I was sad to leave the beautiful beaches of Fiji behind but also looking forward to a few days in the city of Brisbane.  After 11 days on remote islands, getting back to a big city sounded better than you’d think.  Like Sydney, Brisbane is pretty expensive but I’d found an apartment hotel called the Medina Executive for my 3-night stay.  Located right next to the Story Bridge, reviewers on Trip Advisor gave the hotel high marks for its views of the bridge and the skyline.  And, as you know, I’m a sucker for a great view.

When I arrived at the Medina Executive and checked into my one-bedroom apartment, I was pleasantly surprised – it was everything I’d read it would be and more.  The best part was the large deck with sweeping views of downtown across the Brisbane River.  The second best part was the washer and dryer in the bathroom (doesn’t sound like that big a deal but if you’d been living out of a carry-on suitcase for a month, you’d understand).

It was already 9pm by the time I settled into my room so I grabbed some dinner before crashing for the night.  The next morning I was up early and decided to go for a run along the waterfront.  I hadn’t run since Auckland and I’d done a lot of lounging around on the islands so I was definitely due for a few miles.  Right next to the hotel is the start of a boardwalk that runs along the Brisbane River through the city and makes for a perfect run.

After my run, it was time to head back down to the water to catch the river cruise to the Lone Pine Koala Sanctuary, my #1 plan for the day.  Since the sanctuary is more than 10 miles outside of downtown Brisbane, the combo river cruise/entry ticket ($55AUD) is the most popular way to visit.  It was a gorgeous day so the one-hour river cruise to the sanctuary through some of Brisbane’s most prestigious neighborhoods was just perfect.

Lone Pine is the world’s first and largest koala sanctuary dating back to 1927.  The sanctuary is one of the very few in the world where visitors are actually allowed to hold koalas for a fee.  Strict regulations ensure that each koala is not held for more than thirty minutes every day.  I was dying to hold a koala.  I mean seriously, is there anything cuter?  So, when the boat docked, I made a beeline for the photo area and gladly forked over my donation of $16AUS (which goes to their care) for a few minutes with a koala (not bear).

When it’s your turn, they tell you exactly where to stand and how to position your arms…and then they place the furry little koala right into your outstretched arms.  I…could…just…die.  Holding that sweet koala in my arms as he nuzzled up to my neck with his cold nose (and innocently dug his little claws into my shoulder) was one of the coolest things I’ve ever done in all of my travels.  

They snap your picture pretty quickly and then the photographer is kind enough to take a picture with your camera as well, if you like.  This is a nice touch as a lot of these type places won’t let you do that.  After the picture, you get to hold the koala for a few minutes before your time is up.  They are very strict about how the koalas are held and if you don’t do it just right (or if, say, you’re a kid who won’t do what the trainer tells you – like the one before me), you lose your turn.

There are more than 130 koalas at Lone Pine.  They are separated into various habitat areas including Senior, Kindergarten, Mommas with Joeys (babies) and even a Bachelor Pad where just one anti-social male koala lives.  (P.S.  I defy you to find anything more adorable than a Koala Kindergarten.) 

For the most part, the koalas do a whole lot of sleeping.  But each afternoon when the staff goes around to the pens to deliver fresh eucalyptus branches, the koalas come to life.  I’d never seen them so alert as when new food was arriving.

After a couple of hours hanging with the koalas, it was time to take the boat back to the city.  I spent the rest of the afternoon exploring downtown Brisbane.  Like Sydney and Auckland, Brisbane offers a bridge climb on their Story Bridge (the only 3 places in the world you can do this).  Since my hotel was right next to the bridge, I had great views of the bridge climb groups from my balcony.  If I’d had more time, I probably would have done that climb, too.  Then I could have said I’d done all three!

But instead, I decided to spend my last full day of the trip at the beach.  So I hopped a train for the 1-hour ride out to Australia’s Gold Coast and the beach of Surfers Paradise.  I’d lucked out with the weather again and it was another sunny day in the low 80’s.  The Gold Coast area is very highly developed with hotels, condos, casinos, etc.  In fact, it reminded me of a cross between Bondi Beach and Atlantic City.

I spent some time on the beach, had lunch and then headed back to the city to pack and do some laundry on my last night (never a dull moment in the glamorous life of the intrepid world-traveler).

I can’t believe this trip has already come to an end – it’s amazing how a month can fly by!  It’s been an incredible trip and a big thanks to everyone who has followed along and posted comments.  Hope you all enjoyed the pictures and stories.  My travel adventures will be all business-related for the next few months (after all, at some point I have to pay for all of this fun).  But, fear not!   Planning for RTW #6 in January 2011 is well underway.

After 7 nights of “roughing it” in Tonga and Samoa, I was longing for all the comforts of a 5-Star resort.  Fluffy pillows, A/C, hi-speed internet, TV and the all-important hair dryer were calling my name.  And after a quick 90 minute flight from Apia, Samoa to Nadi, Fiji, I was back in the land of the South Pacific tourist machine.

I’d been to Fiji once before, on RTW #2.  It was the last stop on a particularly arduous trip and – to be frank – I was exhausted by the time I got there and barely left the hotel’s beach during my 2-night stay.  Yet, I still claimed to have been to Fiji.  Turns out, I hadn’t even come close.

On this trip I was determined to get off the main island of Viti Levu to the outer islands of the Mamanacas and Yasawas – what I’d heard was the real Fiji – the stuff tourist brochures are made of.  I hoped that was true as on my last visit I hadn’t seen anything close to the pictures I’d seen – what I imagined as the South Pacific paradise of Fiji.  I mean, yes, it was a decent beach with beautiful sunsets – but I didn’t see what the fuss was all about.

Home base for my 3-night stay in Fiji was the Westin Denarau Island – and I’d never been so excited to see a Westin Heavenly Bed.  After dropping my luggage in the room, I headed back down to the tour desk in the lobby to get some expert help sorting out the dozens of island excursion options I’d researched.

The Yasawa Islands were the furthest away and I knew that would require a full-day trip but the Mamanuca chain was closer and had a few half-day options.  The resorts at each of the possible island stopovers all looked equally stunning, so I had trouble deciding between them.

Taking the advice of my tour desk agent, I eventually settled on a full-day trip out to the Yasawa Islands with a 4-hour stop at the Octopus Resort on Waya Island for lunch and snorkeling for Day 1.  And then a half-day trip of cruising around the islands of the Mamanucas for Day 2.  Satisfied with my 2-day itinerary, I headed to the hotel’s bar just in time for a sunset cocktail and the nightly Fijian fire dance show.

Day 1 – The Yasawa Islands

The remote Yasawa Island group consists of a chain of 20 ancient volcanic islands acclaimed for their sandy white beaches and crystal clear lagoons.  Though there are resorts catering to all interests and budgets, the Yasawas are world famous as a backpacker destination with a number of resorts providing basic accommodation to the younger set.  You can easily spend a week or more bouncing from island to island at different resorts and the local tour companies can arrange the entire itinerary including boat transfers.

My boat for the day departs from the Denarau Marina just minutes from the Westin and is packed full of travelers headed to any number of island resorts.  When I booked my day-trip, I opted for an “upgrade” to the Captain’s Lounge which included snacks and drinks for the day.  It was only $15 extra and my general rule of thumb is that any upgrade that can be had for less than $50 is a no-brainer.  This turned out to be a great decision as I cruised in air-conditioned comfort while most of the passengers were crammed onto the various decks.  Priceless.

Heading out to the Yasawas, the boat makes a number of stops to drop-off/pick-up passengers at the various islands resorts on the way.  Our first stop was South Sea Island, followed by Bounty Island and the infamous Beachcomber Island (know to backpackers the world-over as Fiji’s “party island”).  Most of these islands are so tiny they don’t even have docks so at each stop small jetties would shuttle passengers to and from the ferry boat as we sat offshore.

After 3 stops in quick succession, we headed out into open water bound for the Yasawas.  Two and a half hours after departing Denarau, we pulled up to Waya Island, my stop for the day.  I hopped into the jetty with about a dozen other passengers actually staying at the resort.  We were greeted on shore by resort staff bearing fruity drinks and I knew immediately this was my kind of place.  Just-absolutely-gorgeous.  The kind of place that makes you pinch yourself because you can’t believe it’s actually real.

Being the only “day-tripper” I was given a quick overview of the resorts amenities and what was available to me (which was almost everything – a nice surprise) and quickly staked my claim to a beachside lounge chair for the afternoon…bliss.

I did a little snorkeling in the reef just offshore and enjoyed an excellent seafood lunch before heading back to my boat around 3pm.  I made it back to the hotel just in time for another spectacular sunset.  It was an absolutely perfect day in paradise.

Day 2 – The Mamanucas

For today’s trip I had decided to forgo the beach time and focus on seeing as many of the islands as I could.  Of the two island groups, the Mamanucas offer superior diving and more luxurious, larger resort options than the Yasawas.  The island group is also home to Modriki Island where the movie “Castaway” was filmed.

