Where I live is one of the most expenses places to live in the United States. A loaf of bread can cost $8, a dozen eggs $7 and a simple meal at a food-truck can cost $15, more than a
Where I live is one of the most expenses places to live in the United States. A loaf of bread can cost $8, a dozen eggs $7 and a simple meal at a food-truck can cost $15, more than a sit down restaurant in most cities.
Airfares from Kauai to Honolulu can cost upwards of $350 for a round-trip to go a mere 80 miles. All this because a few years back a select group of whom we call “the antis” protested a ferry boat system for the Hawaiian islands. The TV show South Park parodied the antis ironically and metaphorically as the ones whose parents immigrated to Hawaii on cruise ships.
The antis said a ferry boat would bring drug dealers and the homeless to our island, like drug dealers do not fly? The silent majority never fought back and the ferry boat left to the disappointment of many. So, now with the airlines having a monopoly, they charge what they want and get it from the tourists, while locals on limited budgets can only dream of getting off island to visit friends and relatives.
I have been wanting to visit my sister for quite a while, she lives in Buffalo N.Y. The least expensive airfares are upward of $1,200 along with three plane changes to get to Buffalo from Kauai. The last time I was off island was in 2006 to attend a friend’s wedding in Honolulu. Back then Go Airlines had specials as low as $10 for round-trips as special promos, no such thing anymore.
How does one compete with expensive airfares?
Last Friday, I had a special family reunion Sabbath dinner with my sister, brother-in-law, nephew and a few cousins via a Skype video call. It was 12:15 p.m. my time (lunch time,) and 6:15 p.m. East Coast time (dinner time) in Buffalo. We lit candles, said the blessings over wine and bread and just talked story while we ate. This was a much better deal than the $1,200-plus round-trip airfare from Kauai.
For an even more real life experience you can go to Google Maps and type in the address of your friends or relatives and actually see a photo of the house or business. The Internet has changed the world.
What a perfect way to use technology. I did not have to deal with some bratty kid kicking the back of my seat. I did not have to deal with TSA agents scanning and feeling me up. I did not have to deal with some drunk or smelly person sitting next to me, or some 400-pound person cramping my space.
Skype not only saved me over $1,200 in airfares, but saved me a dog-sitting fee, the cost of medication to relieve my anxiety of flying and days of jet lag.
We avoided all the negativity of flying and travel, and the best part, when dinner was over we could sleep in our own beds.
With the holidays coming, everyone can be with family and friends and avoid all the stresses and expenses of flying. Arrange a Skype video call or even a Skype conference call with your favorite friends and relatives. Skype is free computer to computer worldwide and sure beats full body scanners and bratty kids kicking the back of your airplane seat. The best part of this, you’ll never forget to pack your toothbrush.
Mele Kalikimaka” and “Hauoli Makahiki Hou.
• James “Kimo” Rosen is a retired professional photographer living in Kapa’a with his best friend Obama Da Dog, Rosen also blogs as a hobby www.dakinetalk.blogspot.com
