All Posts Tagged ‘moving’

Post

Regularly Scheduled Programming

January 25, 2015
3 comments

Time flies in the tropics, that’s really the only way to explain the fact that They Went West has been MIA for the last two months. Ok, that’s not the only way, but it is certainly one of them. We’re not ones to make excuses, but with the holidays, visitors, new jobs, a big move, and frenzied dash to the finish line of getting the project house ready to list, a break from the blog was just what we needed.

Before we kick off a stellar year of tropical blogging (or at least semi-stellar year, we are occasional bloggers at best. . .) here’s the low-down on the last few months.

December: It’s hard to name all of the good things that December brought to R and I, but onegrad school survivor of the best for sure was my successful thesis defense. I shouted this from the rooftops and every social media platform so most of you are well aware that after two and a half years, 10 courses, and one thesis I am a MASTER. Seems like a strange title doesn’t it? MASTER. Wow.  It seems like the grad school + full time work years went all at once and dragged on forever at the same time. It was the hardest two years of my life and now, I can say that it is done, I did it, I passed, and I am pretty sure it helped me land a job in my field in Kauai. Friends and family here on the island tell me that it is not easy to find a job, especially one in your field of expertise, and that pays better (even if only slightly) than mainland jobs. Well, by some miracle, and a lot of hard work I was able to land a job that accomplished all three. If that was all December brought, it would have been more than enough.

But that wasn’t it! R and I got to experience our first island Christmas in December as well. There were things we loved about it and things we missed about CO desperately, but most of all we enjoyed spending it together. We kept some traditions from home (fondue on Christmas Eve – without a fondue pot, that was interesting!) Champagne on Christmas morning (With fresh squeezed OJ), and added some new ones (coconut waffles for breakfast, lounging on the beach even though it was windy and almost chilly!). Facetimed with our families to open presents and enjoy a beverage or two or three together and then just relaxed the day away. We didn’t run from house to house or party to party – we just relaxed. Something that neither R nor myself are very good at.

 champagne foxy  waffles

Now, let’s talk about ringing in the new year – island style. Our neighbors had warned us, islanders do it UP on NYE, and boy they weren’t lying. Fireworks are pretty much illegal in Colorado, and for good reason since the state has been torched every summer by pretty significant wildfires, but to our knowledge no ban exists in Kauai. I think there is a registration process when you buy fireworks here, or something like that, but it sure doesn’t seem regulated in anyway. Our neighbors had fireworks galore. . . big ones. I’m just going to come out with it and be honest. . . I hate fireworks. It’s true. I like them at Disney World or Fourth of July show, but in your neighbors backyard at 3:00 a.m. I’m not a fan. Our NYE revolved around homemade pizza, pajamas and Netflix and that was just perfect! Thankfully our neighbors were nice and didn’t carry on until 3:00 a.m., but that is mostly because the power went out island wide on New Year’s Eve and once all the works were lit, there was nothing else to do but go to bed and hope the power was back on by morning. Thankfully the lights did come back on and the rest of the holiday weekend was spent prepping for the first full week of work since I started the job in December.

 pizzarelax

January: Nothing like the start of a new year to kick things into high gear (I’m starting to think R and I don’t operate in anything but high gear), we got down to business, me at my new job, Richard frantically working to finish the lower house renovations and last odds and ends needed to get the project house listed. While that was going on, we were also simultaneously closing on our new house – YES!! – NEW HOUSE and getting ready to move. See what I mean, always operating in high gear, never a dull moment! The new house story is one for the next post, but last week we packed up a uhaul with everything we own (kind of nice that everything we own fits in one medium sized uhaul) and headed to the east side of Kauai to settle into the new place.

