Hawaii IS paradise; with Maui being my favorite island of them all. So why wouldn’t I want to live here?
- First of all, I can never complain about the weather. Especially I can’t complain to Oregonians. Oregon probably gets 75 days of sunshine a year. So mainly I don’t mention our weather unless someone asks. And I have to be careful not to be toooooo disparaging.
- I “have” to drive slow. Mostly the speed limit is 20. The highway is 45 in a few areas. We still have a few impatient drivers but I love the relaxed pace when getting between here and there. We maybe have a traffic snarl twice a year.
- There is not much distinction between weekdays and weekends. Especially for those of us who are lucky enough to not be employed. Tourism is the largest industry here and every day simply feels like a vacation. I’ve lived here, off and on, for almost four years. Each sunset is spectacular and different. Most of us still rush out a few times each week to watch.
- One big expense that we can’t be annoyed about is suncreen. Hats. Sunglasses. SPF clothing even. No one on the mainland will feel much sympathy. And I have to use it every day. Sometimes twice.
- I never get to wear a sweater or a scarf. No Uggs. In fact, I can’t even bear to wear closed toe shoes! No snuggling up in an afghan and watching old movies. No umbrella. No heating bill. Although our electric rate is FIVE TIMES the rate of Oregon’s and I avoid the stove almost as much as the oven. We had room by room a/c units installed so I can cool just the room I’m using. I am still afraid of my electric bill. Now in the process of getting solar panels!
- Then there’s the caveat “island bound”. True, Maui is pretty small. We have just 81 named beaches (and lots that don’t have names but locals enjoy them more than the publicized ones). We have desert areas and rain forests. Bustling city centers and remote hike in areas. Our Mt. Haleakala is 10,000 ft high. It snows once a year! While I do miss having a good old fashioned road trip, at this stage of my life I mostly stay within my zipcode anyway!
So ... you can see all the negatives about living here. It’s a sad life. NOT!
Very interesting! I never would have guessed the part about the speed limits or NEVER getting to wear a sweater or scarf. All that sunshine and all those beautiful sunsets would be worth the trade-off of driving 80 and having a closet full of sweaters. LOL
ReplyDeleteI lived on Oahu 35 years ago when I was single and stationed there in the Army. I thought that it was paradise even though we had significant traffic jams. I was so suprised of how many people did not appreciate how lucky they were being stationed in Hawaii. But many did not like Hawaii because it was so expensive to visit relatives on the mainland, they missed traveling far distances in a car, or they missed having seasons.
ReplyDeleteYour little bit of paradise sounds very nice.
Thanks, Grannie Frannie. I am keeping a running list of pros and cons to staying out here on the rock. Coming from Oregon, the sunshine counts for a LOT. It just feels like vacation every single day. I enjoy the s-l-o-w pace. But I do miss little road trip vacations. And visiting family and friends. No decision necessary yet!
ReplyDeleteHey there! I'm a 62 year old GrandMa who looks & acts more like a 45 year old, & after having survived a 3 month long coma & trying to survive on disability, I found I may go back to college & finish my degree in oceanography & education, without losing my disability. I've considered spoiling myself for all I've survived by going to college where I can play in a warm ocean all day, & that's small. I greatly prefer smaller towns & colleges. Tuition to Maui is half the cost of one grant alone. With making & selling arts & crafts & tutoring computers, how much more costly would it be to attend Maui for 3 years or so? Maybe rent a sloop or live aboard & bike or kayak to skool? Thanx! Grami-Pami. Amazing Person.
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