I
look back today and realize that my parents were right. I could not take the time off school and the
cost was too expensive for a seven year old kid who most likely would not
appreciate it. As much as I wanted to be
there for my cousin’s special day, I knew that I will one day go there, go to
the exact place they were at, and enjoy all the recreational activities with a
better appreciation since I am much older.
I know once I go on this holiday, it will truly be special to me as it
will help me connect back to my cousin and how this place truly changed his
life, as it one day will change mine.
Sunday 18 March 2012
How Did The Dream Begin?
It all started back when my cousin and his now wife were
planning their destination wedding. At
this time I was only seven years old, too young to go to the wedding as I was
unable to take time off school. I was
truly disappointed that I was unable to go due to my older cousin being my best
friend and my role model. I made a vow
to myself that I will one day fulfill this dream and go to the exact same place
my cousin had his wedding at. This was and is truly an important goal for me and to this day it is still my dream.
Basic Details of My Dream Vacation
Where is My Dream Vacation?
I will be going to Maui, Hawaii, a place that will connect me to my family as my cousin who is my mentor and role model got married in Maui and I was unable to attend. I feel once I go to Maui and re-live their experience, it will help me connect to them by sharing my experience by enjoying everything Maui has to offer.
 |
| Me (left) and my best friend |
Who Will Come With
Me?
I will be
taking this trip with my significant other and my best friend and his significant
other. I feel that in order to have the full experience of this dream
vacation, I have to go with those people who are close to me and share my same
interests.
What Is the Purpose of This
Trip?
Maui is
a place that I can escape my everyday life back at home. My cousin
is very close to me and spoke very highly of Maui and how the destination
wedding itself changed his life. I want to experience what my cousin
experienced now that I am older and am able to appreciate it.
When Will I Be Going?
I plan on
taking my dream vacation in the future when I have an established career and
steady income, that way I can enjoy everything Maui has to offer without any
restrictions.
How Will I Get There?
I will be
flying Air Canada from Toronto Pearson International Airport to Kahului Airport
in Maui with one stop in Los Angeles. On the way back I will be
flying out of Kahului Airport to Toronto, with two stops along the way, one in
Vancouver and the second in Montreal. I will shuttle to and from
Kahului Airport to the Four Seasons Resort in Wailea, which is a 30 minute
shuttle ride.
The Budget
With the excitement of planning any
vacation, a budget is sometimes a constraint to many vacationers. As for myself, this is a dream vacation I
plan on taking in the future, a vacation that I want to do right and be able to enjoy
myself without having to worry about financial constraints. It is important that I break down the costs and create a realistic budget for my dream vacation.
*All rates are in Canadian Dollars
**All rates are on a per person basis except the accommodations are for 2 people
***All rates are in 2012 dollars (December 1, 2012– December
10, 2012), therefore are subject to change in the future.
Where Will I Stay?
I want to share the same experience my cousin did when he
started his brand new life with his brand new wife. I wanted to stay in the same resort and enjoy
this life changing experience that he and his wife had.
The
resort I will be staying at is the Four Seasons Resort- Maui at Wailea. This is a beautiful resort located right on
the coast of the island overlooking into the deep blue sea. Since this is a dream of mine and an
experience I want to replicate since I was unable to attend my cousins wedding,
I wanted to have the full experience he and his wife did when they were here.
.jpeg)
I
will book an Ocean-View Room with one king sized bed, with an angled view of the
Pacific Ocean for the price of CAD $7,344.20 for a 10 day stay, including all applicable state taxes. These accommodations include food and
beverages and is a 30 minute drive door-to-door from the Kahului Airport.
The
resort I will be staying at is the Four Seasons Resort- Maui at Wailea. This is a beautiful resort located right on
the coast of the island overlooking into the deep blue sea. Since this is a dream of mine and an
experience I want to replicate since I was unable to attend my cousins wedding,
I wanted to have the full experience he and his wife did when they were here..jpeg)
I
will book an Ocean-View Room with one king sized bed, with an angled view of the
Pacific Ocean for the price of CAD $7,344.20 for a 10 day stay, including all applicable state taxes. These accommodations include food and
beverages and is a 30 minute drive door-to-door from the Kahului Airport. Attractions and Recreational Activities
Golf in Maui
Maui resort guest rate: $150/person
The one place where I feel peace and
reflection is on a golf course, anywhere in the world. Being out in the fresh air in the early hours
of the day with the sun beating down on me, there is no better feeling in the
world. It allows me to reflect on life,
enjoy the company I’m with and appreciate the nature that is given to us. What an amazing site!
Wailea Blue Course
Maui resort guest rate: $150/person
General public rate: $190/person
*Prices subject to change, based on
2012 prices.
Tennis in Maui
The Wailea Four Seasons resort in Maui has a
tennis club right on the resort. For those
days where I want to play a quick game of tennis and do not have the time to
hit the golf course, I can get my exercise on one of the two sand-filled
synthetic grass Omni courts right on the resort grounds, and be finished just
in time for breakfast.
*Complimentary use of tennis courts for resort guests
Snorkeling and Scuba Diving
Maui is home to some of the most
spectacular reef and fish species in the world.
