Desiree said:

Wow! I'm a little jealous. Those are amazing pictures. Did you take any pictures of yourself? Sounds like fun, I'd love to visit someday.

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I took all the pics myself with my trusty digi camera It's old, but it's been all over the place with me! I only regret that I have not a good image program on this computer, so all I could do was put them on the boards as I took them. You should totally visit someday, even if you don't speak spanish! It's beautiful!

SoulSurfer said:

I live on Vancouver Island, in BC Canada, and Im moving at the end of the month to one of the smaller gulf islands. It's a different lifestyle, much more laid back and relaxed, and you are surrounded by nature which is great for me 

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I love the laid back lifestyle (and of course the nature)! My main problem on this trip was that my partner is a hyper ADHD work-aholic, so she hated it there. Once we waited over an hour just to be served our food (which would never fly here in America!). I loved it You don't mind knowing every inch of a small island? It doesn't get old after a while? Then again it's Cananda, and everyone likes Canada!

flowstone said:

Islands have a lot to offer.. And once you explore it, take a boat to the next island!! I would much rather boat from island to island than drive state to state.
Great pics!!

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Thanks! I bet islands have a lot to offer, even besides diving and great weather and flora! I'm a diver, and there isn't a lot of good diving to be had here in Iowa I would just go crazy if I was surrounded by reef!

How does boating from Island to Island work? Do they have daily ferries, or do I need to buy my own boat? I love boats Thanks for posting!

infamous said:

i go to the virgin islands at least once a year and I would love to live there, I love being there even though most islands are under 10 miles long and wide,as far as living without a nice car,fish tanks and stuff, I guess its true that you can never experience anything without first letting go of it all. If I had the chance to move to an island id jump on it for sure.

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It is true that I'd have to give up alot. Then there is the question of should I store it thinking I'll move back to the mainland in a few years, or sell it and just start over? I'm not exactly rich! I think it would be kind of liberating if I were to give up everything though. I'd have to take Harvey with me of course!

mindcandy said:

I was born in puerto rico so i guess i cant say how living in a small island and not traveling is like cause it never even crossed my mind. i lived there for over 10 years and never even saw the whole island!only went to the west coast once.went to el yunque(did you slip?that place is slippery as hell!) and surrounding areas numerous times to go shroom hunting.i did island hop there are tons of islands to see but they are all pretty much the same.dont know about hawaii it might be differnt.travel is by boat youll never see it all

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I've heard that alot from people who live on islands, that they have never seen the other side because it takes too long to drive there! That is just crazy to me, because when I drive I don't stop until I run out of gas- and then we fill up and switch drivers! I love driving Puerto Rico is so beautiful! My hotel was on the west side, so the one day I drove to El Yunque, we only got there about an hour before it closed! That sucked! We did get to see two falls and drive through the park a bit, and I made sure to wear a good pair of hiking boots and tread lightly so I wouldn't slip I'd really like to go back there again sometime!!! Maybe you can tell me where the good places to camp there are

Sterile said:

Don't forget the outdoor beds and ethnobotanical garder...nature gives you so much more possibilities....on the other hand, life on a island can be boring , specially during the winter, but only if you don';t have any hobbys.

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Good for you, being strong enough to leave it all behind! I might come back to you for some strength later on if I need it The main reason I'd consider moving to Hawaii from here is to keep the man I love within flying distance of me, instead of 6,400 miles away!

I love plants and gardening, which I need to do mostly indoors in Iowa in the winter I'd love to get my hands on the flora of Hawaii!

I do have lots of hobbies, but I'm worried about getting bored with it all after a few years, just like you said. After I've seen all the reefs a few times, I might want to come back home to the snow...

May your hippie heart always thrive!

SHEIKofSHIITAKE said:

On an island like hawaii.  You might see it all and run around doing all it has to offer.  But after the initial rush of something new.  You will find a much much slower pace.  Hawaiii is very spiritual and the power you will feel in the mountains erases time.  The plants and animals there are so interesting and diverce I could imagine myself just emersing myself in there stories and lifes and just observing never ever being bored.

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That puts a bit of a different perspective on things, thank you
I wouldn't be living on the 'tourist' side of the island anyway, and I love plants! Somehow the idea of being "trapped on an island" just kinda freaks me out since I've been living in the middle of a large continent for so long... Thank you though, I would love to be immersed in something as powerful as the nature there

infamous said:

true I couldnt leave me cat behind hes my best buddy, plus hed have to much fun chasing the hermit crabs and lizards.I love st.tomas its a very very cool place.

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Yup, my bunny would have to come with, although his thick coat is better suited to snow than sun, and he'd be scared to death of lizards and crabs!

Where on earth is St. Thomas? I want to look it up