Magilla Gorilla

Aloha,

My family and I have been visiting Hawaii for over twenty years. We fell in love with the islands and the people when we first visited back in 1989. We have been planning this move for two years now. I thought I would share our journey with all of you. Hopefully this will help some one else with a similair move. We are happy to share what costs are involved and anything else that me be helpful or of interest.

We are moving our business to Kailua Kona which ads more complications to the process. We need to hire three staff members in Kona. We will have two containers with our house and business items as well as two of my cars will be in the containers. I think of Ferris Bueller's day off and don't want anyone driving two of my cars. One has 650 horse power and the other 670. My wife keeps saying, where are you going to drive them? Our other two cars will go in the hull of the ship. Moving your stuff can be costly and we did a lot of research. Our stuff leaves Santa Barbara June 10th. The containers and extra special care for the cars costs over $20,000.

We have one way tickets for June 30th. We are keeping our Santa Barbara house and renting it out. We don't need to sell it and it has been a great investment. This is a little stressful as I have hundreds of plants. I am fine tuning the watering system. This weekend I am installing rain sensors so the system shuts off when it rains. NO MORE GOPHERS! This makes me really happy!

We are going to rent for about six months to make sure we have picked the right area. We want to live above Kona in a town called Holualoa. Compared to Santa Barbara properties are very affordable. We are looking for a home with one to two acres.

Here is the crazy part.... I am importing around 250 plants! I have 220 varieties of bromeliads and then odd ball stuff I wont be able to get there. Some of the other plants are a highly variegated bird of paradise, yellow bird of paradise, several variegated clivias, heliconias and gingers. The improting process is such that one plant to 1000 plants cost $20.00. The plants will need to be inspected here and when I land. The plants are going on the plane in six large containers.

The move is for several reasons. I have four ruptured and four buldging discs in my spine. The weather here in Santa Barbara is cool and damp. This morning it was 46. This sucks! My spine does not like the cold weather. The other reason to move is that many people have dreams and goals but fail to live long enough to enjoy or fullfill them. Life is short and you need to enjoy yourself. Obviously the weather and growing conditions are great in Hawaii.

We are going to Hawaii next weekend to secure the commercial space and housing. I have lots of cool plants in pots that I will try to offer for sale to members at a great price. I just need to find the time.

__________________
Andrew

alias

Sounds pretty cool, I wish you best luck with new residence and ofcourse with plants

__________________
Edi

Yug

Hope you have enough room for some 'nanners.

Scot Nelson

I hope you enjoy the Big Island.

I lived there for 14 years.

kaczercat

enpjoy. hopeyou have a safe move and the weather is good for ya,

__________________
Matt

Richard

Andrew, Hawaii is a perfect match for you. Enjoy!

__________________
Back in business at plantsthatproduce.com

paulorph

Congrats!
Kona is really nice. I was there with CVS/Longs when CVS bought longs for 3 weeks. I really love it there.

__________________
Hi from cold Ann Arbor,Michigan! Go Blue!

momoese

Andrew, you could have traded the cars for this and had some fun driving there.

WaterCar Python

Cjmbuffalo

Andrew:

Quite a task moving all those plants. Those "Bros" must be something special to move them. You will find that the east side of the island has nurserymen raising all types of plants and are considerably more reasonable priced than the Kona side.

As far as the King Kong cars, gas is going to set you back a great deal, currently reg is running $4.7 a gallon so I am guessing high test is going be $4.90.

Hope the move goes smoothly for you!

Charlie

cherokee_greg

Its so great your doing your dream. Im so happy for you. Yes life is to short do what you want to do now. Have fun and many blessings your way your in my thoughts and prayers.
Greg

__________________




Greg zone 9 Fresno,CA
http://gardenjot.com/garden/view/1980/Gregs-Banana-Farm

robguz24

Congratulations and best of luck on the move.
I hear ya on the life is too short and back issues. I moved here at age 36 just a year after my 2nd herniated disc surgery. Have had no significant issues since the move despite building a house and doing lots and lots of gardening in lava. I can literally feel my back tense up as soon as I get off the plane when visiting the mainland. I hope the slower pace of life here gives you the same benefit. Best decision I ever made and hope it is for you and your family too!

__________________
My micro-farm

Stay on my Big Island banana farm cottage

Chance1945

Andrew, I once read that moving is one of the most stressful things that we do in our lives; in fact, it may have read that it is the most stressful. But looking forward to living in Hawaii may reduce some of that stress. I hope so.

I wish you the very best and I know that you appreciate that you can make this dream come true.

Do keep us updated and I trust that you will get settled in quickly. I'm excited for you.

Wishing you and the family the very best.

Terry

palmtree

I'd be counting the hours, not days! Glad that your moving to a place you truely love. Gotta live your life the way that you want to and who wouldnt want to live in Hawaii! Sounds like your going to have a beautiful tropical yard there and Im sure you will enjoy the nice and mild climate!
Good idea to put rain sensors in, that will help a lot to keep your plants happy. Im sure you will make a lot of money by renting your house. Santa Barbara is a really great place to vacation so having a house there is a great investment, definitely something you would want to keep!
Looking forward to seeing some pics of your tropical yard in Hawaii!

__________________
Location: New York City, zone 7b

Kelso

Congrats!

__________________

Little by little, grow the bananas.

cheson74

Aloha! Love the Big Island. Oahu is too crowded!

__________________

Julian

Best wishes. Bye to the smog, hello to the vog.

jmoore

Good luck Andrew. I'm massively jealous (of the move, not the bulging discs). I'll be hassling you for more seeds I'm sure that varigated strelitzia sounds very interesting seriously, good luck dude.

harveyc

Don't forget, now, we've got an agreement that you're also looking for a place with a guest cottage!

You've done a lot of work planning all of this so I'm sure it will work out smoothly for you. Good luck!

__________________

Magilla Gorilla

Thanks Rob. I know the warm climate will make my back feel better. I have been in pain for 16 years. I will continue to be in pain but in a better place!

Thank you Terry. I will find you some cool plumerias. Yes it is stressfull. Moving our business adds another elemnet of stress.

I agree that Santa Barbara is a great investment. Owning a home in Hawaii will be as well.

James, if you can tell me how to collect those seeds I will ship them off. It's not flowering yet. It is a beauty!


Aloha Harvey,
Having a guest ohana is second on the list to the garage for the cars
Yes you will have a place to visit.

__________________
Andrew

saltydad

Just read this, and wanted to add my (jealous) congrats and best wishes on your move. Lots of photos when you actually do it would be great. Best of luck!

__________________
Men In Nursing- "A Few Good Men"

"Gardening is the purest of human pleasures." - Francis Bacon





"If by a liberal, they mean someone who looks ahead and not behind; someone who welcomes new ideas without rigid reactions; someone who cares about the welfare of the people, their health, their housing, their schools, their jobs, their civil rights, their civil liberties; someone who believes we can break through the stalemate and suspicion that grips us; that is what they meant by a liberal, I am proud to be a liberal."
John F. Kennedy, September, 1960


http://flickr.com/photos/saltydad/ and
http://community.webshots.com/user/saltydad
http://s751.photobucket.com/albums/xx151/saltydad/