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Fiji is made of 300 picture postcard tropical islands of impossibly white sand and coconut palms.  The 300 islands range from tiny patches of land a few feet in diameter to the main island of Viti Levu (big island) that is 10,390 sq km.  It is said that when the tide is out that there are over 700 islands in Fiji.

The most hospitable people in the world live in Fiji, making you feel incredibly welcome.  When you walk down a street in Fiji everyone, even the dogs will say hello or “Bula!” the traditional Fijian welcome to you. Fiji is one of those countries that places a smile firmly on your face, that never leaves.

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The people of Fiji are a mix of indigenous Fijian and Indian with a small minority with a Chinese background. One of the most famous Indo-Fijian’s is Vijay Singh one of the worlds most successful golfers.  It seems that most Fijians with the last name of Singh claim him as a long lost relative.

It is this mix of cultures that gives Fiji some of the most incredible food in the Pacific.  The fusion of Indian food mixed with Island ingredients, makes an delicious combination. My favorite is Chicken Curry in Coconut Milk with warm freshly hand made Roti. With a percentage of the population following Hinduism eating vegetarian is easy, with lots of tasty alternatives to meat.

Diving in Fiji is truly amazing, and is home to some of the most famous diving in the world, such as the Great Astrolabe Reef in Tavarua offering incredible walls of soft coral.  Some of the deepest oceans in the world are around the islands of Fiji.  If snorkeling is your thing, you can see the vibrant colorful fish just a few feet off shore, and snorkeling in the coral reefs is very safe as long as you are careful of the sharp coral.

If you get tired lying on of beautiful islands and beaches (is it possible?) you can explore the largest city in the South Pacific Suva. Suva is the capital and has a population of 358,500. A great place to go for duty free shopping or if you are hanging out for a cappuccino.  Its colonial buildings are mixed with modern shopping plaza’s surrounding Suva Harbor.  Definitely make time and visit the Hari Krishna shop (16 Prat Street, Suva) where they sell unquestionably some of the best ice cream you have ever tasted.

There is so much to do in Fiji; hiking, bird watching, surfing, golf, duty-free shopping, horse riding, sailing and fishing are so easily accessible. So if you are active or want to lie on the beach and read a good book, there is something for everyone.

Old Mill Cottage
47-49 Carnavon St, Suva, Fiji
Colonial style timber-boarded cottage – great for local dishes. Go there at lunch and see all the business men and government officials in their formal Sulu with shirt and tie.  Local dish Palusami; Taro leaves cooked with coconut milk and corn beef is just too good for words.

Taunovo Bay Resort
Nestled on 2 miles of white sandy beach Taunovo Bay Resort is the personification of “luxury” in the South Pacific.  Located along the “adventure coast” of Fiji the resort redefines beauty and privacy in its location, architecture and service.

When we arrived the initial drive into the resort was rather unassuming, however, upon reaching the security gate, we met with bright smiles and the signature “BULA” welcoming us to our hideaway.  At each opportunity the staff at Taunovo Bay made every attempt to make us feel special and pampered.

Upon being escorted to our “Presidence”, a 4 bedroom mini-estate on ¾ of an acre of beach front property, we knew this was going to be a vacation to remember.  Lavishly furnished each master bedroom has its own spa bath, home theatre, sitting areas and beautiful vistas of the ocean.  The main house encompasses a gourmet kitchen, living room with sound system, and a media room.  Each of these rooms have floor to ceiling windows that look on the the outside living areas, that include an infinity pool, spa and Balinese day beds.  There is also a private plunge pool off of one of the master suites.

While the Presidence is a sprawling enclave, it also has a private, secluded feel because of how the tropical landscaping is carefully executed.  You feel like you are the only inhabitants on the island, you’re a rock star who just bought their own private island.

Speaking of private islands the resort boasts its own just a 20 min boat ride away.  The trip to Nanuku island takes you over the most breathtaking water I’ve ever seen.  Varying hues of blue, green and purple, make up the ocean’s palette.  The island while tiny, taking only about 20 mins to walk around, is perfectly situated for a day of snorkeling, or sunbathing.  Its family friendly and the snorkeling is appropriate for all ages.  Taunovo Bay has secured the exclusive use of Nanuku island, ensuring your own private slice of the South Pacific.

