HI07

When we originally considered our winter vacation plans I had said that I was ready for a change from the Florida scene that we have enjoyed for the last 7 years. Since Anne had just been to St. Petersberg, FL for brother Bob and Petra’s wedding and also visited the kids in Texas prior to Christmas she was amenable to a trip to the islands.

Our good friend Bonnie offered us a bargain on her Maui condo and we were glad to arrange a week there and a week on Oahu where I could build my muscles back by pushing along Waikiki Beach. We packed all our gear including ipod, computer, my painting supplies, several lightweight shirts that had not seen the light of day for 6 months and Anne’s swim fins and mask for snorkeling.

Our early morning flight would get us into Honolulu in time to unload and get to the beach in time for sunset. The flight did not seem that long. We were glad to have bulkhead seating. The movie, Good Day with Russell Crowe was rather tame but helped to pass the time and Anne got a long nap and was refreshed by the time we touched down in warm and fragrant Hawaii. Our waiting van was called and we were halfway into town when the driver realized that we hadn’t paid yet and we were obliged to turn around and briefly return to the airport to remedy the charges.

The Marine Surf Hotel is an easy 2 block walk to the beach and features a pool and a full kitchen. We unload our gear and head towards the water but we’re both famished. After checking out the Shorebird Café we opt for a mild repast at a local Denny’s before wandering along the waterfront. Our first souvenirs are Harley Davidson t-shirts for friends Patty and Scott. All manner of body types are strolling along Waikiki; fat, skinny, old, young, Asian, white, fit and hopelessly out of shape. The sun has only a short time to stay aloft and we go to the end of a breakwater and relax while watching the orange sphere descend into the waves. In the distance we spy our first humpback whales. They breach and splash and spout air while being gently pursued by dinner cruise ships. We’re both excited and relieved to be here; especially knowing how miserably cold it is back home. We stop at a local supermarket for some essentials and end up back at our room for Anne’s 2 favorite TV shows and each take to our respective single beds by one a.m.

We are scheduled to visit an art program at the Rehab Hospital of the Pacific around 1:30 so have plenty of time to rise, eat a light breakfast and get to Waikiki for a leisurely 2 hour push while Anne shops for a few items for the kids. I’d forgotten how exotic the birds are and stop to amaze at the colors of the pigeons and finches that are as common as the crows and gulls of the northwest. Anne and I rendezvous and find a terrific beachfront eatery that features a delicious buffet. We are on a time crunch and must dine and dash to the bus stop.

The number 4 will take us all the way to the Rehab Hospital of the Pacific but it’s an hour long trip and we’re behind time when we arrive but the session has only just begun and we’re able to introduce ourselves to Ellen Matsumoto, the program director and Kim Howard and Morris Nakamura, 2 artists who have been accepted into the MFPA as recent students. The program is set up on an outside patio and there are nearly 15 artists working with oils and acrylics. Many of the pieces are quite good and we are pleased to tour the collection that graces the walls of the different units and the main lobby that is generously funded by a Louis Vuitton Golf Tournament. I break out my sketchbook and do a minor interpretation of a Chinese dragon in honor of the New Year that starts today for the year of the boar.

A magnificent rainbow appears to the East along with a light rain that gets heavier by the minute. We aren’t prepared for rain and inquire into a van cab back to the hotel. Anne calls a couple numbers but they are otherwise engaged and we are forced to make our own way. Fortunately, the rain is a passing shower and we are spared a drenching. We are presented with a very nice cookbook illustrated by the artists, some note cards and some snacks before we head out and catch a bus that deposits us at the Ala Moana Mall. We spend a couple hours touring the shops and have a terrific meal at Bubba Gump’s shrimp house. A brief fireworks display signals the New Year and another passing rainstorm abates just as we arrive at the bus stop that gets us back to the Marine Surf.

I may have had a bad shrimp or something but early in the morning I felt an awful twinge in my lower regions and though it felt like I might vomit. I was able to breathe slowly and deeply and the nausea passed. Thankfully there were no lingering effects and I felt fine if a little extra tired until we were up, washed and fed a light breakfast. After the extravagant meals we paid for yesterday we are determined to eat on the cheap today. I’m anxious to get my workout in and we stroll through the international market on our way to the beach. Anne kindly sets my gloves, hat and music in place and we will meet up together in 2 hours. It’s quite windy today and it’s all I can do to keep my hat on while enjoying the warmth and the wahinis along Waikiki.

