St Patrick's Day celebrations have spread worldwide; with fans of Celtic culture from New York to New Zealand donning green and drinking whiskey in honor of all things Irish. Originally a religious feast day honoring Ireland's patron Saint, the first parades were actually held in Boston and New York in the eighteenth century. Today, 150,000 people take to the streets of New York for the 'Paddy's Day' Parade, which draws two million spectators … [Read more...]
Iran; the most misunderstood country of the world!
Over the years when talking to a foreign tourist who has come to my motherland for the very first time I've gotten used to hearing expressions such as "wow! I see you have restaurants in Iran!", or "Believe me Iran was not what I'd thought", "I never thought you had such a beautiful country" and so on. For the global public opinions and the mass majority who do not have any particular way of knowing a distant land rather than relying on the … [Read more...]
Waitomo Glow-Worms, New Zealand – March 2007
The famous Waitomo Glow Worm caves and grotto are located about 2 hours driving south of Auckland on New Zealand's North Island. New Zealand has many other glow worm caves and but none quite as spectacular as this one. Enjoy a slow moving boat ride through the tunnels ending in the huge Glow Worm Grotto - with thousands of glow worms glowing brightly. Also consider a unique once in a lifetime rafting trip down one of the other nearby caves … [Read more...]
AFS Peaks of Patagonia & Chilean Vineyards
Dramatic landscapes provided us a continual Kodak moment throughout. It is late spring in the region and the weather was cooperative with a lot of sunshine. This however is a land where the unexpected is the norm, so we came prepared for occasional wind and rain. After a rest at the lovely Hotel Neruda and a city tour in Santiago, we flew south to Punta Arenas. There we transferred 2 hours by coach to Puerto Natales at the Patagonia steppe. We … [Read more...]
Backpackers and Billionaires
It used to be that backpacking trips to Fiji involved a bus ride from Nadi to Suva, then a ferry to somewhere like Ovalau, Savusavu, Taveuni or Kadavu. No more. These days young budget travelers are lining up to go to the Yasawa Islands, a chain of 16 large volcanic islands and dozens of smaller ones roughly 35 km off the west coast of Viti Levu. The dazzling white beaches, clear warm waters, colorful coral reefs, and sunny dry climate make … [Read more...]
Samoa, Heart of Polynesia
The islands of Samoa are emerging as an exciting new South Pacific travel destination between Hawaii and New Zealand. This "Heart of Polynesia" is politically split into two distinct entities 80 miles apart. The country Samoa is a former German colony, captured by New Zealand in 1914 and granted independence in 1962. In 1997 the name was changed from Western Samoa to Samoa. American Samoa is the only U.S. territory south of the equator. … [Read more...]
Marlborough Wine Region, New Zealand – August 2005
Marlborough Wine Region New Zealand - The world famous Marlborough wine growing region is located on the north part of of New Zealand's South Island. If you are coming from Wellington on the north Island hop on a ferry and drive south east of the town of Picton. By far this area is known for its excellent crisp, clean Sauvignon Blancs and to a lesser extent its Pinot Noirs. This region is home to New Zealand's largest producing wine industry. … [Read more...]
New Zealand, South Island
New Zealand is a land of incredible natural beauty, ranging from lush rainforests, to towering peaks covered with glaciers, to isolated fjords that on a clear day will absolutely take one's breath away. New Zealand is best enjoyed out of doors. When you tell someone that you are going to be going "off the beaten path" you might as well be telling them you are going to New Zealand's South Island. This guide highlights a 14-day trip the author … [Read more...]
New Zealand, South Island – Driving
Most all of the roads on the South Island are very narrow with little or no shoulder space. Driving is on the left hand side of the road - if you come from a country where you drive on the right hand side of the road, you have to pay extra attention to be sure you are driving on the correct side of the road. Bicycling is quite popular in New Zealand in the summer time, and with the narrow roads and no shoulders, you have to be extremely … [Read more...]
New Zealand, South Island – Christchurch
After driving around the South Island coming into Christchurch can be somewhat of a shock as this is by far the largest city on the island and it can be a bit crowded - especially in comparison to the empty roads found on most of the rest of the South Island. This is not a large city by global standards but is large by New Zealand standards - with nearly 400,000 people. One can't help but notice the intriguing looking Gothic type buildings and … [Read more...]
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