It's only day 2 of being back on the mainland and I've already drifted swiftly down from my natural paradise high, crash landing back to my reality.
There are so many things to love about Maui. Let me count the ways:
1-Aloha in community: Locals are laid back and friendly, and it's contagious to both transplants and tourists alike. Everyone is calm, happy, and smiling, which in turn makes you calm, happy, and smiling right back.
2-Theraputic surroundings: Lush tropical greenery, flowers, trees, and undeveloped vistas and mountainsides can be seen from every angle. The beach is clean, water is warm and crystal clear, and it goes on for miles. Your problems and worries literally melt away with each hour you spend sitting on the beach. All body types are bikini clad with no judgments. Everyone's just hanging loose..
3-Driving; There are limited roads on Maui, and the speed limits are pretty slow. People drive relaxed, at a slow and steady pace. No road rage, no being stuck in a sea of traffic, no billboards. Just you, the road, the ocean to one side and the beautiful countryside on the other.
4-In Maui, you escape the exploitation, abrasiveness, and lewdness typically found in L.A. They haven't ruined the beauty of their land or people by using sex to sell it. Maui is a class act and is perfect just the way it is, so why ruin it? Here, you don't see sexed up billboards beckoning you to buy this or that, the women are admired as beauties and not pieces of meat to conquer, and you can walk around in your bikini top without feeling like everyone's gawking at you. When you look around, the typical L.A. Blond Hauoli with a fake bake and plastic surgery/botoxed/collagen monsters are virtually nil.
5-Native men: In ancient Hawaii, the men did all the hard work and labor, all the way down to the cooking. Women were respected and admired for their ability to bring life to the world, so the men did the hard work and cherished their queens. I am sure that many young generations of these native men have instilled these same values in them, thus making the island a better place to find a quality man. Let's not forget the great bronzed physique attributed to island lifestyles and activities. Mahalo to that!
6-Health: Maui is undoubtedly a place that encourages healthy lifestyles. You can't help but want to be outside doing some sort of activity: surf, swim, run, hike, hula, you name it. There are very few fast food joints, so you eat actual food, and the occasional spam dish, which is fine because you eat so well the majority of the time. During my last visit I learned Maui is smoke free-no smoking anywhere except sidewalks and beaches. And lastly, renewable energy at a rate of 70% is a goal the county hopes to achieve within 7 years, of course not at the expense of the preservation of the land or its animal inhabitants.
7-Limited development: Thankfully corporate big wigs can't touch the island and thus ruin it like most other tourist/resort places. It hasn't been bastardized into L.A.'s island stepchild with big trendy hotels with red velvet rope clubs and women in slut couture from head to stiletto toe. Giant billboards and neon lights and cookie cutter shopping centers haven't landed here, and with the exception of a small corridor close to the airport in Kahului, I'm pretty sure they never will. The hipster "see and be seen" celebrity obsessed, competitive, wannabe model/actress/rapper/fill-in-the-blank scene is not coveted there. Neither are flashy cars, ridiculously giant residences, and other wasteful acts of materialism. The island is a breath of fresh air, it's actually too good to be considered a state in the U.S. because of its vast differences.
8-The music: I listened to the local radio station in Honolulu-100.3, and all of the songs were chill, relaxing, and they articulated words with meaning. The artists on the islands are the modern day oldies groups in that they still sing about love. None of the bullshit about hoes, cash, and automobiles like most of the top 40 on the mainland. No designer name dropping and talking about kissing girls and tasting their cherry chapstick. No, just good ol' fashioned love.
9-Minority rules: This is one of the few places that appeals to the masses from all backgrounds and demographic profiles across the board. But, it's also one of few places where being a native, or coming a close second based on your ethnicity where the roles are reversed and the natives rule the roost (in an unassuming and humble way, of course). Being told you look like a native of Maui is one of the biggest compliments you can get, and it makes me smile every time.
10-Waterside eating: I love to eat al fresco, overlooking the beach, especially in the morning for breakfast. It's great that all kinds of restaurants from super casual to ultra upscale are equal in their ability to offer you beachside seating when you dine. Where else can you eat a big delicious burger while you gaze out at their million dollar view? The restaurant at our hotel worked symbiotically with the birds; rather than implement ways to keep them out, they treat them like friends, not pests. They allow them to fly about and even eat leftovers after diners leave-they're kind of like little helpers. Then, once the crew comes to clean up and new guests are seated, they don't bother them and they just perch and wait patiently.
These are just 10 of the many ways I love the lovely island. It's truly a love affair with staying power..
Sent via her BlackBerry
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