Why the Big Island Is A Terrible Place To Live

By Julie Z

Jun

28

When my family and I decided to move here a year ago, we thought we would only be here for one year. However, due to the fact that we love it here, we have found deep friendships and have made business contacts so we can find employment, we have decided to stay. So, you ask, why the title of this post? Mixing it up. Watch:

The Big Island is a terrible place to live because:

1. You send pictures of what you did on the weekend to your friends on the mainland and they write things like, “I used to like you”, “Stop, you’re killing me!” “Can’t you please keep it down?”

2. Once you stay here for any length of time, you feel the energy of the land and the people. When you leave the island, you can’t shake the feeling that you are missing a part of yourself.

3. You can’t imagine going back to a major city center. I used to love going to big, fancy shopping areas, watching movies in big theaters with hundreds of fellow movie goers, and watching people wearing the latest fashions. Now, I can’t imagine dealing with the traffic anymore. I can now show up 5 minutes late to a first run movie and get a good seat. Fashion does not own me anymore. I used to work to afford expensive shoes, the latest seasonal dress, and new suits. I wear sandals and flip flops, shorts, tank tops and on occasion a sun dress. I don’t spend much on clothes anymore, and with the extra time I have not working to afford it, I sit on a beach with my kids.

4. You have to drive slow. And let people in. You actually have to relax on the highway, because since many residents practice the Aloha Spirit while driving, there is very little, if any honking. Most people who ride people’s bumpers, are from California on their way back to the airport.

5. You can’t rest when it’s a blue day. Since you always feel like you are on vacation, its VERY difficult to look outside from your computer and not have the feeling that you should be out swimming. Or running. Or surfing. You feel the same way about laying around in your house with a book. You feel guilty that you are not out enjoying another day in paradise.

6. You can’t get anything done when people come to visit. If someone came to visit us in the Bay Area, they usually had other family members or friends to visit. Or they would come for dinner and go about their trip. Here, they live next door to us for a week. And since we are the consummate lovers of adventure and travel on this island, we can’t say no to taking friends and family to the best snorkeling spots, dining with a sunset view and sharing umbrella drinks, coffee farm tours or 4 Wheeling to remote beaches. Nope, your days are shot.

7. You meet people who make you re-evaluate your diet. There are MANY organic farmers on the Big Island. They talk about pesticides, genetically modified seeds, and commercial farming and livestock handling and how that affects your health and your spirit. You don’t realize it all at once, but you find yourself touring local farmers markets and giving tropical foods a try. You purchase island grass fed beef, no GMO dairy products from island dairy farmers, and you think about planting a garden yourself and growing vegetables. You find yourself blessing your food and really understanding where it came from. Isn’t that crazy?

8. Sunscreen? Hats? Swim shirts? You better have plenty because you find yourself walking on sunny trails, strolling through bright outdoor markets, swimming in tide pools, reading on a beach, driving in a convertible, exploring a Volcano or heaven forbid, hiking down into a sacred valley.

9. You can’t wear big, fat, heavy coats. Or thick scarves. Or shovel snow out of your driveway. Or have your car skid on black ice. (caveat..unless you go up to Mauna Kea above the 9,000 foot visitors center. Then all bets are off on the above complaint)

10. You can NOT commiserate with your friends on Facebook or Twitter when they say things like, “It’s going to be 114 degrees today in Scottsdale” and another says, “It’s 112 here in Tucson” and then finally from Phoenix, “My car thermometer says it’s 120. Please, kill me now”. Nope, you can not jump in there with a knowing statement. Conversely, you can only offer condolences when your friends send pictures of the four foot snow drifts left by a recent blizzard.

11. And the last thing I have to say about why this island is a terrible place to live…you see people standing on the walk way outside of the hotels and resorts with their bags packed waiting to go home. And you feel sorry for them.

Aloha Moment

By Julie Z

Jan

25

“The aerial artistry of the universe” is how I think about the beautiful sunsets we have here in Kona/Keauhou. Wanted to share.

