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Move to Hawaii
- Thread starter VaB
- Start date
What island Dr?
Looking at this from a 50 year old east coaster surfer POV.
Never made that move but have spent alot of time on Oahu. Trip from Honolulu to Norfolk sucks to see family.
Crowds suck around the Thanksgiving and Christmas holidays. frowded period. Alot of competition for waves.
I would move to CA before Hawaii. More to see and do. Variety. If your schedule does not allow you to surf early mornings, CA is a bad move.
Looking at this from a 50 year old east coaster surfer POV.
Never made that move but have spent alot of time on Oahu. Trip from Honolulu to Norfolk sucks to see family.
Crowds suck around the Thanksgiving and Christmas holidays. frowded period. Alot of competition for waves.
I would move to CA before Hawaii. More to see and do. Variety. If your schedule does not allow you to surf early mornings, CA is a bad move.
have u actually been to hawaii? spent mucho time there when my life wuz chasing waves.if you have to ask urself these questions its not for you. the islands are a prison in the middle of the pacific. u gotta pay for your get outta jail card whenever u wanna leave. big time traffic, big time crowded, tourists everywhere. and thats just one slice of it. its cool when ur 18-25 but then life hits u on the ass. most transplants do not stay because lets face it, unless you got family or love ties there - theres so many better places to live.
Thanks for the feedback.
My wife has been more about it than I have over the past few years. I'm concerned about family in DC area and trips to visit. Essentially 2 flights.
It's part for surf but more for the life. Warm weather, clear warm water, hikes, outdoor lifestyle. At least that's what we imagine. I'm not gonna be charging any surf, more cruising and having fun. Surf, boat, dive, hike etc....
I have been to Oahu and Kauai but that is all.
My wife has been more about it than I have over the past few years. I'm concerned about family in DC area and trips to visit. Essentially 2 flights.
It's part for surf but more for the life. Warm weather, clear warm water, hikes, outdoor lifestyle. At least that's what we imagine. I'm not gonna be charging any surf, more cruising and having fun. Surf, boat, dive, hike etc....
I have been to Oahu and Kauai but that is all.
If you can afford it
Go for it
You will love it and make lots of new friends
Air travel back is no big deal
Go for it
You will love it and make lots of new friends
Air travel back is no big deal
My 19 yo son was recruited for a job 4 years ago for work on Maui. He has enjoyed it and threatened to move home many times but recently has made the decision to move home (Laguna Beach). He misses all the things he doesn't have on an Island. Snowboard trips, Baja adventures, Deserts, food, etc.
So I guess for some its a no brainer and love it and others not so much
So I guess for some its a no brainer and love it and others not so much
I have friends that moved from here (VB) to there and never came back. Surf wise, the best day of the decade here is just a day with waves there, and you won't suffer three months of grey, cold, NW wind flatness every year.
Not living where you want bc you're inured to familial proximity is a mistake IMO. While all the above is true, quality of life in the islands is pretty fooking good.
If you don't like it, move home. Even if you don't love it, you'll likely make some terrific memories.
Not living where you want bc you're inured to familial proximity is a mistake IMO. While all the above is true, quality of life in the islands is pretty fooking good.
If you don't like it, move home. Even if you don't love it, you'll likely make some terrific memories.
VaB said:
I went to Oahu the first time this past winter. Such a weird mix of paradise and hell.
Beautiful place but if it weren't for the waves no thanks.
If you are cool with the traffic and tourism 365 days a year and the fact you have the limitations of an isolated island and are cool with the major issues Hawaii deals with go for it.
But be very, very sure you are actually OK with this.
To me the negatives far outweigh the positives.
Certain parts of Oahu felt more irritating that Orange County especially factoring in the tourism.
The North Shore was pretty much the only place I felt nice and comfortable.
Maybe take a trip out there, stay in a few different areas, spend the day driving the perimeter of the island starting on the North Shore and driving all the way until the road ends @ Yokohama Bay and see how you feel about it.
My first visit was in 1963
I lived there for 38 years
Its still a great place and not just the North Shore
So many things to do outdoors - very few bad weather days
I lived there for 38 years
Its still a great place and not just the North Shore
So many things to do outdoors - very few bad weather days
As to why not other ex-pat locations, want to stay in the states, better for my career unless I went to Aus or NZ and don't really want to go there.
I would not be moving to Oahu, tourism seems like part of the deal. I'm sure I'd get tired of paradise after years but that's what travel is for.
I do appreciate all the input; some really good points of view.
I would not be moving to Oahu, tourism seems like part of the deal. I'm sure I'd get tired of paradise after years but that's what travel is for.
