Bula Vinaka

There are trips intended for exploration, and there are holidays intended for relaxation.

I've been lots of places this year and I always felt like I had to keep going and make the most of the places I was lucky enough to visit. Tours, lots of walking and visiting all the "must-see" places.

So 14 years after living in Fiji I have ventured back.

That blast of hot air as you walk off the plane immediately brought back memories!

Went straight from the plane to a cruise ship which departed two hours after I landed.

 

The beauty of a cruise ship is that you actually don't have many options for what you do. Get off the ship onto an island to swim or snorkel- each one more beautiful than the last, or stay on the ship.

I've read more fiction books in 4 days than I think I've read in the last two years, even though I love reading. Thank goodness for Kindle eliminating the need to carry heavy books with you, although I might run out of downloaded books before I get back to NZ, I can always go online and purchase more.

(drinking kava)

And I've swum more I'm the last four days than I've swum in the last four years. This heat makes any wariness about donning togs in public pretty negligible!

Today we visited an island with a cave system. Climbed the cliff face ( ok the company has made some lovely concrete steps which make climbing the cliff face easy!) and jumped into the cold water- much colder than the sea, but refreshing none the less! No sign of Brooke Shields still in the cave though!

So after the first night where I might have had the dubious pleasure of being the first, and maybe only, person to get seasick enough to actually be sick and wonder exactly why I'd set myself up for 7 nights of this, it's certainly become a very relaxing break.

There's still a lot of the world to explore and I wouldn't want to spend every holiday doing nothing but reading and swimming but it's certainly refreshing after a year of hard work and long hours and reviving for the year to come.

 

 

Three more days on the ship and then three days in Fiji where hopefully I might be able to track down a few old friends., enjoy some familiar sights and the wonderful Fijian hospitality.

 

 

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A Year of Journeys Later

Twelve months ago I'd travelled to Australia a couple of times to visit family. And I'd lived in Fiji for 18 months.

And now in the last twelve months I've been to both Auschwitz in Poland and Alcatraz in San Francisco. I've snorkelled on the Great Barrier Reef and walked in Grand Canyon.

I've taken groups of teenagers around both the East Cape and North Cape of New Zealand.

I've visited Finland and Poland, and freaked out at airports in Sweden and Amsterdam. And now I now how not to freak out so much!

In Australia I've been to Melbourne twice, Brisbane and Cairns.

In America I spent 10 days in Las Vegas and San Francisco.

I've worked some incredibly long hours this year, but I've also made a deliberate effort to get away from TK in each term break.

What have I learnt:

I have learnt that I can travel:-

• that I can sit on planes for 24 hour
• that I can deal with airports, and foreign currencies and countries and people with different languages ( some big learning steps on the way, but I've learnt)
• that I pack way too much to take away with me, but I am learning not to 

I have learnt that world is a much bigger place than the small corner of it that I've always known:-

• that there are parts of the world with tremendous history
• that there are amazing things to see and be part of out there
• that there were some terrible atrocities in the world in the past and that we all need to be part of ensuring they don't happen again

I've learnt that New Zealand really is an amazing country, and I've  learnt a lot about the indigenous spirituality of areas of New Zealand by travelling with the groups I've done school trips with this year.

I've learnt that my physical limitations are not as limited as I thought they were. I've learnt I could physically push myself a lot further than I have in the past.

I've learnt that anyone can learn new skills. I learnt to use a map, not great at it, but I've started, and can find my way around generally. I learnt that to learn something new you have to want to learn it, that you have to engage with it, and that it sometimes helps to have someone to encourage you, someone who believes in you when you sometimes struggle to believe in yourself.

I know my world has been pretty narrow and I've learnt I can expand my life and try new things. If I can't do them at first I will keep trying. Baby steps are okay.

I've learnt that panic is a wasted state of being.  I've begun to learn how not to panic. I've gained a sense of calm that I can take forward with me into unknown situations. I've  learned to stop dwelling in the past, and worrying about the future. I've learned to stop over thinking about things that might or might not happen. I've learnt that I can't waste time regretting things I've done and said. That I just need to move on and learn from everything.

I've learnt that real learning is in doing. Listening to others, watching others, reading what others have done are all good.  But getting out into the world and doing things yourself...there is no better way to learn.

I've learnt that I don't have to get everything right, especially the first time. And that knowing I might not be able to do something shouldn't stop me from trying it. I've learnt I need to try new stuff to grow into a different person, a better person. 

I've learnt to ask for help. I've learnt I don't have to do everything myself and that it's not failing to ask others for help and support.

I've learnt that travelling myself teaches me a lot about myself. And that travelling with others teaches you a lot about them. And that both of those things are great.

I've learnt that it's a big world out there, and it is full of interesting people to meet and amazing things to see. And that I want to keep doing that.