Anne returns to get papers in order to facilitate the sale of our vacation property. to arrange the purchase of the cabin. I make good time and feel stronger already but on the way back I notice that I have nicked my finger on the rim of my chair and tore a cut in the crease of my right ring finger. Gingerly, I limp back to Anne and wash my finger and secure a band-aid from a lifeguard station. I had noticed an art fair in progress by the zoo and direct Anne to the grassy area that is filled with tents selling jewelry, photos, bowls and shirts. Anne buys a couple beautiful hair clips with silk orchids and a hand made bracelet for Jennifer. She has taken some Aleve and feels better. We walk back to our room and have a light meal of crackers, salami and cheese.

The New Year’s celebration is under way in Chinatown, The year of the Boar. In spite of the certain crowds Anne is willing to catch the bus and join the throngs who revel in the New Year with sights and smells. We find a spot along the parade route and sit in the blazing sun while awaiting the bands, dragons, lions and princesses waving from classic corvettes. It’s a delightful display and a fun show. We run into Kim from the art program and Anne takes dozens of pictures. We make a minor attempt to locate a dinner option but every establishment has a line out the door so we opt for the bus ride back to the hotel and some takeout from a nearby food court. I’m rather exhausted and would love to get a full night’s sleep.

I slept fine and Anne’s diju pills helped make my morning routine easy. Unfortunately, she didn’t get much sleep but at least is free of joint pains for nearly the whole day. She makes a superb omelet out of our leftovers. After I get my hair washed I allow Anne to give me a hair cut and this pleases her to no end. It’s still quite breezy but it makes for relief from the heat and I can barely wait to get my Waikiki exercise. We stroll briefly through a cheap little village of shops on our way to the beach that is overrun with Sunday visitors. Anne will pick up a couple items from the art fair while I build my strength and the cut on my finger is much better. Rotating the wheels makes a big difference and I’m able to make good time along the beach. The surf is high on account of the winds and the surfboarders are loving it. My ipod quickly runs out of juice and I’m totally bummed when I discover later that I don’t have the proper cord to recharge it.

We meet up and return to our room where we have a modest lunch of crackers, cheese and salami. I’m anxious to return to the Honolulu Academy of Art and had researched that newly remodeled wings are now open. It’s a short bus ride and though Anne’s lack of sleep is evident she is valiant and pushes my chair up to the wheelchair entrance where we’re allowed in free of charge. There is a family art day in progress and a clay modeling session is under way. We tour some striking African material and then catch the lift upstairs where I am delighted to see that the newly redesigned collections allow me to see the American works that previously had been down a flight of inaccessible steps. Eakins, Whistler, Inness, Cropsey and Harnett are represented by wonderful pieces and amazing Polynesian carvings and regalia follow those galleries. There is a concert in progress in the courtyard and we listen to a native singer belt out a few lounge songs before continuing into the Doris Duke Galleries and view the choice modern works. A large de Chirico figure is terrific and the Picassos, Archipenkos, Calders and Modiglianis are wonderful. I had designs on seeing some of the East Indian material in order to prime myself for the Upanishads volume that I have begun but Anne hasn’t the interest or the strength to continue.

We pause briefly in the gift shop and I recall the beautiful Koa wood box that I had purchased in this same shop many years ago. There are exquisite pieces but the astronomical prices prevent me from buying anything. We see a small exhibit of textiles depicting Japanese and American propaganda from WW II before exiting and have some snacks in the park across the street before getting back on the bus. At the hotel Anne takes a nap while I work a puzzle and catch a little of the NBA All Star game while painting. We decide to stay in for the evening and Anne gets to watch her favorite shows.

Bit of a bust today. We got up fairly early after a decent night’s sleep and I was up for breakfast out. It being President’s Day there are many more people on the streets and in the restaurants and there was no way we were going to wait 30 minutes for a grand slam breakfast at a nearby Denny’s. My main goal for the day was to get a proper cord in order to recharge my Ipod and that required another trip to the Ala Moana Shopping Center. Anne had in mind a trip to Ward Center Shopping Mall nearby in order to see if a dress might be found for our upcoming trip to Vienna. So after she makes breakfast in our room we head out in a stiff wind and catch the bus and are soon roaming the mall. We get a re-charger unit at the Apple store and check out some other shops before exiting for the 6-block walk to Ward Center.

