Maui Trekkers is closing up shop, but Jungle John is for Hire :)

     Maui Trekkers is no more or at least Jungle John has decided to call it a day after a good run and close up shop.

As most of you know I met John while on my own Maui discovery trip 3 years back. Boy time fly's .John has been and still is a good friend . Now John himself is not going out to sit on the ice , jump into the tar pit or float out to sea on a burning viking ship at sunset. No, he is just closing his Website Maui Trekkers and concentrating on Personal guided tours into Maui`s deep Jungles.

        I recently picked up a hitch hiker on my way from Makawao to Paia one afternoon and Johns name came up in conversation . The hitch hiker knew Jungle John well and was found of him, he paused while thinking of John then said

                                                       “ John is like a child”

         I knew exactly what he meant, it takes a child like mind to appreciate all God has blessed us with on this amazing earth, after all it was Jesus who said to his immature adult followers unless you have child like faith you can not see or enter the kingdom.

John has that mature child like approach to nature with all of the glorious splendors it has to offer those that wish to play on its lush Organic Waterfall Cascading Peter Pan World.

Those of us that truly enjoyed the long running island series “Lost” that was filmed in the Hawaiian islands can expect to have our own unique jungle experience as we hire or follow Jungle John into his secret world.

John recently took some English Royalty on a private tour and they were thrilled to have JJ as a guide.

He has over 30 years of hiking experience here on Maui, if he lived in Tibet you can bet he would be a guide to the pinnacle of everest and drink yak milk, eat goats eyes, yea right !good luck with that I prefer Potatoes and Guinness .

All those that are visiting Maui and wish to have a unique personal experience in her Jungles please Give Him a call

808-283-8325

He will be more than happy to lead you into your Shang-ra-la                     experience

Aloha Mike Q

Current Events and Beyond :)

        Well, folks yes it has been along time since I tapped the keys of my trusty Mac and updated our situation on Maui. A lot has happened in the last few months.

Ok, I will dive right in.

         Cynthia declared to me one evening as we were driving home from the lahiana Boys and Girls club where she worked as a program director that she was ready to manage / direct her own club.

         So we both asked God to give her a club as we knew it was time and she was so so so ready. In the last 14 or so months since she has been employed by The B@G she has been well trained by Danae of the Lahina Club or more to the point groomed as they love her on this island.

About a week later we she heard that a club upcountry needed a new Director.

        Cynthia applied , after 2 very successful interviews she was appointed director of the Makawao boys and Girls Club. As I write she is now finishing her third week as CEO as that is what they call her at head office. I,m very proud of her. When she puts her mind to something she follows through and brings her dream home.

So currently we are driving back and forth 45 miles each way. Dose not seem like a big trip, but on an island with no freeways and the average speed is 45 complete with tourist, locals and surfers ,it sure dose make for a long day. Reminds me of my school bus driving days about 12 hour day.

Our Lease will be up in July so we are on the hunt for anew abode near Cynthia`s club.

         Mean while I have been scouting the area which boasts an amazing championship surf beach along with many larger beaches and miles of tropical jungle flowing with hundreds of waterfalls and cool dipping pools the area is nothing short of heaven, now if we can just find the right home, please God ???

          During this transition I/ we were blessed to have two people who were amazing mentors to me back in my days in London England 30 years ago come for a 7 day visit.

       Warwick and June Murphy from the great land down under ( Australia to those of you that think America is the only country in the world ) ran a pretty darned cool rehab / halfway / home for misguided Irishmen in Clapham common.

They were and still are involved with Youth With a Mission and Warwick is Currently running Issac Australia    isaacaustralia.com 

  an outreach to troubled people. Warwick and June have been working with the down and out of this world most of their lives.

        They have been a major influence in this Irishman's life. I spent many days showing them the sites and sounds of our Island home. It was an Honor, they have passed from mentors to close friends and I truly believe this trip will be the Catalyst for many more visits

         When I dropped them at the airport it was more of a to be continued than goodbye and here I will end my little update with a TO BE CONTINUED as the beach and a good nap in the sun are calling my name...

Aloha Mike and Cynthia :)

Beach Bums Guide to Maui by Michael J Quinlan: No Man Is An Island..But the Island can make or Br...

Beach Bums Guide to Maui by Michael J Quinlan: No Man Is An Island..But the Island can make or Br...: This island is truly the death of me. .. The other day I turned to Cynthia, when she came home from work and said; “ Hi my name is Mic...

