Puna, Hawaii (Hilo, Hawaiian Acres, Kurtistown: for rent, health insurance, neighborhoods)

[leilaniguy]

So far, all we've had to put up with is here is a sudden leak where the kitchen is attached to the main house, where it got "tweaked" by the attached carport addition twisting in the 'quake, causing a major roof leak. We've been very lucky. People on Konaside have had their houses tossed off their foundation piers, and big, scary "pukas" (holes) have opened up in some yards. Old buildings there have major damage or have collapsed. Cleanup continues. The highways are open now, thanks to govt. agencies and local residents who used their own machinery, pure aloha, sweat, and "malama pono", picking away the rockslides, sometimes by hand, to open the highways. "Ironman" is going on as scheduled. All part of life in "Paradise", no worries!

[Haole]

Hey, there, Leilaniguy and all!

We left the Big Island (Leilani) 2 years ago and are already planning our return in April. Can't stand the mainlanditis. Sick, brah. Anyway, Leilaniguy, we have property in Nanawale and looking to buy in Black Sands, as well. (Love Leilani, but you just don't find the really *cheap* lots there.) We have found this myeranch site and wonder if you've heard anything about them. We asked our friends out there and no one seems to know... Any info would be much appreciated!

Aloha!

[leilaniguy]

Howzit Haole. Yes, I've heard of this company. They don't seem to have their prices listed on their website. Before doing business with them, look on the Hawaii mls. I have a strong hunch you can do much better. There are over 2500 vacant lots listed for sale in Puna right now. Prices have been dropping lately. Also I would highly recommend you wait until you get here to buy, so you can see just what you're getting.

[Haole]

Mahalos for the response, Leilaniguy! Our ohana is checking the lots and taking pics for us, we're just so damned anxious to get back and not be so damned anxious! Can't wait to go to the new Subway. ha-ha.

a *** hou!

[bigisle]

I can tell you from "bad" experience that Hilo Hospital is a death trap. Known people who have died totally UN NECESSARILY from incompetant staff! Heard TERRIBLE things when I was left in the E.R. for 8 hrs. having seizures, and ended up in a MONTH long coma from incompetance in that place. AND I am an R.N. B.S.N. received my 5 yr. excellent education on the mainland!
The personnel director in Hilo hospital ONLY hires Japanese from what I was told by a Philipino who works in Maintenance for a very low wage after YEARS of employment. I could go on but why? If you coime here thinking you will just get a job because you have qualifications - think again. This island is all in who you know, or as they say in Jamaica Who Knows You. I've been here 25 yrs and seen it all. By the way the seizures were from having had spinal meningitis at the age of 25 on the mainland.
The Ice problem here is bad, but corruption from the police and govt. is just as bad. Put it all together and no wonder people choose to live in the bush.
This is "supposed" to be a melting pot, but every race of people hate each other. Schools here are the lowest I have seen on many islands unless you can afford the GOOD private schools.
We own our house here and after months of feedback from reputable people who have lived through the experiences of thousands of dollars repairs from renting out their houses; we finally decided to just use a house sitter.
When you are positive in such a negative place as The Big Island you finally need to see things for what they really are, or live in a state of denial about what is going on around you. The prices of goods are the biggest L_I_E, saying it is because of shipping costs. I owned a business in the 80's and found the health food stores had a 300% mark up and that was THEN! What do you think it is now?
Hawai'i is la, la land if you believe it is. When money, costs, taxes, and the reality of life finally wake you up - this state is becomming only for the rich!
There are no Japanese or Whites in the prison system, it is another way to eliminate a race of people however and effectively. There are so many real issues that you know nothing about other than the land you have.
How eminent domain WILL affect Hawai'i and it will. How people are paying off the builing planners and building 3 story houses with elevators ON the ocean front. How they have CLOSED OFF access to the ocean front which is SUPPOSED to be illegal but has been going on for years. Not to mention gated communities. There are REAL social problems here bubbling just like the lava and Mme. Pele.
A h_u_i ho,

[leilaniguy]

Aloha biglsle, It's been almost 24 hours, no one else has commmented. So - OK, Granted, Hawaii is not paradise, of course not, I would never say that, far from it. There is no such thing, this is planet earth, with all it's strife and problems. But tell me, where is your paradise? Nevada? Cali? Fla? Tex? Ariz? Yuck! I Wouldn't live in any of those places if I was paid to. I considered all those places before I chose here. There are drugs, crime, bad health care, high prices and racism, here, there, and everywhere. (Try being a non-white in Medford/Grants Pass Oregon for awhile.)The drug problem (meth) is nothing at all in Hawaii compared to where I came from, (S. Oregon). The school and tax system there about the same as here: really, really BAD! Crooked politicians? Graft? Get real. Look in any state, they're all the same jerks. The only thing different about Hawaii is the good weather, every day is summer. It's just so very much better than the last place I lived! Also, just curious- You said you have a house here, and apparently you live here? why? If you hate Hawaii so very, very much? Wouldn't you be happier in a suburb of Las Vegas? Aloha

[Kalona]

Hey Leilaniguy and any others with information!

I am enjoying reading all the great information here, so I'm bringing a question to you. I am moving to Volcano, and saw an earlier conversation about mold and furniture. So before I pack up, I wish to ask those of you who know.. should I leave my leather sofa on the mainland? It is a favored comfortable piece of furniture... is it doomed to mold if I bring it over? Is there some way to treat it? Or, is it just a bad idea?

I am building a log cabin, specifically for the natural insulation from the 8" thick log walls. Well, that and I like the look!

Thanks for any input!

[leilaniguy]

Aloha Kalona. If you really want to keep your leather sofa, or anything else leather here, you will need to wipe it down occasionally (every 3-4 months), with mineral oil and a rag. This is the only thing I know of here that works well - a petroleum product that won't mold. Anything else, like saddle soap, Neetsfoot, Mink, etc. is organic, and gets nasty, smelly fast in the tropic heat. Also, when polishing woods, "Scotts", "Olde English" or other organic oil based polishes & waxes tend to mold and get nasty in a hurry here, best to use occasional mineral oil every few months, with a mix of 10%undiluted bleach,80% water & 10% Dawn in between. You can use this mix to clean leather or vinyl covered furniture too.

[Kalona]

Thank you for the great information Leilaniguy!

I know that dampness is pretty much a constant in Volcano... (of course so is the lush beauty that I cannot resist!), so I am making every effort to ship over only the things that can withstand the damp. I have two pretty old antiques, one small table over 150 years old. I am not sure they would do well. Any ideas on that? I would rather gift them to others here than ship them over only to have them ruined. This move to Volcano is permanent, so I am ready to leave anything behind that doesn't make sense to move over.

Thanks again, Kalona

[leilaniguy]

Aloha Kalona. If your furniture is solid wood, it will probably be OK. If it is veneer or inlay, I'd leave it behind, glued wood doesn't last long here. I left most everything behind and bought "island friendly" furniture, bamboo, rattan, etc.