I do appreciate all the input; some really good points of view.
I believe Maui is one of the only Islands that doesn’t solicit tourism in Asia (that’s what I was told last visit to Maui a decade ago when I commented to a local that there doesn’t seem to be the heavy Asian tourist population on Maui as I’ve seen on the other Islands).
I ran away from home in high school, moved to Oahu, finished high school at Kahuku, stayed and raised my family here. It's my favorite place in the whole world. Greatest people, greatest weather, greatest waves. Paradise. Worth every penny.
You will always be a guest. Be humble and respectful and smile and be kind. Give. Those kind of guests are treated very, very well here, like family. Truly. My kids went to public schools (my alma mater, Kahuku) and have learned lessons growing up here they never could have learned anywhere else. They have family here that are closer than any blood relatives. They are better people for it. I have ridden waves here that I will remember until the day I die, ke akua willing. But if the waves went away tomorrow, it would still be the best place to live. Locals here value the right things - family, friends, fun, the land, the sea.
Aloha is real.
You will always be a guest. Be humble and respectful and smile and be kind. Give. Those kind of guests are treated very, very well here, like family. Truly. My kids went to public schools (my alma mater, Kahuku) and have learned lessons growing up here they never could have learned anywhere else. They have family here that are closer than any blood relatives. They are better people for it. I have ridden waves here that I will remember until the day I die, ke akua willing. But if the waves went away tomorrow, it would still be the best place to live. Locals here value the right things - family, friends, fun, the land, the sea.
Aloha is real.
Very true about the bad weather days. If there's no surf, there's always something else to do outdoors. I lived there for 11 years and was a poor college student but I've never been happier. Almost 10 years since I moved back to Asia (next door to Indo) and I can't say I am very happier now. Not that life is bad. I truly missed seeing rainbows everyday in Hawaii. There are always negatives to every place. Life is short.Greg Griffin said:
I live on Oahu born and raised but went to college in LA. I live in Honolulu and enjoy it. There's somewhere to surf everyday. The North Shore is 45 minutes away. I don't mind traffic and tourism because to me that equals money/capitalism/opportunity. Mostly everybody here is nice. Old Asians are the biggest closet racists. Costco is your friend.
Do it. Hawaii is an amazing place.
I was born and raised on Oahu and went to college at UH Manoa. I left for almost 9 years for my career. Moved back in my 30's.
A few things:
Its expensive. Like seriously expensive. You need to adjust your expectations unless you're loaded with cash. My buddy bought a house in 2017 for $830K in a nice area on the North Shore and it was in bad shape. It required significant repairs. He had to come up with $185K in cash to finance it and now pays $3700 per month. He makes a solid salary but lives paycheck to paycheck because his spouse doesn't work and he has kids.
Groceries are expensive. Gotta shop at Costco or Sams to get deals. Shopping at Safeway will kill your wallet.
There's always stuff to do. lt is rare that there is nothing to surf anywhere on the island.
The people are the friendliest people around. The only people who get ridiculed are the types that lack any sort or social awareness. For instance, I was once surfing a local spot and the haole guy next to me was telling two heavy locals how his new house on the beach should make him a bunch with his Airbnb setup. Don't be that guy.
Traveling isn't a big deal. My spouse is from the mainland and goes back regularly. Flights are getting much cheaper too with Southwest service.
I was born and raised on Oahu and went to college at UH Manoa. I left for almost 9 years for my career. Moved back in my 30's.
A few things:
Its expensive. Like seriously expensive. You need to adjust your expectations unless you're loaded with cash. My buddy bought a house in 2017 for $830K in a nice area on the North Shore and it was in bad shape. It required significant repairs. He had to come up with $185K in cash to finance it and now pays $3700 per month. He makes a solid salary but lives paycheck to paycheck because his spouse doesn't work and he has kids.
Groceries are expensive. Gotta shop at Costco or Sams to get deals. Shopping at Safeway will kill your wallet.
There's always stuff to do. lt is rare that there is nothing to surf anywhere on the island.
The people are the friendliest people around. The only people who get ridiculed are the types that lack any sort or social awareness. For instance, I was once surfing a local spot and the haole guy next to me was telling two heavy locals how his new house on the beach should make him a bunch with his Airbnb setup. Don't be that guy.
Traveling isn't a big deal. My spouse is from the mainland and goes back regularly. Flights are getting much cheaper too with Southwest service.
There aren't many 7milemiracles.
Peru, Puerto Rico, Goldcoast....have 'em but volume second rate.
Peru, Puerto Rico, Goldcoast....have 'em but volume second rate.