10 Free Things to do in Fiji In two recent posts about Fiji, I pointed out that this Pacific island nation actively markets to and caters for budget travelers. All around Fiji’s scattered islands travelers can find beach-side budget resorts, dorm rooms, and inexpensive rooms at city budget hotels & guest houses. Read more about […]
Work Exchange: 50 Benefits I Enjoyed on New Zealand HelpX Gigs
Work Exchange: 50 Benefits I Enjoyed on New Zealand HelpX Gigs Those of you who followed my 3-month travels around New Zealand earlier this year know that I did several work exchange gigs at people’s homes. At each place I worked about 4 hours per day in exchange for room and board. More specifically, I […]
Work Exchange: Pros & Cons
Work Exchange: Pros & Cons A great way to travel through more expensive countries of the world, particularly for hopeful wanderlusters who feel their travels thwarted by a lack of funds, is to do a series of work exchange gigs. The concept works along the lines of ‘You pat my back, I’ll pat yours’. Generally […]
PHOTO GALLERY: Historic Levuka – Fiji’s Original Wild West
PHOTO GALLERY: Historic Levuka – Fiji’s Original Wild West Surprisingly, this tiny historic town, located on the minor island of Ovalau, was the original capital city of Fiji when it came under British sovereignty in the late 1800s. Reputedly, in it’s heyday, Levuka packed in no less than 52 hotels along its sole waterfront road. […]
My Low Costs to Travel Around New Zealand – Month 3
My Low Costs to Travel Around New Zealand – Month 3 In early 2014 I traveled around New Zealand’s North Island for three months on a budget, doing several HelpX assignments at locals’ homes in exchange for room and board. In between those gigs I went off on my own to explore a few NZ […]
PHOTO GALLERY: Kadavu Island, Fiji
PHOTO GALLERY: Kadavu Island, Fiji Kadavu Island is Fiji’s 4th largest island. Even though it’s located just 5 hours’ ferry trip from Fiji’s capital city, Suva, Kadavu is generally considered a ‘remote’ island due to the fact that it’s very lightly populated and little developed. Indeed, the local lifestyle there in tiny villages is certainly […]
New Zealand’s Fantastic Te Puia Geothermal Valley – A Review
New Zealand’s Fantastic Te Puia Geothermal Valley – A Review Pohutu Geyser erupted forcefully, shooting 60 meters straight up into a clear blue sky. Water sprayed out in all directions from the main geyser and rushed over the pale-gray sulfuric mound being built up from sulfur-laden geothermic water. Streams flowed down the sides of the […]
Fiji’s Amazing Budget Resorts
Fiji’s Amazing Budget Resorts I don’t know about you, but I’ve always believed that all the far-flung tropical islands of the Pacific Ocean were extremely expensive travel destinations. They are certainly expensive to reach by flights from most places in the world. And I presumed that once one arrived on any of those islands, daily […]
PHOTO GALLERY: Orchids
PHOTO GALLERY: Orchids Orchids are considered some of the world’s most elegant and exotic flowers. There are several reasons for their exclusive status. First, of course, is their amazing beauty. Secondly, orchids are astoundingly expensive in most developed countries. Finally, they are notoriously difficult to grow. All these factors make orchids much-sought after throughout the […]
10 Surprising Facts About Fiji
10 Surprising Facts About Fiji What comes to mind when you think of Fiji? Lush tropical islands lined with long, sweeping, fluffy white sand beaches that are backed by coconut palms and fronted by crystal clear aquamarine waters? Vibrant coral reefs swarming with colorful tropical fish and corals? Balmy evenings, beach-side, cocktails in hand, marveling […]