When last we were here I thought it was rather run down and I recall the weather was awful. It has been upgraded and the prices in the shops reflect the new affluence. It’s not easy finding Nordstrom Rack and Anne inspects the clothes diligently but ultimately without luck. We look in many stores and a few galleries in hopes of finding a good deal in a Koa wood box for my collection but nothing fills the bill. It’s time for lunch and we opt for a couple of salads and ask the waitress if it would be all right if I plugged in my Ipod in an open outlet to charge the battery. After nearly an hour my player hasn’t any more juice and I fear that the battery might be worn out or something defective about the unit. We walk back to the Apple store and learn from the clerk that my cord is the wrong kind and they have not carried the one I need for over a year. I’m bummed and have only one recourse; to purchase a cheap AM/FM radio from Radio Shack. First though we stop at a Barnes and Noble bookstore and redeem my Christmas gift card and get a couple travel books on Vienna and Budapest. We’re turned around in the mall and have a heck of a time locating the bus stop back to Waikiki.

We have just enough time to drop off some gear and get to the beach for sunset. Anne takes several awesome pictures of the event and we later deposit one of my pins in the rock retaining wall to the south of Duke Kahanamoku statue. We decide not to struggle with the certain crowds that are sure to be in the restaurants and pick up some sushi for dinner. A relaxed evening follows with Anne looking through the books and me checking programming the new radio while painting. Anne receives a call from her friend Phyllis with the news that her father had passed away and another from Bob who says that his diabetes is worse and if he’s unable to get it under control he will be in the hospital within the week.

Mardis Gras. Still very windy but not so bad on the beach and it is actually a relief when the heat builds. After a breakfast sandwich, Anne gets me to the beach for a solid 2-hour workout. I can tell that my strength is returning and the soreness in my arms is a familiar feeling that I normally feel later in the Spring. Anne gets the computer and goes to a Starbuck’s and signs up for T-Mobil long enough to pay a few bills. I make good time and find a reggae channel on my new radio to get in the island spirit. The surfers and boogie-boarders are doing their thing and I sit at the end of a breakwater and watch for a while. I had in mind to visit some botanical gardens knowing that Anne would enjoy the colors, the smells and the incredible shapes of the orchids and extravagant flora. A reference sheet mentions the Hoomaluhia Gardens and though it’s a long bus ride we’re up for it and look forward to seeing the sights outside Honolulu.

We transfer at the Ala Moana Mall and climb over the Pali Highway. The view of the bay on the opposite shore is breathtaking and the ride isn’t all that long after all. The driver points us in the right way and then tells us that the park is a mile and a half away. We have done worse and are prepared to hoof it but are soon confronted with a steep downhill slope. Anne feels like she could make it but the thought of pushing me back up and not knowing what else we might encounter gives us pause and ultimately we decide that it’s not worth the trouble. Instead we locate a nearby restaurant and have a nice lunch.

Our return bus ride seems shorter and we get off at the mall and Anne decides to walk the mile or so back to Waikiki. This means that we will go past the Hard Rock Café and I choose a red guitar pin with a flower lei entwined around it. We drop off a few items and I still have time for a return trip to the beach for a workout before sunset. Anne relaxes and watches the surfers while I strain against the brisk wind and really feel it. We meet up and watch another incredible sunset and then head a few blocks away to Chili’s for salad and ribs. An appropriate name for an establishment that has the air conditioning cranked up. Back at the hotel we relax and watch a couple programs before bedtime. Tomorrow is our last day on Oahu.

I was determined to make the most of exercising along Waikiki on our last day in Honolulu. We get up a little earlier than usual and I am conscious of Ash Wednesday as I get my gear together and push past the Catholic Church on Waikiki. There are a few people with ashes on their foreheads strolling past as I continue pushing along the beach. The warm weather is a delight and I’m very glad to enjoy the beautiful shades of blue in the water. Anne writes some postcards, shops a bit for the kids and gets a foam plumeria blossom to clip to my hat. When we reunite we walk a fair distance to a small garden in honor of Queen Kapiolani. Beautiful flowers and delicate butterflies are abundant.

