Diana and her friend Izumi arrived here on Maui last Wednesday, March 23, 2005. The girls, while tired after such a long trip from Ohio, seemed happy, eager and ready to enjoy their stay on the island. On our way home, we stopped at Panda Express for dinner, and drove down South Kihei road to show the girls where the local shopping centers, restaurants and beaches were, so they could enjoy themselves while Gwen and I were at work. We stopped at "coquilandia", a garden about a mile north of our apartment, where there is a colony of puerto rican "coqui" tree frogs, who were singing their unmistakable song to Diana's delight, who was reminded of her time in Puerto Rico. Just before we arrived home, we stopped at Kamaole II beach, where they were quick to get their feet wet on the ocean, even though it was already late in the evening. Izumi - who has not been at the beach since age two - was fascinated by the sand and the waves. Thursday, March 24: The girls spend the day in Kihei, they visited all three Kamaole beaches and the shops of South Kihei road. Sure enough, in their desire to get tanned, they managed to get sunburned (They have learned their lesson since). In the evening, we went to the Maui Prince Hotel beach where we enjoyed an spectacular sunset and saw whales. our dinner consisted on pizza from COSTCO, we had a great evening. Friday, March 25: I had to work half a day, Gwen took the day off and took the girls to Paia where they had breakfast at Charlie's, possibly our favorite restaurant on the island. Gwen then took the girls to Baldwin beach where I met them after I left work. In the afternoon, we decided to go snorkeling at the "aquarium" near LaPerouse Bay. Our plans were foiled when - after hiking on the lava field- we arrived at our favorite snorkeling spot only to find out that there was a local "guard" (Presumably hired by the land owners) to keep people from snorkeling in their "property". As we turned around to hike back to our car we were caught on a rainstorm that got us soaked to the bone. (Of course, we had left the top down on our car, so it was too soaking wet when we arrived!) We got in the car and drove back to the Ahihi cove, where we did get to snorkel and actually had a very good time. It was Diana's first time at the Ahihi cove and Izumi's first time snorkeling ever. We saw plenty of fish, but no turtles though. After snorkeling we headed back home where we had a puerto rican style dinner of rice and beans with fried plantains and chicken. After dinner, I drove the girls to the Kukui mall area and they worked their way back home along South Kihei Road.

Following is an article written by Diana about her experience on Maui, which was published on "The North Star", the newsmagazine of her school, Pickerington High School North, in Pickerington, Ohio.

Trip to Maui
Diana Rivera
May 2005

There's only one way to have fun in this lackluster Wisteria Lane-like suburbia called Pickerington. We have to be unconstrained: live without a plan!

It's only my sophomore year, and high school has already gotten so dull. Outside of seven hours of school and what feels like 10 hours of homework a night, our lives consist of a redundant nothingness. Filling in the nothingness consists of watching The OC wishing we were the beautiful Mischa Barton. Of course, there are friends. Friends: those who you know, like, and trust. Now that’s pretty bland.

We all have those friends, though, who we just keep a little closer than others. Have you ever had one of those times that you felt like your life had changed... a night that you just never wanted to end? You were with someone whom you felt couldn't be replaced, feeling like a different person, in a much better way.

During this past spring break, I had around seven of those days.

My friend, Izu Miyazaki, and I went to Maui. How we got there seems unreal in itself. Most people plan their vacations so far ahead, but Izu and I were hanging out two weekends before spring break when we even got the idea to go there.

I had mentioned how my dad lived in Hawaii; I could not go alone to visit, and my sister was unavailable. The lightbulb went off. When the plane landed less than three weeks later on the little island, it was mindblowing and surreal.

I did not think I was going to see my dad until school let out in June, which saddened me deeply. The adrenaline that rushed through us as we hit the ground could not be contained. We were little girls on Christmas getting our Cabbage Patch kid dolls.

We had absolutely no plan when we got there. Sure there's a beach, but we made it ten times better. Izu had never been to the ocean since she could remember. We didn't even wait to get in our swimsuits, nonetheless get home, to jump in . We stopped by a beach right by my dad's house and ran in waist deep in our airport clothes. Quite uncomfortable, but don't confuse comfort with happiness.

