Last year, I was quoted in a national CRS (Certified Residential Specialist) magazine about re-starting a real estate career in a very different location from the prior one.  An agent from HI, Sissy Sosner, read the article and emailed me with some questions. We emailed back and forth a few times, and at the end of one message, she mentioned that she might be on the Cape in a few months, as they were going to look at the Riverview School for their son.

Fast forward, and indeed, they did visit, and we had a chance to spend a few hours together – the proverbial ‘busman’s holiday” as I gave them the grand tour of the charms of Falmouth and a sample of homes for sale and recently sold. As we were saying good-by, Sissy suggested that if her son did attend Riverview, that maybe I’d be interested in swapping homes over the Thanksgiving vacation. “Oh yes, sure, great idea!” I said, not dreaming that it might happen.

But it did, and we’ve each just returned to our own homes after spending a fabulous week in the other’s home. For Sissy and her family, they took to the Cape Cod life like they’d always been here, using the bike path almost daily to go to the beach, for lattes at Coffee O on Main St., going to yoga every day at The Yoga Collaborative, and exploring Woods Hole. Not having “bridge phobia” as some of us do, they also went to a Celtics game, and to dinner at The Daily Catch and Toro, not too shabby!

[fusion_separator style_type=”default” hide_on_mobile=”small-visibility,medium-visibility,large-visibility” class=”” id=”” sep_color=”” top_margin=”” bottom_margin=”” border_size=”” icon=”” icon_circle=”” icon_circle_color=”” width=”” alignment=”center”][/fusion_separator]

My family and I spent the week as typical tourists, since none of us had been to HI before. The house was on Oahu, so that’s where we spent most of our time, driving up and down the coasts and stopping at dramatic parks, beaches and old-time villages. We also spent a day at Pearl Harbor, which was an experience unlike any other and well worth doing. Our visit to The Polynesian Cultural Center gave us a deeper understanding of the cultural history of the Hawaiian Islands, along with experiencing a traditional luau.

Saturday morning Sissy’s parents took us for dim sum at their favorite neighborhood restaurant. Timmy, her dad, orchestrated the menu. I don’t know which was more delicious, her very special parents and friend or the food. (I was so engaged with both that I forgot to take even one picture!) The last day I flew to the Big Island, and spent the day in Volcanoes National Park, seeing the lava fields and still active volcanoes. It was like a whale watch – so much better in person than in pictures!

[fusion_separator style_type=”default” hide_on_mobile=”small-visibility,medium-visibility,large-visibility” class=”” id=”” sep_color=”” top_margin=”” bottom_margin=”” border_size=”” icon=”” icon_circle=”” icon_circle_color=”” width=”” alignment=”center”][/fusion_separator]

We met in the Honolulu airport as they were returning home and I was leaving for home for the key exchange. I was almost late for my plane, as we kept telling each “just one more thing” about our respective experiences.