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Yes, Hawaii! not exactly ex-pat, since technically these islands are American - but we found that our new home offers a unique blend of an exotic, multi-cultural lifestyle that still retains the ease and familiarity of American real estate practices, banking, licensing and laws.  And in spite of misconceptions, there are still areas here which are affordable, especially in comparison to the west coast of the USA.  The largest Hawaiian island is known as The Orchid Isle, or The Volcano Isle or simply the Big Island. It is not only large enough to contain most of the major islands in the chain, it is the most diverse and the least developed.  We bought our land a couple of years before we moved, then by selling our San Diego home had enough equity to build the home we had been dreaming of  for years.  Like many before and after us, we traded that equity to create our dream.  We are living the life we imagined. Some people think Hawaii isn’t foreign enough, or is too American politically, or worse - that all of Hawaii is spoiled, overpriced, and overcrowded.  Others actually find it too different to the mainland, and wouldn’t be able to adjust to the lack of freeways and shopping malls, and assumed they would be bored.  That’s a mindset - we could never be bored because we have so many things we are interested in. We looked at the pros and cons and examined what we wanted from our tropical experience and found Hawaii worked perfectly for us.  We don’t feel we are lacking anything here we had on the mainland, unless we account for traffic and stress!  Ever since I stepped foot in the lovely, turquoise waters of the Caribbean when I was still in college, I knew I would one day move to a tropical island.  I couldn’t resist the inviting warm water, the lush green surroundings, the swaying palms, coconuts and fragrant flowers, and the laid back lifestyle.  For the next couple of decades I travelled to the ends of the earth falling in love with every exotic locale.  I lived in Europe a bit and different regions of the USA, but kept dreaming of a tropical life.  I was also sure I would meet my soulmate on my travels and perhaps in this way start my ex-pat life. To my own surprise love found me with a true blue American in between travels.  But when we did meet we discovered we shared the same dream, so we quickly set a plan in motion to “retire” early at 55 and build a new life in the tropics.  We stayed focused and managed to reach our goal two years earlier than we planned.  And we had fortunate timing with the real estate market in both states, when we bought and sold.  Not only did we escape mainland America, but we gave up the hustle and bustle and stress that came with the southern California lifestyle, for many more years of a relaxed, healthful lifestyle.  While it was a great place to live and work, there came that time to leave, to go towards something more fulfilling. The only question we had while saving for our big move was to choose a place.  A spontaneous trip to Hawaii a few years ago concentrated our minds..we remembered Kauai island as spectacularly beautiful, very tiny, and too expensive to move to, but we were pleasantly surprised to discover the island was more diverse and had affordable property.  We almost purchased a buildable lot with a spectacular ocean view on the spot, but a cooler head prevailed and we went home and began serious research via the internet and connecting to local realtors. We were looking primarily for the lush beauty, the quieter, slower pace of life.  We wanted a more healthful, peaceful warm environment with clean air, no traffic to speak of, and low crime.  Land had to be affordable enough to buy several acres for privacy, to build our dream house, and to grow all of the tropical fruit and flowers and foliage we loved.  We needed to be near the ocean, but not necessarily beachfront. We wanted a simple, real estate process.  We wanted to interact in a community rich with another [or several other] culture[s].  We wanted to be able to purchase basic goods and services locally, and we wanted access to some good restaurants, art and music and theatre on occasion.  We wanted a place big enough for an art studio and wood workshop, and with quiet for writing.  We looked at the possibly higher cost of living in the islands, but concluded that we have enough savvy to make that work regardless of where we are.  We see the political climate in the whole world more or less insane, so feel as fine here as anywhere. We returned a couple of months later for a thorough in person search.  We looked at every available piece of land for sale on the Hamakua coast, [which is the most lush and green and just lightly populated], that we could afford, and found our piece of paradise.  We also bought an incredibly affordable house to live in while we built our dream home, and later converted it into a rental income property.  Our move to the islands provided all of our requirements and more.  Extra perks are that shipping vehicles and personal goods was easy and realistically priced from the states - no exorbitant taxes - and we didn’t have to concern ourselves with resident status or immigration.  Things do move slower - seems closer to a third world country at times as far as conducting business.  So, we are learning patience.  People here, especially the native residents, just move at a different pace that doesn’t put a premium on hurrying.  If a work crew was paddling canoes for a race on the weekend, they might not show up on Monday morning.  Or they may quit early surfing some waves.  Luckily, we do almost all of our building and landscaping ourselves! But to compensate the beautiful aloha spirit is alive and well, and we still delight in the way people are thoughtful drivers and smile when they wait on you in a shop, and take time to chat.  Of course, not everyone is this way - some people are transplants and still learning the local customs - but this spirit of taking time to be a neighbor and friend prevails.  It also helps that we are not working and have time to reciprocate.  That was part of our desire to move from a fast-paced, freeway commuting lifestyle where we rarely had time to associate with neighbors, to a lifestyle where gratefully our time is our own.  You can’t put a price on the freedom to wake up each day in paradise and do exactly what you want with no commitments to anyone else but yourself!  We have neighbors who, not surprisingly, are from California, others who hail from the mid-west, some who are local Hawaiians and local Japanese - and Chinese, and - Filipino-Americans.  Still others are from Holland and Taiwan and Mexico.  There are business owners of local excellent restaurants and art galleries who recently transplanted from San Francisco and Manhattan and Italy! So what does our day to life look like? Waking up to spectacular sunrises over the ocean and Hilo Bay with a cup of locally grown, famous Kona coffee and breakfast of papayas and mangoes and bananas also locally grown - is a good start.  Artisan bread from the local bakery is great too.  Looking to the south from our lanai [porch] we can see Kilauea – an active volcano for over 20 years - often with the smoke curling out, but we need to drive closer to see the amazing lava flow spill into the ocean. Behind us to the west we can see the observatories on Mauna Kea, magnificent at nearly 14,000 feet.  The peak is often snow capped which makes a great postcard at holiday time combined with our house, ocean in view and us in swimsuits.  Since we live on her slopes we benefit from those cooling trade winds that come from this mountain and from the beautiful blue Pacific before us. This is one of the true glories of living here. Those trade winds make all the difference in providing a fantastic climate.  The humidity is almost always modified by these cooling, refreshing winds, which is not true for all tropical islands. We’re still building and landscaping the land after two years - the rain also causes us to move slowly, again that lesson.  We still take time to travel as we always will.  We know we live in a fantastic place, but still enjoy the differences of other exotic places.  When we say we live in Hawaii most conjure up images of us by the beach all day long with little umbrella drinks.  Actually, we work a lot on our place because it is our passion, so we wait until friends visit to stop and completely relax.  But since we are on our own schedule, when the mood strikes we just stop work and head for one of the beautiful secret coves we favor for a picnic, or a swim, or continue to explore the old sugar cane roads to discover new places, or just stop for an umbrella drink!- Article Continued Below -

