Why Hawai'i?? Why Big Island??
I’ve been catching up with friends and updating them on my life changes. The one that comes up as a big one is that I moved out to Hawai’i with my family.
Hawai’i is a special place for my wife and I. We came for vacation long ago when it was just her and I. She wanted to do Oahu, the most developed of the Hawai’i Islands. I remembered an old coworker retired early and lived here.
Well, it turned out that he did not live in Oahu - he lived on Big Island. A whole other island of Hawai’i.
Big Island is only a 1 hour flight from Oahu and I convinced her to go since we were close.
I learned Big Island is a different world compared to Oahu.
The easy way to think is that Oahu is the “urban island” and Big Island is the “rural island”.
There was a moment we drove through Pahoa, the southern part of Big Island and was just in awe.
Wow, are we in a Miyazaki movie?!
That moment hooked us. We came back once more and said:
When we retire, let’s retire in Big Island.
Fast Forward Retirement??
With the COVID-19 pandemic, I was working remotely full time and my wife took care of the kids. Our oldest was just starting regular school. We asked ourselves:
When will we get this opportunity to move to Hawai’i again??
The answer was:
- now (before our son starts making life long friends at school)
- 20 years from now (when our youngest moves out)
Now or 20 years from now… welp - we made the choice of NOW.
Yes - totally YOLO!
Another key: every coach gives me the advice everytime I get into a tough spot:
Reconnect to Nature
Welp - Big Island has the most savage nature I’ve ever experienced!
That’s why we are in Hawai’i, especially Big Island.
We’ve been loving it - warts and all!