I was surprised at the constant traffic jams and all the tourists. A huge storm caused flooding less than two weeks ago, so one main road was still closed for the clean-up of downed tree limbs and mud-caked vehicles.

Despite the occasional storms, everybody seemingly wants to be in Hawaii this time of year!

Lower-than-expected speed limits appear to be strictly enforced, and in many places we drove over speed bumps, or speed tables, as they are called.

Another thing that slowed down all the traffic were the crosswalks where pedestrians can press a button for flashing lights to stop traffic. Lots of walkers and bicyclists stayed out in the perfect temps that hovered around 80 degrees. We had a little rain shower one night, but the entire week remained basically warm and dry.

I found the food to be interesting—not just the plethora of expected dishes such as poi and sushi, but also the mixture of potato salad and macaroni salad as a popular side dish.

Despite not sleeping well in a lumpy bed—and having an allergic skin reaction to a new suntan lotion, Maui proved to be a good experience overall. I was extremely grateful for not experiencing any gastric distress! If I ever return to Hawaii, I’d like to try exploring a different island.

Aloha!