Thanks to those people who have travelled with me during the year and thanks to those new people Ive met during the year. Whether its been trips with other adults or by myself or school trips with teenagers, I have learnt. You have all helped make me the person I am 12 months after these journeys started. You know who you are, and I will be forever grateful for what Ive learnt this year. You've  helped me to learn all this, so I can go off and do it by myself. 

Next stop: Fiji. Haven't been back since I left in 2000. Looking forward to the sun and seas. 

SanFrancisco Days 2 and 3

On Day 2 I did another city tour, saw some different places and went to Alcatraz.

 

Wow I never got what made it such a terrible prison until now. I think the most eerie part of it is how close to San Francisco it is and how the prisoners could see that, and hear the life happening in San Francisco.

 

The prison is set up really well for tourists, with he audio tour being one of the best I've had.

 

Would love to come back and do a night tour one day. Apparently they can book out months in advance.

Spent Day 3 going from place to place on the hop on hop off bus, and poking around Fishermans Wharf and Pier 39. zBought a few small gifts for people. Was keen to have lunch at Bubba Gump but the wait was over an hour. Went to the aquarium under the bay which was pretty amazing.

 

 

 

Spent a lovely couple of hours in the evening having a few drinks with Kaelyn from Fiji days.

 

Still really really Hot though.

 

Spent last day wandering around the shops in Union Square and sitting listening to free concerts.

 

Heading to airport now to return to a slightly different temperature!

 

 

 

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San Francisco Day 1

If you're going to San Francisco
Be sure to wear some flowers in your hair
If you're going to San Francisco
You're gonna meet some gentle people there

For those who come to San Francisco
Summertime will be a love-in there
In the streets of San Francisco
Gentle people with flowers in their hair

Wow. Day number 1 In San Francisco.

Really decided to come here because I wanted somewhere apart from Vegas and the flights to Vegas came through here. And I thought an opportunity to see Alcatraz and the Golden Gate Bridge.

So today did a city tour. It was really hot- over 30 at one stage. All the guide books and websites tell you about the whole four seasons in a day thing and to always take a sweatshirt. Well apparently there's a heatwave this week which makes that advice null and void!

There is so much history here that I had forgotten I knew- mainly through the movies.

interesting earthquake history and the big one in 1905 that burnt a lot of the city down. Some amazing houses.

Saw the famous painted ladies houses- of Full House fame.

Went up Twin Peaks for gorgeous city views, unusually unmarred by fog. according to the tour guide.
Drove through the Castro district, of Harvey Milk fame

Saw millionaire district and some incredible views.

Saw Golden Gate Bridge from two different vantage points and drove over it.

Went out to Muir Woods. Bought a toy hummingbird. ( thanks to a game of cranium a few weeks ago where I stunned everyone else playing by never having heard of one so not correctly guessing the depiction of one!)

But more importantly Heard about the history of San Francisco and the people who have built it into the very accepting tolerant truly democratic place it is today!

San Francisco can start right now to become number one. We can set examples so that others will follow. We can start overnight. We don’t have to wait for budgets to be passed, surveys to be made, political wheelings and dealings…….for it takes no money……it takes no compromising to give the people their rights……it takes no money to respect the individual. It takes no political deal to give people freedom. It takes no survey to remove repression. (Harvey Milk)







(Better photos on my camera but will have to wait for those!)

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Farewell Las Vegas

Vive, Vive Las Vegas.
Well it kind of feels like a bit of an alternate reality land. Gambling everywhere. Debauchery of every kind there for the asking.
Anything goes.
And everything stays in Vegas!

Having never been on my list of places to visit I'm glad circumstances conspired to get me there.

Feeling a lot more confident with travelling. Could figure out the air trains and getting from terminal to terminal and to vastly big and far apart gates now. Figured out how to add baggage as I was checking in with a cheap ticket hat didn't have baggage as part of the cost. And nary a meltdown or sign of one at any time. Even when I got to this massive luggage collection hall with 16 huge carousels when I arrived after 24 hours of travelling and I had no idea which one mine would come out on!) I think my meltdown in Sweden airport in January has served me well for all future travelling!)

Everywhere I went in the Vegas airport I kept taking photos of the pokie machines ad I thought it must be the last lot. At the check in, before security, after security, getting off the air train, the foyer of the gates, the departure gate. Took photos each time coz I though ah the last sign of gambling in Vegas nay to find more at the next stop

Was all checked out with 15 mins to spare before the shuttle on last morning so I cashed in my $17 winnings from the other night into a math ine. Gotta to $40, then down to $15, then back up to $47 when I had to cash out to get the shuttle. Guess that'll pay for a couple of taxi fares!

And with that I flew out of Las Vegas, headed to San Francisco via Los Angeles.
And now I can say I have at least touched down in Los Angeles!