Throughout the morning, as we stopped at each resort, the guests disembarking were welcomed in song by enthusiastic, smiling staff members.  And the resorts were all so beautiful, I was longing to get off the boat and stay awhile…maybe next time.  For the most part, each island caters to a different crowd – some to families with children, others to couples and still others to singles. 

After a full morning of island-hopping thru the Mamanucas, it was time to return to Denarau for an afternoon poolside at the Westin.

I’m so glad I decided to return to Fiji on this trip instead of considering it checked off the list after my last visit.  The main island of Viti Levu in Fiji is similar to the main island of Tahiti in that you haven’t really seen the country until you’ve left it.  I’d like to return to Fiji someday and plan an itinerary that includes staying on several of the tiny islands for a few days each.  I can’t imagine a vacation more fantastic.

I’m happy to say that I’ve finally found the paradise that truly is Fiji – and you can bet I’ll be back for more.

Trivia Question:  You’ve just landed after a one hour flight.  Upon landing, you change the date on your watch but not the time.  Where are you?  Well, if you started in Tonga – after a quick crossing of the International Date Line – you are now in Apia, Samoa.  And after three adventurous days in Tonga, that’s exactly where I found myself…at midnight on Tuesday, no wait, Monday (landing at midnight only confused the situation further). 

I will be spending 4 nights in Samoa.  The first two in the capital of Apia on the main island of Upolu and the last two on Samoa’s sparsely-populated, wilder-side – the island of Savaii.  Flights are not daily in Samoa but when one comes in – even at midnight – the airport is abuzz.  I have elected to spend my two nights in Apia at a Samoan legend, historic Aggie Grey’s Hotel & Bungalows.

During World War II, US soldiers visited Apia from all over the Pacific for their rest and relaxation breaks.  Aggie Grey, a local entrepreneur, built up a business selling hamburgers to these servicemen.  Her business soon developed into a successful hotel visited by the likes of Marlon Brando and William Holden – who each have bungalows named after them – and remains the best hotel on the islands today. It is believed that Aggie herself was the model for James Michener’s Bloody Mary, made famous in the musical South Pacific.

The long ride from the airport took an hour but I finally arrived at Aggie’s and checked in at almost 2am.  After settling into my bungalow and cranking up the A/C – which I missed dearly in Tonga – I went straight to bed. 

The next day I headed out to explore Apia and hit the local market for some souvenir shopping.  After a quick tour around town and a few purchases, it was time to head to my primary objective for the day – the Robert Louis Stevenson Museum and grave.

When Robert Louis Stevenson and his wife Fanny arrived in Samoa in 1889, Stevenson was already the well-known author of Treasure Island, Kidnapped and Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde.  The Scottish writer suffered from a lung disease throughout his life and came to Western Samoa in search of a climate more suitable for his health.    Though intending to stay only a few weeks, Stevenson fell in love with Samoa and later bought nearly 400 acres of land on Mount Vaea where he built a magnificent mansion called “Vailima.”  He became very involved in Samoan politics and was a big supporter of the islands’ independence from European rule – earning him the adoration of the Samoan people.

Stevenson’s time in Samoa was, sadly, short-lived.  After 5 years on the island – and at the young age of 44 – he died of an apparent cerebral hemorrhage while on his back porch.  200 grieving Samoans carried his casket to the top of Mount Vaea where they buried him overlooking the town and sea that he loved.

Though the museum was only about 2 miles away, the front desk agent at Aggie’s advised a taxi as the walk was entirely uphill.  I took her advice and grabbed a cab for a ride up.  This was the best decision I made all day.  As we drove along, I realized that the walk would have been quite strenuous in the Samoan mid-day heat.  Once we arrived, the driver wanted to wait and take me back (for a nominal fee, of course) but I sent him on and planned to walk back….downhill.  I wanted to spend some time at the museum and also make the hike up to the grave and I didn’t want to feel rushed by having someone waiting for me.

There were only about 8 other people there when I arrived and the tours start whenever enough people are assembled.  Apparently 8 was enough because our tour of the house started just after I arrived.  Our extremely knowledgeable tour guide, Margaret, walked us through each room of the house giving us the history of each room and bringing the whole house to life for me.  Margaret later explained why she was so passionate about the museum and its story – her great grandmother was a servant in the house during Stevenson’s life and she was named after his mother.  The entire family was loved dearly by the Samoans especially those who lived and worked at Vailima.

The tour was fascinating and once it was over, it was optional to make the climb up Mount Vaea to view Stevenson’s final resting place.  Margaret informed us that the hike to the top would take about 45 minutes and advised water, sturdy shoes and bug spray.  Since bug spray has been my perfume of choice since arrival in Tonga, I had that covered.  Figuring 2 out of 3 was good enough, I bought a bottle of water in the gift shop (my second and final good decision of the day) and headed to the start of the trail.  I should point out that no one else from my tour group elected to make the hike to the grave, but I couldn’t resist.  How can you come all this way and not?  Plus, Margaret said the view from the top was spectacular and I’m a sucker for a great view.

I’d only been hiking about 10 minutes when I realized I would have been a lot better off in my tennis shoes instead of my flip flops.  Too late now.  The climb was a lot steeper than I expected and the path just large rocks at points.  The other issue was that it must have rained on the mountain that morning because the trail was muddy and slick in spots – not good news when you’re wearing inadequate footwear to begin with.  But I pressed on, thinking it couldn’t be much further to the top.  In the back of my mind, though, I kept thinking that this would be tricky to get back down.

Finally, after 45 minutes of climbing practically straight up, I reached the grassy plateau at the top of the mountain where the grave of Robert Louis Stevenson and his wife lay.  Margaret was right, the view was spectacular.  I was glad I’d toughed it out – of course, I still had to climb back down.  I took a few minutes to breathe, drink my water and take some photos before beginning the climb back down.

Once I started heading back down, I became acutely aware that I was completely alone on the mountain.  I’d seen no one else on the trail the entire way up.  About halfway down, disaster struck.  At a particularly steep step down across rocks, I carefully set one foot down on the ground (easy does it)  – and it promptly slipped right out from under me in the mud sending me sliding down the mountain  about 6 feet through wet earth.  Oh crap, this can’t be good.  Deep breath.  Deep breath.

Regaining my composure quickly, I grabbed hold of a tree and pulled myself back up onto the trail (which would have been a whole lot easier if the ground had been dry).  A quick check revealed no injuries other than a few scratches (which would later develop into bruises) and a minor brush with hysteria.  I’m not gonna lie, I did panic for a brief moment.  Luckily, though the drop-off from the trail was steep, it was also thickly wooded so you couldn’t fall too far without something to stop you.   

Looking back, I realized the flaw in my decision-making.  It goes a little something like this, “I run marathons, I can (insert ridiculous physical activity here).”  After giving it some thought, I came up with several other examples of how this logic has previously failed me:  1) Hiking up the mountain above Machu Picchu in Peru; 2)  Hiking up Table Mountain in Cape Town;  3)  Running the Marrakech Marathon. 

Dirty and more than a little flustered, I made my way back down the rest of the mountain without incident.  At the bottom of the trail, near the house, there was a pond with a trickling waterfall where Robert Louis Stevenson used to bathe.  I took advantage of the waterfall to clean off my muddy feet and hands, brushed the drying mud off the rest of me and managed to emerge from the woods looking reasonably presentable…the most damage inflicted on my pride.

I still made the walk back to Aggie Grey’s, determined to shake off the incident on the mountain and carry on.  When I got back – probably looking homeless to the front desk staff – I took a long hot shower and stayed at the hotel for dinner.

The next morning I awoke and surveyed the damage.  I already had several small scratches on my arms and legs from climbing across the reefs in Tonga, now I had a few Samoan bruises to add to the mix.  Honestly, it’s starting to look like I’m kick-boxing my way across the South Pacific.  Not very lady-like, must try to up the feminine quotient a bit on this vacation.

Samoa Part 2 – Savaii

Day 3 and it was time to leave the island of Upolu and take the 90 minute gut-churning ferry across to Savaii (Tip:  Take the big ferry, not the small one).  For my two nights in Savaii, I’d chosen the Savaii Lagoon Resort.  Located on the north side of the large island, the resort had only 10 bungalows, all beachfront.  When I arrived, I was greeted warmly by Patricia and Christoph, the German couple who manage the resort and live onsite.  I was escorted to my bungalow which had the best location of them all on the resort’s pristine beach (not by choice, it was the only one available when I booked – and, of course, it was the most expensive – but it’s all relative on Samoa).

My bungalow was beautiful.  Extremely spacious and modern (by Samoan standards), the bathroom even had a luxurious outdoor shower.  Unfortunately, like Tonga, it was still without A/C and a hairdryer (I haven’t had a good hair day since Auckland).  And I received only a blank stare when I inquired about internet.  I guess most people who come here on holiday don’t care about such things.  But you don’t get to travel like I do without having to be available to clients to earn your keep.   When pressed, Christoph said he thought the nearest village of Manase (a 30 minute walk away) had an internet café.  Score!