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We have lots of rain where we chose to live [about 120 inches annually] to ensure these lush, green surroundings.  But another incredible thing about this island is that it has thirteen of the fifteen climactic zones in the world.  s you move around the island you continue to experience the diversity. It is approximately 100 miles from north to south and 80 miles east to west, and you can drive 222 miles completely around the island on the two lane belt road. 

On the way you will experience about six different climate changes from lush, fairly wet, mountainous land with streams and waterfalls along the east/Hamakua coast.  The northeast contains the Waipio Valley, only accessible by 4-wheel drive and even then rugged and treacherous when wet.  Very few people live there, mostly locals, but they have a paradise within a paradise.  In the north there is Paniolo [Hawaiian cowboy] country where you can find the largest cattle ranch in America and beautiful rolling green hills that are less tropical looking.  The northern peninsula is wet on the east /windward side and dry on the west/leeward side.  You can see the difference from both sides of your car as you drive.  The Kohala coast, dry and sunny, begins as stark black lava, but this is where you find the luxury mega resorts with their green velvet golf courses, and some spectacular private homes.  The gorgeous white sand beaches are here too, and yes there is access for all.  In the Kau district you will find desert cactus growing on the comparatively barren land, yet with enough rain to live comfortably.  There are affordable building lots here for the adventurous and forward minded. Quite a community already has been developing very slowly for 20 or 30 years.  There are some micro climates where it is quite cold; for example, you can choose the artsy town of Volcano where it can feel more like Colorado than the tropics in the winter.