We walk back and enter the Honolulu Zoo for a couple hours of wandering among lemurs, rhinos, Rusti, the orangutan born at Woodland Park Zoo and many colorful and exotic birds. We find a Nene feather for my journal. We’re both hot and hungry and Anne had indicated a desire for Mexican at a place called La Cucaracha’s near the beach. Unfortunately, their elevator is broken but another in the chain isn’t far away. We both order the same pork dish and eat half and later finish it in our room while watching the legal circus surrounding Anna Nicole Smith. I have enough time before sunset to take one last push along the beach. Crashing surf along the sea wall reflects the setting sun and appears as a burst of fireworks with the sinking sun unobscured by clouds. It’s been a terrific week and the next one on Maui promises to be more relaxing. I hope to paint and read.

Our arrangements go smoothly and we are both excited to begin the next leg of our vacation and somewhat relieved to leave the busy metropolis of Honolulu for the promise of a slower pace on Maui. Our bus is there to get us on time but we have mislaid our return ticket and are obliged to pay another $20.00 to the driver for the ride to the airport. We pass by Waikiki one last time to pick up other tourists and make our way to the airport. As we are getting off the bus I see that someone has discarded a beautiful purple orchid lei and string it over my neck. We get through security and get to the gate well ahead of our take off time. Over a shared latte we play a game of cribbage that I barely win and then get assistance into our seats for the half hour flight to the garden island.

It takes some time to secure our rental car, a bronze Monte Carlo 2-door with plenty of trunk space for the chair. The transfer goes smoothly and the traffic is too bad as we make our way to Bonnie’s superb condo at the Kamaole Sands. Anne begins unpacking and starts a load of laundry while I scope the channels and then begin reading the Upanishads while soaking up the sun on the patio. Anne prepares a couple burritos from leftovers that Bonnie left us and I share some with the birds that flock the moment I spit some tortilla their way. Sunset is fast approaching and Anne is anxious to get in some exercise.

We push over to the nearby beach walk and join the crowds already lined up for the spectacle. Minutes from the event Anne receives a call from Seattle Times reporter Valerie Easton informing her that the story she has written profiling our garden will run in the April 15^th edition of the paper! It’s exciting news and Anne misses the downing of the sun while fact-checking with her. We continue down the sidewalk and get our bearings from the various restaurants and shops that border the shore. Things have changed little from our previous visit several years ago and Bonnie has left us some recommendations for dining and shopping. Neither of us is very hungry and we certainly don’t need to shop so we decide to see if there are any movies at the nearby multiplex that may strike our fancy. I had wanted to see “The Queen” and with the Academy Awards just a couple days away, was glad that it was offered. Popcorn and root beer satisfy our minor hunger pangs while watching the fine portrayal of the royal relic.

Brilliant stars that the bright lights of Honolulu had dimmed back illuminate our walk. People seem quite friendly and strangers greet us as we pass. I find it somewhat curious that there were so many people of Asian descent on Oahu and here on Maui the only nationality appears to be white.

I don’t know if it was the sugar in all the root beer I drank at the movie last night or being in a strange bed or what but I did not sleep last night. Anne had to take the bedroom door off its hinges so I could get in and we stayed up late after being sucked into a Spiderman movie but I ended up dragging most of the day. We got up extra early to listen to an activity director describe the various options for making the most of our time on Maui. Anne signed up for a snorkeling adventure this Tuesday and we will both take in a luau that evening. We meet Tina, our next-door neighbor who winters here with her husband Carl and she offers to help us with a board that helps me get over the steep threshold to the patio. It warms up early and I advocate for a drive to Lahaina as much for the fabulous drive as the gallery scene that I remember with pleasure from our previous visits. The traffic isn’t as bad as we had been warned and we encounter only mild backups. Since we forgot our disabled parking permit we are obliged to pay for a stall in a lot a few blocks from town and lather up with sunscreen as best we can.

The tourists are manageable at this earlier hour and we browse the shops along Front Street and are solicited by hucksters peddling dinner cruises and miscellaneous shows. I recall that this being Friday the galleries will be hosting a special art walk in the evening but we’re not about to stay here all afternoon. We come across Kimo’s, an establishment that we had dined in before and decide to give it an encore. Anne has tasty fish tacos and I make a good choice in the fish of the day and we are both treated to a view of humpback whales that are very near the shore. We linger over flavored iced tea and replenish our water bottle for the ride back. Anne razzes me a bit over my purchase of a Hard Rock Café pin but it seems a small price for a souvenir that I shall use to recall our time together.

