I took up the offer of splitting a very low-cost condo in Kihei with my old (since 2006) Swiss friend, Reto. The condo wasn’t much to get excited about but it was very central, allowing me to wake up early and go for a long walk up the main commercial corridor of Kihei every day. Reto is a Maui veteran (his 20th year of coming to the island) so I got the advantage of having a local expert: all the best beaches, restaurants, places to see the sunset, guided tours to the volcano, and the perfect snorkel boat (the 6:30 am catamaran, Kai Nani II, for those of you going in the future). It’s a cliche to call Hawaii ‘magical’ but that’s because it’s true. Maui was an escape from all stresses and a long, warm bath in the most inviting waters I’ve ever experienced. Definitely going back.