Steven and I are both planners, but in very different ways. My planning: “Hey this looks really cool. Kayak to Gilligan’s Island. Let’s go!” Then I am done. Steven, as you saw, makes spreadsheets. I kind of have a spreadsheet in my head—more of a “these are the things I want to do while I’m there list,” but I also like to remain flexible. Steven is afraid we might have a minute of downtime and then what???. So terrible to have to walk on the beach in the tropical sun or explore some cheap eats for lunch. When I suggested that we might want to have a cocktail at sunset, he said, “I scheduled that in.”

I had to remind him that when his car broke down in Crofton, Neb., (pop. 689) where we had stopped to stay at the allegedly-haunted Argo Hotel (we didn’t see the ghost), we managed to occupy ourselves for an entire day. I think we’ll be fine on Maui. Don’t get me wrong; I’m definitely not one for sitting around, but I like some free, wander time. You never know what you’re going to find if you leave yourself open to last-minute exploration and maybe even a bit of downtime.

When I was a kid, I wanted to be either president or an explorer. I wised up about the first one, but I’m still trying to be the second. What’s over that hill? We won’t know unless we climb it. (OK, or Google it, but that’s no fun.)