On New Year's Eve, I watched the fireworks at Wailea Beach. They were wonderful. A short display (about seven minutes), but very intense with no pauses and with spectacular fireworks.
Thank you, Wailea. But where is the aloha?
Wailea did its best to keep Kihei riffraff such as myself from attending this event, even though there is room for thousands of people to watch from the beaches and beach sidewalk. All of the beach parking lots were blocked, not only by the usual gate but also by a security vehicle and personnel. There are well over a hundred parking spots in the combined beach lots. But all were closed to keep us riffraff out.
When I tried to park at the Shops at Wailea and told security people that I was going to see the fireworks, they turned me away. There are several hundred parking spots there, They could have charged $10 a car and made a fortune.
So, I was forced to park in a no-parking zone on the street, along with dozens of other cars. Come on, Wailea, let's get some aloha next year.
Al Bayless
Kihei
