Today was a very special day because it was Joan’s birthday, and we had a full slate of activities planned.
Everyone appreciated the fact that, for the first time in several days, we were not heading to an airport this morning. Instead, we enjoyed a leisurely breakfast out on the lanai, where Joan opened her birthday presents—and Nana and Darlene received a couple of surprises as well.
Our first outing was lunch at Aloha Mixed Plate, my favourite restaurant on Maui. We were lucky enough to get a table with a beautiful view of the ocean. The celebration kicked off with the birthday girl enjoying a piña colada. We all loved our meals, and I think everyone now understands why this spot is so dear to me. When we returned to the condo, we took a little time to relax before our next activity including birthday cake.
Kahana Village offers a lei-making class, and we thought it would be a fun experience for all of us. The class was taught by Kelly—who happened to be the dancer from yesterday’s Mai Tai Party. Once we settled in, she gave us excellent instructions on how to make a lei. We started by threading a lei needle with dental floss and then began crafting our creations using carnations and orchids. By the end, we each had a beautifully made lei. As we were finishing up, Kelly gave us the remaining carnations to take back and enjoy at the condo.
Over breakfast, we had discussed whether we should extend our trip to make up for the days we lost. We all agreed that if we could change the flights at no cost, we would stay longer. So Karen and I called Aeroplan to see what could be done. The agent on the first call said there would be a $100 change fee plus any difference in Aeroplan points. I explained our situation, and he said he would have to escalate it. Unfortunately, while we were on hold, the call was disconnected. When we called back, we reached Sabastien, who—after an hour—was able to change all of our flights to Thursday, December 11, instead of Monday, December 8. Everyone was thrilled to have a few extra days here.
For Joan’s birthday dinner, we booked the Old Lahaina Luau, often considered the best on Maui. Upon arrival, we were greeted with a lei and a tropical drink. A luau host escorted us to our table and got us settled for the evening. Before dinner began, we had some time to walk the grounds and watch cultural demonstrations, including the unearthing of the pig from the imu.
The luau featured a four-course, family-style meal:
Starter
Maui-harvested ‘ulu hummus, freshly made chips, haupia, k?lolo,palaoa (dinner roll), guava-honey butter
Traditional Hawaiian
Pua‘a k?lua, lau lau (l?‘au leaf–wrapped pork), lomi lomi salmon, fresh ‘ahi poke, pohole salad, poi
Main
Pipi k?‘ala, i‘a (fresh catch), pineapple huli chicken, seasonal farmed leafy vegetables, ‘uala (sweet potato)
Dessert
Pineapple delight
After dessert, we enjoyed an hour-long show telling the story of the Hawaiian people through dance, chants, and song. The islands’ history—from the Polynesian migration to the influence of missionaries and the monarchy—is truly fascinating. This was, without question, the best part of the night.
As we left the luau, we all remarked on what an incredible evening it had been.
Happy Birthday, Joan.
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