Advice needed for moving to Hawaii

[DebbyDiver]

Hey HI friends, quick question: if you ship a car to the mainland, are you permitted to drive it with HI plates on it?

The reason I ask is that we're thinking how much fun it would be to ship the truck to Miami, then take a road trip and drive it to Los Angeles. Problem is that we have USVI plates on our vehicles. Seems to me that if they allow HI plates, they should allow USVI plates, knowing that we didn't drive to the mainland, right?

 

[Doubler]

When you ship your vehicle/belongings make sure you:

1. Have written permission from your bank if you are still paying for it. They are the lein holder and they have to give permission. I had to pay mine off before shipping. Every payment was on time and I owed only 6 months but it still sucked.
2. Don't ship anything in the car you expect to arrive on the other end. This includes console mounted compasses, jacks, spare tires and after market stereos. Most don't make it to delivery. Mine didn't.
3. Make sure your car meets Hawai'i safety standards. Your car must be inspected as soon as it rolls off the boat. At least that used to be the law. Expect to fail. Expect to pay to meet standards.
4. Watch the movers as your boxes come off the truck. They will call a number, you check it off, they put it down and when you are not watching poof it is gone. Wife lost all her shoes this way.
5. Hawaii ain't all that great. Diving is soso, expensive, no yards, give up milk. Weather is great. People and local food is great.

 

[DebbyDiver]

Thanks, Doubler! That's exactly what we went through when I moved from Florida to the Virgin Islands. Looking back on the experience, it was a piece of cake. To think of all of the worry I had beforehand.

We don't drink milk, we checked cost of living and HI is cheaper than where we live now, and we can't stay here since the island's (and my partner's) major employer is shuttering. We hadn't even thought of HI until he got a job offer from out of the blue. Why do you say the diving is so-so, you think WA is that much better?

 

[DiveMaven]

Debby, the diving is nothing like Caribbean diving, but IMO it is fantastic in Hawaii. I would strongly advise you to hire a good guide or find a local buddy for your first few dives as they'll be able to show you how/where to find the great critters....it makes all the difference in the world as to the quality of your experience. If you want to see the great stuff you can find, check out my husband's photos from our last few trips to Maui. http://divetraveladventures.shutterfly.com/maui

Since you're used to the quirks of island-life, you'll have no problem living in Hawaii...especially since you've just found out it's cheaper in Hawaii than in the USVI.

 

[DebbyDiver]

Thanks, a great idea to hire a local guide. We already know it won't be like Florida or the Caribbean but after 30+ years of diving, a change could be good.

I'm thinking how refreshing it will be to live in an actual US state!!!

 

[DebbyDiver]

If you want to see the great stuff you can find, check out my husband's photos from our last few trips to Maui. http://divetraveladventures.shutterfly.com/maui

I forgot to thank you for this. We were incredibly busy yesterday installing security systems and today I'm back to work, but I sent the link to my partner and bookmarked it for myself to enjoy later.

 

[DebbyDiver]

Hey HI friends, quick question: if you ship a car to the mainland, are you permitted to drive it with HI plates on it?

The reason I ask is that we're thinking how much fun it would be to ship the truck to Miami, then take a road trip and drive it to Los Angeles. Problem is that we have USVI plates on our vehicles. Seems to me that if they allow HI plates, they should allow USVI plates, knowing that we didn't drive to the mainland, right?

Found out that yes, it is legal to drive around the 48 contiguous states with a USVI tag on the back. ROAD TRIP!!!

 

[fugly]

Can't seem to wrap my head around the fact that some said diving in Hawaii is soso. I dive in NJ and the water is ~42 degrees and with 10-15 ft viz. My first OW checkout dive was 43 degrees with 1ft viz. I loved it!!! It was AWESOME!!!! and been blowing bubbles since.


Don’t listen to soso dude. Hawaii diving is AWESOME!!!!!!!

Good luck and enjoy Hawaii.

Fugly's -2 cent.

 

[DebbyDiver]

can't seem to wrap my head around the fact that some said diving in hawaii is soso. I dive in nj and the water is ~42 degrees and with 10-15 ft viz. My first ow checkout dive was 43 degrees with 1ft viz. I loved it!!! It was awesome!!!! And been blowing bubbles since.


don’t listen to soso dude. Hawaii diving is awesome!!!!!!!

good luck and enjoy hawaii.

Fugly's -2 cent.

i hear ya!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

[DebbyDiver]

So, knowing that there has to be a minimum of 120 days between a pet's blood test and non-quarantined entry into HI...my dogs have appointments for blood draws tomorrow. July would be the earliest we could come.