Christoph is also a chef and runs a very small but well-known restaurant at the resort creating only 2 dishes each night, all based on the type of fresh fish he is able to buy that morning.  The menu is posted on a chalk board and you must let him know by 3pm each day if you plan to come to dinner.  For my first night on Savaii, I decided to try Christoph’s cuisine (which came highly recommended on Trip Advisor).  I settled into my bungalow just in time to enjoy a stunning sunset before dinner.  Christoph’s cuisine did not disappoint and my dinner of grilled tuna was fantastic. 

I had grandiose plans to hire a driver for a day tour of the island the next day (my only full day on Savaii) but after my adventurous treks through Tonga and Apia, I was ready for a day of lazing around on the beach.  And the Savaii Lagoon Resort had the perfect beach for it.  So, I admit, I was completely lazy on day two…and it was great.  I did, however, manage a morning walk into Manase to visit the “internet café” which had only two computers with dial-up (yes, dial-up) connections.  I checked e-mail for anything important and then took a walk around the village meeting a few locals and a lot of kids along the way.

Back at the resort, I spent a relaxing day on the beach and finished the paperback I’d been reading since Australia.  That evening, I headed to the hotel next door for dinner and their Thursday night “fiafia” – a traditional Samoan meal cooked in a pit of hot stones called an “umu” followed by singing and dancing.  It was quite an enjoyable show and a definite highlight of my visit.  

One of the more unusual things about Samoa are the beachfront fales available all over the island.  Different from the fale I stayed in on Tonga, these are extremely basic huts that cater to the backpacker-set (starting at about $20 US per night).  This is just one more reason I know I could never live the backpacker lifestyle.  

Samoan beach fale

Though they arguably occupy some of the most pristine beachfront in Samoa, I’m the kind of girl that considers indoor plumbing a necessity, not an option (I wouldn’t last a day on Survivor).  And anyway, I was already roughing it enough without A/C. 

Also unique to these islands are the Samoan “open houses.”  These round, columned structures with just a roof and concrete floor are open to the ocean breezes and used as a meeting house or guest house for any guest who wants to stay there.  Samoan custom traditionally requires families and villages to offer passing visitors hospitality, including overnight accommodations. A visitor can enter the guest house at any time for a short rest. The immediate family will respond, according to tradition, by preparing food and water for the visitors.

After the guests are fed and rested, the village chief will politely inquire about the purpose of the unexpected visit and the intended length of stay. Guests are treated with kindness and consideration and offered any further help if needed.  Even though such buildings are reserved for important purposes, they remain open and empty most of the time.  Samoans accept this knowing that their guest and meeting houses stand ready as places of refuge for anyone in need of help.  These buildings represent the power, prestige, generosity and hospitality of the families who build them and their affiliated villages.

Samoan "open house"

The Samoans are a very welcoming people and the dozens of available open houses dotting the islands attest to that.  My walks through the villages – greeted by everyone I passed - were a highlight of my visit.  Especially the kids walking home from school who were quick to ask my name and smile for my camera. 

Life in Samoa – on Savaii, especially - remains very simple to this day.  It revolves around the village and the family and is known as “fa’a Samoa” - the Samoan Way.  The tourist infrastructure is primitive but slowly developing.  You get the sense that the Samoans aren’t in any hurry to become a major tourist destination – a nice change of pace from the rest of the South Pacific.  For now, the “Simply Samoan” lifestyle suits me just fine…and I know that if I ever need a place to stay, there’s an open house in Samoa waiting for me.

My trip to the South Pacific’s only remaining monarchy got off to a bit of a bumpy start.  After a very pleasant 2 ½ hour Air New Zealand flight, we were just about to touch down on Tonga’s sole runway when the plane suddenly jerked upward, straight back into the night sky.  It is at times like this that my desire to hear a reassuring announcement from the captain is outweighed by my concern that he has more important things on his plate at the moment.

As a frequent flier, I’ve been involved in 2 aborted landings before.  The first, coming into Atlanta when another plane crossed the runway before us.  And the second, coming in for a landing in New Delhi, India – where I can only assume (based on my observations in Delhi traffic) that a bull must have wandered onto the runway bringing all landings to a halt.

After a few uncertain moments, the Captain announced that he had to abort our landing due to notification from air traffic control of an “unauthorized” person on the runway.  We would be circling somewhere over the South Pacific until Tongan airport officials managed to clear said unauthorized person.  At this point visions of a sarong-clad, kava-over-served Tongan doing cartwheels on the runway comes to mind.  Thirty minutes later – as I’m nervously pondering where the next closest available runway might be in this part of the world – the Captain announces that the situation has been resolved and we’ve been cleared to land.  All hail the King…welcome to Tonga.

The only Pacific nation never to have been controlled by foreign powers, the Kingdom of Tonga is the last remaining Polynesian monarchy.  The ruling royal family of Tonga can be traced back more than 1000 years.  Of the 176 islands that make up the kingdom, only about 55 of them are inhabited by the population of just over 100,000. 

Once off the plane, all 300 of us waited for 2 customs agents to process everyone’s passports.  This took about an hour.  Finally, around 9pm, I exited the arrivals area and was immediately greeted by Pina, the owner of the Keleti Resort – my home for the next 3 nights in Tonga.  By 10pm Pina had checked me into to one of the resort’s seaside “fales” a traditional south pacific-style accommodation.  Though certainly not luxurious, my fale – Pina’s namesake – had everything I needed and was actually quite charming.

It was dark when I arrived so I couldn’t see the beach but there was no mistaking the tranquil sound of waves crashing against the reef nearby.  It lulled me right to sleep my first night and each one thereafter.  The one thing that could be seen clearly at night was the blanket of stars covering the black sky.  I’m not sure I’ve ever seen so many stars.  So mesmerizing that I almost broke my neck trying to walk down a dark path while looking up at them.

The next morning I awoke early, anxious to check out the resort’s beach before breakfast.  Turns out, Keleti actually has several small but equally gorgeous beaches separated by sharp sections of reef.  With sturdy footwear, it’s an easy walk from one beach to the next.  The reef lies just a few feet off the shoreline and runs the entire length of the western side of the island.  After a little exploring and a few pictures, I headed back up to the restaurant (and prime whale-watching spot) for breakfast. 

As it was a Sunday morning, I had to get creative with my itinerary for the day.  Tonga comes to a screeching halt at midnight on Saturday night and stays that way for 24 hours.  Tongan law dictates that Sunday is a day of rest and it is against the law to work.  There are no flights in or out, shops and restaurants are closed and the streets of Nuku’alofa (the main town) are deserted.  There are, however, a few exceptions.  Hotels are allowed to cater to their guests and the law only applies to the main island leaving the offshore islands free to carry on as usual.

In my advance research on Tonga, I’d discovered that the two best things to do on a Sunday were to attend church with the locals and head to one of the offshore islands for lunch and snorkeling.  Luckily, on our ride from the airport the night before, Pina was kind enough to invite me to church with her family – I gratefully accepted.

So, after breakfast, Pina picked me up and we were on our way.  Though the entire service was in Tongan, it was thoroughly enjoyable – especially the music from the choir.  I’d heard that Tongans were well-known for their musical talents but, seriously, you would have thought they were all professional sopranos. 

My host, Pina

After church I caught a ride into town from Vini, Pina’s brother, to take the boat out to Pangiamotu Island.  On the way we picked up Vini’s wife and aunt who were also headed to the wharf for a memorial service for a tragic ferry accident that occurred one year ago. 

On August 5, 2009, Tonga suffered its worst maritime tragedy when the inter-island ferry MV Princess Ashika sank during the night in the waters off Nuku’alofa.  The Ashika was being used only temporarily until the completion of a new ferry that was under construction.  It had been in service only a month when it sank.  The ship was believed to be carrying 141 passengers, more than half of whom perished.  According to reports from those who survived, the passenger cabin was locked during sailing trapping all inside when the ferry sank.   Most who survived were crew members.  The king did not endear himself to his people when he left the morning after the accident for an extended holiday.  Much grief and anger remains over the incident within the Tongan community.

The community had erected a memorial wall in tribute to all 74 people killed in the accident and it was being dedicated in a ceremony near the water today.  Sadly, Vini’s wife lost 3 members of her family in the accident.

After a few stops along the way, Vini dropped me off at the wharf just in time to catch the 1pm boat to Pangiamotu Island Resort.  Just a 10 minute ride away, Pangiamotu is the closest of the offshore islands.  Though the resort itself gets mixed reviews, it has a nice beach complete with the half-submerged wreck of the My Lady Lata II that makes for interesting snorkeling.  The restaurant serves decent, affordable food and I had a nice lunch and swim there before heading back on the 4pm boat.

When I arrived back at the wharf, I didn’t see Vini anywhere.  But I immediately noticed the massive crowd assembled across the parking lot and realized that the memorial service was still in progress.  I made my way over to it careful to maintain a polite distance since I was not exactly dressed for the occasion in my swimsuit cover-up.  Vini noticed me in the crowd and made his way over to let me know he was there.  He asked if I wouldn’t mind staying until it was over and of course, I didn’t.

