04-28-2017, 08:59 PM
I have to agree with you Glassnumbers about Kau verses Hilo/Puna. And wow, you’ve done so much research, amazing how much you can learn from the web. I’m in my mid-70's and much of what I’ve learned has been experiential rather than cyberential. I don't even have a smartphone. You are correct, Hilo side/Puna has virtually no beaches, there are lagoons in Hilo but they are crowded, hard to park and the water can be cold/brackish with underground springs. The only Puna swim beach has no rest rooms and is often filled with woofers who camp there; it’s small, remote, dangerous to swim and difficult to reach, cliff climb, plus c/optional though illegal. Dogs run loose, their owners sometimes don’t clean up after them. Hapuna and Mauna Kea Beach are awesome with lots of youth. Puna you get tired of the same old people, some unwashed, many on the dole. Kona always has lots of new arrivals and visitors and guys/gals your age who cater to the tourists. The drive from DH to Hilo is up 4K down 4K and the same on return plus the speed limit thru the park is only 45 mph and it can run around 160 or more miles RT. Past the park Hilo side it almost always drizzles. There is no Costco as you state and prices are double the mainland for staples. Hiloside culture is different from Amerika and it takes a few years (from my experience) for a newcomer to get settled and recognized as being kama aina, i.e. accepted as local. Puna has lots of noisy loose jungle fowl, see posts re: roosters, and the frogs coqui all night when it rains. 12 feet of rain, OMG. Infrastructure like street lights, piped water, garbage pickup, paved roads is lacking. Poor internet and none in places. I live in Orchidland Estates, "estates," that's a joke, lots of poverty, no soil, gotta plant in cinders. Helicopters overhead all day. The main road 130 backs up and there are few restrictions on subdivisions. Some people Hilo side never visit Kona side, I for example go once every two years or so, it’s too far, so you’ll likely be much happier sticking to the dry side of paradise. Oh did I mention mold on your buds should you try to grow. Welcome though to your new adventure, enjoy your 2000 sf house, mine is only 945 sf with just one bathroom. Hope to meet you one day to put a face to the name. I shall be most interested to hear of your adaptations once you reside in the remote island in the pacific. Remember that you are young and life is a journey. Aloha nui loa.