Man I miss the islands. Wish I had been one of those guys who were smart and bought a house out there then stuck around. Got friends out there who own houses that are worth a mint plus have boat docks in their back yards. Almost bought one in Kailua back in the early 90s. It hurts.
Houses/Real Estate over there were/are great investments. So expensive.
When I went back recently, our neighbors still lived in the same house that they lived in back in the 70's. They had multiple generations living together in the same house back then... and they still do today because it's just so expensive. Lots of local families have no other choice than to have to live like that.
Our old house became a rental and it looks like hell. I'm sure that it's worth an insane amount anyway though.
There are things that I miss too, but there are more things that I don't. I lived over there for way too long and got my complete fill. All my old neighbors told my wife that I am Local when we visited which was very cool for me to hear, but when I was living there I cannot say that I truly felt that way completely. Tourists have no idea what life there is really like.
Funny, my parents are visiting for Thanksgiving right now and we're telling my wife and sons how I used to speak two different languages back then. They made me speak proper English in the house because they couldn't understand me otherwise and they didn't want me to have trouble if we ever returned to the Mainland. Our old neighbors there still tell people to this day that they have never heard a Haole speak so fluently like I did... they were amazed and I guess they were also extremely appreciative about it. They swear that I am the only Haole they have ever known who sounded so perfect.
So I have some real 808 in me that can never go away, but I'm meant to be back in Orlando where I was born.
ALOHA