Though the king did not attend the service, the crown prince did and gave a very moving speech after all names had been read from the wall.  After the service, Vini drove me back to the resort and I had a nice dinner at the restaurant with a few of my fellow guests before retiring to my fale for the night.  It was a true day in the life of the Tongan people that I felt honored to have been a part of.

The next day, my plan was to check out the main town of Nuku’alofa including the market and an up-close look at the memorial wall that I’d been separated from by the massive crowd the day before.  Pina dropped me off around 11am and arranged to pick me up at 4pm.  I wasn’t really sure how much time I needed but I figured that was a safe bet.  By 1pm, I’d been to the wall, the market, walked all around town and had lunch.  I called Keleti and Pina was kind enough to come and get me just 15 minutes later. 

When I got back to the resort, I decided to take one of their mountain bikes out for a trip further up the west coast to the island’s famous Blowholes near the town of Houma.  According to Vini, it was about a 5-6 mile ride.  He insisted I take his cell phone in case I had any trouble with the bike and needed to be picked up.  Once out on the road in the afternoon heat, I had second thoughts about mile 3.  But I pressed on along the bumpy road and eventually made it to Houma and found the sign to the blowholes. 

Known as the most impressive blowholes in the South Pacific, on windy days the coast is shrouded in mist for miles from hundreds of them working at once.  At high tide, waves send geysers of seawater shooting up through natural vents in the coral and creating a truly impressive sight.  I could have stood there and watched them all day.  However, I had a 6-mile bike ride back to the hotel and I was losing light. 

Riding through the village of Houma was a joy.  There were a lot of kids out playing and every last one of them greeted me with a wave, a big smile and a cheerful, “Bye!” as I rode by trying desperately not to hit potholes.  The adults were very welcoming and friendly as well and I felt very at home in this village just like I did everywhere else on the island.

As I was riding back through the village, Vini’s cellphone in my backpack started ringing.  It was logistically impossible to get the phone out of my backpack while riding and not kill myself so I let it ring figuring maybe it was just someone trying to call him.   A few minutes later it rang again and I realized it was probably Vini checking in on me.  I pulled over but wasn’t quick enough to hit the right button on the phone before it stopped ringing again.  I thought to myself if this really was Vini calling, he was probably organizing a search party as we speak.   But on his third try I was able to answer it and I could tell he was relieved.  I told him I was doing fine and was on my way back.

Just before sunset I made it back to Keleti in one piece – to Vini’s obvious relief.  After a quick shower, I again joined my fellow guests on the deck for a cocktail and some whale-watching (a constant activity this time of year & we saw dozens of them go by).  I was so enthralled with the blow holes that I asked Vini if he’d drive me up there one more time in the morning.  We arranged a time to meet and I was off to bed for some much-needed rest.  Another full day in Tonga.

At 5am I was awakened by loud music coming from somewhere in my room.  Having been sound asleep and in a very dark and unfamiliar environment, I was completely disoriented.  It took me a minute to realize that I must have forgotten to give Vini his phone back and the music was coming from my backpack.  It took me another full minute to fumble for the phone in the dark and manage to shut it off.  Apparently, Vini sets his phone alarm for 5am.  Hopefully his wife woke him up this morning.

Later that morning, Vini and I headed back over to the blowholes joined by 3 other guests who’d heard we were going and wanted in.  It was a great idea to go back in the morning as the direction of the sunlight created rainbows over each blowhole…talk about great photos!  So cool.

I spent the rest of the morning and early afternoon working from the restaurant (where Pina has free wifi) before heading to the airport with several others for the flight to Samoa.

I wasn’t sure what to expect from Tonga.  It’s a small kingdom with nowhere near the tourist infrastructure of South Pacific titans like Tahiti and Fiji.  But after 3 days of sharing laughter, worship and grief with the local community, I think that’s exactly what I loved so much about it.  In the natural resource department, Tonga has all the beauty of the more popular islands with a distinctly old-world-Polynesian feel.  Don’t get me wrong, I’m definitely one for the luxuries in travel and you won’t find it here.  But what you will find is an island community full of vibrant people who are warm and welcoming and make you feel a part of their culture.  Coming to Tonga is a unique experience…and one I will always cherish.  I arrived as a tourist but I left as a friend.  Thanks to Pina, Vini and all the staff at Keleti for making me feel at home.

One of the coolest things about heading to Auckland is how we got there:  on the newest edition to aviation greatness, the A380.  The largest passenger airliner in the world, the A380 made its maiden flight on April 27, 2005 from Toulouse, France, and made its first commercial flight on October 25, 2007 from Singapore to Sydney with Singapore Airlines. 

In addition to Singapore, it’s now flown by only 4 other airlines worldwide:  Air France, Emirates, Qantas and Lufthansa.  Emirates conveniently operates a flight between Sydney and Auckland and it was too good an opportunity to pass up.  (Since U.S. carriers won’t be flying it anytime soon, I figure you have to take these chances when you can.)

The A380 at the gate in Auckland

A couple of interesting facts about the A380:

• The Wright Brothers’ first flight was shorter than the A380’s wingspan.
• Airbus couldn’t find a plant big enough to build the plane, so it was built in bits in Wales, Germany, Spain and France and shipped it to an assembly in Toulouse, France.

So we headed to the airport in Sydney early Thursday morning excited not just to get to Auckland but for the “A380 experience.” 

The steel behemoth dwarfed the jetway(s) as it rolled into the gate about an hour before our departure time.  Normally, this would be plenty of time to turn around an aircraft for an on-time departure.  However, apparently the A380 takes quite a bit of time to service.  Minutes after its arrival at the gate, the agent announced that boarding would be delayed about 50 minutes while they cleaned and catered the plane.

Eventually, we boarded and got our first look inside the massive aircraft.  The first thing that strikes you is the ceiling height.  You can stand fully upright in a window seat with room to spare.  And the Lakers could do jumping jacks in the aisles.  Of course, since Shannon and I are both on a budget on this trip, we had coach seats.  So, unfortunately we didn’t get to see the upstairs of the plane where they keep all the good seats – business class and first class “suites.”  In fact, we never saw anyone from our gate even go up the stairs so I can only assume that A) there were no biz passengers on our flight or B) they board at a different gate upstairs.  Seems impossible that there was no one sitting upstairs so I’m going to assume the answer is “B” since there were separate jetways for the upper level (something the 747 double-decker does not have).

Stairs up to the "Promised land"

We did, however, have excellent coach seats – very first row in the bulkhead right behind the cockpit.  Further enhancing our experience was the fact that the middle seat between us was open.  The A380 can accommodate up to 853 passengers in an all-coach configuration.  The Emirates version has the standard 3-class seating arrangement that accommodates 570.  One very cool techie feature was the external camera system that let you watch everything from your luggage being loaded to takeoff as if you were strapped to the nose of the plane – safely from the comfort of your seat.  Mesmerizing, actually.

Once we took off, it was time to check out the rest of the A380’s features.  Even the coach seats have 10’ video screens with tons of entertainment options and power ports.  Emirates also serves a full 3-course meal in coach with actual silverware (you don’t see that very often anymore!).  So, overall, our 3-hour flight to Auckland was extremely pleasant – better than some of my domestic 1^st class flights.  Now I just need to figure out how to get a ticket upstairs next time.

But enough about our flight…on to Auckland!

We arrived mid-afternoon and hopped the AirBus into town for the short walk to the apartment.  I was super excited to see the apartment I’d rented through Apartments in Auckland.  I spent weeks looking at options and sending availability requests before stumbling upon what appeared to be a spectacular deal on an apartment called the Altitude Sky Deck  (the penthouse apartment in the Altitude building).  From the pictures, it was so perfect it seemed too good to be true.  I was just sure there would be something wrong with it. 

I guess I should have had more faith because it was even more amazing than I could have imagined.  Two bedrooms, one bath, full kitchen, living room, washer & dryer and the piece de resistance, an enormous wrap-around deck with stunning views of the harbor and the Sky Tower…and even a hot tub.  All for the ridiculous price of $85 US a night.  I was so excited that I’d be here for 9 nights I could barely contain myself.  People, if you are planning a trip to Auckland, rent this apartment.  It is to die for.

By the time I finished the walk-thru with the rental agent we had just enough time to head over to the grocery store for provisions (i.e. wine) before sunset.  We enjoyed a fabulous sunset from the deck before heading over to my favorite restaurant on Princes’ Wharf for dinner.  After a delicious dinner of New Zealand green-lipped mussels and sauvignon blanc we stopped into Danny Doolan’s pub for a nightcap and promptly made friends with all of the Irish bartenders.  It was lots of fun and would become our nightime hangout for the week. 

Still not quite adjusted to the time difference in this part of the world, we called it a night pretty early.  We were also anxious to try out the hot tub since we both still had aching legs from all the walking/bridge climbing in Sydney.  It was awesome to soak in the hot tub with the sparkling lights of the city down below and this quickly became a nightly event.  After all, neither of us has a hot tub at home so we figured we should enjoy it while we could!

