappoint. I was a first a bit apprehensive, having spotted a red flag, but now I think they just post red and never change it, and it doesn't hurt to warn those tourists who've never gotten themselves wet in salty waters, as they're more likely to get fooled by the ocean and drown. And at least this is one of the few beaches in the island with a lifeguard tower and lifeguards in it. There were great trees that offered some shade and relief from the sweltering sun, but they also littered the upper sand with branches (which turned out to be a good thing, since it kept the girls entertained.) The water, as all the waters in these islands, was wonderful shades of turquoise, blue and green. And clear, so clear. And wonderfully warm. We wasted no time going in, even if it was in turns.

The girls eventually warmed up to the idea of trying the ocean, since the water was very calm that day and few waves ever made it to breaking point. In a tropical pool such as this, who wouldn't try it? Larissa went in with Jim, and Katarina took a bit more to warm up but got convinced when the water didn't come after her for a surprise attack. She had a blast, and so did we.

Finally, we started getting tired, and mostly too burnt to remain in the heat of the Maui sun. We packed it up, got in the car (have I mentioned I did love the experience of driving an SUV?), and continued West to see some more of this part of the island we never before had a chance to explore. The drive had its share of turns and spectacular views for the ocean and the cliffs. There was green everywhere, and to our surprise, even red clay soil that offered a dramatic contrast to the eyes. We took pictures - or actually, Jim took pictures, and he took pictures, and he took pictures. And I do love pictures, but this was just borderline ridiculous... in any event, we got to a point where hunger won over curiosity and decided to turn back (there's nothing past Kapalua, other than a scenic drive, in case you're wondering) and hunt for some food the tourist way: by finding a restaurant.

We arrived in Napili Plaza a few minutes later and went into Mama's Ribs and Rotisserie. Let me take a moment here to make an important point: yum. YUM. YUM. YUM. I hope you get the picture. The ribs are cooked over a period of two days and smother in a tangy, rich, and just about perfect BBQ sauce. YUM-O. And don't let me forget about the baked beans - mouth-watering-delicious. Enough said. If you're ever in Napili, this is a must. And it's simple and affordable, which sometimes we forget to do on vacation because there's so many other fancy and delicious places to visit as well.

We eventually made it back to the resort, changed, rested for a bit, and headed out for Lahaina for just a bit of shopping. There we found crabs on a little stretch of beach on Front Street, right next to Cheeseburgers in Paradise (which I unfortunately didn't get to try, but then I tried to avoid foods we can easily find on the mainland.) The girls were riveted, and we couldn't get them to turn for a picture, hence the frame above with us and two little butts as proof of their participation in this particular excursion.

This was the day when we stopped by Hilo Hattie's and Jim proved to be extremely adept at spotting the oysters with twin pearls... if you want to pick your own pearl while yelling "Aloha!", he's your man.