The resort boasts, a true “beach front” dining experience, with seating outside on the beach or inside for a more secluded meal.  The cuisine is spectacular and you can even arrange for the chef to provide dinner for you from the comfort of your own villa.  Concierge service, full service spa treatments, zip lining, snorkeling, kayaking, shopping or watching the breath taking Fijian sunset are just a few of the moments to enjoy and remember.

After four days it was hard to believe we had to leave our own private paradise.  As they say at Taunova Bay, “stay a week… or stay forever.”  I will take the latter.

Diving
With over 300 islands each with their own coral reef to some of the deepest trenches in the world, Fiji is a Mecca for divers. Diving operations are all throughout Fiji; however my recommendation is out from the Tavenui Islands. Where you can get to discover one of the most famous dive sites in the South Pacific, The Great White Wall. It is so named because of the unusual soft coral that inhabit the area. Starting at a depth of about 15 meters and continuing to over 65 meters underwater and is covered with an almost luminescent white coral tinged with lavender.

I am traveling through the Northland region of New Zealand.  And where is Northland you may ask? It’s considered anywhere north of Auckland. A region which is mainly rural and less traveled, as most visitors tend to head south.  This is the warmest part of New Zealand with a sub-tropical climate.

The roads are excellent but watch your speed as I got an expensive souvenir from the Ministry of Transport (speeding ticket). Northland with its warm climate  is the “fruit bowl” of the country there are fruit vendors on the side of the road, many still with honesty boxes for their wares.

As you can clearly see from the video I got a couple of bad days with the weather.  The winds got up and the rain came down, but I had a blast. The bad weather can blow over in an hour or two.  That wind when I was boogie boarding on the sand dunes was just brutal. I was finding sand in socks, pockets and in my backpack for weeks afterward.

New Zealander’s enjoy their food, the café run by a couple of woman on a pier just out of Hokianga was a real find. The coffee was as good as I would get in a café in Paris. These ladies, like many New Zealanders had lived and worked in Europe and brought back their skills with them. They had opened up this small café in the middle of nowhere. The fish and chips in the video were to die for, the fish was so fresh, almost a shame to deep fry it in batter.  The fishing boats responsible for our meal were bobbing gently on the harbor right behind the terraced eating area.

One of the most incredible things for me on this trip was the mystical nature of much of this area.  The northern most tip of the country is Cape Reinga and it is one of the most scared areas in the land for the Maori people.  There are a number of important legends regarding the cape. The amazing tour though the Waipoua forest with Maori guides, singing their traditional songs through the kauri trees was profoundly moving. To be honest the video did not capture this as well as I would have liked, it guess it is one of those things that you have to do yourself.

There are a lot of things that we did not cover in the region there is just so much to do. Check out Northland Tourism for more information.

Footprints Waipoua
This is a very spiritual tour of the the Waipoua Forest with local Maori guides. The forest is a natural stage for an unforgettable experience with traditional song and prayer with some of the largest remaining kauri trees in the world. Footprints Waipoua features in the Lonely Planet experiences of a lifetime, one of 82 experiences in the world!! I did it during the day, however they also do an evening tour, which is meant to be even more moving.

Best way to get there: Air New Zealand or The Tranz Alpine Express train from Christchurch.

Hokitika was boom town during the 1860’s gold rush, and now is a great place to get New Zealand Greenstone (Jade).  However the reason I came here is that in mid-March each year this place goes just nuts for the weirdest food you can ever imagine! It’s the Hokitika Wild Food Festival. We are talking hard core foods. Live Huhu grubs, deep fried Crickets, earthworms in Red Bull and something called “Mountain Oysters” which you have to watch the video to discover what these are.

Once my stomach settled down, I checked out a few other adventure activities and sights on this amazing West Coast of New Zealand.