The two dominant areas that are like night and day are the west coast with Kailua-Kona at its centre, where most tourists arrive; mostly dry and sunny year round and offering spectacular snorkelling; also where the majority of newcomers settle.  South Kona is a great agriculture area especially for the world famous Kona coffee plantations.  In contrast, the eastern side with Hilo as the capital is rainy, and the humidity [trade wind cooled] makes it prime for growing the orchids and other fragrant, tropical flowers of Hawaii.  This is where the sugar cane industry flourished for over100 years on thousands of acres until the last sugar crops about 1995. This is where land is still slowly being put on the market, but development is exceptionally, thankfully very slow.  Some of us are settling here sparsely in 20 acre agriculture zones, but the true development is thriving back in the Kona district.  It resembles a California sprawling suburb to me, but that is exactly what appeals for many.  In the southeast there is also ample rain, fertile agricultural land, and far less expensive neighborhoods. This is the area with the most housing expansion, still small by California standards, but booming nevertheless.  Puna has several affordable communities and is close to Hilo for jobs. Numerous nurseries thrive throughout Puna and you can see fields of Mac nuts and papaya along the “red dirt” roads.

Prices have jumped considerably island wide over the past few years after a long slow period.  This doesn’t make much difference to us since we are planning permanent roots.  But for people who do consider Hawaii as their option for escaping America without completely escaping, the time is now versus later.  The boom has slowed a bit and there are still some areas, such as near Volcano, in Puna, and in Kau that are very affordable for an island paradise. In contrast to pricey Kohala and Hamakua, the Kau district has the lowest priced small lots available.  The Big Island may very well be the last affordable tropical American escape, and of course it won’t stay that way forever.  Some of we baby boomers have discovered it already and word will spread.  It is still not a bargain giveaway, but relative to mainland costs and relative to the beauty and beautiful lifestyle that one can have here we think it’s great.  Luckily, the development in most areas goes slowly and most the beauty and lifestyle will be retained. It has changed far, a less than Oahu and Maui, and lessons have been learned from their over expansion.  So you won’t find strings of condo and housing developments except in Kona.  Eastern Hawaii is the seat of the government and controls the development and seeks to keep the Hawaiian way of life more so than other places. 

Business wise new niche markets are being created to replace the sugar industry - delicious tomatoes, strawberries, and mushrooms are being grown to replace imported produce, as well as gourmet goat cheeses, and organic herbs and vegetables.  Exotic fruits such as rambutan, dragon fruit, and passion fruit-known here as lilikoi, to name just a few are being grown in addition to the more recognizable papaya, mango, avocado and citrus.  Macadamia nuts and coffee are plentiful and now cacao is beginning to be grown too.  Some people are reforesting with native hardwoods, others are growing the remarkable, renewable resource of bamboo.  There is even a new market for growing Hawaiian vanilla - the only one of the thousands of orchid species that produces an edible crop - and the second only to saffron as the most expensive crop in the world.  Its small white or chartreuse flowers bloom for only a few hours in the spring and must be hand pollinated in order to produce the beans.  Vanilla can only be grown in the equatorial regions like Madagascar, Tahiti, and parts of Mexico where it has already been commercially grown for some time.  There are of course other possibilities—it just takes looking around being imaginative to fill the needs that exist. 
Moving here works best for those who are retired, or do not need work.  Having said that, there are jobs particularly in the fields of tourism, construction, education and medicine, but mostly on the Kona side where the growth and tourists are. 