Day 2 – Dolphin & Whale Safari

The next day we had big plans, a 4-hour dolphin and whale watching safari that we’d gotten a steal on thanks to New Zealand’s version of Groupon called “Grab One.”  It is at this point that I’d like to share my 2 new favorite travel tips with you all.

Travel Tip #1 – Twitter

Not just for social  interaction, Twitter can be useful for finding travel deals and information.  A few weeks before we left, I started “following” tourism bureaus, etc for some of the cities/islands I’d be travelling to.  Mostly just to see what was going on in the cities and get a feel for where to go and what to do.  About a week before our flight, it paid off.  The Auckland site I was following tweeted a deal for the dolphin and whale safari we’d already found online and had planned to do through a site called “GrabOne”.   I’d never heard of Grab One but it turned out to be the Auckland version of Groupon.  Most people have probably heard of Groupon.com but, if you haven’t, it’s a free e-mail subscription for a particular city (you choose the city) where they e-mail you daily deals for things in that city.  It can be anything from restaurants to spas to art classes and they are usually at least 60% off.  The dolphin/whale safari was usually $150NZ but we got it through this offer for $49NZ – what a deal!  Which leads me to…

Travel Tip #2 – Groupon

Living in Atlanta, I have subscribed to Groupon.com for a few months now and there have definitely been some good deals.  I don’t know why it never occurred to me to sign up for Groupon in cities I plan to travel to but I’ll be doing it from now on for sure.  Groupon operates in cities all over the US and in Europe and there seem to be comparable services worldwide.  It’s worth looking up.  And when you get home, just cancel the e-mails and you’ll stop getting them.  I actually found it fun to see what the deal was each day in Auckland prior to our departure.  I learned about a lot of new places within the city that I’d never heard of before.

So, we headed out on the whale watching trip on a beautiful sunny afternoon.  Though it was a lovely boat ride, for the first 3 hours we pretty much cruised around aimlessly searching for dolphins or whales and not finding anything.  Now, I’ve only been whale-watching twice (Maui and Cabo – both during high season) but both times we found whales quickly and they were everywhere, it was really exciting!  Not this time.  Just when I was thanking my lucky stars that I only paid $49 for this, we finally came across hundreds of dolphins who came straight to us and swam alongside the boat (I’ve included some video of that with the photo gallery this week – it was awesome).  Unfortunately, we only had a few minutes with them before it was time to turn back.  The company did give us a free lifetime voucher to try the cruise again sometime.  Hopefully, we’ll get a chance to use it.

Day 3 – Wine on Waiheke

On Saturday, we started out the day with a trip up the to the observation deck of the Sky Tower.  Coming in at 1,076 ft tall, Auckland’s famous Sky Tower is the tallest structure in the southern hemisphere.   And since it’s in New Zealand – land of bungy jumping – you have a number of options for your Sky Tower experience.  You can choose the Sky Jump (a 16 second base wire jump), the Sky Walk (a railing-less walk around the upper deck) or even the Vertigo Climb (up the tower mast to the crow’s nest).  Obviously, Shannon and I opted for the glass elevator up to the observation deck and a quick walk across the glass partitions in the floor – scary enough for me!

That afternoon, we took advantage of another Grab One deal, a roundtrip ferry ticket to Waiheke Island for just $10NZ (normally $32).  I’d been to Auckland 3 times and never even heard of Waiheke Island so this was just one more example of why signing up for Grab One was a brilliant idea.  About 40 minutes away by ferry, the stunning island of Waiheke boasts beautiful beaches, vineyards, art galleries and quaint seaside villages.  We took advantage of another perfect weather day and decided to walk from town to town instead of taking the bus. 

From the main town of Oneroa, we walked down to the beach and across volcanic rocks to the next beach before making the hike to the center of the island and the hillside vineyards.  We tasted wines and had lunch at the Stonyridge Vineyard before ending our tour of the island at Onetangi Beach and taking the bus back to the ferry terminal.  By the end of the day we’d walked at least 10 miles.   Thank God for the hot tub!

That night we headed out for dinner and to watch the major rugby match on TV, the Australia Wallabies versus the hometown New Zealand All Blacks.  Now, the All Blacks are super cool and I’ll tell you why.  Before the start of each match, the entire team performs an ancient Maori war dance called the “haka.”  I don’t want to overstate this, but, the haka just might be the single most awesome thing in all of international sport.  (You can watch video of it on the All Blacks website.)  As a sports fan, there is nothing like watching this in a crowded bar with a bunch of New Zealanders who fall silent when it starts like it’s their national anthem.  It would have been awesome to see it live at a match.   As the night progressed, the All Blacks prevailed over Australia, celebration ensued and all was right with the world.  The kiwis are a crazy bunch after a rugby victory.

Day 4 – A Little Culture at the Museum

For Shannon’s last day in Auckland, the weather had taken a turn for the worse so we decided to take in a little culture at the Auckland Museum.  Known for its world-class collection of Maori and Pacific treasures, a visit to the Auckland museum is fascinating.  Not only does it offer an in-depth look at New Zealand’s history, it also has a number of displays featuring other Pacific Islands I’ve visited and plan to visit.  It was a perfect way to spend a rainy winter morning.

That afternoon we did some souvenir shopping before heading back to Princes’ Wharf for Shannon’s final dinner before heading home the next day. 

Day 5 – Bye, Shannon!

After 9 days of having a travel buddy, it was time for Shannon to head home and back to work.  The weather had improved since the day before so we had one last lunch at Viaduct Quay with a view of the harbor before she headed to the airport.

Thanks, Shannon, for joining me for the first two stops on this trip, it’s always fun to have a friend along to share the experience with!

Days 6, 7 and most of 8 – Rain, Rain and even more Rain

So, for the next few days things around the old Altitude pad got pretty dull.  (Shannon obviously knows how to time an exit.)  I had some work to do on my first two games for college football, as well as 2 consecutive days of middle of the night (my time) marathon conference calls for ESPN.  Since it was windy, rainy and cold outside anyway, I figured I wasn’t missing much.  Though, admittedly it was a struggle to keep up the evening hot tub ritual in the rain (I persevered).

Day 9 – Last day and the sun returns!

Just as I was finally adjusting to the 16-hour time difference over here, those middle of the night conference calls really screwed me up again.  Up all night, I napped from 6am-9am before deciding I had to get out and make the most of my last full day in Auckland.  I was grateful to finally see the sun again and it was shaping up to be a spectacular day.  So, I headed down to the marina hoping to be able to use my voucher for another afternoon whale-watching tour.  Unfortunately, the boat had been out for service all week so there wasn’t a group going out today.  What to do, what to do? 

So, I headed back to the apartment and decided to spend the day enjoying the view from the deck.  Since the weather had been terrible for the past few days, there were lots of people doing the Sky Jump today.  It was fun to sit on the deck and just watch them all fly screaming by.  Lots of good pictures and video!  Can you tell I’m in the middle of a serious video initiative?  I’ve had a flipcam on my past two trips but I have a hard time remembering to use it as my camera is my go-to and I can’t take photo and video at the same time.   Of course this is where a travel buddy comes in handy as Shannon was quick to capture video on her camera while I snapped away.  She gets copies of my pictures, I get copies of her video – it’s the perfect plan.  Of course, now that she’s back home, I guess I need a “Plan B.” 

It’s been an amazing 9 days in Auckland, I really do love this city.  It’s gorgeous and the people are so friendly…not to mention the wine is fantastic.  Tomorrow it’s off to Tonga for the start of my 11-day, 3-island, South Pacific tour.  Can’t wait to get to the beach and some warmer weather!

Today, as I was harmlessly enjoying my vacation, an alert reader pointed out to me that I have been severely slacking off in the website-update department.  A quick check of the website revealed that - lo and behold - this appears to be true.  In my defense #1)  I am really bad at keeping up with the website when I’m travelling with someone else, and #2) I am on vacation.  But, my friend Shannon headed home today so I’ll try to do better from here on out.  Now, on with the Sydney update!

First of all, getting to Sydney from Atlanta is the hard part.  For us, it involved a flight to San Diego, then to Los Angeles and finally a 15-hour marathon flight over the Pacific.  (Could have gone direct to LA, of course, but the ticket was almost $200 cheaper thru San Diego.  Go figure.)  We left Atlanta on Saturday afternoon and - after crossing the International Date Line - landed in Sydney at 6:30am Monday morning.  Luckily, we were able to get bulkhead seats on the trans-pacific leg so we both managed to get a little sleep.  Overall, the flight wasn’t nearly as bad as expected.

Sydney greeted us with a chilly, morning rain – did I mention it is the middle of winter in Australia?  By the time we got to the hotel and checked in (huge props to the Sheraton on the Park for having a room ready for us at 8am, a suite no less) the sun was starting to break through giving us a much-needed second wind.  After showers and a trip up to the Concierge Lounge for breakfast, we headed out into a gradually-warming, sunny morning to explore the city.

