Vacation Realizations...

Or ramifications?
Justifications?

A little of all of it.

We were last in Maui in 2024. It was kind of a wacky trip. The resort was full of conventioneers, the weather was super windy so the water was too choppy for snorkeling off the resort, I was still recovering from the procedure on my elbow so no open water off a boat snorkeling either. But we had access to the fancy pants part of the resort where we could avoid most of the crowds and still have a good view of the ocean and enjoyed ourselves even if it was different than it had been.

This time we were planning on it being a little more like it used to be.

That didn't really happen.

First off, things have gotten really expensive. And I know, it's always expensive, it's Hawaii, but I mean REALLY expensive. Maui is trying to find the balance on how much they can charge to limit tourism without completely eliminating tourism income. The pandemic showed how much damage was being done by the onslaught of people, and then the fire in Lahaina really cemented the housing crisis in a new way. So before we even left I was doing the shuffle of what sounded the best to me and what sounded like I could leave it off. We ended up with the all day trip out to Lanai, the sunrise snorkel to Molokini, a whale watch and the luau. Then I cancelled the sunrise trip. So it was just one snorkel excursion, one whale watch, and the luau as planned events (and dinners at Morimoto's and Monkeypod and breakfast at Kihei Cafe)

I also was nursing a different injury. Right? I was pissed too. I hurt the fascia in my foot at the end of January. I've been rehabbing it ever since. I haven't jogged in weeks, I even stopped using the treadmill to walk for most of February. Plantar fasciitis is the pits. You have to move it to rehab it, but you can't move it too much or you damage it more. And it fucking hurts and you can't avoid it hurting because it's the bottom of your foot and you have to put weight on it. So, rehabbing that before we went to try and get to a place where I could walk as much as I wanted and kick my feet to swim without having my arch cramp up. For the most part I did okay. Had to have Brent slow down a few times when we were out walking because I just couldn't move that fast. Had to veto going that extra mile for better views. Had to sit with my foot up for a bit after walks, but I managed.

Also, I am just never going to be the way I used to be physically. That's the bitter pill I had to swallow this trip. I cannot manage my body temperature like I used to. Even with all of the replacement hormones I'm on for my thyroid and my estrogen my body is doing the best it can in a narrow band and if I venture out of it there is a price to pay. I was really hot on land and really cold in the water. The heat makes me nauseous and the cold makes my joints ache. Wednesday morning before we got up I laid in bed counting off all of the places where I hurt. It was an amazing list really. That was the worst day and by the end of the week I think I figured out how to make a future trip there work for my new reality but...

I think we are going to try going someplace else next vacation. I KNOW. I'm shook too. I'd like to invent someplace that has warm, clear water for snorkeling, that only reaches about 75 during the day with low humidity, but also green and lovely. Instead I think Brent finally might get me to suck up my irrational fear of international travel and head to Europe. Just in time to be the hated American at every place we venture. Yay?

No, but seriously, I would like to hit up Maui one more time and see if my idea on how to make the temperature work with my crazy new body is a good one, and then I'd like to go to Ireland and the Netherlands. Maybe even finally do that between the tectonic plates snorkeling in Iceland. We also talked about doing another Alaska cruise so that might end up on the list as well. Still the Pacific, still seeing the humpbacks, just not in the same way. I'm not ever going to be what I used to be, but I want to make sure I take advantage of where I am now. I know that in 20 years I'll look back at this time and WISH I was in as good of shape physically as I am right now.

I always come away from the ocean with a new perspective. This time I think it was a reality check. Which is the weirdest perspective for me. Reality? Ugh...

I'll write about the actual trip tomorrow. It really was a great vacation. I mean it's Hawaii afterall.