Of what I remember....

Back in 2011, I treated my family to an 8 day cruise in the South Pacific.  This was when my husband was about to undergo chemotherapy, and we all needed something to look forward to... that, and I am irresponsible with insurance money ;)

It was the best thing we could have done at the time. 

Looking back, its hard to remember the stresses or strains around why we were going.  I am a mad collector.  I believe collector is a nicer term than junk-hoarder.  I tend to gather knick-knacks and whatsits, as well as never throwing away all sorts of stuff from trips.  I would be a scrapbooker, but I get distracted by stationery and end up being too much of a perfectionist with no actual skill.  So I have taken to making photobooks.  I now have 4 beautiful photo books for various overseas trips (hopefully one for a trip to China joins the ranks later in the year) and a few from performances.

But I hadn't made one for anyone else before.

My sister is a single mother, of 3 kids.  She had 2 when we went on the cruise.  She had a particularly difficult year, and needed a break.  I don't think she had been on a holiday for over 10 years, and hadn't been anywhere with the kids.  I thought it would be great to be able to just not worry about cleaning or cooking on the boat.  That, and I love sitting around reading books. ;)

I never knew really what she thought, because, well, my experience was different.  I joined the walking group, always join the juggling group, join the spa and sit and read in the relaxation room, sit on the deck and write poems and postcards.  She always seemed manic.  And I did worry that I had stressed her out by forcing her into a holiday.

However, she asked me to make her a photobook.  Her kiddos, then 1 and 3, still talk about the boat and want to look at the pictures.  So, Mr 2 and Ms 4 demanded a book.  The book from when we went to Tonga. 

The point of all this?  Going through all the photos she took, initially, I didn't even notice it was the same trip.  My pictures are so.... involved.  Things are happening, places are important, and generally I am having to take selfies on a beach because the husband is sunbathing.  She has all these memories of people who the kids liked, the steward who made towels into animals for the kids, massive ice-creams melting onto smiling faces, sand-covered bottoms, and heaps of sleeping babies under tables, on beaches, in the arms of statues.  Basically I saw the trip through a mothers eyes.  She didn't need  to worry about cooking and cleaning... she just had time to enjoy her kids while they were small.  I definitely don't think it was easy, but I think she had a good time.

The kids definitely want to go again.  And now that there is a new baby, well.... we will have to wait until he is 3.  Next time I think Treena would appreciate being able to sign all the kids up for the club... just so she can have a chance to unwind as well.

I make my photo books on Snapfish, because it is fast, easy, and really good value.  They also save the photos at full resolution... which is super handy, as I would have lost so many pictures permanently after my laptop was stolen last year.  I heart snapfish.

Samoa!

I have been a lax blogger of late.  All to easily I was lured to Tumblr and Pinterest and forgot to blog on getting my stuff from my insurance company.

Anyway... since I last blogged, I was in Samoa.  Beautiful islands, and a great non-touristy escape.  Parts of it were just beyond comparison, and other things left me not wanting to look out the window of my rental car.  But this will follow no doubt.  For now, some images to wet the appetite.  We were there just 3 weeks after Cyclone Evan.... and left before another tropical storm rolled in.

Wordless Wednesday: It's a hard day's work...

More Island Time

After spending a veritable lifetime in and out of hospitals with the husband, it is time to remember what happened up until the day before the first visit.... we were back in the islands!  Best of all, we were there with my whole family, which made for instant rent-a-friends as well as entertainment value.

There will be more posted on the locations and what we did in a short while, but for now, some images from the nicest places to visit; Fiji and Tonga.  Both islands were filled with poor people, but rich in personality and generousity.  I would go back in a heart beat.

Destination Friday: All the Preparations

We are now only 2 weeks away from departing, and the preparations are well underway.  Every time we go somewhere, I tend to be in one of 2 camps:
1.  The overly packed with too much stuff OR
2.  Leaving everything I need at home

This time, my goal is simple.  Have everything I need, carry no excess, and avoid sunburn.

To this end I have been trying to pack for the last few weeks.  I bought a new suitcase, as my last one was too easy to overpack.... and the airline managed to rip the handle off on the last trip.  It has been needing to be replaced for a while.  Knowing I will have crutches has been a bonus as well, because I have had to really think about how I will journey.  The new bag is a back-pack, with the facility to pull along on wheels.

And I bought a rash-vest.  Yep, I will be soooooooooo untrendy.... but who cares.  I *hopefully* will avoid sunburn, without giving up snorkeling.  The worst part of the last trip was learning that coral reefs can be killed with sunscreen, so you are not supposed to wear it into the water.... which of course leads to major burns, and a lack of fun later on.  So the long sleeved rash vest will be handy.

Also, Tonga has strict laws against the exposure of flesh.  Wearing the vest will totally prevent me from being arrested on the beach!  Traveling with my multi-use skirts and cover-up sarongs will have another hidden benefit.

So, where have you been?

The Coral Reef (plural)

I never know whether to call them coral reeves or coral reefs.  With a degree in English, I should know.  Either way, when I first laid eyes on coral, I was in love.

