Oceania

Christchurch, New Zealand: Beyond the rubble

"Everyone knows someone who died," Julie says. "Nobody came out of it unscathed." In truth, it doesn't sound like the sort of place that would appeal to even the most intrepid traveller. Christchurch is hardly the prettiest -- half the city centre is a building site....

Esperance: The Gem of Western Australia

Kangaroos living on the beach, pirates, explorers, gold, and the biggest wave in Western Australia; 'The Cyclops'. It seemed like my childhood story books were starting to come true. I was on my way to Esperance, in a clapped out 80's model BMW named Delilah, chasing...

Kiribati: A Ring in the Pacific

"Tying up to a pier and disembarking through the passenger gangway isn't an option," our Captain said. Never did I imagine I would one day work onboard a cruise ship for almost seven months. Let alone sail away to an atoll that for me and for any other well-traveled...

A Full-Time Traveler Visits Tonga

Many people in the US have never even heard of Tonga, but I got the privilege of spending three months in Tonga between 2016 and 2017. This small country, a collection of islands two thousand kilometers north of Auckland, is one of the highlights of my five years as a...

Crevasses and Ice Caves â€“
A Hike Up Franz Josef Glacier, New Zealand

I awoke early on a warm January morning. The sun rose, colouring the sky with washes of pinks and oranges. The streets were deserted apart from a few intrepid travellers who were heading towards the Franz Joseph glacier store. It was from here that our adventure...

A Step Back in Time at Zealandia –
Wellington’s Very Own Eco-Sanctuary

I have always wanted to explore New Zealand the same way Captain Cook did all those years ago. In a land that was completely and utterly green, surrounded by dense bush that is alive with the many different notes of bird song. To actually see a Tuatara, New...

All the Birds on Guam Were Eaten by All the Snakes!

â€œThere are no birds on Guam; theyâ€™ve been eaten by all of the snakes.â€ A Legend of Guam With my head full of dire sailor stories, I imagined many things before making the 20 hour, three-legged flight out from California to Guam to meet my husbandâ€™s ship....

Weaving Magic Across the Generations in Matangi, Fiji

Hot news flash from the Coconut Wireless is that I have found a Garden of Eden private resort in Northern Fiji! Matangi is a luxury, adults-only resort and a perfect romantic escape in the South Pacific. Arrival in Matangi My arrival onto Matangi's private resort with...

Driving Up Gibb River Road – Western Australia

Gibb River Road Standing on the side of the road, I heard the welcome sound of a roar of an engine. Soon after, a vehicle came careering around the corner, and halted to a stop after I flagged it down. â€œI donâ€™t suppose you have a working jack, do you?â€ I asked....

Hiking the Gorges of Karijini National Park

Winter runoff has come to Karijini National Park Winter has come to Karijini National Park. A chilling wind whips across my face as I check into Dales Campground, my home for the next week. The once lovely campsite is a shadow of its former self after a recent bush...

Festival of the Pearl – Australia

A kaleidoscope of colour and culture, the 46th annual Shinju Matsuri - Japanese for â€œFestival of the Pearlâ€ â€“ is a celebration of Japanese, Chinese, Malaysian and Aboriginal cultures that shaped Broome during the peak of the prosperous pearl industry. A nine-day...

10 Things to Know About Fiji

My Insights into Fiji Since Fiji Airways flies from LAX (Los Angeles) on a brand new A330, I thought with more people having an opportunity to visit I would offer some of my insights for travelers from my last trip. 1. In Fiji, Bula is the word. 2. Bula is a Fijian...