So, that’s where we are and where we have been for the last 2 months. Life on this little island is starting to feel normal. Not that I know what normal really is supposed to feel like at this point, or if it even really exists, but a routine is starting to take shape and regularly scheduled programming has resumed. The edge is starting to wear off and I’m finding things I really, really love about living in Kauai. New job, new house, new city, same island and it’s all starting to feel so good.

 rainbowwriting

This year I hope to keep bringing you updates about what it is like to live and work in Kauai, How we care for and transform this new house into our home, and what happens with the project house as well. A deeper look at the culture we’ve encountered here and what we’re learning from it. So keep reading, and virtually visiting our little island through the blog. Until next time. . .
XO,
RT

Take a hike
Post

Take a hike

October 13, 2014
1 comment

It’s been almost four months since R and I landed on this little green island and with the lack of seasonal change here (no golden leaves, no cooler temperatures or fleece jackets and nothing pumpkin spiced in sight) the four month mark is prime time for a little homesickness to kick in. It’s not overwhelming, but every now and then I really, REALLY miss Boulder – the food, the people, the mountains, the ability to walk to more shops and restaurants than I can count.

With both Richard and I working from home we are also guilty of not getting out as much as we should. We’ve met a few people, but it’s not as easy to make new friends as we thought it would be since we don’t have traditional workplaces to get us started. This is especially troubling because I need to gather a group of people willing to help me with my thesis research for free! Fingers crossed I can find these people soon because it is hard to call on strangers for free help! In any case, we’re slowly starting to get involved in some activities here and we are looking forward to getting even more connected however the difficulty of getting connected on top of the insanely hot temperatures make me think about Colorado and what the heck we are doing out here often.

With the homesickness kicking in, R and I have gotten out into nature and tried to do things that we loved in Colorado here in Kauai. Colorado and Kauai share incredible natural environments and even though there may not be snow or evergreen trees here there are mountains to climb and lots of them.

At the end of September we went on our first Kauai hike and instead of easing into it we picked a 7.8 mile trek out to a point along the NaPali coast called the Nualolo Trail/Lookout. This trail starts in Kokee State Park which is in the Waimea Canyon. We were told that when we start to feel homesick for Colorado that our first stop should be Kokee not just because it is in the mountains, but also because it is cooler, much cooler in fact. After winding our way up the canyon to the park and trailhead we jumped out of the car and noticed it was only 71 degrees! A very welcome surprise since we’ve been in the mid to upper 80’s through the last few months. We laced up our shoes, layered on the sunscreen and bug spray, put Ellie in her harness and hit the trail at about 11:00 a.m.

We have a great Kauai trails book and thankfully we had read about the Nualolo before attempting it because it is a doosie of a trail, especially on the way back. The first few miles of the trek start downhill and wander through incredibly interesting and varied landscapes from thick, lush rainforest to tall grass meadows, to dry, dusty mountain ridges. The last quarter mile of the trail takes you along a traverse not for those with a fear of heights or wobbly balance. This trail is also not one to attempt if there has been any heavy rain. The red dirt here in Kauai turns into super slick red mud when it rains and this trail would be impassable and dangerous in wet conditions. Thankfully the trail was bone dry the day we trekked and the view at the Nualolo Lookout is nothing short of breathtaking – teal and azure water, stunning green and red NaPali Cliffs and dense tropical valleys that make helicopters look like tiny flapping birds.

This slideshow requires JavaScript.

At the lookout we marveled at the view, snapped a few pictures and stopped in the shade for a snack and water break and then started our trek out and UP. Remember how I said the first few miles of the trail are downhill? It’s more than the first few, truly the trail slopes downward the entire way to the lookout which means the way out is ALL uphill. Also, the first part of the trek takes you through dense forest, but the majority of it wanders through open ridges and tons of sunshine. We probably should have started our journey a little earlier to avoid the highest and hottest sun, but we didn’t. The first mile out of the lookout is tremendously brutal! A VERY steep incline with lots of boulders and tree roots to stumble on plus hot sun and intense humidity made for a very slow and sweaty return to the car. We drank every drop of water we brought with us and we packed more than we thought we would need. Our advice to you if you decide to hike Kauai (and you definitely should!) is to pack double the water you think you and any furry friends traveling with you will need or travel light by buying a water purifier you can take with you on the trail and is able to filter out bacteria and other yucky stuff.

Although intense, the trek was everything you want in half day hike. Incredible scenery, great workout and very few other people cluttering the view.  We made it back to the car dirty, sweaty and tired around 4:30 p.m. making it the perfect half day hike. The trek wore us out but not enough to keep us from enjoying dinner and margaritas out that night to celebrate the start of R’s 28th year on the planet. We highly recommend this trail to any experienced hikers or those beginners with enough patience and determination to meet the challenge. You won’t regret it, we definitely didn’t and look forward to doing it again with friends.