We begin to tour the galleries and swap business stories with the various directors and gallery owners. There are some exquisite works of art but very few by local artists and virtually no etchings of Hawaii scenes that we might add to our collection. The longer we stay in a gallery the harder the seller pushes us to buy and I realize that my skills in putting on an exhibition far outweigh my ability to convince a prospective patron to open up their wallet. The visual fare reminds me of the work we saw for sale aboard the Alaska cruise last summer and is heavy with Picasso, Chagall, Dali and other reliable heavyweights. Anne particularly fancies a delicate print of seashells arranged to suggest buildings but at $400.00 it’s not exactly a steal and we pass. Some artists have their own galleries and we stop in one devoted exclusively to the work of Peter Max and enjoy their air conditioning almost as much as the brilliant canvases being offered. We ready to depart and are soon back in the car and heading back to Kihea.

After stopping briefly for a few photographs we’re in a line of cars and soon stop for the traffic signal at the junction. I ask Anne for a drink of water from our bottle and she unscrews the cap and reaches it across to me. It slips from her hand and lands on the floorboards and dispenses some of the contents. In reacting to picking it up she lets off the brake and we slowly crash into the truck in front of us. The height of the truck’s bumper causes 2 nasty dents in our hood and we are heartsick at the misfortune. There is no damage to the truck and no need to exchange insurance information but we are both bummed beyond belief. In stony silence we continue and stop at a local supermarket before continuing on to the condo. My first glimpse of the damage is shattering and it appears that the hood itself is out of alignment. Anne shows the damage to Tina and she thinks that Carl who rebuilds cars may be able to set things right. Anne cooks a fabulous risotto for our dinner and we call it a day.

A fairly idle day for me. No shirt and no watch all day. It was Anne’s turn to have a restless night’s sleep and her only plan for the day is to snorkel in the cove near Wailea. I read a few of the Upanishads outside in the sun and meet Carl. Anne signs us up to listen to a sales pitch for a travel club in order to save over a hundred dollars on her whale-watching excursion. It does me no good to protest this action and after all her hard work in making this trip happen it seems a small price to pay. She sets me up to paint before she leaves to snorkel and I turn on the TV and tune in Lawrence of Arabia on AMC. My painting of the Needle at Iao is a modest effort but I am not completely disappointed in it and include a hibiscus blossom in one corner.

Anne returns and relates her adventure over crackers and tuna fish as my movie ends. The day is cloudy but still quite warm and since I’ve been in the condo all day I yearn to go to the park above the beach and soak in the rays while painting something plein air. It being Saturday, there are lots of people in the park celebrating birthdays and reunions but I’m still able to snag a table and begin a view through the trees to the Northern part of the island. Anne walks to the strip mall down the road to browse the shops and returns later with a small bottle of tequila. A few people stop to watch me paint but I focus on my work. A gnarly tree dominates the scene and the spreading branches frame the picture adequately. I have my radio and listen to tropical music while swaying palms in the background render the atmosphere perfect.

Anne and I relax and make tentative plans for tomorrow. We return to the condo and I read a bit more on the warm patio while she grills the tuna filets that Bonnie left us. Dinner is delicious as usual and if our plans for tomorrow work out it will be well worth remembering. We come across Taxi Driver on TV and watch the last half. Thankfully for Anne’s delicate sensibility it is heavily edited but still delivers an emotional punch in spite of it being such an old flick. She then finishes her book while I detail these notes. So far this trip’s diary has generated exactly 4,834 words.

Bonnie had recommended that we attend the Sunday morning service at St. Theresa’s Catholic Church not far away but warned us to get there early as the space fills up. We are there in plenty of time and are looking forward to worshipping in this contemporary structure. The stained glass and raw wooden sculptures reflect Hawaiian influence and the muscular life size crucifix is flanked by tapa cloth that Christ also wears as a loincloth. I cannot tell if he wears a crown of thorns or a flower lei upon his holy head. The mass is much more relaxed than any other I’ve attended with the choir leader cracking jokes as she describes the hymns we will be singing. The guest priest will be leading his third mission on Maui and has been blind from meningitis since he was nine. His personal witness is stirring and we feel elevated by his homily and receive communion with humility.