No Man Is An Island..But the Island can make or Break the man :)

This island is truly the death of me...

The other day I turned to Cynthia, when she came home from work and said;

“ Hi my name is Michael and I suffer from depression ... a matter of fact I have suffered from depression all of my life”.

I think it is very interesting how God has healed me of so many things like loneliness, that had plagued me all my life as well as various fears from my childhood, yet my depression continues to be a daily battle. Those people that go around proclaiming that Christianity is all joy and prosperity need a serious chill pill, then they need to come out of the closet by telling the truth of how they really feel. Don't get me wrong, I have had some amazing times as a Christian but not because I dumped a load of hard earned money on some TV preachers lap who was already swimming in green acres.

If money could truly bring happiness, then the suicide rate at which some rich people kill themselves at would be none existent. My heart went out to Robin Williams, I could so relate to him; he was a guy, who as far as we could all see looked out for others. For many of us, he was a childhood friend but in the end he succumbed to a serious bout of depression. I did not know him personally but I cried when I heard of his untimely death.

Some days I don't want to get out of bed, but I do, Cynthia needs her coffee :). I can pray for others and see Jesus set them free from illness and a whole variety of other things, yet for some reason this hound dog of depression still follows my scent. Oh how I wish somebody else would blow a horn he could harken to and pound after.

Some of the the most famous writers suffered greatly from depression..eg.. Earnest Hemingway. When I read a Farewell to Arms I was mad at him for killing off a wonderful romance. Then when I read about his life, it all made sense; like me, a kid of an alcoholic sabotaging a good romance by throwing a wrench into a perfectly good engine. The man was never truly happy, he sought happiness in relationships. I know only too well that's not where it lies, sure don't get me wrong, I love Cynthia but even she cannot satisfy all my needs. I genuinely love Jesus more than life it self and yet He whom I have given my life to has chosen, for reasons known only to himself and father God, to leave me with this irritating dilemma. I guess you could say it keeps me coming back to him for help; ask any of my close fiends, they will tell you I need a lot of help.

And yet here I am; living in paradise with the perfect climate and an incredible soul mate, who puts up with me. To me that's the greatest example of Gods love to someone like me, giving me someone who loves me unconditionally. Cynthia deserves the Victoria Cross and the Purple heart.

I'm not looking for sympathy, just having a rant and hopefully someone who thinks that christians have it easy, will realize that we go through the same crap; with the difference that we have hope in Jesus. Any guy that will go through the most severe torture of suffocation on a cross for an Irish guy like me, is sure worthy of me standing up and paying attention!

In The words of Robin Williams “Merry friggin Christmas!”

 

End.................

 

CLARKS Wave Sandal The Best :)

Good  colgate morning its september 23 my son Jaq`s Birthday. On This day 1988 he came screaming into the world full throttle no holes barred. Jaq now lives and goes to Collage in Portland Oregon. He served 3 years in the Army 1st Armour-ed division Fort Bliss and South Korea and he is also a great Comedian although he wont let me know where he does his stand-up act for obvious reasons LOL... I'm very proud to be his father and wish him well in his next 200 years...All my love to you on this Day Jaq :0)

On this day sept 1916 - World War I: Manfred Von Richthofen [The Red Baron], a flying ace of the German Luftstreitkräfte, wins his first aerial combat near Cambrai, France.
BMW

The first whaling ship sails into Hawaii in 1819 not a good thing for the whales.
 In1850 - Great fire in San Francisco began.
 Finaly in 2014 Michael and Cynthia Cagnoni Quinlan officially celebrated one year on on the island of Maui.

Yes, a year fly's by seems like only yesterday we came here for our first vacation.

Last saturday  morning I got up early put on my CLARKS Wave  sandals to go to the store for some half and Half for Cynthia`s coffee. I drove slowly out of our parking lot and headed down the hill towards the shore line road,all of a sudden I was struck by how beautiful the morning was ,the sun was up, Palm trees were rustling softly in the fresh trade winds that had been absent for a week or so, the Island of Malachi was clearly visible across the bright blue south Pacific . I thought what a wonderful morning, then it hit me I had not thought like that on this island for a long time. Most mornings or days for that mater on Maui are amazing and why not its the land of sunshine , warm water with cool ocean breezes whispering through the shore line palm trees.
 I realized that my island fever that had plagued me for so long was finally draining away.

