How to Die Slowly...

A brief backstory:  Our family along with 3 of our dear friends, journeyed to the Gila Valley to tour the gorgeous new temple there.  As we were pulling out of the driveway, Layla began to vomit.  However, we had a hotel reservation and a weekend planned, so we went for it.  It was a great experience, probably the only time I will ever be in a temple with a barf bucket.  She recovered the next day and life went on.


Okay, about this.

Hana is located on the east side of Maui, about 70 miles from here.  However, it takes more than 3 hours to get there because of the extremely curvy roads.  Mark and I had not been since summer 2000 (it has taken me 10 years to want to drive there again) and we thought it was a good year to take the kids.  The drive is scenic and gorgeous and tedious.  You are rewarded for your diligence and safe driving with a fun hike through a bamboo forest ending at a gorgeous waterfall!


Here we are at the surfboard fence up Kaupakalua Road.  Notice how happy and vibrant we are!



One of the less curvy curves.


Here's where my story turns ugly.  Layla started having diarrhea.  The shoot-up-the-back kind.  We changed her each time but I was really fretting because she was so uncomfortable.  The plan was for Mark to drop me off at a quaint hotel while he took the girls on the hike, however, I could see that Lay was in no condition to hike.  We had a picnic at Hana Bay then I had voice my opinion on the matter.  We needed to forgo the hike and return home immediately.  The girls were greatly disappointed and tried to dissuade me in every way, but I remembered the Gila Valley trip and tried to hold firm.

I had relented and we stopped at Hasegawa's General store to replenish our diaper and wipe supply.  I was still uneasy, but I wanted Mark and the big girls to have this experience.  Layla and I would just have to wait it out in the hotel.  However, my precious baby validated my initial choice by vomiting.  That sealed the deal and amidst tears and pleading, we pointed Betty back east and headed home.  The girls were amazing about it, and Mark managed to salvage the day by taking them to a roadside waterfall.  They got the waterfall experience without the 1.5 mile hike which I repeatedly pointed out.



Layla would not be stopped and by the time we got to Kahului,  I was sitting the back, shirtless in my bra, because Layla had soiled every thing in the car.  She did finally go to sleep though.


So, it's official.  I am done with Hana.  Twice in a lifetime is enough for me.