We Love A Parade-Especially When We Are In It!

By Julie Z

Nov

15

I got to be in my third parade in Kona since July! My family and I joined Nancy Sweatt, owner of Dolphin Journeys, on her float in the Kona Coffee and Cultural Heritage parade on Saturday. We invited our new Kona friends to join us with their children, as well. Getting lined up and ready for our third trip down Alii Drive in downtown was just too fun. Our friends, a family from Atlanta, GA and a family from Temecula, CA all agreed that you just don’t get to jump onto a parade float very often.

The kids were yelling, “ALOOOOOOOHA!” and blowing bubbles to the crowd, while the adults were swinging coffee cups and encouraging the crowd to drink Kona Coffee..(I was also helping my friend Nancy out by telling people to drink Kona coffee AND swim with the dolphins!”) The happy faces from the crowd, the shaka signs and the greetings of Aloha were just so rewarding and memorable. When we were in the 4th of July parade, we used water guns to shoot the crowd..I mean cool them off. Then we switched to bubbles for the IronMan Parade of Nations and decided it was a safe and happy crowd pleaser.

Nancy thinks we were helping her with marketing and outreach by being on the float. We knew we were doing it for the opportunity to be big fish in a little pond…to be those “cool folks” who get to wave and drive by on a parade float with hands waving and grins plastered on our faces. Being on a parade float makes you feel like you truly belong to a town. You get to participate. You get to get your face in the local paper (which is exactly what happened to my daughter for the Ironman parade!) and you get to invite your friends to join you..and then they belong to the town, too.

I wish for everyone to have a chance to participate in a parade-maybe if you are around for the Holiday Parade in December, Nancy can find some space on the float for ya and you can blow bubbles, too!

Finding Adventure Along With Spirit in Polo’lu Valley

By Julie Z

Sep

6

People keep talking about the energy that is under our feet here in Hawaii because of the volcanic activity and the constant creation of new land. This energy also seems to draw very spiritually aware people to the island to connect with the spirit they feel here. My husband and I met a group of such people yesterday for a hike down to the verdant, lush and gorgeous Polo’lu Valley outside of Hawi on the northern end of the island.

New friends!

This group is working with my friend, Nancy Sweatt, owner of Dolphin Journey’s and Martin Grassberger, a personal trainer who have created a Dolphin Wellness Retreat to bring people together here on the island to experience the joy of swimming with dolphins, hiking, working out on long white sand beaches, and connecting with the special energy on this island. We had a chance to join this group as they traveled into the valley to scope out the path for the retreat being held in October.

The young people we met on this adventure were a treat! We hiked down to the valley floor, then across the beach and then up the other side. The trail went up into a dense jungle and we were all laughing that it was like a long hike in an episode of “Survivor”. Along the way, one of the hikers, Stephanie and I were talking about finding signs that meant something special to us if we looked for them.

She found a lava rock with a perfect heart (her favorite sign) on the beach. (Which goes with the concept of, when you set your mind to find something, it’s amazing how the universe gives you what you want)

A "sign" presented

During the hike, the weather gave us bit of everything, from rain, sunshine, wind and calm. Being surrounded with such serene and unspoiled beauty gave us all a chance to talk about being connected to the land, gratefulness for having our health, and the company of new and old friends. It’s amazing how far you can push yourself (like up the side of the mountain surrounded by jungle) when you are talking about being blessed instead of worrying  about mosquitos!

If you ever find yourself in this valley and want to experience this hiking adventure, walk across the mouth of the valley and follow the trail up into the forest on the other side. It’s difficult enough to make you know you are hiking, but it’s such interesting terrain, you want to keep going to see what’s around the next corner!

So, I was thinking about my dad, who passed away in April, and since his death, I have been seeing rainbows. When I see one, I think of it as a sign he has presented to me so I remember him. As we were walking back across the valley, my husband yelled, “Get the camera!” and I looked up to see the most beautiful, bright rainbow on the ocean and the cliffs. It was just spectacular!