We came with no intention of looking for jobs and just look forward to dabbling in growing a variety of crops because it’s something we love to do.  It may generate some extra income, but we’re lucky in not depending on it.  Some friends are getting into agriculture, others have telecommuting jobs, and others are entrepreneurs for services. 

Hawaii, and in particular the Big Island, attracts artists and those who enjoy alternative lifestyles.  Natural and organic foods are plentiful, and we have superb farmer’s markets that also provide selling spaces for local crafts and imported goods.  There are interesting small shops in the various small towns and then there are the two major cities each with a population under 50,000, but large enough to provide all the goods and services one needs. Some things are more expensive, especially some food items.  Tourist prices can be outrageous; but we are learning to become kamaaina, locals, so we don’t have that problem.  As in many other countries one can move to it depends if you want or need imported goods.  For the most part we can control our costs that way, and we are growing our fruit and vegetables, but we can still splurge when we want to.  Not everything is available, [no trader Joe’s yet!] but as the locals do, we fill our suitcases with certain items when we travel, and there is flat rate priority mail via the US Post office that is both fast and affordable for many things.

Unlike the Big Island, since Oahu, is much larger with over a million in population, despite its shortcomings of overpopulation, crowded freeways, and even crime to some degree, has a fairly large selection of shops.  At the other extreme in Kauai, which is tiny and more the quintessential tropical isle with its rugged lush green mountains, rivers and waterfalls, stores are few and far between with few large retailers.  Home Depot has recently built a branch there - the exception, or perhaps the first to venture there. 

On the Big Island, large retail shops were sparse until just a few years ago, when Sears was the only major store.  But now one can also find Macy’s, Borders Books, Home Depot, and Wal-Mart.  There is also a Costco and Lowe’s but only on the west side. {Note: it is about a two hour drive to the other side}.  We get first run movies at the typical sky high prices, but there is also a 50 cent movie theater!, and we also have some wonderful small local theaters for live entertainment and easily use Netflix for movies.  There are some outstanding restaurants with renowned chefs, not just in the mega resorts but in small intimate places in Hilo and Waimea.  We were pleased to find world class entertainment from classical to blues to jazz and rock all available at amazingly small venues.  I guess performers enjoy travelling here too, so we are fortunate.  Of course one can hop a flight to Honolulu for major performances and shopping.  Some medical needs require Honolulu too, but for the most part the Big Island is well equipped for medical care.

We are only 15 or twenty minutes from town and shops and medical facilities and the university and colleges, yet we are rural, with more cows than people for close neighbors.  We intentionally chose a property that is “off the grid”, and we have our own power station and a rain catchment system for water.  We use cell phones and a wireless access card.  Most people building in this general area do have electricity and water and cable and now radio towers for internet. They also build more conventional and costly homes than our unique complex of modern yurts, huge decks and lanais, and shade houses for our nursery plants, but we prefer our indoor outdoor lifestyle.

There is a great blend of local Hawaiian culture with its lovely hula and unique slack key guitar music, the lilting sound of Pidgin, and leis and luaus, especially for visiting friends.  We can interact with people from many a myriad of cultures that settled these islands and made it their own-from Japanese to Filipino to Chinese and Portuguese and other Polynesian peoples and more.  We are only about five hours from the west coast to easily visit family and friends and vice-versa.  And we’re half-way to Asia and Australia and the South Pacific now so that makes for shorter travel.  We appreciate that every day we experience a paradise that most Americans and other tourists come to for vacations and honeymoons. 

So with this our new lifestyle  - tucked in between sea and sky, in the land of orchids and volcanoes,  - began and we have no regrets.  It just gets better everyday.

Is it for everyone? Of course not.  There are so many wonderful places in the world and everyone has their own idea of paradise and what works for them.   There can never be one perfect place. But for those who are looking to escape the typical American lifestyle and trade it for a tropical paradise without immigrating to a foreign land, Hawaii still has many possibilities.
 

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