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Exotic Islands Of Vanuatu, Fiji and Cook Islands?

Today Norm Goldman, Editor of sketchandtravel.com and Bookpleasures.com is honored to possess as a guest, Ian Heydon, author, travel writer, award- winning comedy writer, artist and expert on Vanuatu, Fiji and Cook Islands

Ian will be here to talk to us today about his expertise associated with these exotic islands.

Good day Ian and it is great to own you accept our invitation to sign up in this interview!

NORM:

Can you tell our readers something about you as well as your expertise related to Vanuatu, Fiji and Cook Islands.

IAN:

When i first attended Fiji in 1993 and just fell deeply in love with the tropics, the warm, picture-postcard waters along with the relaxed rhythm of life generally speaking. I returned the year after but got my PADI Open Water Dive accreditation and, after another couple of trips realised I had been working basically using a goal to travel more.

While i a fairly successful career as an author, I made a decision to see if I can reveal travel and kill two birds while using one pen. In 1999, we took a household holiday to Vanuatu, where my spouse Annie i gave the other person a Renewal of Vows' ceremony as a possible anniversary gift.

I felt automatically in the home in Vanuatu and, as luck would have it, Annie was offered a job teaching at Port Vila International School. We decided who's will be an outing, specifically your children (then aged 7 and 3). Our 12-month contract extended to a few fantastic years, when I acquired to write down a whole lot, including my travel book on Australia, The Small Guide to A large Country.

After leaving Vanuatu I purchased a travel agent's licence to specialize in taking people, particularly honeymooners for this fascinating and rewarding world. A few things i thought would have been a hobby quickly became a business along with early 2004 I visited the Cook Islands and fell in love with another Pacific destination.

2004 also saw visits to New Caledonia, Fiji and three trips to Vanuatu. For really pumped up about my first Escorts Montreal Samoa this season. Because i don't have any actual publications on the Pacific islands, I've three comprehensive information websites, Vanuatu A to Z, Fiji A to Zand Cook Islands A to Z.

NORM:

Can you tell our readers where these islands are placed as well as an idea in regards to what differentiates one island from another through the standpoint of topography, climate, and other things you think about different?

IAN:

Personally, residing in Australia, Vanuatu and Fiji are really accessible, being just a couple hours away. Seeing the Cook Islands means a stopover in New Zealand, however it is still just two meals as well as movies. For Americans, the Cook Islands and Fiji tend to be accessible than Vanuatu (needs a stop by Fiji to connect in order to be used as being a side trip from Australia or New Zealand). The climate in all of the destinations is the identical, tropical with no great range in temperatures nevertheless it could possibly get very humid in the summertime months. These months are traditionally wet but El Nino appears to have changed that. From the Cook Islands, if it rains, they call it liquid sunshine. The warm water temperatures mean swimming can be done all year long.

� Vanuatu is in no way one of the most primitive, if that's the correct word. While Port Vila is really a modern town with good infrastructure, excellent resorts and great restaurants, on many of the outer islands the ni-Vanuatu people live traditional village lives (ni-Vanuatu method of Vanuatu).

Cannibalism is part of a brief history as well as the last recorded case was at 1969, the entire year Armstrong and Aldrin took any particular one small step for man. Vanuatu boasts a number of active volcanoes, including Mt Yasur, which is accessible and rewarding. Due to this, small earth tremors are common. Until 1980, when Vanuatu became an impartial nation, the continent was known as the New Hebrides, a condominium, jointly run with the British along with the French. There are both French and English schools, hospitals, police forces and, for a time, they will drove for both sides from the road!

Fiji is the identical in topography, without the active volcanoes. Personally, this really is more a resort destination. Nevertheless there is certainly a lot to explore, most visitors usually pick one or two resorts for vacation.

The Fijian people are warm, outgoing (you cannot go anywhere without greeted having a beaming smile and Bula) and therefore are much more akin to living on island time compared to Indian population. It's a happy mix for tourists however, since the Indians just about increase the risk for business aspect operate correctly.

The Cook Islands also has rugged mountains, lush vegetation and pristine azure waters but an incredibly different feel. The area people are Polynesian, not Melanesian, and comfortably marry the sensuality of Polynesia having a Christian life-style. It absolutely was came from here that this Maori people followed migrating birds inside their canoes to find out Nz. Currently within the Cooks, English is spoken with a Kiwi accent along with the currency may be the New Zealand dollar (that makes it great value for all of us travelers). Electrical systems, the Fijian folks are around 50% Fijian and 50% Indian. The ni-Vanuatu people are much more shy and as friendly and welcoming. And, for their tourism slogan says, another time, another pace.

(Interviewer's Comments: If you want more information on Cook Islands click this link)

NORM:

How safe is it to visit these islands?

IAN:

I've found these destinations the safest on this planet. Yes, many times petty crime, as you will anywhere, but generally folks are much less materially minded and possibly more family oriented. Our three years in Vanuatu were an indication of in the event the world would have been a simpler plus more secure place the children would nip off down the lagoon to learn unsupervised and that we knew we were holding safe& or perhaps a father would load a dozen children in the back of his truck and leave for any beach picnic no seatbelts but in addition no worries& it absolutely was a spot where kids were in a position to be kids.

NORM:

Why would you to understand islands a good choice for an enchanting getaway or wedding and honeymoon destination, and if you had to decide on your selected one, what type will it be and why?

IAN:

Firstly, for that scenery there's something really romantic about swaying arms, balmy weather and green-blue warm waters (I'm yet to see any artist reproduce these colours). But, a lot more than this, I believe it's that rhythm of island time that I've mentioned. You absorb the slower pace and so are outside the routine of computers, traffic and deadlines. Choosing one place is tough for me, however i should go with the island of Aitutaki within the Cooks (about a 50 minute flight in the main island of Rarotonga). This huge lagoon (a volcanic crater) is merely stunning, a nearby people are welcoming high are a few excellent accommodation properties and restaurants.

NORM:

Exactly what is the best time to visit these islands from your perspective of weather, costs, and crowds?

IAN:

I am going to take a fairly easy out and say whenever you desire to travel and also to make use of a local saying, whatever the weather, have a nice day. I had been in both Fiji and Vanuatu in December 2004. Traditionally here is the hot, wet and humid season. In Fiji it hadn't rained for seven weeks and I didn't use air-conditioning in both country. A lot of people avoid driving February and March as a result of possible cyclones however these are pretty rare. I'm betting that 2005 will likely be cyclone free the lake temperatures haven't risen much high aren't loads of mangoes. For reasons uknown the mango tree seems to be in tune with weather patterns and they've an over-abundance of fruit if your cyclone is imminent. Cost and crowd-wise, I'd personally avoid the Australian and New Zealand school holiday periods but, that being said, the 3 destinations have adults only accommodation options.