Flights home from Maui are usually late in the evening, but most accommodations require checkout by noon. That leaves you with almost a full day—and your luggage—to deal with. Over the years, we’ve found the best solution is to pay for a half day at the condo. That way, we can leave our luggage behind and still enjoy the day before heading to the airport at night.
For our last morning, Karen and I booked an 8:50 a.m. whale-watching tour with Ultimate Whale Watching once again. This time, we were on the smallest boat in their fleet with Jill and Lexi. As soon as we left the harbour, it was obvious the waves were big—this was going to be a bumpy ride.
We soon came across a playful teenage whale that was also being observed by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA). Their boats are permitted to get quite close to the whales, and what made the moment even cooler was when someone from the NOAA boat called over to Captain Jill for a chat. All in all, it was a fantastic morning out on the water.
Before returning to the condo, we messaged the others to let them know to get ready—we were heading to the beach for lunch. Karen and I did have an ulterior motive: food from Leoda’s Kitchen and Pie Shop. We told everyone our plan and said they could either pack sandwiches or grab something from the restaurant. Once back at the condo, we loaded the van with beach chairs, blankets, and everyone’s gear.
At Leoda’s, we placed our orders and, while waiting, some of us wandered next door to browse the Olowalu Farmers Market. This is always a great stop, with fresh fruit, coffee, tea, sauces, chocolates, and macadamia nuts. I don’t think anyone left empty-handed—hopefully there was still room in everyone’s suitcase.
Afterward, it was only about a five-minute drive to find a nice beach. We got set up and enjoyed our lunch, with the highlight being the chocolate mac nut pies. When it started to sprinkle, that was our cue to pack up and head back—though not before stopping at a couple of ABC Stores for some very last-minute shopping.
Back at the condo, it was time to finish packing and cleaning while soaking in our final hours on Maui. The turtle crew made one last visit to the beach to say goodbye to Franklin the turtle. For dinner, we kept things simple and picked up pizza from Dollie’s Pub & Café. Around 7:45 p.m., we loaded up the van and somehow managed to fit every bag—including the new ones—and every person inside.
On the drive to the airport, we received a text from Air Canada letting us know that our Vancouver-to-Toronto flight, originally scheduled for 9:30 a.m., had been delayed to 1:45 p.m. Were we going to have as much fun going home as we did coming here?
At Kahului Airport, Karen dropped us off before returning the rental car. At the Air Canada counter, I had to do quite a bit of explaining about why all of us should have free checked luggage. I think our sob story—along with Darlene’s “bribes”—helped. Eventually, we got our boarding passes and headed to security. Joan and Darlene ended up in one line, while Nana and I were sent to another—no idea why. By about 9:40 p.m., all four of us were settled at Gate 19.
To pass the time, Karen and I looked into earlier Vancouver-to-Toronto flights. We found one leaving at 12:10 p.m., so I called Air Canada to see if we could switch. After much discussion, we learned they couldn’t change our itinerary since we were already checked in, but they could “hold” five seats and advised us to go straight to an Air Canada counter once we arrived in Vancouver. It wasn’t perfect, but it was the best option. After that, Karen and Darlene headed to Starbucks to use up our remaining vouchers that we got from Hawaiian Airlines.
Boarding began at 10:40 p.m., and we were among the first on the plane. Once the doors closed, Darlene and I lucked out—no one was seated between us. We departed at 11:20 p.m. and the flight went by quickly. I managed to get some sleep, listen to podcasts, and work on the blog. We even made up nearly thirty minutes, landing in Vancouver just after 7:00 a.m.
At the top of the jetway, a wheelchair was waiting for Joan. Because the next gate was quite far, Karen and Joan waited for a golf cart while the rest of us headed to Canadian customs. Along the way, we found an Air Canada counter and, after some effort, successfully switched to the earlier flight. Customs was quick, leaving us with about four hours to spare.
Thanks to my BMO Mastercard, we were able to access the Plaza Premium Domestic Lounge. It had good food and drinks, and seating comfortable enough for all of us to sneak in a nap.
We left the lounge at 10:45 a.m. to make the long walk to Gate C51. Karen and Joan took another golf cart while the rest of us walked. Once there, we only waited about ten minutes before boarding. On this flight, we were split up—Karen had a middle seat, I was a few rows back in an aisle, and Nana, Joan, and Darlene were together. Although the flight was scheduled to leave at 12:10 p.m., we finally took off at 12:40 p.m.
The flight felt long, probably because I was eager to get home. I passed the time napping, watching TV, and playing Hidden Treasures. We landed in Toronto just before 7:30 p.m. to a temperature of minus two degrees Celsius—a big change from the twenty-six degrees Celsius we’d left behind the day before. As usual, it took over an hour for our luggage to arrive.
After digging out our winter coats, we headed outside to catch our Uber to Ross and Susie’s house. They gave us a warm welcome and even had a birthday cake ready for Joan and Karen. After packing up our cars, it was finally time to head home. Thankfully, the weather cooperated for the drive back to Kitchener–Waterloo. When we arrived at Karen’s house, Paul and Kai were so excited to see us. After a quick visit, we headed home ourselves.
It was a wonderful trip to Maui, and I’m so glad we were able to share it with Nana, Joan, and Darlene.
Same time next year?
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