Happy Christmas Eve!

I am writing today from my hotel room’s porch overlooking the Pacific Ocean. I am listening to the steady sound of waves crashing against the lava rocks and smelling the salty air. It is beautiful here and I couldn’t be having a better Christmas eve.

              The Maddrey Family Maui vacation began two days ago, with a couple of very long flights. Once we got settled in, we were able to taste lots of fresh poke, a raw tuna dish, and enjoy the sights. We went snorkeling and kayaking yesterday, keeping our eyes peeled for octopuses.

              The guide told me to search for a fish known as the goat fish, because apparently, goat fish like to use their whiskers to tickle and annoy the octopuses. I found a goat fish and followed it for a while, but there was no octopus tickling involved.

              We had lunch yesterday at Mama’s Fish House; it is widely known as the best restaurant on Maui. I broke one of my two simple dietary rules and tried the grilled octopus because it sounded really good. Who can resist grilled octopus when the menu has the name of the man who dived to catch it? I cannot. For the record, grilled octopus is very tender and smooth, and it tasted like smoke, but in a good way.

              Today, we woke up at the crack of dawn to have the best cinnamon rolls ever. We then sailed out to a reef an hour and a half away, where someone snorkeling actually did see an octopus, but it left before I could see it. We swam really close to lots of really awesome looking fish. My personal favorite was the eel my mom and I spotted. On the way back, we saw whales off in the distance flapping their tails.

              This vacation is turning out to be one of the most exciting things I have ever done. All that you just read has happened within the last two days, so I can’t wait to see what the rest of the trip has in store.

              I will write again soon. Until then, Merry Christmas and Aloha!