I’ve been to Sydney once before (on RTW #2) but it was just for 2 nights, so though I had seen some of the city - there was still plenty left undiscovered.  The big event on our schedule was the Sydney Harbour Bridge Climb.  The ultimate Sydney experience, it is the #1 attraction in the city and was completely sold out on my last visit.  Lesson learned, this time we booked ahead.  We’d scheduled the climb for the next morning so for our first day, the plan was simply to take in the rest of what Sydney had to offer.

So, we headed down to Sydney Harbour to wonder at the famous Opera House and get a look at the bridge we’d be climbing the next day.  The weather warmed up into the mid-60’s once the sun came out and the day was actually shaping up to be quite nice.

After a leisurely walk through Sydney Harbour and The Rocks historic area, we decided to hop a bus out to Bondi Beach for lunch.  It was the first of several times the weather would change on us in a matter of minutes.  By the time we got off the bus, the temperature had dropped into the 50’s and it was beginning to rain.  Not exactly beach weather but what’re you gonna do?  It is, after all, winter.  We found a great little place for lunch with a view of the massive beach and then walked down to the beach afterwards for as long as we could stand the cold.

By late afternoon that day, Shannon and I were both fading quickly.  Our excitement at finally being in Sydney was quickly losing ground to the fact that we hadn’t slept since Friday night.  And with the Bridge Climb looming the next day, it was time to call it a day.  We headed back to the hotel for happy hour & hors d’oeuvres in the Concierge Lounge before crashing at 7pm.

Day 2:  Bridge Climb!!!

We were super excited to awake to sunny skies since we were praying for good weather for our climb.  For all that money (Bridge Climb is not cheap) we really wanted good pictures.  Our climb time was 11am so we headed out early to try to see the Botanical Gardens and Mrs. Macquaries Point (great views of the Opera House and Harbour Bridge) before then.  On the 30 minute walk from the hotel to the Point, the weather went from warm and sunny to cold and overcast – foiled again by Sydney winter weather.  Took some dreary pictures from the lookout point and then started walking back toward the harbor to do a little shopping before reporting to the Bridge Climb office. 

An hour later, while we were shopping for souvenirs, the clouds parted and the sun came out again.  Hooray!  If only this would hold out through our climb.  We still had an hour before we needed to be there so we decided to make the long walk back through the Botanical Gardens to the lookout point.  We barely had enough time to make it there and back but we did and got some great pictures.

Now, it was finally time for our Bridge Climb and we reported to the office right on schedule.  Which was good because as it turns out, they run a very tight ship at Bridge Climb.  When we arrived and checked-in, our climbing group (there were 9 of us) was quickly ushered into a briefing room where we signed our life away in a release, took a breathalyzer and were told what we couldn’t take up on the bridge (i.e. everything).  We left all our belongings in a locker (watches, rings, cameras, etc) and changed into a very fashionable (if you’re in prison) grey jumpsuit.  Next, we were introduced to our climb leader, Ash, and the assembly line of equipment began.

Moving efficiently from station to station, our first stop was the safety belt with line and D-ring that would connect us to a rail on the bridge as we climbed.  Next, the optional equipment:  hats, gloves, jackets…all with connectors to attach to rings on your jumpsuit or belt so nothing can be dropped onto the moving traffic below.  Finally, we moved on to the communication station and were fitted with radios and headsets so we could hear Ash during the climb.  Properly outfitted in enough unflattering gear to make Gisele look frumpy, we entered the building’s concrete tunnel directly onto the steel girders of the bridge.

There are several climb groups on the bridge at any given time.   All are monitored by an “air traffic control-like” monitoring station that stays in constant communication with the climb leaders.  This keeps them on schedule so that the groups stay a safe distance apart and the day’s schedule runs on time.  The climb itself takes about 2 ½ hours roundtrip.  As we ascend, Ash provides detailed commentary over the radio about the history of the bridge and surrounding landmarks. 

After an hour or so of traversing narrow catwalks, climbing endless stairs and ducking under low-hanging steel beams, we make our final ascent to the top…and it is, without a doubt, worth the effort.  The clouds had moved in and out during our climb but when it came time to take that once-in-a-lifetime picture at the top, luck (if not fashion) was on our side and the clouds parted.  The view from the top was absolutely breathtaking. 

Ash took both individual photos and a group photo and Shannon and I somehow managed to power through the chain-gang suits and headsets to maintain some sense of windblown-glamour, LOL.  After photos, Ash spent several minutes pointing out everything of interest in the harbor area and surrounding islands (from where the Queen stays when visiting Sydney to where Nicole Kidman and Keith Urban live). 

After soaking in the panoramic view for a few more minutes, it was time to cross the top for the descent down the other side.  The climb down, of course, goes much quicker and before I knew it we were ditching those sexy jumpsuits and being reunited with our wallets just in time to view our pictures at the Photo Desk on the way out.  This is where the climb gets even more expensive – the pictures are so cool, you want them all.  But they are also about $15 each, so you have to get ahold of yourself and make sensible choices (we each bought 3).  Luckily, you do get one picture free – the group photo. 

For the most part, the climb is not so scary and you feel pretty secure the whole time.  The only times I was a little unnerved were when we had to walk on mesh-like surfaces where you could see straight through your feet down (way down) into traffic or water and while we were crossing the very top of the bridge.  Other than that, it wasn’t bad at all.  It is, however, very expensive – about $160 + the cost of photos – but it is definitely something you have to do when in Sydney.  There is nothing else like it in the world.  I did a similar bridge climb in Auckland a few years ago and thought the two would be comparable…I was wrong.

Not satisfied with having climbed only 1,400 steps on the bridge, we decided while we were in the area to climb to the top of the bridge’s south pylon where there is an excellent lookout point.  Our Bridge Climb ticket included a free entry to the pylon lookout ($9 value) so we figured, why not?  The weather was still gorgeous so we took full advantage knowing it couldn’t last forever (spoiler alert:  it didn’t).

The pylon was also worth the climb and was a great place to take pictures of other groups climbing the bridge.  Satisfied with our photos for the day, we headed back down to the harbor for a very late lunch.  Later, we took a walk over to Darling Harbour before deciding we had now walked every square inch of Sydney and heading back to the Sheraton’s Lounge for post-climb celebratory champagne like sensible people.

Day 3 – Kangaroos, Koalas and Wallabies - Oh my! 

For our final full day in Sydney, we wanted to see some of Australia’s wildlife – specifically kangaroos and koalas.  The best place in the city to do that is the world-famous Taronga Zoo and conveniently it takes a ferry ride to get there – another thing we had wanted to do.  Unfortunately, we awoke to lousy weather again.  Assuming it could change on a dime as it had the past few days (Sydney has winter weather only Sybil could love), we headed to the ferry terminal hoping for the best. 

The zoo was mostly a ghost town on this rainy winter day but we did get to see adorable wallabies, Tasmanian devils, kangaroos and – the highlight – lots of koalas!!!  (Note:  They are not koala bears – as the lady at the information desk was quick to point out when I inquired where to find them.)  They are, however, one of the cutest things I have ever seen in my life.  Snuggled up…sleeping…their little furry butts balanced precariously on tiny branches…it was the Olympics of cute, people.  As a special treat, I have uploaded some video Shannon took of a koala backing his way down a tree for some lunch on eucalyptus leaves.  You can find it in the photo gallery link below.  Brace yourself for extreme adorableness.  You have been warned.

The heaviest rain held off for most of our zoo visit but after we left the koalas it really started coming down.  Of course, we had no umbrella so we got drenched trying to make it back to the ferry.  For once, the weather situation stalled and it continued to rain the entire remainder of the day.  Once back at the Sydney Harbour ferry terminal, we took another ferry over to Darling Harbour for a late lunch and lingered for a second glass of wine trying to wait out the rain – to no avail.  As disappointing as the weather was on our last day, we were so grateful to have had good weather the day before for the Bridge Climb.  The climb is done rain or shine 364 days a year (NYE is the lone exception as they shoot fireworks off the bridge) and I can tell you the people who were paying all that money to do it today must have been miserable.

Eventually, we gave up on the weather and headed back to the hotel to dry off.  Later, we rallied long enough to grab some Thai food for dinner before calling it a night.  Early flight to Auckland in the morning!

So, the other day I sat down - world map in hand – to count the number of countries I’ve visited.  It turned out to be a lot more complicated than I anticipated.  Simple question, convoluted answer.  For example, does Vatican City count as a separate country?  What about Gibraltar or Puerto Rico?  And what if I only connect through a country and never leave the airport?  That shouldn’t count…or should it?

I needed answers.  I wanted my list to be thorough, honest and accurate.  So, after doing a little research on the subject, I discovered the Traveler’s Century Club (TCC).  The TCC is an exclusive club only for those intrepid travelers who have visited 100 or more countries.  And since they take their membership requirements very seriously, they have developed an official list of 320 countries or destinations that are politically, ethnologically or geographically different enough to merit inclusion.  Since TCC’s list is recognized as the world standard on the subject, that’s good enough for me.  (If you would like to read more about how they determine country/territory status and what it takes to qualify as a member, complete info can be found here.) 

