Military Move To Oahu, Hawaii

Tips For Moving Smoothly

         So – you’ve gotten orders to Hawaii. Congratulations. You will need to do some preparing, though you have some advantages over the civilian making his/her way to the Islands. You can send all your furniture over without worrying about the cost. Believe me, those Matson shipping bills add up quickly. You can even bring your car. Which brings me to our first big point.

         Were you thinking about getting a new, or new-to-you car? If so, Hawaii is a great place to get a good deal on a car. Why? Because when someone has to move out of state, they really have to move. And that can happen with short notice. Many sellers are therefore very motivated to sell. It’s often a buyers market.

         As a member of the military you will have access to especially good deals. The traditional base Lemon Lot is an excellent place to start. Off-base it can be a little harder, but civilians have to get out of town quick sometimes, too. Just remember to check the car out thoroughly. Hawaii’s auto inspection system is a little more lax than, say, Virginia’s. But, again, the positives outweigh the negatives for the car shopper.

         You will also need to turn in your old license to get one from Hawaii. If you have to take the written test, you should prepare buy getting the orange manual you can find at any Long’s Drugs. It’s worth your time to brush up on some of the laws and regulations that you only encounter on the test, never in the real world. But it’ll save you a trip back to the DMV.

         Are you bringing a pet to Oahu? If so, you need to know about the Hawaii quarantine system. The Islands are very determined to preserve their unique environment. For example, there are still no snakes in Hawaii. Where cats and dogs are concerned, you have a couple of options. Formerly, ALL dogs/cats had to go through 120 days of quarantine, no exceptions. With the recent advances in technology and medicine some changes have been made.

         The 120 day quarantine still exists, but you can get around that. Today, if you get certain tests done before arrival – and notify the state of the results of these tests – you can go through only a 5 day wait for your pet. In some cases, you can take your pet straight from the airport. Keep in mind that you must do the pet testing at certain intervals before coming to Oahu, so read the requirements on the Hawaii State site well ahead of time. There’s nothing worse than finding out that you’ll be without your pet for 4 months.

          Another thing to keep in mind is the change in weather you may be facing. For obvious reasons, daily dress in Hawaii is lighter than most other places. Investing in a few pairs of shorts, t-shirts and slippers would be wise. After work, it is a good feeling to cool off and feel the cool breezes that keep the temperatures down.