Angelika Loyal newsletter readers know that we are big fans of Hawaii. Before the pandemic, we usually traveled once a year to the island of Oahu, to the quiet corner near Waimanalo. Then the pandemic hit. Since Hawaii had very strict quarantine regulations, we stayed away from the islands for a long time. Eventually, sun-seekers were able to travel to Hawaii again, but prices had risen significantly after the pandemic, and at times there were no rental cars available on any Hawaiian island because car rental companies had drastically reduced their fleets during the pandemic due to the lack of tourists visiting.

The government of Oahu has further restricted renting of vacation apartments or houses through platforms like Airbnb or VRBO ("Vacation Rental by Owner"). On October 23, 2022, Bill 41, also known as Ordinance 22-7, came into effect. It now stipulates that any property outside of the resort zones must be rented for a minimum of 90 days. Renting something short-term, such as for a week, is practically only possible in Waikiki, in Ko Olina around the Disney Resort, and at Turtle Bay at the north end of the island.

However, Waikiki is much too crowded and filled with high-rises for us, and it's not what we have in mind for a Hawaii vacation. We understand that living space is limited on the islands and that measures need to be taken to ensure that people living on Oahu can still find housing. However, perhaps the authorities could have proceeded a bit less radically, because after all, the islands also rely on tourists. The inlaw unit we used to rent in Waimanalo was in the owners' garden and was very nice, but really not suitable or recommended for long-term rentals. But since it's now located in the wrong zone, it's no longer available. What a shame! Nevertheless, we are drawn back to Hawaii. I step off the plane and immediately feel relaxed. The beautiful turquoise warm water, the stunning beaches, the laid-back atmosphere, perfect surfing conditions for Michael, the gorgeous nature —- what more could you want?

Since the school I work at partially follows the German school holiday calendar, and we always have a week of autumn break in October when American schools do not have time off, we took the opportunity to fly to the Hawaiian island of Kauai this year. We hadn't been there in a long time. Kauai was the first island we ever visited way back, and remembered it for its lush vegetation and great beaches. This time, we were drawn to the north side of the island, and we rented a nice little apartment in Princeville. The landlord, Gary, lived next door in the big house. Gary was super generous and even lent Michael his surfboards without batting an eye. We spent every day swimming in the warm ocean, discovered hidden beaches, and ate endless amounts of poke, the traditional Hawaiian dish made from raw fish. We are already planning our next vacation in Hawaii.

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  	Trump!