So you’ve decided you would like to move to one of the world’s most beautiful destinations and you’re planning to live in a rental house in Hawaii until you can buy a property. But do you know very much about the area? And will living in Hawaii be any different to going on vacation there? We hope to answer all of your questions by explaining a few things you should know about moving to Hawaii as it will make the move much easier for you.
Getting Stuck in Traffic
Anyone who has spent any amount of time in Hawaii will tell you that getting stuck in traffic is almost a tradition in this part of the world. You can typically spend up to an hour every day sitting behind car after car after car… 
If you are prepared to travel to work by car you may also have to be prepared to get up early as the roads become very busy. The volume of traffic is quite understandable as you’ll be stuck on a small island trying to make your way around with ease, just as everyone else will be. Although spending one hour in traffic every day is not too bad compared with the traffic you see in many major cities across the globe, throw in a bit of heat and sunshine and you could find it rather stressful. The solution is to walk to work or to simply travel around the island at a much quieter time of day.
Power Outages
Now you may have been lucky enough to spend a vacation or two in Hawaii without experiencing a power outage, but if you move here you’re guaranteed to have one. You can typically expect to have approximately 20 power outages a year, and no-one will be able to tell you why. The good news is that if you buy and install a generator on your property you may be able to keep the refrigerator and air conditioning going until the issue is fixed.
You may find yourself getting a little annoyed when you experience the first 2-3 power outages, but after a while, it will become normal. Sooner or later a lack of power will not bother you, and it’ll just become mundane.
You won’t be up to Date with News Events
World news seems to take its time travelling to Hawaii, which means you won’t be kept up to date with news and world events as often as you may like. By the time any news reaches you it will be considered old news elsewhere. This probably isn’t an issue for most people, but if you like to be kept up to date with occurrences and happenings you may get a little frustrated.
You could always pop online and check out the latest global stories, but with average speeds of just 25mbps via wireless broadband, you may find your online experience somewhat slow. The good news is that broadband services are improving, which means it shouldn’t be long before you’re good to surf the web any time you want.
Don’t Bring your Pets
If you plan to bring your pets to Hawaii with you, you could find it hard to rent a property from someone who is ok with you being a pet owner. This is because any animal that lives on the island has to go through some rigorous tests to make sure they are rabies-free. Animals are typically quarantined on Hawaii until the medical tests have been completed and the relevant authorities know they do not have rabies.
Our tip is to move to Hawaii and adopt a pet here, but be prepared to pay for the occasional health check.
Be Prepared to Sneeze
If you already have a few allergies, you need to be prepared to sneeze and suffer a little more than you ordinarily would. Having said that, you could always purchase some antihistamines and make sure you take one every day. You’re likely to suffer due to the vog (Volcanic fog) that drifts over the islands every now and then. If the vog is very dense you may need to stay indoors and forget any plans you had to exercise. The good news is the fog often clears after a while and unless you have any heart issues, you’re under the age of 6 or you’re elderly you should be able to spend a bit of time outdoors without suffering too much.
The Cost of Living is High
The cost of living in Hawaii can be quite high because most products need to be shipped from the mainland. When it comes to shipping products from the mainland, if your favourite store has not ordered enough bread, for example, you may have to wait a week or so before you can buy it again. The moral of the story? Make sure you have plenty of what you need in stock so that you don’t run out. If you do run out, have a back-up plan so you can survive a week or so without your favourite loaf.
As you can see, living in Hawaii can have its difficulties but for the most part. it is worth it. You may not be able to bring your pets with you without a bit of hassle, and you may need to take some antihistamines every day, but there are far worse things to worry about.
Now you know what life could be like in Hawaii, you can prepare yourself for a few power outages now and again and deal with not being up to date with world news. However, the plus side is you will be living in one of the world’s most beautiful destinations and its beauty makes the downsides seem a lot less important.
