Island Fever

And then came the call from Maui...

A few days before I was supposed to move from Yellowstone to Oregon, an old roommate from Alaska called to see what I was up to. Half jokingly, she introduced the idea of moving to Maui. I thought it over for a night or two, and then decided, "Yeah, why not Maui? Why work indoors all winter in the rainy Northwest when I could spend my mornings and afternoons catching sunrays on a south Maui beach?" Naturally, I proceeded to buy my one-way ticket to the Kahului Airport the day I was supposed to leave for Portland.

And here I sit, in an Internet café 100 yards from the beach, palm trees, and humpback whales.


Maui has a lot of great things to offer, but I had no idea what any of those things were since I had never been to any of the Hawaiian Islands before. It would have been nice to have the inside scoop before I moved to the island, so if anyone else is considering winter (or summer) relocation to Maui, here are a few tips:

Lahaina and Kihei are busy beyond belief. There are more enormous resorts and American and Canadian tourists than you can shake a stick at. The beaches can be very crowded, the traffic is congested, and the air overflows with the noise of hustle and bustle. The cities are great for beach and surf access if you want to occasionally fight your way through thickets of people. There are plenty of jobs in Kihei and Lahaina, and most of the island is easily accessible from these two miniature metropoli. However, if you're looking for a slow-paced, relaxed island experience, then Kihei and Lahaina are not the best options.

Anything "upcountry" in Maui is relaxed and mild. The pace is much slower, the people are much more down to earth, and the temperatures are moderate with a crisp, dry air. Makawao, Kula, and Haiku are great places to stay if you want to put your feet up and enjoy the island with leisure. Here you'll find goat farms, quaint bed and breakfasts, and palm trees mingling with evergreens, redwoods, and willows. The only downfall is that these towns do not have nearly as many available jobs and require 20-minute drives to the nearest city or beach.

Maui's North Shore is also very relaxed; Hana, Haiku, and the infamous Paia are all towns you could find hugged into a mountain fold in Northern California. The towns have more of a bohemian feel with much less tourism than any of the cities. Botanical gardens, Buddhist shrines and centers, organic food stores, and coffee shops are commonplace upcountry and on the North Shore--amenities that you won't find in Kihei or Lahaina.

Hitchhiking is easy in Maui, especially with locals. If you see a brand new Jeep, convertible, or small sedan, don't expect to get picked up. These are rental cars, and Hawaii tourists tend to have tunnel vision when it comes to strangers poking a thumb out on the side of the road.

Having your own car is not necessary since hitchhiking is easy enough, but it does help if you want to explore the island. You can buy a standard "Maui cruiser" for less than $1000 and sell it when you leave the island. Cars are constantly turning over, and it is not difficult to find a reliable (yet ugly) vehicle to rally around the island for half a year.

And finally, finding work is not a problem. Nearly every business, restaurant, or service of any kind hires new employees year-round. If you want to make money while in Maui, find a tipping job (server, bartender, bellman, guide, etc.). If you just need to make enough money to survive and buy a few six packs, then any job in Maui will do.



As for me, I've been on Maui for two months now, and it is already time for me to leave. The island is small, and I think I've already caught island fever. I'm feeling the traveling bug already; I need to lace up my boots and wander around for a while. If all goes accordingly, I'll be off of Maui in less than three weeks, sipping some sort of hot beverage in Scandinavia.

Next stop: New Years in Norway.