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Oahu Vacation Rentals
Thursday, August 25th, 2011 /

The best way to take a Hawaiian vacation in Oahu is by starting with a great rental home, condo or bungalow. Oahu vacation rentals are numerous in style and location, and will provide you with additional space and privacy that can come in handy, especially if you are bringing the family. There are six main locations on the island from which to choose: Honolulu, the capital city of Hawaii, Waikiki Beach, where you’ll find all the tourist action, or the South Shore, West Shore, East Shore and the famous North Shore, where some of the best surfing (and shaved ice) in the world can be found. Once you’ve picked a location, check out the offerings on this site for size and amenities. Your Oahu vacation rental home, condo or bungalow can be as simple or as luxurious as you like. Enjoy a Mai Tai on the water’s edge, or view stunning sunsets from your high rise balcony.

All Oahu rental condos and villas will come fully furnished, with fresh linens and complete kitchens. What else do you need? Well, if you need a hot tub and some designer decor, One of the highly reputable rental management companies found on this site can provide it for you. Once you have the perfect digs set up, get out and explore this amazing place.

Start with a tour of the USS Arizona Memorial at Pearl Harbor. While it may be sobering, you will gain a deeper sense of U.S. patriotism and find a reverence for those who perished in WWII. Take it a step further and visit the USS Bowfin Submarine Museum and Park. Explore Hawaiian history and visit the Nuuanu Pali Lookout, where you can see the land where once great battles were fought. King Kamehameha the Great united the islands under his rule. His Laloni Palace is the only royal palace on US soil, and can be visited while on your Oahu luxury vacation.

In Waikiki, not only will you find lots of bikini clad sun seekers, but a host of other natural wonders. Check out the huuumuhumunukunukuapuaa, the state fish, at the Waikiki Aquarium. Try to say that (or spell it) after a world famous Mai Tai. Learn about Duke Kahanamoku, considered the father of modern surfing, in Waikiki. The North Shore offers visitors the Polynesian Cultural Center. It includes seven Pacific Island villages and is the place to go for an authentic luau. While eating poi can be a challenge to both your finger dexterity and your taste buds, kailua pork is utterly delicious.

Another great place to visit in Central Oahu’s the Dole Plantation, where you will find over a mile and a half of pineapple gardens, and enjoy the freshest cut of the fruit and it’s juice. You will get your exercise in with a hike to Kaena Point, with magnificent views of the Waianae Coast to the south, Mokuleia to the north and of course, the Pacific Ocean. No matter where you choose your Oahu vacation rental home, condo or bungalow, the pacific is always there, enticing you with fishing, surfing boating, parasailing, scuba and snorkeling opportunities. On land, there is plenty of golf, horseback riding, tennis and shopping. You might even want to hop on a puddle jumper and visit one of the other exotic and inviting Hawaiian Islands while you are here. Then again, a Mai Tai and a hammock might suffice.

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From Novice To Expert Surfers – Hawaii Has It All
Monday, August 22nd, 2011 /

You might not be aware of it, but surfing is a Polynesian innovation that dates back several hundred years; Europeans initially saw it once they visited Tahiti in 1767.

Hawaii of course was settled by Polynesian immigrants from Tahiti about one thousand years ago, and brought the sport along with them. It was in Hawaii that surfing first caught on with Euro-Americans back in 1907. Where better to master the art form of he’enalu than amongst the people who invented surfing? Bring some friends and book your beachfront vacation rental through Hawaii Surf N’ Sand Vacations (http://www.hawaiivac.com/) or uncover condo rentals directly from the owners at Vacation Rentals By Owner (http://www.vrbo.com/).

While planning your Hawaii surfing holiday, take into account that the islands have two major seasons for this activity; be certain to select the time of year if feasible based on your surfing experience and aptitude. The winter months, November through March, are best suited for expert surfers, for the reason that waves tower twenty-five feet or more as they plunge toward the shore. Novices will want to arrange their surfing journey for the summer and fall months between the start of June and mid-October, at the time when the waters are calmer. Difficulty levels may also vary from one area of Hawaii to another.

