We are driving down the coast from Waikoloa to Kona.  As I am looking down the coast I see a huge monstrosity protruding above the horizon. The cruise ship is in. It must be Wednesday.

I have heard and used the term “Island Time.” This term is generally used in reference to the importance of things and if I’m late it doesn’t mean I don’t care.  It simply means I’m on island time. When I was growing up in Southern California we used to speak of “mañana time.”  Island time is quite similar. I bring this up because since my wife and I have no formal schedule or predefined routine yet, we have often lost track of what day it is. I know that on certain days there are certain farmers markets (not all are created equal). Beyond that, we take each day as it comes and enjoy the experience that is Hawaii.

The knowledge that the cruise ship is in also tells me that today Kona will be busier than normal. That’s a good thing. The economy hit this place pretty hard.  Then there was the tsunami which took out a number of businesses and beat down the spirits of a lot of good people. With the economy stable now and recovering you feel the spirit of hope returning to the people. Last year saw record tourism in Hawaii, 2nd only to 2007 at the height of the economy. Hope springs eternal.

So, we are driving down the coast to meet with some friends in Kona.  What’s on the agenda for today?  Getting into the ocean, lunch, shopping, and probably some giving of tourist information. It is interesting, to now be on the other side of the tourist info exchange. For years we were coming here and asking people how they enjoy living here and what they love about Hawaii?  What were some of the challenges they had in moving here or adjusting to a different culture?  We always knew with every question we asked we were one step closer to living our dreams of living in Hawaii.

We encourage everyone to live their dreams. Remember, step one starts with a dream.  Step two is planning.  Step three is action steps towards achieving your dream.  What would you do if you knew you could not fail?  What’s your dream?  Ours was to live in Hawaii and go snorkeling with the sea turtles and tropical fish and eat fresh passion fruit daily.  I’m here to say, “Our ship has come in.”

James Christopher

ThruJimsEyes.com