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Last Day in Vegas

Last Day in Vegas

Took a bus down to Freemont Street and wandered around there for a few hours. A welcome respite from the strip, although still gambling machines everywhere! Bought a few souvenirs for people back home, and wandered back to the Stratosphere. Spent a bit of time sitting in the sun at the pool and tried to pack as the shuttle was booked for 8 am.

Wandered up the strip as it was getting dark to join the nighttime tour. Went right up the strip to the sign and then back down the other side looking at the lights etc. Photos on my camera so will have to wait until I can download them to post any.

Then back on down to Freemont for the 9pm Freemont experience. Wow certainly some interesting characters out. Back in the hotel and asleep by 11pm in preparation for getting up early to get to the airport in the morning.

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Grand Canyon

In 1903, President Theodore Roosevelt visited the site and said: "The Grand Canyon fills me with awe. It is beyond comparison—beyond description; absolutely unparalleled throughout the wide world... Let this great wonder of nature remain as it now is. Do nothing to mar its grandeur, sublimity and loveliness. You cannot improve on it. But what you can do is to keep it for your children, your children's children, and all who come after you, as the one great sight which every American should see."

It was definitely worth the early start and long day to see this very incredible part of nature.

Confusing directions as to which entrance to meet the tour bus started the day. When I finally found the right place to wait right on 6.10am I was thankful that three other people were there as well so I hadn't missed it. However by 6.25am we were all wondering, especially when someone told us we were at the local bus stop not the tour bus stop. So Maureen rang the company who told us to take a cab to the central meeting place. Maureen, Rita, Mariusz and I all raced to the taxi stand, it seemed every type of transportation was at a different entranceway at the Stratosphere and made our way to Planet Hollywood.

When we got there and registered there were five large buses being filled. The four of us were all directed to Bus 6 which hadn't been filled. After such a frenetic start to the day it was cool we all ended up on the same bus as we'd already met.

Finally our driver arrived and took us to a small minivan that only seated 15 instead of one of the larger buses. Even though it was quite cramped it made for a good trip with lots of laughter as we were all seated in close proximity.

We were all pretty underwhelmed by Hoover Dam. It might have just been that the water was extremely low, but we stopped for 20 mins and it took us all about 2 mins to take any decent photos!

Back on the road we headed through real boondocks until we got to a little tearoom with restrooms up the back fence line.

We were given our packed lunch as we pulled out at 9.45am. Turkey filed roll at 9.45 didn't really appeal to me so I just ate the cookie!

Arrived at the Grand Canyon terminal and everyone else headed off on the shuttles to the three stop points while I headed to the pre booked helicopters. After another long wait queuing had a helicopter ride down into the canyon, landing by the river bed. It was after midday by then and really really hot. My overwhelming impression was of the immense vastness.

Back up the top and onto a shuttle. Skipped the ranch which was stop 1, which the others tell me was mostly a good move! Went straight to the skywalk.

Met Maureen, Rita and Sam all together there. They had been waiting for a while and were group 30 to go out on the skywalk. I was 33. They called out group 21, so we were in for another long wait!

The skywalk is this short walk on top of strongly reinforced glass built right out over the canyon. You walk around and look down and you are standing right over this immense rock. You aren't allowed to take anything out there with you- cameras, phones etc, and you have to put special slipper things over your shoes. The cynical amongst us would say that is so there professional photographers can take photos and then sell them to you at exorbitant prices.

Well, it worked! I bought the USB stick with 10 photos of myself out there for $60!!

Having always been not great with the whole height thing, this experience was quite amazing. And I'm proud I managed to do it by myself. Although I drew the line when the photographer suggested I lie down on the glass!

Then I just had time to get to the third stop, which probably had the most amazing views of all. Met Mariusz there and he took some photos for me which are probably the best photos on my camera and phone! (And I told him I'm going to "borrow" some of his once he posts them coz they are so much better than mine!)

Again there was this feeling of immense vastness as you look out over the canyon.

Then it was back to mindless and onto the shuttle heading back to Las Vegas. Lots of laughter and looking at photos for the first couple of hours, then the driver put on a video of a Las Vegas comedian for the last hour back.

By the time we got back to the hotel after 6pm I was pretty thirsty from all that heat. Some of the others went off to do the nighttime tour but the bar beckoned, especially as I still had another night to catch the nighttime tour. Mariusz and I headed to the pool for a couple of drinks. We were a bit disappointed they close the whole pool area at 7pm as it's a really nice spot to sit and relax in so we headed off to the top of the tower for a look at the lights of Las Vegas and a few more drinks.

Maybe I should have eaten that Turkey roll at 9.45am because by 10pm, the combination of heights, no food, margaritas and lights made me feel pretty weary!

But a great day experiencing one of the natural wonders of the world.

That's two natural winders in the last four months. Which one should I experience next?