A rainbow in paradise

The group got to the other side of the valley and we started the trek back up the mountain..with visions of a cocktail at Bamboo restaurant in Hawi as our motivator! When we got half way up, we were pleasantly surprised to see the rainbow still hanging over the rocks. We were the only ones left on the trail and we all knew we were seeing something very special. I had a chance to thank my dad for being there, thank the island for presenting us such a view and Pele/spirit for giving me the day with a group of people to enjoy this adventure with. Sometimes you get what you want, right when you need it.

How lucky were we to see this?

The valley floor

Interesting Hawaiian History To Be Found at Keauhou Resorts

By Julie Z

Aug

30

There are interesting secrets to be found on the grounds of many of the hotels in Kona (and in Kohala, too). At the Sheraton Keauhou Resort, they recently have built a “history board” on the back of the property explaining where the ancient sites are on the grounds and their historical significance. My friend, Dawn, while staying there, was able to get a tour of the property and learned of the history of this special area. We just discovered this story board about the property and were amazed that we had walked over a canoe house, a livestock pen, and a heiau for YEARS and not known what the cultural and historical significance were of the area near the ocean.

I also just found out that the Outrigger Keauhou Resort is offering paid tours with lunch or dinner. For $60, a tour guide takes you through the property including the Queen’s baths, the newly constructed heiau’s and wraps it up with dinner over the Hawaiian fishing ponds.

This is such a interesting time in Keauhou history. There is energy and effort towards showing the tourists the history of this area and encouraging them to love the ‘aina (the land) and the culture so that the history of the Hawaiians can continue, in spite of the commercial development of these sacred lands.

“Tell my story”–Am I hearing voices?

By Julie Z

Aug

8

Part of the allure of the Big Island for us when we decided to move here, was the spiritual calling. I would almost be embarrassed sharing this with you, but for three things.

1. I have spoken to many people who have lived on this island for an extended amount of time and they all say that Hawaii island is a very powerful island in terms of spirit. Call it “Pele” or what have you, there is something here and those that live here, know it.

2. I have a personal story to share that happened to me when I was here in 2006 that made me a believer. (and I don’t mean the kind that makes you  chant, “I do believe in spooks, I do believe in spooks, I do, I do!”)

I was sitting at a light at Queen K highway and Henry Road, near Barnes and Noble, with my two young children in the van with me. All of a sudden I looked in my rear view mirror and saw a large truck (like an 18 wheeler type of truck) coming down the hill at me and I could tell the driver had lost control of his vehicle. He was frantically trying to stop the truck and it was starting to slide sideways. All I could do was think, “He is going to crash into me and pancake me and my family into the car in front of me”. Then, I heard a voice, “Move the car”.  A voice. I did not know what to think and continued to hesitate as I was watching the frantic driver careening behind me. Then it came again..but this time it yelled, “MOVE THE CAR, NOW!” (I am getting goosebumps telling this to you and my eyes are welling with tears..it was a very powerful experience).

With that voice breaking me out of my paralysis, I realized that I could drive my car to the side of the median and scrunch next to the signal pole..and I did it..just as the truck ended up stopping where my van had just been. I looked at the driver and he looked at me and we both did the “Oh my god, did that just happen? Did we just avoid a tragedy?” looks. Then the light turned green, and I drove on. I needed to go into a parking lot, stop the car and start sobbing. Since then, I have been more aware of these voices who have given me the most helpful advice. Spirit guides? I don’t know, but I know it’s real. And the voices are extra loud on the Big Island.