RANZ JOSEF GLACIER EXPERIENCE!
The magnificent Franz Josef Glacier is widely regarded as the gem of New Zealand’s West Coast Glaciers. Franz Josef Glacier Guides gives you the opportunity to experience the most spectacular glacier environment available to the general public anywhere in the world, offering a range of glacier hiking tours to suit all levels of fitness and ability. The ultimate New Zealand adventure tour.

Hukawai Indoor Ice Climbing
Challenge yourself by climbing the Southern Hemisphere’s only indoor ice climbing wall! Loads of fun and satisfaction for anyone keen to have a go at this unique glacial sport.

Auckland is New Zealand’s sophisticated international gateway. It is the commercial centre of the country with a population of 1.4 million, in a country with only 4 million inhabitants. It is surrounded by 48 extinct volcano’s including the spectular perfectly conical Rangitoto Island in the middle of the harbor.

Auckland is located on a narrow strip of land between two beautiful harbors and is reminiscent of San Francisco with its sophisticated café society. However it unique onto itself with its crazy mix of European, Maori, Pacific Islander and Asian people and consequently it has an outrageously good variety of food and culture often blending these diverse backgrounds.

It’s a friendly city with a strong nationalistic core when rugby and America’s cup sailing are discussed. The Central Business District is located right on the harbor and a number of small villages such as Ponsonby or across the harbor in Devonport on the outskirts where you can stop at one of the funky cafes and get a café latte before getting started on shopping at some of the homegrown fashion houses.

One of the coolest areas of Auckland is the viaduct, created for the America’s Cup regatta held here in 1995 and 2003. This is an eclitic mix of bars, restaurants, apartments and high end accommodation that overlook the tranquil water. This is an area that is humming every night.

There is a lot to do here, including the New Zealander’s never ending quest for adrenaline adventures and include jumping off the Southern Hemisphere’s largest structure (see Larry Recommendations below) and bungee jumping off the harbor bridge!

A short drive southwest of Auckland there are a number of wineries including the beautiful Hotel Du Vin lodge an amazing high end accommodation located in the middle of a vineyard.

There are about 200 wireless hotspots around the city and you can purchase a pre-paid Telecom wireless card or pay online.

White Lady
A favorite of the nightclub crowd this converted caravan has been serving up burgers since the 1950’s. These are real New Zealand burgers with Beet, Pineapple, and Egg as well as the usual hamburger fillings. Get the White Lady burger only if you are really hungry. Hours 7.30pm-3am Mon-Thu 24hrs Fri-Sun, 3 Commerce St, Auckland.

KY JUMP!
Dominating the Auckland skyline is the Southern Hemispheres tallest freestanding structure. So of course the adrenaline fueled Kiwi’s created a jump from a platform located at 680 feet. This is not for the fainted hearted, but definitely something you remember for the rest of your life. Sky tower Cnr Federal & Victoria Streets, Auckland. discount item here.

The region of Nelson is sometimes overlooked by travelers to New Zealand, however its wonderful climate, laid back towns and location near to three spectacular national parks make it a well worth a spot on any itinerary in New Zealand.

Nelson is approximately a 1 hour flight from Auckland with Air New Zealand having the most frequent schedule. Nelson is located at the top of New Zealand’s South Island.

Nelson was settled in 1841 by the European’s as it has the best natural harbor in the area. It is now renowned for its fabulous beaches, spectacular national parks, artist galleries, café’s and award winning wineries.

Due the high sunshine hours there are more than 50 wineries in the area, it is New Zealand’s biggest wine-producing area. Wine tours through the region are extremely very popular. Check out the Nelson Wine Trail.

Nelson is haven for artists due to the unique lighting conditions, and the number of galleries such as the famous Hoglund Art Glass. Also there are a number of opportunities to exercise your own creative juices, workshops such as Nelson Bone Carving, give novices a chance to create of a bone craving for the price of buying one in the store.

West from Nelson is the Abel Tasman National Park. Located on the coast unlike it’s more famous hikes to the South, this is a very accessible park. There are a number of tracks through the park, however the most popular is the Coastal Track which is a three to five day hike passing in and out of native bush and stunningly beautiful isolated beaches.