That ocean we first jumped into was quite calm. Our first real ocean (with waves!) was in Paia. We had gone to breakfast at Charley's (best on Maui!), a place where Willie Nelson likes to dine. Afterward, when we went to the ocean, we obviously did not have our swimsuits, but that didn't stop us.

Yes, we did look quite odd in front of many people in soaked shirts and shorts. Once we went into Walmart in that state, we knew our superficial need to look perfect all the time was gone, and it felt great.
One thing we did plan on was our trip to Hana, a desolate part of the island whose beauty attracts many tourists. A large rain cloud came that left us unable to see as much. As pictured on the left, we weren't the least bit dry or warm. That was our fault; we jumped under a waterfall without thinking. It didn't matter though, this trip taught me to appreciate things that had not been normally given to me.

After we got past the downpour of rain, we saw bright green canyons and mountains with deep ridges. The whining about a lack of music in the car, my lack of sleep, unpaved roads, etc, had disappeared. It was worth going through the cumbersome atmosphere for, even though I had been there before.

I could go on and on about how I became a more an indebted person. OK, so I still do spend too much time deciding my wardrobe since I have been back, but I still feel like a better person. I realized the abyss of what I had been given when I was told, "You are on the most isolated place on earth. Think about all the people from where you come from and what they would give to be in your position."

I am so much more relaxed about life in general now, and I wish other people could be too. One thing is definite: don't be afraid.

Sure, Izu and I regret some things (long story), but if we hadn't had that spontaneity, our spring break wouldn't have been nearly as fun.

So, don't live with regrets or you'll forget the times you thought you'd always remember.
Also, have you told your friends how much they mean to you recently? They're all you have here in good ol' Picktown.

Latest News from Maui...

• Diana will be coming here next week for her spingbreak. She will be bringing her friend from school, Izumi, and we are looking forward to a great time here on the island. They will be here March 23-30. We are planning an activiy-jammed Easter weekend: Whale watching, snorkeling, taking the road to Hana and going to the Haleakala summit. During the week-days, when Gwen and I are working, the girls will have plenty to do walking down to the Kamaole beaches and exploring the nearby shopping malls and coffee houses in the Kihei area. Unfortunately, due to her College schedule, Laura cannot make the trip this time, but we are already planning another trip to Hawaii for both Laura and Diana (An possibly Laura's boyfriend Joe) for late July.
• My job is going well, I am getting adjusted to all the nuances and duties involved in my new civil engineering job at Austin, Tsutsumi & Associates. We have a talented, diverse, young team and we also enjoy a very laid-back work atmosphere. I do miss doing structural engineering work and with that in mind, I am going to Honolulu next month to take the NCEE SE-II test and - should I pass it - I will get my Structural Professional Engineering license in Hawaii. Right now, there are no licensed structural engineers at our office and my boss is enthusiastic with the idea of mew doing the structural work that we are now paying outside consultants to do.
• It is looking like it is going to be another fun-filled summer! I have signed-up for the Great Ohio Bicycle Adventure (www.goba.com) thus I will be traveling to Ohio in June. Of Course, Laura and Diana will go to GOBA like always and we are looking forward to our week-long family adventure. Gwen's brother in law, will come from Philadelphia to do GOBA as well. He is a heck of a good guy and I am sure we will have a lot of fun.
• GOBA will be June 18-25 in northern Ohio, but I anticipate that I will be in Columbus at least a few days, so I hope I can get to see al my friends there. Perhaps we will go to the Frog, Bear and Wild Boar to have a few drinks and listening to the bands like in the old days.

Take Care and Aloha!

Another adventure of island exploration was completed today. Gwen and I got up early, and after driving to Pa'ia for breakfast at Charley's, we drove up Baldwin avenue up to Makawao and then up the Kula highway to Polipoli State park, where we hiked for five miles down the Redwood trail, then on the Plum trail and back up the Haleakala Ridge and Polipoli trails.

Along the way we were treated to magnificent views of redwood forests, deep gulches, ferns, flowers, abandoned shelters and even a view of the big Island and the snow-capped top of Mauna Kea.