Based on TCC’s terms, my current country count is:  75

What’s included in that number?  Here’s the complete list:

Pacific Ocean (6)

Australia

Fiji Islands

French Polynesia

Hawaiian Islands

New Caledonia

New Zealand

Coming Soon (6):  Tonga, Samoa, Cook Islands, Easter Island, Palau, Guam

North America (4)

Alaska

Canada

Mexico

United States

Central America (2)

Belize

Costa Rica

South America (3)

Argentina

Brazil

Peru

Coming Soon (2):  Chile, Uruguay

Caribbean (11)

Bahamas

Barbados

Bonaire

Dominica

Jamaica

Leeward Islands, French (St. Martin)

Puerto Rico

St. Kitts

St. Lucia

St. Maarten

Virgin Islands, U.S. (St. John, St. Thomas)

Atlantic Ocean (1)

Iceland

Europe & Mediterranean (28)

Austria

Belgium

Croatia

Czech Republic

Denmark

England

Estonia

Finland

France

Germany

Gibraltar

Greece

Hungary

Ireland

Northern Ireland (Ulster)

Italy

Monaco

Netherlands

Norway

Poland

Portugal

Russia

Slovakia

Spain

Sweden

Switzerland

Turkey

Vatican City

Coming Soon (1):  Cyprus

Africa (3)

Egypt

Morocco

South Africa

Middle East (4)

Dubai

Israel

Jordan

Oman

Indian Ocean (1)

Seychelles

Asia (12)

Cambodia

China, People’s Republic

Hong Kong

India

Japan

South Korea

Lesser Sunda Islands (Bali, Indonesia)

Malaysia

Singapore

Taiwan, R.O.C.

Thailand

Vietnam

Coming Soon (3):  Brunei, Philippines, Sabah (Northern Borneo)

So folks, there you have it!  Remember, these are TCC’s rules, not mine, so if you disagree that a country (or area) should be counted - take it up with them.

My number is 75 (and counting)…and it’s been a heck of a ride getting there.  What’s yours?

I remember when travelling around the world once a year was enough to satisfy my wanderlust.  Those were simpler times…and certainly less expensive ones.  But last year’s mid-summer European adventure was enough to convince me that maybe there’s room in my schedule – and my travel budget – for two, month-long trips each year.

My first choice for this summer’s trip was actually Europe.  A week in Greece with the girls and then perhaps an apartment in Paris for a few weeks before heading back to the hectic football season schedule that awaits in September.   But with summer fares to Europe holding fast in the $1,200 neighborhood and Greek protests threatening to spoil my fun even if I did splurge for a flight, dreams of Europe quickly faded.  Sigh… 

And then fate intervened.  Or, more accurately, a Delta fare sale too good to ignore – $878 round-trip from Atlanta to Sydney!  It wasn’t just the allure of Sydney that convinced me, but all the other possibilities in that part of the world.  “Down under” may sound like the middle of nowhere – but it is most certainly not.  In fact, lots of fantastic islands are just a short flight away from Sydney.  An excellent opportunity for a summer in the South Pacific!  What’s not to love?  So, after a few weeks of planning, the ultimate itinerary looks like this:

 1^st Stop - Sydney, Australia

2^nd Stop - Auckland, New Zealand

3^rd Stop - Tonga

4^th Stop - Western Samoa

5^th Stop - Fiji

6^th Stop - Brisbane, Australia

Including a 2-day Dateline-crossing, cringe-inducing flight to Australia, the trip will be 29 days worth of Oceania adventure.  My friend Shannon – who you may remember from last year’s European trip - will be joining me for the first 8 days before flying home from New Zealand.  Then I’ll be off on my own for a little island hopping – South Pacific style.

Though not technically a “RTW trip” I figure any trip that involves 4 crossings of the International Dateline (try to keep up with hotel nights on that one!) is worthy of a starring role on the website.  I also finally got around to transferring last summer’s Europe trip from the former My Trip Journal site to its new home here at RTWin30Days.com.   Since neither were actually RTW trips they can both be found under “Other Travels” as RTW 4 ½ – The European Edition and RTW 5 ½ – The Oceania Edition. 

With departure only days away, there is so much to do.  But I’m excited to spend some quality time in the Pacific region - seems my previous trips there have only scratched the surface.  But for now, I’m staring down the barrel of 15 hours in coach…and that’s just from LA.  Wish me luck.

I honestly don’t know what I was thinking.  How is it possible I’ve spent the past 10 years travelling the world and completely ignored this little gem in my own back yard?  Yes, Alaska took me by surprise…though I’m not sure why.  I have friends who’ve been, my parents have been – all came home raving about the beauty of our 49^th state.  Yet it wasn’t on my short list.

But six weeks ago when in search of a summer marathon to run, the Mayor’s Midnight Sun Marathon in Anchorage caught my interest.  A reasonable flight (to me), a new destination and – most importantly – an escape from the oppressive summer heat of Atlanta.  I was sold.  So I booked my flight and started training – yes, a little late! 

A few weeks later, I landed in Anchorage with only 2 full days to explore before the race.  I’d done no research and had no idea how much I could squeeze in to only 48 hours but I was determined to make the most of my time.  The first thing I noticed on the night I arrived was the endless daylight.  Though the sun does eventually set, a sort of permanent dusk settles in around 10pm and persists through sunrise the next morning around 4am.  If you want to sleep, heavy curtains in your hotel room is a must.

The next morning I awoke early anxious to visit the Anchorage Visitor’s Center and explore my options.  I’d read about a Dog Sled Rodeo show which sounded like a must-do (especially considering my undying love for huskies) and I had some vague notions of a glacier visit.  Other than that, I was up for anything.

The Visitor’s Center was a huge help.  I purchased a ticket to the Dog Sled Rodeo for that night and decided to spend the day touring around Anchorage.

For the next day, I wanted to do a day-trip but with the extended daylight hours, many of the tours didn’t return to the city until late at night.  With the race the following morning, I knew I wanted to be back to the hotel no later than 7pm.  I eventually settled on a half-day semi-private tour that would get me back by 7pm and included a good variety of sights in the greater Anchorage area.

For the remainder of Day 1, I wandered the charming streets of Anchorage and enjoyed the cool, sunny 60-degree weather.  Anchorage in the summertime is gorgeous.  Full of colorful flowers, sea views and stuffed moose and bear in every storefront.

In the afternoon, I made a quick trip to the race expo to pick up my race number and timing chip and read through the extensive information on what to do if you encounter a bear on the race course.  (Tip:  Rule #1 is don’t run…WHAT???!?!)

That evening it was time for the Seavey’s Wild Ride Dog Sled Rodeo.  Put on by the Iditarod champion Seavey family, the show features the family’s numerous sled dogs showing off their talents in an entertaining and educational look into the life of a sled dog on the Iditarod trail.  It was a great show and the best part was cuddling the husky puppies afterward.  A must-do in Anchorage!

The next day it was time to get out of the city for a day-trip.  When my tour guide picked me up, I was happy to see that there were only 3 other people in our group – all in town for the race.  In fact, 2 of them were even from Ellijay, GA where my parents live – small world!  Since I’m not a fan of group tours, this was the perfect-sized group for our trip.

We headed out scenic Seward Highway along what’s called Turnagain Arm.  The 1964 Good Friday earthquake caused the land to drop between 6 and 12 feet along Turnagain Arm and high tides then flooded the area with salt water.  The salt water petrified the forests along the Arm turning them into the “ghost forests” visible along the shoreline today. 

Our first destination of the day was Mount Alyeska.  As we drove, I had to keep reminding myself that this was a U.S. state and not another country entirely – the scenery was just out of this world.  When we arrived at Mount Alyeska, we took an aerial tram 2,300ft to the top.   We had lunch at the Seven Glaciers Restaurant while watching the skiers and snowboarders play below.

Our next stop was the Alaska Wildlife Conservation Center.  This was my chance to see all of Alaska’s wildlife in one setting.   The center is home to brown and black bears, moose, elk, reindeer, muskoxen, bison and even a bald eagle.  The wide-open, spacious enclosures made you feel as though you were walking through a forest and observing the animals in their natural habitat…without the fear of being eaten by a bear, of course.

Our final stop was the one I was most looking forward to, a cruise to Portage Glacier.  We arrived just in time to board the boat with 50 or so other tourists.  Though it was quite cold out on the iceberg-choked Portage Lake, the views of the glacier were stunning.  It was an amazing experience to see a glacier up close and definitely the highlight of my day.

After a full and exciting day, it was time to return to Anchorage, close the hotel drapes and try to get some sleep before the race.

The next morning, I was pleased to see the weather was a crisp 55 degrees with overcast skies – marathon perfection!  I rode the bus to the start line at a high school outside of town and waited for the starting gun with 1,000 other runners. 

Once the race started, I was dismayed to discover that much of the course turned out to be along a gravel trail.  Though I knew part of the race course would be trail, I didn’t realize that 1) the gravel would be so difficult to navigate and 2) that it made up so much of the course (more than 13 miles).   On the plus side, the only bear I had seen so far was a guy in a bear suit at the ½ marathon point – comic relief was welcome at this point!

