Husband and I relocating to Kauai...nervous (Kekaha, Anahola: camp, inspection)

[NOTAM]

what part of Georgia-i just spent 3 years in Georgia-2 years at Ft Stewart (Hinesville) and 1 year on Wilmington Island (off Savannah). hated it. couldnt wait to get back to Texas...
how do you like Georgia?

Originally Posted by KimoJimo

Hey, Bellestar... I now live in Georgia! It's okay.... (almost typed "But I wouldn't want to live there" but caught my self just in time....)

[KimoJimo]

Bellestar, I'm in Athens, not too bad to live here, but I about froze to death this winter. Absolutely HATE cold weather! This is a college town, a bit tacky downtown, all restaurants are fast food or chain places, no one has an inkling what a breakfast place is! Moderate price in most everything, houses are well priced, property insurance is good, property taxes are great, I'm glad we're here because we make ends meet easily. (Moved here from a few years in Florida, now the Tax-iest, insurance-est place in the U.S. ... But it was WARM!)

I found this forum while looking for a way to move back to Hawaii. I sat here wrapped in a blanket in the middle of the night, freezing, and read everything Leilaniguy said about Puna, which is a great, great thread. Who was I kidding??? No way can I afford Hawaii anymore! I guess I'll just have to develop a slow drawl, learn to eat grits, and go to Denny's for breakfast (shudder)

[hiyaguha]

I live in Kapahi and absolutely love it. As others have said, this is a safe island. Most of my friends and neighbors all over the island don't even lock doors. It's a warm, accepting culture here, although it does help to have a very liberal frame of mind. Yes, this place is over-the-top full of healers and psychics and people into alternative practices. If that's your bent, you'll fit right in.

We've not had much problem with the "being haole" issue ...I hear about such harassment from friends who have lived here their entire lives, but honestly, I find people here on the whole to be so much kinder and more accepting than on the mainland. The problem is, as everyone has said, it's so expensive that it's hard to stay here, even if you love it. A half-gallon of organic milk costs $6.29. I just came back from the mainland where the same half-gallon cost $3.99. Gas is a dollar more here than on the mainland. Median home prices were at $869,000 last month. And yes, it is hard to rent with dogs...but not impossible. We did it. Just contact a bunch of realtors and ask them to do the footwork for you, instead of trying to sell yourself as a responsible renter.

As for the dogs, definitely try to avoid the lock-up...get the shots ahead of time and bring them right in without quarantine. You might have to delay your arrival a few months, but it's worth it. Call the Hawaiian Humane Society for details, or go to their website. I too have heard of dogs that never quite recovered from quarantine...

If you can afford it, Kauai is paradise in many ways. The people who have warned you about the expense here don't exaggerate. For us, it's becoming too expensive and we might have to leave, which we don't want to do, but we also don't want to work three jobs each just to afford housing, as so many people here do. Hope this helps...

[nhzero]

I went from making about $35,000 in Oklahoma City to well over $85,000 in Kaua'i, and I lived better in OKC. Expensive doesn't say the half of it. It's an hour to Lihue, costs three times or more what OKC groceries cost, and spoils faster. However, we live on the most beautiful place I've ever seen. Just don't expect to save for retirement while you live here.

[jessiesma]

This is the critical part that has to be done 120 days or more before bringing them in. Most Mainland vets. know about it but there is a specific form. Also they have to have had 2 rabies shots in their lives before they can come in. Cats only need the rabies Check with your vet on others for dogs. Also HI Dept. of Agriculture's web page is the place for forms and regs. Hope you have enough time or a good foster home for them.

Originally Posted by bellestaroftexas

no quarantine, but you have to read the direct release requirements and make sure you do everything EXACTLY on the time frame and list. rabies titer has to be drawn, overnight mail to Univ of Kansas, etc.
i did everything, moved to Kauai since that is where my family is, and had a job that relocated me there, paid a sign on bonus etc, but left after one month. i have visited the island for my whole 42 years of my life and let me tell ya, living there is a WHOLE other ball game than visiting/vacationing there. i couldnt get back to the mainland fast enough. if you want to know the reasons, you can email me, but it looks like you have no choice as your husband is relocating there, so just make the best of it and i sure hope he makes alot of money. even with my high salary, i would have had to actually for the FIRST time in my life, do a budget when it comes to grocery shopping. here on the mainland, i buy whatever i WANT to eat

[Sweetbeet]

nhzero, may I ask what part of the island you live on? I'm thinking it must be way north (Princeville) or west (Waimea) for the drive to Lihue to be that long. Even with the east-side rush hour traffic, my sister gets from Wailua down to Puhi in about 1/2 hour. Why not live on the east side? And (sorry to be nosy) what field of work are you in? Not many seem to be able to generate that much higher income on Kauai, compared to the mainland.

I am hoping I can find a decent-paying situation there; I'm willing to take a pay cut, but not too much of one. Our whole family's relocation depends on me finding a job (or opening my own legal practice, which is an entirely different kind of scary situation - but may happen). I'm getting ready to send out my resume, in hopes of getting an interview or two when I come out at the end of February.

Do you (or anyone out there) have any feeling for whether lawyers are needed (I know, this is inviting some rants, but that's OK - we are used to it), and if so, whether a newcomer, who is a good attorney and (if I say so myself) and relatively personable and friendly, could hope to make a decent living? I have asked these questions before and gotten no response, but those threads are pretty low now and there are some new posters, so I figured I'd try again.

[nhzero]

Originally Posted by Sweetbeet

nhzero, may I ask what part of the island you live on? I'm thinking it must be way north (Princeville) or west (Waimea) for the drive to Lihue to be that long. Even with the east-side rush hour traffic, my sister gets from Wailua down to Puhi in about 1/2 hour. Why not live on the east side? And (sorry to be nosy) what field of work are you in? Not many seem to be able to generate that much higher income on Kauai, compared to the mainland.

I live in west Kekaha, and I'm a civil Engineer. Also, Oklahoma City is a REALLY low income town, so I made about $30k, while now I make $105k. If I lived on the east side, I'd drive an hour every day to work instead of an hour once a week to shop.

[loneilrn]

Paradise is an illusion. The island is full of danger from the ice heads that live on the beaches, who steal and rob people, to the dangerous environment. THe damns on Hawaii are made out of mud, and have been deemed very unsafe by the Army Corp of Engineers. One of them broke once and killed a bunch of people, just swept homes away off their foundation. You don't want to live in the wake of one of these dams.

People steel your stuff on the beech, break into your property and steel. It is not safe to camp on the beaches.

There are many dangers related to some of the hiking trails and beaches. THere have been people who have gone hiking never to be found. Very unsafe trails above the Napali Coast.

People are swept out to sea just walking on the edge of the beach.

Kuai is beautiful, but living in a paradise it is not. You must be very rich to live there, and your are very isolated there. If you spend $500,000 you can purchase a tiny little house. If I was going to live there I would probably want to have a secure 5 million in the bank, or you can just live in a beautiful part of the USA, have a great house, and in a safe environment!

It can get old living on an island. These are all things to consider. Do your research 1st. Maybe its really not that great. Personally, I think it would be better just to visit occassionally , and not live there.

[Fomalhaut]

Maybe this will help you calm your nerves about Hawaii


YouTube - Israel Kamakawiwo'Ole 'IZ' 'Somewhere Over The Rainbow' HQ

[KoaKine]

WOW!

Rep points for you it made my day
6 Months till Im living on the Big Islands!!!