My recommendation is to combine this hike with a sea-kayak. The white sand beaches are equally accessible from the sea. You don’t have to be an expert Kayaker either; the sheltered waters of the Tasman Bay are very safe. There are a number of kayak operators that will pick up your sea kayak so you can sea kayak out the length of the bay and hike back along the Coastal Track.

Like most places in New Zealand, Nelson has adventure activities. Try quad biking and experience the incredible Skywire a ski-lift flying fox hybrid that shoots you on a 2 mile ride above the native forest, the views from the top have to be experienced to be believed.

Abel Tasman National Park

The Abel Tasman Coastal Track is one of New Zealand’s great hikes. It’s possible to customize it from half a day to the full five days. A popular itinerary is to sea kayak along the coast into national park and hike out and this is easy to arrange with one of the Kayak operators. The ideal climate make this hike an amazing year round activity.

Boat Shed Restaurant
The Boatshed is a converted boatshed that sits over Nelson harbor. On the balcony you can see your meals cousins through the floorboards. The portions are large and incredibly fresh, ours was caught that afternoon! Eat light all day to savor this experience.

Visiting London was an experience in itself. How do you get everything in London into a 9 minute video? Well you don’t. With the amount of things to do in London it is a very ambitious, but I covered what I could.

Home to royalty, the Tower of London, black cabs and seven million people, England’s capital is a wonderful conglomeration of lifestyles, culture and history.

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The smallest of England’s nine regions, Greater London is the country’s busiest destination – in 2004, London’s airports processed more than 120 millon people. Its ethnic diversity is one of the things that draws newcomers from overseas and those visitors, whether staying for weeks or years, add to the city’s compelling cultural mix.

Speakers Corner!
The original and most noted Speakers’ Corner is located in the north-east corner of Hyde Park in London, England. Speakers there are allowed to speak as long as the police consider their speeches lawful. Contrary to popular mythology there is no immunity from the law, nor are any subjects proscribed.

A group of 15 Islands and tiny atolls scattered widely across the bluest Pacific, this is the Cook Islands. Arriving here is like being on the deserted island of your dreams. However it is a mistake to think of the Cook Islands as a spectacular destination for just lying on the beach and snorkeling, it’s so much more than that.

Most people go to the CI as a stopover on their way to another destination on a Pacific trip. However there is so much to offer it’s a destination in its own right.

The Cook Islands climate is perfect all year round as there are no excesses of temperature, however September and October are considered the best time to visit with March and April a close second.

Rarotonga is the largest island, however even that only takes about an hour to circumnavigate by motor scooter. Make sure you visit some of the outer islands. Aitutaki is a stunning horseshoe shaped island with the most incredible lagoon. Other islands such as Aitu and Mangain are less traveled and have less infrastructure, however the rewards are extraordinary and include home grown coffee and spectacular underground caves.

The coral reefs especially in the lagoons of Rarotonga and Aitutaki are teeming with a wide variety of tropical fish and other marine animals. Outside the reefs it is easy to see Sea Turtles in their natural habitat.

The CI is not as expensive as Tahiti and marginally more than Fiji, this is mainly due to the fact that everything has to be shipped in. You can do the CI on a budget with some accommodation as low as NZD40 or you can splurge (like I did) and stay at some of the breaktakingly beautiful resorts, like the Pacific Resort properties.

Internet connectivity is available in the majority of accommodations however it is a bit slow.

Cook Islands Drivers License
“Battle bureaucracy on my holiday?” I hear you stay, however this very laid back adventure is a lot of fun.

With a quick practical test and you get a great souvenir to show your friends, pull it out the next time you rent a car back in the States!

Cross islands Trek
Make no mistake; the trek across the mountainous center of Rarotonga is a challenging experience. It takes about three hours, and the view from the Needles, a rock formation at the peak of the journey is stunning. Go with Pa the local healer, with his long blond dreadlocks, great stories and remedies make this a trip to remember.

Check out the video and see the friendliest people in the world and the amazing variety of activities, shopping and cultural discovery opportunities