Neither of us had eaten before mass and we head directly to Costco afterwards and gobble down a polish sausage before picking up essentials that will last for our remaining time. I have been eating lots of pineapple and papaya and they seem to taste even better while sitting under palm trees in the warm afternoon sun. After dropping off our groceries we head back north and would’ve gone up into the Iao valley but the clouds are thick and we imagine it is probably raining. We then drive past the 2 main malls in Wailuku but don’t get out as Anne is experiencing discomfort in her knee and the fewer transfers she has to perform the better. We drive out to Paia on the north shore where we enjoyed touring the boutiques and the hippie feel but the heat is peaking and the streets aren’t very accessible so we return to relax at the condo, sit outside with my book and eat more pineapple while Anne takes a well deserved nap.

The Academy Awards are on later and we are both rooting for Helen Mirren to win best actress since we had just seen her remarkable portrayal of Queen Elizabeth a few nights ago. Ellen Degeneres is hilarious as the emcee and the proceedings are the usual combination of schmaltzy tributes and thinly veiled political sentiments. The big winners of the Oscars were Forest Whitaker who wins best actor for King of Scotland, Martin Scorsese is best director (finally) and his film The Departed also wins best picture. Helen Mirren indeed takes home the award for best actress.

Anne had signed us up to listen to a sales pitch on vacation time-shares in order to save over $100.00 on her snorkeling adventure and our luau for tomorrow night. We had done this once before for a vacation club and it was such a colossal waste of time that I was very apprehensive but she reassured me that nothing the salesman might say would persuade her. Besides it would only take an hour and a half and we would be provided with lunch. We first drive north and check with a couple body shops about repairing the dented hood but the damage is too severe and Anne puts in a call to George, our insurance agent who will fax us the papers to rectify the situation. She mails a package of gifts to the children while I keep an eye out for humpback whales along the Lahaina waterfront before our scheduled appointment.

The air conditioning is a relief, the sandwich and chips welcome and as promised our salesman is not high pressure. Warren carefully explains the features, amenities and options of the various packages that they offer. I am firm and do not let his persuasive delivery convince me. About halfway through I notice that Anne seems to be warming to the idea and is nodding her head a lot. He brings out a points structure that now appears to show that we can make money by renting the condo or exchange our time for twice as long in any number of places. Anne is going for it and I can barely believe it!? I give her astonishing looks, nudge her with my chair and finally voice my clear objections. When I explain our recent house purchase and the remodeling we have yet to complete plus the future roof repairs on our home she gets the message and acquiesces. It has taken well over 2 hours and though she may have a point or two I am relieved and glad to put the encounter behind us.

We drive on to Kaanapali and relax at a beachside lounge and have a drink and calamari. From our seats we have an awesome view across the water to Molokai and spy a few whales spouting their vents. Just then about 250 yards off we see an enormous whale breach the water’s surface in a spectacular display of grace and strength. From then on we are riveted to seeing another leap as we walk the length of the beach promenade and back. We see many other spouting whales but none leap in the extraordinary fashion that we had witnessed. There are many shops in Whaler’s Cove but the only one we enter sells antique engravings. I am sorely tempted by a small hand-colored one that shows an erupting crater but pass in my attempt to demonstrate to Anne that I can live without unnecessary expenditures. We drive back as the sun sets and see exquisite bands of pink, orange and red. It will be an early wake up for me so after a terrific meal of rice and pork and this writing we are off to slumber.

We rise extra early so that Anne can drive north and catch an all day snorkeling and whale-watching excursion. I might’ve gone had it been accessible but will be happy to hang around the condo, read, paint and maybe write up some notes for my diary that fills gaps in my account. She strains her back out during the transfer and I fear for her well-being and pray that it passes. Anne leaves me food and sets up my gear to paint. Our neighbors Carl and Tina know I’m on my own and will check in on me. Carl has challenged me to a few cribbage games. I read outside while the temperature is still moderate and feel the spirit move me as I delve deeper into the Upanishads. The TV is on and off and I begin writing my account of the awkward teen years that I had omitted from my diary. Carl comes over and stink-holes me on our first game! We carry on a long ranging conversation on faith, family and interests and play a couple more games that I manage to win. Tina brings lunch and we wrap up our discussion just minutes before Anne returns.