Of course, Oahu is where most of the renowned surfing beaches are located, and Waiamea Bay is perhaps the most famed of them all. Waiamea Bay and other surfing locations such as Sunset Beach and Banzai Pipeline are a talented surfer’s paradise when waves generated by winter storms in the Aleutians come racing south. In the summertime, amateur surfers will want to check out Waikiki on the south side; these waves are the results of the austral winter storms off Antarctica and have a good deal further to travel, As a result, they are much gentler waves and better for beginners.

Since Oahu’s surfing areas are so well-known and admired, you’ll be competing with many other people for space. A less-crowded option is Kauai. Hanalei Bay on the north side provides difficult waves for experienced surfers, while Poipu and Kalapi to the south are better for beginners. Tourists to Hawaii might choose Kauai as their vacation spot for factors besides surfing by the way. Just because nearly all vacationers head for Oahu doesn’t mean that Kauai doesn’t have more than its share of entertaining activities. Kauai, that was the final island to come beneath Kamehameha’s rule back in 1810 (only when the island’s final ruler passed away without a successor), isn’t named the Garden Island for nothing.

This thriving paradise provides mountain inner tubing and kayaking along jungle rivers along with hiking and romantic travel inns, a number of which can only be reached by helicopter. The truth is, the Kauai helicopter tour is a popular choice of tourists. Check out Hawaiian beach vacation rentals and also cabin rentals (http://www.hawaiianbeachrentals.com/kauai-vacation-rentals-1.htm) for additional information on Hawaii vacation homes for lease on what many believe is the crown jewel of the Aloha State.

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Tropical Vacation on the Island of Oahu
Friday, August 19th, 2011 /

Winter’s dreariness often inspires many people to seek out tropical vacations. For those of us that live in cooler climates, visiting an exotic island gives us something to look forward to. For those who are living in warmer climates, heading to the beach means opportunities for surfing, swimming, and exploring. For a great majority of vacationers, Hawaii ranks among their top vacation destinations, with Oahu being one of the most popular islands to visit.

The island of Oahu is the third largest Hawaiian island, and also the most densely populated. The island is famous for Waikiki Beach at the USS Arizona memorial at Pearl Harbor, but there are of course many other activities to experience on the island. There is no doubt that there are more activities available than any one individual could possibly experience in one brief vacation. With something, for everyone Oahu offers everything from whale watching to golf, and from helicopter tours to dinner cruises.

For those who are more adventurous, Oahu seems to offer just about any water sport imaginable, including snorkeling, kayaking, surfing, scuba diving, and parasailing. Once you’ve had a chance to rest after your day of hiking, swimming, horseback riding or lounging on the beach you can check out Broadway musicals or traditional performances, or eat at one of Oahu’s many gourmet restaurants featuring fresh seafood.

The wide range of accommodations on Oahu includes luxury hotels, condo rentals and camping, just to name a few. Oahu is also a popular port for cruise ships, which dock there every day of the year. Thousands of tourists visit the island each year as part of a multi-island cruise. If exploring the history and culture of your destination is one of your vacation goals, you’re in luck.

Besides the USS Arizona Memorial – one of the most popular tourist destinations in the country – there are plenty of opportunities to experience the native culture of Oahu.

A great place to start is by attending a luau. Versions of this traditional feast, known for a roast pig, hula dancers, and fragrant leis, can be found all over the island. In fact, many of the larger hotels even host their own weekly luaus, an event that should not be missed. There are also a variety of tours that will take you into the more traditional areas of Oahu, away from the tourist areas. On these tours you’ll view a sample of the traditional way of life, experience traditional foods, watch traditional artists, and even learn about tiki Gods and other unique aspects of ancient Hawaiian culture. In fact, if you’re a fan of the recent tiki revival this is the place to start. You’ll be going straight to the source, in a manner of speaking.

The beautiful paradise of Oahu seems like a natural choice for vacationers, whether you’re looking for family-friendly activities or a romantic getaway. With so much to do, Oahu can accommodate every traveler’s interests, whatever they may be. The options seem nearly limitless.

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The Lates News Fro Japan : Hundreds Killed in Tsunami After 8.9 Japan Quake
Tuesday, August 16th, 2011 /

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A ferocious tsunami spawned by one of the largest earthquakes ever recorded slammed Japan’s eastern coast Friday, killing hundreds of people as it swept away boats, cars and homes while widespread fires burned out of control.