Last weekend we also hit another trail on the east side of the island known as the NouNou trail (or Sleeping Giant trail) This was much less intense, and a lot more muddy so we didn’t quite make it to the summit, but the views of the ocean and Homesteads below are fantastic as well. Also a much less intense incline to worry about – we saw many hikers in teva sandals and lugging expensive camera equipment which I wouldn’t recommend on Nualolo. Ellie enjoyed the NouNou trail and leaping from rock to rock along some of the washed out sections where you could see water had carved out the trail. This hike only took us a few hours and was a great way to get us out of the house for a while.

We look forward to more hiking in Kauai and hopefully some Colorado visitors to join us on a few for that extra dose of home. If you can’t join us on the island for a hike just yet, please send us green chile, rio salsa/margaritas or any other fall treats you can think of. The closest I’ve gotten out here were some delicious honeycrisp apples I found at Costco but they did make a very fine fall salad with butter lettuce, sliced almonds, yellow peppers and dried cherries. 🙂

XO
RT

Ellie on the beach
Post

Homeward bound

September 9, 2014
1 comment

Aww remember that movie?! It really was one of my favorites as a kid. Well, R and I recently experienced a puppy homecoming of our own that was way better than the movie. Thankfully no sassy cats or lost dogs were involved.

We moved to Kauai in July and due to strict pet import rules here we had to leave Ellie, our beloved Rhodesian Ridegeback mix, behind for about a month and a half. Thankfully we had the best pup sitter around to take care of her during that time (Thanks Linda!) but it was beyond difficult to leave her as we drove off on that sunny July afternoon.

So many people have asked about how we were going to go about moving Ellie to the island that I think it is fitting to dedicate a little blog space to the process of getting her here. I should tell you that it was not easy and it totally turned me into a constantly anxious, borderline crazy person, BUT it is totally worth it if you are considering a move of this scale yourself.

Before we can fast forward to Ellie’s arrival in Kauai, let’s go back in time. . . to February 2014.

February 2014 was when we decided to get serious about moving. Luckily we have had enough family and friends trek out to these little green islands that we knew the pet import process would be long and involved and we started to get prepped early (but not early enough since we had to leave the pup!). Hawaii is the only state (and one of the only places in the world) that is rabies free. That’s right, no rabies-infested animal has made it across the pacific and the state of Hawaii would like to keep it that way. Keeping rabies out of Hawaii is not easy, so bringing a pet to the island that could carry rabies is not easy either.

Because Hawaii is a rabies free zone, all pets that move to the island must undergo a quarantine process to ensure they are not carrying the disease. In the past, pets had to be quarantined on island for 120 days, but thankfully the state has revised this policy and pets can now qualify for direct release as long as all quarantine requirements have been met BEFORE the pet arrives.

For all of the details of the direct release program, check out this post on the Hawaii Life site or the Hawaii Department of Agriculture Site for all required paperwork. For an overview, keep reading!

  1. First your pet needs to have records of TWO rabies vaccinations
  2. Second you need to make sure your pet has an active and working microchip
  3. Third your veterinarian needs to conduct an FAVN blood test. This is a special test, that will cost a pretty penny ($200 or so) and has to be sent to a special testing lab at Kansas State University. Once this blood test is received by the testing lab, the 120 day waiting period begins. Since we didn’t start this process until February we didn’t have everything ready for Ellie to ship out with us in July.

You do not need to keep your pet away from other animals or keep them cooped up for any reason, but you do have to wait 120 days from the time of testing before you can welcome them to Hawaii.

  1. Your pooch also has to have several other veterinary appointments where a flea and tick treatment will be applied and a general health analysis will be performed to make sure the pet is fit to fly.
  2. Once you complete all of the following steps (again, definitely see the full information at HDA or Hawaii Life) You also need to make sure all paperwork is signed, sealed and delivered with proper veterinary signatures to the HDA no later than 10 days before your pet arrives in Hawaii.
  3. Don’t forget about booking the pet’s flight(s) and the fees associated with that and with releasing a pet in Kauai. The main animal quarantine is located at the Honolulu airport and to release a pet directly on a neighboring island packs on way bigger and outrageous fees. To direct release Ellie on Kauai would have been $500 more than to release her on Oahu and transfer to Kauai.

