Every year I make the same resolutions… travel more, eat healthier, quit my Carmex addiction, etc. This year I’m doing something different. I have now officially lived on Maui for three months and haven’t done nearly all the things I want to do on the island, so for 2014, I’ve chosen to make adventure resolutions, mostly because I’d rather get out and explore more of my new home than stop eating burritos. You know they’re delicious.
2014 Maui New Year’s Resolutions:
Explore Neighbor Islands
I know, I know. My first Maui resolution is to get off of Maui. Whatever. This year, I want to take the ferry from Lahaina to Lanai ($30 per person each way) and camp on Hulopo’e Bay, the only official campground on the island. I also should probably make a resolution to be better at camping. Or be less afraid of bugs.
I also have a friend from Austin, Texas, that now lives on Kauai, so at some point this year, I will make a plan to hop on a plane and spend some time letting her show me around the island.
- Get Better at Surfing
Every year, I try to exercise more, but I’ve tried the whole running thing and it’s just not for me. I figured once I moved down the street from the beach that maybe I’d like it more if I got to enjoy the gorgeous views whilst running, but it turns out I still hate it. Shucks. So this year, and especially since I now own a surfboard I bought off of Craigslist, my resolution is to get better at an actual skill in the water.
- Learn to Sail
Eventually, one of my boyfriend and I’s goals is to own our own sailboat. This, of course, requires knowing how to sail a boat, which I currently know nothing about besides the words port and starboard. And while the only American Sailing Association-approved sailing courses in Hawaii are located on Oahu, I’d still like to find an alternative on Maui that will at least teach me some basics and get me out on the water. Plus, how fun would it be to learn how to sail between the Hawaiian islands?
- See a Humpback Whale
Whether it’s from the shore, a boat, a kayak, a stand-up paddleboard, or a helicopter, I don’t care… I want to see a dang whale. Maui is officially in whale season until Spring, so I have some time to make this happen since wishing super hard while watching the sunset from the beach hasn’t really worked out for me so far.
- Eat (and enjoy) Something Containing Spam
While my Mom and Uncle grew up eating my Grandma’s fried spam sandwiches, I was not lucky enough to taste such culinary masterpieces. And since Hawaiians eat more spam per person than anywhere else in the world (possibly besides Guam, I’ve read), I figure when in Hawaii…
- Hike Pipiwai Trail
I’ve been to the Seven Sacred Pools and loved every second of it, but skipped the trail the last (and only) time I was there. Famous for its bamboo forest, banyan tree, and multiple waterfalls, Pipiwai Trail seems like the kind of hike I’d want to make a day out of. Game on, nature.
- Convince Someone to Open a Drive-In Movie Theater
‘Cause that’s all I can think of that this island is really missing.
So if you’re dying to come to Maui and not so much committed to getting better at scrapbooking, add a trip to Maui to your resolution list. This is a new year. You deserve it.