Hours later, the tsunami hit Hawaii and warnings blanketed the Pacific, as far away as South America, Canada, Alaska and the entire U.S. West Coast.

Police said 200 to 300 bodies were found in the northeastern coastal city of Sendai. Another 88 were confirmed killed and at least 349 were missing. The death toll was likely to continue climbing given the scale of the disaster.

The magnitude 8.9 offshore quake unleashed a 23-foot (7-meter) tsunami and was followed by more than 50 aftershocks for hours, many of them of more than magnitude 6.0.

Dozens of cities and villages along a 1,300-mile (2,100-kilometer) stretch of coastline were shaken by violent tremors that reached as far away as Tokyo, hundreds of miles (kilometers) from the epicenter.

“The earthquake has caused major damage in broad areas in northern Japan,” Prime Minister Naoto Kan said at a news conference.

The government ordered thousands of residents near a nuclear power plant in Onahama city to evacuate because the plant’s system was unable to cool the reactor. The reactor was not leaking radiation but its core remained hot even after a shutdown. The plant is 170 miles (270 kilometers) northeast of Tokyo.

Trouble was reported at two other nuclear plants as well, but there was no radiation leak at any.

Japan’s coast guard said it was searching for 80 dock workers working on a ship that was swept away from a shipyard in Miyagi prefecture.

Even for a country used to earthquakes, this one was of horrific proportions because of the tsunami that crashed ashore, swallowing everything in its path as it surged several miles (kilometers) inland before retreating. The apocalyptic images of surging water broadcast by Japanese TV networks resembled scenes from a Hollywood disaster movie.

Large fishing boats and other sea vessels rode high waves into the cities, slamming against overpasses or scraping under them and snapping power lines along the way. Upturned and partially submerged vehicles were seen bobbing in the water. Ships anchored in ports crashed against each other.

The highways to the worst-hit coastal areas were severely damaged and communications, including telephone lines, were snapped. Train services in northeastern Japan and in Tokyo, which normally serve 10 million people a day, were also suspended, leaving untold numbers stranded in stations or roaming the streets. Tokyo’s Narita airport was closed indefinitely.

Jesse Johnson, a native of the U.S. state of Nevada, who lives in Chiba, north of Tokyo, was eating at a sushi restaurant with his wife when the quake hit.

“At first it didn’t feel unusual, but then it went on and on. So I got myself and my wife under the table,” he told The Associated Press. “I’ve lived in Japan for 10 years and I’ve never felt anything like this before. The aftershocks keep coming. It’s gotten to the point where I don’t know whether it’s me shaking or an earthquake.”

Waves of muddy waters flowed over farmland near the city of Sendai, carrying buildings, some on fire, inland as cars attempted to drive away. Sendai airport, north of Tokyo, was inundated with cars, trucks, buses and thick mud deposited over its runways. Fires spread through a section of the city, public broadcaster NHK reported.

More than 300 houses were washed away in Ofunato City alone. Television footage showed mangled debris, uprooted trees, upturned cars and shattered timber littering streets.

The tsunami roared over embankments, washing anything in its path inland before reversing directions and carrying the cars, homes and other debris out to sea. Flames shot from some of the houses, probably because of burst gas pipes.

“Our initial assessment indicates that there has already been enormous damage,” Chief Cabinet Secretary Yukio Edano said. “We will make maximum relief effort based on that assessment.”

He said the Defense Ministry was sending troops to the quake-hit region. A utility aircraft and several helicopters were on the way.

A large fire erupted at the Cosmo oil refinery in Ichihara city in Chiba prefecture and burned out of control with 100-foot (30 meter) -high flames whipping into the sky.

From northeastern Japan’s Miyagi prefecture, NHK showed footage of a large ship being swept away and ramming directly into a breakwater in Kesennuma city.

NHK said more than 4 million buildings were without power in Tokyo and its suburbs.

Also in Miyagi, a fire broke out in a turbine building of a nuclear power plant, but it was later extinguished, said Tohoku Electric Power Co. the company said.

