Thursday, May 17, 2012

My Journey to Maui

Dear Best Hawaii Vacation blog fans,
We hope you all enjoyed Bill's recent guest post 'Spring in Hawaii Waimea' on the Big Island. As you know, personal guest posts by Hawaii visitors and residents are most welcome here at Best Hawaii Vacation blog when they come from the heart and support our efforts of spreading the love and aloha for Hawaii, the land and its people.

Today we are to share with all of you the persona journey of Alex to Hawaii. His journey to Maui is one of those 'coming home journeys'of a family moving to Hawaii. Alex Cortez works a realtor with Island Sotheby's in Wailea. When not selling Wailea real estate, he can be found spending time with his two children and playing golf.

"Through real estate, I have the pleasure of working with many people who are either relocating or looking to purchase a piece of paradise. A question that is asked almost every single time is what made me move to Maui, as I’m not originally from the Valley Isle. My journey began almost 5 years ago. At that time, I was happy living in New York City but the news of an upcoming addition to the family changed everything. I was adamantly opposed to raising children in a concrete jungle and as my wife’s family lives on Maui, we decided to make the move over 5,000 miles from the East Coast to the sunny Pacific. Although my wife had grown up visiting Maui throughout her childhood, it was completely sight unseen for me as I had never been to Hawaii before.

We moved to Kihei a few months prior to the arrival of our son, Julian Kai. Getting used to life in Maui was easy, as the locals are friendly and visitors are usually glad to be on vacation. Living on a Hawaiian island comes with certain adjustments if expecting the same shopping opportunities of a big city and a plethora of dining choices but we happily accept those in exchange for our peaceful island life.


And Maui has much more to offer. Having the opportunity to raise our children in a tropical paradise with some of the world’s most amazing natural beauty makes up for the lack of big box stores. On a hot summer day we walk to our favorite beach in Hawaii, Keawakapu. Want to awe a visiting family member? Take them to see the sunrise at Haleakala (aptly named, as in Hawaiian it means 'House of the Sun'). My father is 70 years old and he said he had never seen anything as remarkable as the views from Haleakala. Maui truly makes everything else seem trivial.

Although for many, Maui evokes thoughts of sandy beaches, it offers a multitude of micro-climates. From Makawao with its rich cowboy/cattle history, to Kula perched at Haleakala’s foot with a cool climate most wouldn’t think is on Maui (you better get that fireplace going!), to Paia with its laid-back attitude reflecting its reputation as a surfer and artist haven, to the world-class resort communities of Wailea and Kapalua, Maui can set the perfect stage for a life on one of the world’s most beautiful places.

A year ago, my wife opened a new swimwear boutique in Kihei, with a special emphasis on locally-based products. It is thriving as it continues to be a strong member of the community, serving both visitors and locals alike. And six months ago, we were joined by the latest addition to our family, a beautiful baby girl named Cecilia Makena. With two children and a new business, we have planted our roots on Maui and intend to make this our permanent home. Share your Journey to Maui story!"

Much mahalo again Alex for sharing your 'Journey to Hawaii' with all of us. When Keoki and I made ourselves familiar with your work as a realtor on Maui, we were impressed by your involvement and dedication in all Maui public affairs relating to Maui real estate and Hawaii vacation.

What is your life journey to Hawaii? Mahalo, Pua Hawaii Kohala Coast Vacation

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