This wasn't supposed to be a fun trip since we were there to say goodbye to my grandmother. However, we were lucky to sneak in a quick trip to Lahaina (although once there all I did was whine about how hot it was and sat under a large banyan tree eating gummy rings, so I'm pretty sure it doesn't count),and lots of fun for Ryan while we were there!
Our hotel (the Maui Seaside) was older and simple, but centrally located, clean and had a tiny stretch of beach that Ryan loved running on with this uncle. I brought his swimsuit, but I had totally forgotten about Maui's frequent hurricane-force like winds that would have made it freeeezing.
Even though Joey was just here a few weeks ago for Ryan's birthday and Mothers Day, he was able to fly back for a few days in Kona and on Maui.
Unfortunately, Rich had to work, so Joey sent him this staged picture of Ry in his pjs (so he would freak out at what Riz was eating for breakfast) to remind him of what he was missing.
Maui is famous for its Tasaka guri guri ice cream. I'm not such a huge fan, but my brother Joel INHALES that stuff. We were in Maui for three days, and we went there FOUR times. On the plus side, Tasaka's is in the same mall as Whole Foods...so I got to load up on a few treats and meals while we were there! Super jealous of anyone who gets to live near one!
The highlight of Ryan's trip (the other being Fun Factory) was being able to ride the Queen Ka'ahumanu Mall's Cubby Express Train...everyday...over and over again. Trains are pretty much the love of his life right now.
Each ride cost $6 ($3 per person), so I'd like to think we have part ownership in it.
I have pictures of him in the blue car, the black tender, the red caboose...you name it!
He also got to go to the Fun Factory three times...total excessive gluttony for a 3-year old. But since we don't have a young child-friendly arcade in Kona, we went a little overboard since there were two Fun Factory's within a minute drive of the hotel.
It just wouldn't be the same without Uncle Joey there...
It just wouldn't be the same without Uncle Joey there...His first and only ride in a Hummer...which by the way, did you know that every single ride costs $1-2 nowadays?
The digger was totally anticlimactic, but that didn't stop him from hopping on twice and then trying to scramble down once he remembered how boring they were. :-)
His favorite game was driving this car...I think he actually scored about 2-3 points per game (average score was about 24)...but by accident. Because I learned that he drives like an blind, alcoholic, narcoleptic NASCAR driver.
His favorite ride was this simulated roller coaster, which I thought would be waaaaay too much for him, but he LOVED IT. He begged to go back on it constantly and would wake up either mumbling or shouting about wanting to ride it some more.
Getting spoiled by two of this uncles...the third one (the gaming one of course) was off earning the hundreds of tickets he was tasked with earning each day so that Ryan could "win" a prize.
Riding the carousel with his Fun Factory buddy, Uncle JJ!
The family posing in the hotel lobby, less Rich (who was working), Lynne (also working), Mika, Kenichi & Riki (who are still in Japan).
Saying goodbye to Uncle Joey at the airport with his famous "arms and legs hug" (as Ryan likes to call it).
Flying home on the tiny, 9-seater propeller airplane (he loved it of course)! It totally surprised me that there was no co-pilot on board, nor any TSA presence whatsoever. Not to mention any overhead bins. So no carry-ons! ;-) And here's the state of inter-island flying...even though it was on the 'low cost airline', it was still about $100 per person for the short 40-minute flight. :-(
Deplaning all by himself because he is a 'big boy!'
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