Despite the trail surface, the course was undeniably beautiful – wooded trails, rushing streams and distant snow-covered mountains.  As the race went on the trail narrowed in many spots through the woods.   Which meant there were times when you couldn’t see another runner ahead or behind you.  These were the times I became most concerned about bears.  Luckily, there were volunteers with bells every mile or so to – hopefully – keep the bears away from the trail.  Despite this, there were runners on the bus back to the hotel after the race who did indeed see bear cubs on the trail…yikes!

Around mile 17, the race course finally emerged from the trail and back onto paved highway for a while…hooray.  At mile 20 the course wound back through wooded trails but thankfully along a paved path.  Just past mile 22, I had my first wildlife sighting of the race – a moose!!

I kid you not, right there ON the race course in front of me, was a moose.  This was definitely a first for me on a marathon course.  I had a couple of thoughts.  First, there was no mention at the race expo of what to do if you encounter a MOOSE on the course.  And second, our tour guide the day before had thrown out an interesting statistic – more people are killed by moose in Alaska than by bears.  Food for thought.

While I was pondering this situation, I noticed there was another runner ahead of me who had stopped to take a few pictures.  The tourist in me took over and I decided to do the same.   After snapping a few good shots while the moose lumbered along seemingly unaware of me, I put my camera away and – giving him a wide berth – passed him on the trail.

At this point, I was not exactly sure what to do.  I wanted to continue running but as I looked over my shoulder, the moose was still coming down the trail behind me.  The last thing I wanted to do was encourage a chase.  Plus, I couldn’t help but wonder if the #1 rule with bears – don’t run – also applied to moose.  Better safe than sorry.

I continued walking at a brisk pace peeking over my shoulder as the moose continued to follow – seemingly aware of me now.  Uh-oh.  Where the heck were those race volunteers??  Finally, I came around a corner on the trail and there was a race volunteer stationed there.  I said, “Hey, there’s a moose back there” just as the moose rounded the corner.  The volunteer looked alarmed and told me, “Get off the course and don’t run.  If he looks directly at you, get behind a tree, he may charge you.”  Charge me??  Now, I’m concerned…and conducting a rushed search for the most suitable tree.

Around that time, several other runners came up from behind the moose – also taking pictures.  The volunteer yelled at them to get off the course and behind a tree.  Startled, they quickly obliged.  And it was there, behind our individual trees, that we all waited out the moose.  Luckily, it didn’t take him long to lose interest and start grazing again – at which point the volunteer waved for us to go on. 

After that excitement, the rest of the race was entirely uneventful.  I finally crossed the finish line but I’ve decided to claim an 8-minute “moose-avoidance” deduction off my official time.  When in Rome.

Overall, the trip to Alaska was painfully short.  I can’t believe I thought 3 days would be enough time to do it justice.  In fact, I’m not sure 3 weeks would have been enough time.  I can’t wait to come back and explore Fairbanks, Denali, Juneau and everything else our wild and wonderful 49^th state has to offer.  

Cabo was not at all what I expected.  Resting at the tip of the Baja Peninsula, the sparkling resort towns of Cabo San Lucas and San Jose del Cabo, known as “the capes,” or Los Cabos in Spanish, differ in many respects from their “Mexican Riviera” counterparts. 

Having been to Mexico a couple of times (Cancun and Puerto Vallarta), my first big surprise in Cabo when  I stepped off the plane was the weather.  Compared to the heat and humidity of other parts of Mexico, the dry, desert landscape of the Baja Peninsula was a nice change of pace.  This time of year, Cabo boasts average highs in the upper 70’s with lows in the high 50’s.  The bright, sunny, breezy days reminded me more of Vegas or Phoenix in the spring than Mexico.

Occupying the stretch of land where the Sea of Cortez meets the Pacific Ocean, the towns of Cabo San Lucas and San Jose del Cabo are connected by an 18-mile long Tourist Corridor lined with gleaming resorts.  Cabo San Lucas is the more famous of the two towns with more beaches, resorts and a much-heralded reputation with spring-breakers world-wide.  San Jose del Cabo is the smaller, sleepier town with shop-lined streets and a charming town square.

For my final stop in Cabo, I chose a hotel that I’d always wanted to try out – the Westin Los Cabos.  The Westin’s dramatic architecture was designed with a nod toward Cabo’s most famous attraction, the Arch.  The colorful lobby and beautiful beach on the Sea of Cortez are a photographer’s dream. 

My Cabo plan was simply to enjoy a few days of sunshine-filled R&R after a full month of globe-trotting and time-zone-hopping.  Sometimes, a girl just needs some quality time in a beachfront lounge chair with a good book and a margarita.  Cabo seemed just the spot for that.

However, I did have one activity in particular on the agenda…whale-watching.  In my quick research on the area, I discovered that January – March is whale season along the Baja Peninsula.  Having been whale-watching once a few years ago in Maui, I knew I would welcome any opportunity to re-visit this incredible experience.

Whale watching is one of the world’s great travel excursions. Every fall the grey whales make their migration to the Sea of Cortez from the northern Bering waters.   They birth their young and spend the winter months in the warm waters near the equator. These grey whales make the longest migration of any mammal, traveling 6,000 miles. Although grey whales were also once plentiful off the shores of Europe, today they can only be found making a Pacific migration.

After checking in, I booked a 2-hour whale-watching trip through the Westin’s concierge for the next day and headed out to the beach to enjoy what remained of the day.  I should also mention that my room at the Westin was incredible and even featured a jacuzzi on the balcony. 

When I arrived at the marina in Cabo San Lucas the next morning, I expected there to be at least a dozen other people in the boat with me.  As it turned out, the time that I picked to go (10:00am) wasn’t as popular as the afternoon trips…I had the entire boat to myself!  Now, since one of the challenges of whale-watching trips is the jockeying for camera position that ensues at each whale sighting, this was a pleasant surprise.

The next challenge is, of course, finding whales.  In Maui, this wasn’t a problem at all and Cabo would also not disappoint.   After a quick round of introductions, our little glass-bottom boat – skippered by the ever-personable Julio and “professional whale-spotter” a.k.a. 1^st mate, Chris – headed out into open waters in search of whales.  The water was very rough today and our small wooden boat bounced along the waves toward our first stop.  Just off Cabo’s shore is “El Arco” (the Arch) - the area’s signature landmark, and one of the world’s most awesome natural wonders.   

There were a number of other boats, large and small, filled with whale-seekers and it wasn’t long before we all zeroed in on a group of whales spouting dead ahead.  The process goes something like this:  1) a whale is spotted  2) all boats head immediately in that direction and encircle the approximate spot  3) wait for them to surface and snap photos frantically  4) repeat.  Each group of whales will put on a show for a while before diving below the surface long enough to cause you to seek out another group.  It’s all good fun.

After spotting at least half a dozen whales, cruising back by the Arch and a nearby sea lion colony, we headed back to the marina.  I thanked Chris and Julio for a great morning and headed back to the hotel where I spent the rest of the afternoon relaxing at the beach.

The next day I took the hotel’s shuttle into San Jose del Cabo for lunch and a little shopping.  San Jose is definitely the quieter and ritzier cousin of Cabo San Lucas and it was a nice morning spent visiting the shops and the town square.  That afternoon I watched some of the Super Bowl (sans commercials on the satellite feed, unfortunately) at the poolside bar.

After 3 sublimely relaxing days in sunny Los Cabos, it was finally time to head back home.  After more than a month away it is always strange to return home.  It’s funny how quickly I get accustomed to life on the road but I was definitely looking forward to seeing my friends and family and sleeping in my own bed for a while.

At the end of these trips people always ask me what my favorite place was and my least favorite.  This year I’d have to say it might be a tie between New Caledonia and Seychelles.  Petra is also a strong contender and I think it’s one of those places in the world everyone should see in their lifetime.  Absolutely amazing. 

But for the purposes of pure relaxation and natural beauty, it’s hard to beat either Seychelles or New Caledonia.  I would love to go back to New Caledonia to visit the Loyalty Islands someday.

As for my least favorite?  Well, if I were to weigh “amount of fun had” versus “price paid”, Bora Bora definitely comes out the loser (I don’t think that will come as a shock to anyone!).  Though I’d still go back to Tahiti someday, especially Moorea.

It’s been another amazing circumnavigation of the globe and I know it won’t be my last.  After 5 years, it’s just become a part of my life.  And yes, there are still more parts of the world I’d like to see!

Thanks to all who have followed along with me again this year.  I hope you grew to like the new website format as I hope to stick with it for the foreseeable future (with a few upgrades, of course). 

And just when you thought I was headed home to rejoin the world of the working…in another week I’ll be venturing south to San Juan, PR and my FIRST Caribbean cruise in 20 years.  It’s a week-long adventure with the girls for my friend Dena’s birthday.  This will be an entirely new travel experience for me (I’m sure cruising has changed a bit since I was in high school) and I’m sure I will learn a few things!

If you missed any of the previous trip entries, they are all now residing under the “RTW #5″ tab at the top of the page.

So long for now!