Growing up I was not a swimmer, and the idea of getting in the water was less than appealing to me.  However, following a car accident, I was encouraged to learn to swim to improve my mobility.  So I did.  Now I love the water.

Typical of me, I did not expect to be a fan of snorkeling.  But, I am....  I never used to trust the idea that you could breathe through the pipe... turns out you can.  And the goggles are so much less annoying than swimming goggles.

The first time I went snorkeling was in Vanuatu.  Being told about the friendly coral fishes, we had to take a look.  The first time my head went under the water to see coral just there, by my feet, was amazing.  The photos never look as good as when the sun suddenly creates a beam of light through the clouds, illuminating the wonders below the surface.

The fish come out to play, in their own backyards, sharing their homes with the swimmers. 

When swimming over the coral, surrounded by tropical fish, I am a mermaid.  So where am I?  Underwater of course!

Totally awesome purple coral in the Loyalty Islands

What I love.....

If it could go wrong, it did. 

That was what Suva was like for me last time I was there.  We couldn't find my husband's relatives.  Our trip into the rainforest was mysteriously rained off.  I had to queue up for change to buy toilet paper for the public loo.  It was stinking hot, and less that 5 minutes from arriving, we were offered drugs.

Not what you want, really.

But, then this happened.  It rained.  All of a sudden the dirty roads and litter filled port became calm.  The temperature dropped, and we found, ironically, the Peace Garden.

The idea that a large group of multi-ethnic women would leave a garden for peace.

And peace came.  From this point on, Suva became one of my favourite places in the world, even with the unemployment, beggars, filth, drugs, solicitation and overpriced internet services ;).

I can't wait to go back.  And this time, we will get into the rainforest.

Wordless Wednesday: Heaven is Lifou Island

Wordless Wednesday: Perspective

Heading back to Fiji, Baby...

This Christmas, I am heading back to the golden sands and tropical waters of Fiji.

I love Fiji.  Suva is such a vibrant and real city, which is so refreshing as a tourist.  Often finding "the real" something, requires either finding a tourist destination that re-creates the way life used to be, or ther opposite, a city that is not set up for people to travel to or around in.  Suva has such a great mix of rich and poor, locals and migrants, travelers and workers.  Basically, it is a vibrant real city with a major heart.  It also has all the requirements to make a stay workable, like public toilets and plenty of public transport.

Last time we went, it was the rainy season.  100% humidity, 30 degrees Celsius, soooooo hot!  Then it rained, and it was wonderful.  We wandered the streets looking for remnants of my husbands family in the city.  Finding people who remembered his grandfather was fantastic, and meant we had a real chance to see and meet people who we never would have before.

It is also a land of stark contrasts.  Finding second hand clothing stores and beggars on the street next to a luxury car dealership is all part of it.  However, all the people had such joy in being able to say, "Bula" and welcoming others in.  The fruit market was the best time ever, wandering the stalls with a local woman who was intent on helping us to find the best pawpaws to eat right away, and heading to a local ice cream store where the waiter cut the fruit showing us how to eat it.

I am so excited to return to Fiji, and this time, it will be in her most beautiful part of the year.

Making the Most of Suva, Fiji

The local fruit market

The buses are fast, and "air conditioned"...

There are so many wonderful places to contemplate in Suva

The waterfront

The Port of Suva

I just love the penthouse apartment here

Locals turning on a little show for the tourists

The Cathedral

Cruising for your Vacation

Last year we made the decision to cruise- and HATED it.  The boat was old, the ship was full, and engine was blown, the cruise was delayed, re-routed and then eventually late back to port.  We had to cancel and re-book our flights home 3 times!   We spent most of the trip feeling stuck at sea for 14 nights!

However, we were given the chance to cruise a second time, and we managed to score BIG-TIME.  We were on a shorter cruise, newer boat, larger ship, but most importantly, we were prepared for what to expect.

Following the first cruise, I had to figure out what the hell I had done wrong to need a vacation after the stress of my holiday!  So, ended up writing a whole swag of Cruise Advice Articles.  The tips definitely helped me to prepare for the second one.... and for some reason, we are now booked in for a third.... and we are bringing my parents, my sister and her 2 young children along....

Here are my cruising advice articles offered in link form.


Advice for Cruising - Choose the right Cruise

This article is all about considering why cruising is a good idea and weighing up whether it is a vacation style suited for you.

Advice for Cruising - Preparing for the Cruise and being onboard

This article is about having booked a cruise already, and making the most of the opportunities on board.  It also has valuable advice about what to pack.

Packing when traveling with a toddler

This article is specifically geared towards first time cruising with young children, what to take along, from clothing to incidental items.

Cruising with the whole family

Fairly self explanatory.

Tips for Cruising in the South Pacific

This article is particularly useful if you are cruising the South Pacific Islands (Fiji, Tonga, New Caledonia, Norfolk, Vanuatu etc).  While I wrote it about P&O ships, all the cruise operators in the area work the same way.

I am unlikely to write and publish too much more about cruising, because it has all been covered really.  But, the links shall remain active and the advice valid.  I will update the articles with new information as I get it.