Aloha from Our New Home.....Hawaii!

We are finally getting settled and adjusted to living in Hawaii. Leaving Seattle was not easy. The weather vastly improved around the time we left. It was difficult to fathom that we had one-way tickets and would not be returning. The stress of moving out from the condo/apartment, with packing of household goods, cleaning up and passing inspection before turning in the keys was a bit stressful but more melancholy instead. Despite the weather and cold, Seattle was home and we still miss it. The four days at the Navy Lodge in Marysville was not exactly a vacation as we shipped out what the military calls “whole baggage.” I didn’t feel any relief until the last “whole baggage” was sent out. I hope I will not have to do this for some time but you never know in this age of uncertainty.

We arrived in Hawaii on Fourth of July weekend and spent two weeks in hotels in Waikiki. We did see Independence Day fireworks from the beach on the 4th of July. First ten days was at the Aston Banyan and then to the Aqua Wave for the weekend before we moved into our house in Kaneohe. We did enjoy the time at the Aston with its pools, Jacuzzis and proximity to Waikiki Beach though we walked by it instead of going for a swim. I knew there were less crowded and prettier beaches in Kailua and Kaneohe instead (OK I am biased!). Walked around Kalakaua Boulevard at nights but not window shopping. The area was crowded and most of the stores were overpriced catering towards wealthy Asian tourists. You can find the same merchants selling the same goods at the Aloha Stadium Swap Meet for 60% less! Coffee did taste good in a non-Starbucks coffee shop. Oh yes, what is Waikiki without mentioning ABC Stores?

Our old 1997 Nissan Altima had arrived at the docks at Sand Island and we went to get the old girl. She arrived a bit dusty with over 208,200 miles! After the rental car term expired we took the old Altima and that was to drive us around. The final weekend was spent at Aqua Wave Hotel and noticed there were ear plugs on the desk. I found out Saturday night why the hotel provided those and let us know to call the front desk if we needed more! The loud music and festive party atmosphere made it noisy to sleep. We checked out early Sunday morning and have not gone back to Waikiki since. The closest we came to Waikiki was having lunch at Taiyo Noodles next to Ala Moana Center.

I went and took the Altima to the local Nissan dealer in Kaneohe after we moved in and they looked at the air conditioner which has not been recharged since I bought the car in 1997. Checks indicated the A/C was good and the car was in great shape for being 14 years old and having over 208,000 miles on it! However she needs a sun visor and a radio antenna. It did pass the state safety inspection and now has Hawaii plates instead of Washington.

After we moved in the house it was sleeping on the floor, eating while standing and waiting for the household goods to arrive from the mainland. It finally arrived on August 2 and took several days to unpack. Unpacking was no fun as we had to find ways to dispose packing paper and crush the boxes for recyclers. Now was the task to make the little house we leased into a home. We called the local cable company to get Internet, home phone and cable TV installed. That came but the furniture delivery was still a week away! Bank of America has no branches in Hawaii so we had to transfer to a local bank. I guess you can call it reverse stress as what we experienced in Washington was not in Hawaii but in reverse of unpacking and settling down.

However the chapter isn’t closed yet as I have yet to be paid for my travel claim and the expensive hotel bills I have accrued. Oh yes, I have not received Hawaii pay (actually it’s a cut from Seattle) along with cost of living allowance. How in the hell can cost of living in Hawaii be lower than Seattle? Apparently someone in Washington DC thinks so!

“I” got a job working at Safeway and “Lv” is enrolled as a senior at a local high school. “L” is taking care of the house and me, it’s off to work at Ford Island. The commute to and from Kaneohe to Ford Island on H-3 is great! Little traffic and the freeway is not a parking lot!

I will be going back to sea at the end of this month for about 30 days. Then it will be the winter routine. I know I will appreciate being in Hawaii more when the winter months come and I see weather reports from the mainland.

Until then Aloha from the Hawaii!