I appreciate anything that is very different from what I get at home,
and the only way I can see anything close to this back home is at an
aquarium. It is not comparable seeing
this underwater world up close and personal than experiencing this in Maui.
*Complimentary Snorkeling for resort guests
Spa Treatments
I’ve never been to a spa before in my
life, nor had a professional massage but I feel it may be an appropriate
relaxing experience. My sole purpose on
this trip is to experience things I have not, or very rarely get to experience
when I am back home, so why not hit the spa?
I am not sure if I will like it or if I will go back again to a spa but
hey, this dream vacation is about new experiences and trying new things so how
bad can a traditional Hawaiian massage be?
Lomi Mohala- Herbal oil massage USD $165
Lomi Pohaku- The use of heated stones USD $175
Lomi Aumoa- Four handed massage with two therapists USD
$300
Wailea Beach
Of course, no tropical Hawaiian
vacation would be complete without spending majority of the time on a
beach. This is when I get the
opportunity to lay back, reflect and listen to the sound of the people and the
water hit the shore line. I do not get
away much, but when I do I let my senses take over and just appreciate the life
I have and the people I know. Endless
hours can be spent at the beach all I need is sunshine, crystal clear water,
great friends, food and cocktails.
Other
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| Molokini Crater Maui, Hawaii |
The Wailea Four Seasons resort in Maui
not only has a vast selection of recreational activities to keep their guests
fully entertained during their stay, but the small villages throughout Maui
also present their own activities.
Activities range from helicopter tours, to museums full of contemporary
fine Hawaiian art, historical sites and tours of the Molokini Crater. In the little time I will be there, I would
love to experience as many of these activities as possible because who knows
when I will be going back, right?
Food, Drink and Tradition
Since
I will be staying in the Four Seasons Resort in Maui, the restaurants located
on the resort are inspired by traditional Hawaiian cuisine, therefore providing
me with a full Hawaiian experience. A
classic feast in Hawaii is the luau, which
is a traditional meal in Hawaii that comes with entertainment that is based
around a pig roast served with potatoes, local fruit and vegetables. Sounds good to me!
Culture and People of Maui
Studying cultural geography and considering myself as a
cultural geographer throughout University, I have had the appreciation to study
different cultures around the world and take much interest in how different
cultures interact with their environment and the people around them. I enjoy learning about different cultures
which is why I want to educate myself about the Hawaiian culture prior to
taking my dream vacation.
The
preservation of cultural heritage in Hawaii is very important to the people,
which is why there are many museums, facilities and institutions that reflect
the culture of the Hawaiian people all over the state. Not only are the arts and dramas important to
Hawaii, but their musical heritage is important and recognizable all over the
world. With pretty much any song coming
out of Hawaii, within the first 3 seconds one can identify the origins of the
song is Hawaiian due to the presence of the ukulele. I feel this is such an important aspect in preserving
cultural heritage and how this cultural heritage still remains very strong
today as it is reflected in the recognition of their music. Getting Around in Maui
Getting around in Maui is important to know prior to my
dream vacation.
Since my plan is to stay on a resort in
Maui, it is important to identify how I will be getting to and from the
airport, as well as to different recreational activities of my choice. Firstly, there is an option of renting a car
from Kahului Airport to get to the resort, but there is not much driving beyond
that voyage, therefore renting a car may not be the best suitable option.
Since
it is about a 30 minute drive from Kahului Airport to the Four Seasons Resort
in Wailea, some kind of transportation by vehicle needs to take place. Maui has a variety of different shuttle
services that are located near the baggage claim at Kahului Airport. For cost efficiency, I will most likely take
advantage of the airport shuttle service as it provides door to door service.
Some Important Tourist Information
These are some facts about Maui I feel
are important for every tourist planning a trip to Maui.
- Resort Areas in Maui include: Kapalua, Kaanapali, Mailea, Makena Hana and Wailea
- Maui’s Capital City: Wailuku
- Population: 131,531
- Time Zone: Hawaii Standard Time (GMT -10 hours) which is 5 hours behind Eastern Standard Time (EST)
- Two main languages: English and Hawaiian
- Currency: US dollar
- Climate: 75 degrees - 85 degrees F (25 degrees C – 30 degrees C)
Why Maui?
I
am someone who enjoys the outdoor summer weather, not only just to sit and
relax out on a beach, but I enjoy getting out and being active. Out of my three favorite sports, I can play
two of them, golf and tennis, as many times as I want as Maui presents a
variety of different premium golf courses as well as tennis clubs. Coming from Canada, if I’m lucky I can only
enjoy these types of recreational activities three to four months out of the year,
depending on how the climate of that particular year has played out.
Not
only would I have the opportunity for recreational sports such as golf and
tennis right at my doorstep in Maui, I also have the opportunity to experience
a place that is far different from home.
Whenever I am standing on white sand, looking out into the blue ocean
not being able to see a thing on the other side, and taking a deep breath of
that ocean breeze, it brings a sense of security and appreciation that I have
for life. This is why I feel travelling
is the best therapy for anything in life, since our busy lives consume our
ability to sit back and relax with those close to us that we decided to travel
with, and think about what life is all about.
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