She has had a good time in spite of some back pain and saw lots of tropical fish and many whales. She barely has time to freshen up before we are off for our scheduled luau at one of the main hotels past Wailea. The presentation is predictably corny but features excellent food, plenty of drinks and sensational performers doing the hula, the haka and fire batons, poi poi and related dances. We’re seated at one of the outer tables without a great view and with two native ladies who aren’t interested in conversation. The weather is cool and breezy and we’re glad to have our windbreakers with us. It was a fun event and worth sitting through the sales pitch to save bucks on yesterday. Tomorrow is our last day and I for one will hope to relax and just be on vacation.

Anne’s pulled muscle caused her distress and we have substantial fear that our days of traveling on our own are over. Even if I lost twenty pounds and she went on a strict muscle building regimen we would not have an easy time. Our day is punctuated by these concerns even though she feels somewhat better as the day progresses. I am pleased to sit in the small yard, soak up the increasingly hot sunshine and digest what I can of my sacred text. Illumined I am not, nor have I ever had the patience for prolonged meditation but the scriptures ring true in my heart and the parallels with my Christian methods are striking. Renounce and enjoy says the Isha Upanishad that was close to Gandhi’s own heart. I am continually conscious of my pride when I consider how my name, Brom, is so similar sounding to Brahman, the Lord of All. Perhaps this will mark a fresh paradigm and I have a new perspective on my Lenten observation.

Anne decides that she is well enough to take one last snorkeling dip and walks over to the beach. I take up my mouth-stick and continue writing about my youth. Kennedy’s assassination, my experiences with scouting and my introduction to the Beatles and popular music in general are now detailed to the best of my recollection. The upcoming stories surrounding my induction into the Hippie culture and the peace movement will be illuminated by paisley hues. Anne returns and we have an appetizer of some fruit and a drink and consider early dinner options. I am reluctant to suggest anything that might cause her muscle further aggravation but she is determined to get out and at least push down the street. She calls Lu Lu’s, a recommended eatery that turns out to be farther away than we had thought. It’s a pleasant walk and the breeze softens the mid-afternoon heat.

We stop briefly in a couple markets and purchase leather covers for our passports but when we reach Lu Lu’s we are bummed to discover that their elevator is out of service. Our patience tested yet again we consider the nearby options and eventually have a fine meal at Aroma de Italia. Anne’s eggplant is superb and my putanesca equally so. I’m somewhat challenged to eat long strands of pasta as my feet don’t fit under the table very well and I’m at an angle. With my bright yellow shirt on I struggle to stay spotless. Only a tiny speck is evidence of our meal. We’re on the lookout for a wastebasket for Bonnie’s condo and stop at a couple stores on our way back without success. Our final sunset is fast approaching and we take time to stop at a rock wall and enjoy the last fleeting moments of our trip.

The sun sets behind clouds that are outlined with brilliant illumination and the colors are as divine as any we’ve seen. Back at the condo we hide one of my pins under the gravel next to the condo’s door and settle in for a movie that Anne had brought with us. Sam I Am should’ve brought an Oscar to Sean Penn for his strong portrayal of a developmentally disabled father trying to maintain his rights to his daughter, an excellent film that doesn’t patronize disability but honors it. I could relate to some of the passages and remember the pain I felt when Anne's daughter Jennifer moved to Texas with daughter Mallie. We are both very thankful that Anne seems to be recovered from her back ache but will be extra careful with transfers and carrying the luggage tomorrow. I’ve got a red spot on my right hip still and will sleep on my other side even though it’s not nearly as comfortable.

My early morning dream features Mallie stumbling off a log and getting stuck under water in some weeds. I jump in after her not knowing for sure whether I can save myself. Thus, I am awake for the day. Anne packs while I sit in the gradually warming sun. I finish the Upanishads and will complete the commentary next week. Anne fixes our lunch and cleans the condo. Give our leftovers to Carl and Tina and we’re ready to shove off. Thankfully there is no hassle turning in the rental car and the dents will be covered completely by insurance. We again have the bulkhead seats and are comfortable enough. We watch 2 movies en route, Little Miss Sunshine and Last King of Scotland. Mom is at the airport to pick us up and we’re soon home and gratefully slumbering in our own beds.