As you can tell, this is not easy or cheap, but it is worth it. Thankfully there are several wonderful pet moving companies that can help you get through the process. We hired Island Pet Movers and they were wonderful! They handled all of the paperwork and sent us step by step instructions throughout the process. They were always available via email and phone and put up with my incessant questions and anxiety.

They also met Ellie in Honolulu for the release and gave her a potty break before tucking her in for her flight to Kauai. I would absolutely recommend them to anyone!

There is some risk involved in sending your pet on a flight and accidents can always happen, but for Ellie it  was very safe. From the time she was checked-in at cargo in Denver, to boarding the plane, to arriving in Honolulu and eventually Kauai we encountered really caring and careful staff. My dad even said the flight attendants kept him posted on how many dogs were flying that day with Ellie (there were 6!) Sending Ellie on another flight is not something I want to do any time soon, but I would do it again.

There are a lot of details I’ve left out here so I don’t put you to sleep, but if you are sending a pet to Hawaii (or anywhere long distance) R and I would be happy to tell you more about our experience and everything we did to get Ellie here safely. For now though here are some pics of the happy pooch!

T + R

Post

We are here

July 29, 2014
1 comment

map image from travelsworlds.com

Everywhere we go in Kaua’i we get asked where we are visiting from and how long we are staying, however, we are not here to vacation (I do hope this little excursion helps us to relax just a little bit though.) We came to Kaua’i to work. Richard is a general contractor and architectural designer (check out his awesomeness here) and the biggest reason for our move is that he was offered the opportunity to update/renovate/gut/rebuild a property with two units on the southwest side of the island in a little town called Ele’ele. Did I mention that we are also living in this property that needs a total redo? Well we are. It’s definitely an adventure in and of itself.  Thankfully the main living area was spruced up by a good friend of ours before our arrival and it is actually very quaint and quite cute (depending on my mood it can also be a frustrating little box, but most of the time it is cute and provides us all the shelter we need) to boot.

I’m also here to work. I have a master’s degree to finish with just a thesis project due in December remaining (check out my program here, I highly recommend it if you are interested in furthering any communication/design/technology/journalism education you have) and by some miracle I got to keep my fab job in Boulder and I am working remotely as a marketing and design wizard goddess. (Wizard goddess is a wayyyy better title than what I actually have – basically I make/create/design e- marketing things for the greatest school on the planet.)

What can I tell you about Ele’ele? Not a whole lot. It is tiny, especially coming from Boulder a town of 100,000+ and more restaurant and shops than you can believe. According to the last census data there are about 2,000 full time residents in Ele’ele and there is also a grocery store, a McDonalds, a few small restaurants, a bank, post office, Ace Hardware and a church. When you think about it, I guess that is all you really need. Ele’ele is situated between Port Allen and Hanapepe (funky little artist community that reminds me of a microBoulder).

Even though Ele’ele is a short drive to exotic beaches and stunning mega resorts, at the same time it could not be further away. The residents of this community that we have met are the nicest, most caring people we’ve run into in a long time and that’s saying a lot considering  we’re from Colorado which is also known to house a big bunch of nice people. Our neighbors here are hard workers, generally in trade type businesses like Richard and some are life-long residents of Hawai’i. We’ve already traded stories and fruit (everyone in this neighborhood has some kind of amazing fruit tree. We happen to have avocados, two types of mangoes, papayas and mandarin oranges) and it seems like Richard will have a great pool of helping hands for the big job he is about to take on. Our next door neighbor is 92 years young and has been a lifelong resident of Ele’ele. She’s lived in the house next door for more than 60 years!

So that’s a little bit about where on this big blue planet we are currently residing. Come back next week for the fascinating history of this house (or at least what we know about it) and some pictures of what we’re about to take on!

P.S. Did you know? Kauai Coffee Company is located just 2 miles from our house in Ele’ele? It is the largest coffee plantation in the United States and produces more than half of the Hawaiian Coffee you love? Come visit and we’ll take you on a tour of the estate and maybe throw in a delightful coconut iced coffee from their cafe.

-R+T