3. I was pondering what I wanted to say in this blog, when I met Dawn Love, the tourist who was running near the bottom of Alii and I came up with the idea not to just make this blog about things to do on the island. The place where I met Dawn overlooks a huge ancient Hawaiian battlefield and it is now a graveyard of the warriors who perished there. I found myself there last week, and on the behest of a spiritual healer, who told me to ask the universe for direction and listen to the answer, I heard this, “Tell my story”.  This was not the “yelling” I heard at the intersection. It was a soft male voice, and it was almost as if he said, “Talk story”..which is what the Hawaiians call it when they gather to just chat about life and the world.

I am a student of this island. I have been called here for some reason. I take photographs. I write. I am a connector. I will tell this story. The story of the people who want me to bring their stories from this island to the internet, to the people who want to listen.

A Golf Course For A Sunset? SURE!

By Julie Z

Jul

28


I’m not saying that people who visit Kona will all of a sudden decide that running down a golf course to watch the sunset is part of their vacation plans….BUT, it sure is fun!  The sun was out for most of the day today (its the rainy season, so you never know quite what you are going to get for weather) and we decided that tonight we would take a stroll down the 11th hole of the Kona Country Club Golf Course near our condo in Keauhou. Its such a fun place to watch the sunset because the kids can run, it’s a beautiful setting and the pictures we take there are sometimes FABULOUS! (During the winter it is REALLY good because there is a blow hole near one of the tee boxes and the waves can make the water spout dozens of feet in the air).

Tonight, however, we found that the sprinklers were on. Instead of dismay, this caused my kids great excitement at the prospect of running through “Super Sprinklers”. We decided to let kids be kids and let ‘em at it. Soaked, screaming, and creating memories for a lifetime, they ran a half mile in the sprinklers all the way down the course. AND we were greeted with a pretty sunset, too. If you have ever considered moving to an island, this is one of those evenings that makes me happy that I traded my hour long commute in the San Francisco Bay Area for a chance to watch my kids enjoy themselves in the 80 degree evening of Kona. Its a good life.

Running Into Me Is a Good Thing!

By Julie Z

Jul

27

Who wants to go to Bubba Gumps?

My offline and online world is starting to merge and it sure makes for some new adventures with the visitors to Kona! The first tourist I ran into, Dawn, has checked in with me a few times via my Facebook Business page and she asked for advice on the ZipLine tours. I helped her decide on the tour company up on the Hamakua Coast. (will tell you more when she checks in with me!)

Then today, my kids and I decided to do something different and we rode the Keauhou/Kona trolley shuttle to downtown. While we were waiting, we started talking to some women visiting from Edmonton, Canada. They said they were going to have lunch at Bubba Gumps. Ok, not to slight the restaurant made famous by Tom Hanks, but I just could not endorse a chain restaurant in Kona. (and thankfully, there are not many!) SO, I launched into my enthusiastic support for restaurants in downtown Kona with direct ocean views, tasty drinks, and reasonably priced menus. They abandoned their plans to go to Bubba’s and got off the shuttle with us and followed us into the Kona Inn!

They had the mai tai’s I suggested and the calamari appetizer, too! Then we all raised our drinks in a toast to Kona and took pictures of one another! I told them about this blog and gave them the url, so it will be fun if they become fans of the Facebook page!

I am writing this also to show that word of mouth is so important. You don’t want to just read what a guide book has to tell you. You want to feel the excitement from someone explaining an amazing experience they had, ask the questions, and like all good travelers know..get the inside scoop. SO, this is not going to just be “101 Things To Do in Kona”..there is already a magazine for that. And this is not going to be “The Big Island Revealed, blog edition”.  I want this to be an interactive experience, as well! If you are coming to Kona or are here and want some feedback on experiences in Kona, please contact me through the Facebook fan page! I check it daily and if you want, you can even send me a direct message through the site, like Dawn has done! I want to be a resource and I appreciate the opportunity to meet new people and create fun blog posts on what YOU are experiencing, too!

A friend of mine from Las Vegas is coming to visit on Wednesday. I hope to share with you what we do together. She is only here for four days, so whatever we do is going to go under the chapter of “Stuffing it all in within four days on the Big Island!”