I resolved in my mind that this weekend was going to be special or us both ,Cynthia especially, God only knows how much Island fever grief I have put her through. She deserves a Platinum medal for unconditional love and I deserve the Grey Cloud of Eeyore for the Ass that fought paradise.
 Truth be-told this island has been the death of the old me and boy did I fight it as many of you have of read in my blogs,but then thats real life not like the land of Bleached teeth with perfect smiles and artificial bodies where everybody's Happy and Prozac goes Cha-Ching!

Later that day we headed to a new beach there are so many to choose from. That evening we ate at our favorite fish Taco outlet in Honakowi followed by a movie on our big screen at home. The Next Morning we treated ourselves to a day pass at the Westin Hotel and resort in kannapli. We basked in the hot sunshine,swam in the many pools,had our backs massaged by the abundance of waterfalls, scared my self on the large and fast water slide. Had cocktails followed by a great pool side lunch watched an amazing sunset ,in all we had an amazing weekend.


Clarks shoes USA Wave Sandal Best in the World :)

Back on the Mainland my Great  friend David Jorgenson married his sweet heart Julie Cramer may they have a wonderful life together filled with true blessings!!!

Well thats all for the moment,I have missed the new me been a while waiting for him to come out brings a whole new meaning to the Phrase.... Be still and know that I,m God and if he just brought my Irish butt out here to get my attention well it certainly was worth it turmoil and all.

Cheers to you all Michael and Cynthia :0)

Beach Bums Guide to Maui by Michael J Quinlan: Living in The Cloud :)

Beach Bums Guide to Maui by Michael J Quinlan: Living in The Cloud :): Have you ever stood at the edge of a cliff wondering should I jump risk it all or simply remain on what I think is solid ground ? Li...

Living in The Cloud :)

Have you ever stood at the edge of a cliff wondering should I jump risk it all or simply remain on what I think is solid ground ?

Life can throw some interesting challenges our way, we can either embrace them or curl up in a comfortable familiar corner of false security.

Truth is nothing is forever or for that mater really secure, fear will paralyze the best of us.

Just watch how a Lions Roar freezes an antelope, he has not even touched his prey...his roar is an echo of so many of the critical nay sayers and yea but sooth sayers that pollute the planet like a bad internet virus.

We have all be given amazing talents and absolutely none of us were made by accident...That being said let me take you on a flight out over the south Pacific to my new home town of Napili on Maui Hawaii. Its a grand and beautiful tropical island with lush green jungles producing all manner of fruits. The white sandy beaches that line the warm coral marine filled Pacific are some of the best hot spots on the globe.

My beautiful Argentinian wife Cynthia wanted to come out here over 4 years ago on vacation to be honest I was not so in favor. But I bit my lip as she worked so hard at her incredibly stressful job and truth be told this was her hearts desire.

So like the trusty valet “.

Passepartout” who accompanied “Phileas Fogg” around the world in 80 days I took flight with Cynthia on her Hawain adventure

Most of you know the rest of the story and here we are in Paradise and I,m seriously struggling with island fever....Its been a hard challenge for me and one that will not end soon.

Now I like the rest of the so called “Happy People” could crawl down to the local witch doctor get a vial full of anti- Happy drugs and run around like an excited Gerbil in never never land, but alas I would rather face the Tiger straight on than stand there with all the other droids singing ..

“We all live in a Yellow submarine”

Finlay found out what that song was all about :)

It is wonderful to see Cynthia florishing at her New Career, she is loved and respected I,m truly, truly happy for her.

She has had a hard time these past 9 odd years with various Thankless corporate employers who have a bad case of self gratifying tunnel vision for the

bottom line and totally miss the hearts and souls of loyal employee`s after all that is why humans were wonderfuly created.

We thrive when we encourage each other. In truth that is one of the many reasons why I became self-employed..I do not miss that world it is after all a false world. I do not want to be known for building an Empire on sand when I depart this world, but as a man who truly understood unconditional love and if I can grasp that in all its great depths then I will be glorious wealthy beyond my wildest dreams , that to me is true living . When I meet Jesus at the end of my time I want to say I had a great run and those talents you gave me are all used up !!

Mean while I will embrace this cloud for all its worth because I know I will be a better man for it..Good title for a novel

“My Death in Paradise”

by a reluctant kicking screaming Irish Bloody Mick

Hey could work....the truth hurts but it truly dose put you on the road to freedom!!!!

Cheers my far mainland and global friends!!!

Your sympathy I do not not desire, but your love and friendship that truly dose fuel my fire!!!

Michael :0)