A reactor area of a nearby plant was leaking water, the company said. But it was unclear if the leak was caused by tsunami water or something else. There were no reports of radioactive leaks at any of Japan’s nuclear plants.

Jefferies International Limited, a global investment banking group, said it estimated overall losses to be about $ 10 billion.

The U.S. Geological Survey said the 2:46 p.m. quake was a magnitude 8.9, the biggest earthquake to hit Japan since officials began keeping records in the late 1800s, and one of the biggest ever recorded in the world.

The quake struck at a depth of six miles (10 kilometers), about 80 miles (125 kilometers) off the eastern coast, the agency said. The area is 240 miles (380 kilometers) northeast of Tokyo.

A tsunami warning was extended to a number of Pacific, Southeast Asian and Latin American nations, including Japan, Russia, Indonesia, New Zealand and Chile. In the Philippines, authorities ordered an evacuation of coastal communities, but no unusual waves were reported.

Thousands of people fled their homes in Indonesia after officials warned of a tsunami up to 6 feet (2 meters) high. But waves of only 4 inches (10 centimeters) were measured. No big waves came to the Northern Mariana Islands, a U.S. territory, either.

The first waves hit Hawaii about 1400 GMT (9 a.m. EST) Friday. A tsunami at least 3 feet (a meter) high were recorded on Oahu and Kauai, and officials warned that the waves would continue and could become larger.

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The Top 10 Surfers
Sunday, August 07th, 2011 /

10. Dave Kalama

Dave Kalama is a big wave surfer, windsurfer, and celebrity watersports enthusiast. Kalama and his family live in Hawaii.  Kalama is credited with the co-development of tow-in surfing, along with Laird Hamilton, Darrick Doerner, and Buzzy Kerbox. Recently, Kalama together with close friend Laird Hamilton have been actively promoting and mastering an ancient Hawaiian mode of water transportation and watersport called “stand-up paddling”, and he has begun a series of increasingly longer solo paddle events between various Hawaiian islands.

As a high school age athlete, Kalama was a competitive ski racer and high school football player in the winter sports resort town of Mammoth Lakes, California. Kalama is a descendant from a long line of noteworthy Hawaiian watermen; his grandfather brought outrigger canoe paddling to the mainland U.S., and his father Ilima Kalama was the 1962 world-champion surfer and a lifelong outrigger canoe paddler. -Wikipedia.org

9. Layne Beachley

Layne Beachley is a former professional surfer from Manly, Australia. She won the World Championship seven times. At the age of 16 Beachley became a professional surfer. By the age of 20 she was ranked sixth in the world. Beachley became the Women’s ASP World Champion in 1998, and won the title again in 1999, 2000, 2001, 2002, 2003 and 2006. The first woman in history to gain 7 World Championships, six of them consecutive.  In 2004, Layne was given a wildcard entry into the Energy Australia Open held at Newcastle, one of the rare occasions a woman has competed in a men’s surfing event. -Wikipedia.org

8. Gerry Lopez

Gerry Lopez (born November 7, 1948), aka Mr. Pipeline, is an American surfer, shaper, journalist, and film actor. Lopez and friends began to migrate out to Oahu’s North Shore, where they watched surfers like Butch Van Artsdalen and Jock Sutherland ride the hollow waves of the Banzai Pipeline. As surfboard designs began to integrate “downrailer” edges, curve, foil, and rocker, the vertical drops and thick tubes of Pipeline became survivable. Not long after, performance levels at big Pipeline exploded, led by Lopez. -Wikipedia.org

7. Tom Curren

Tom Curren (born July 3, 1964, in Santa Barbara, California) is an American surfer. He was born to father Pat (big-wave legend and shaper) and mother Jeanine. His brother Joe is also a professional surfer and popular photographer and he also has a sister, Anna. Curren grew up raised primarily by his mother, and spent much of his free time in the ocean. Taught to surf by his father, who was a big wave rider, Curren drew on his lineage and had a natural affinity for the ocean and the long sectioning point surf of Rincon Point near his home in Santa Barbara. He progressed quickly and drew the attention of the surf media. -Wikipedia.org

6. Rob Machado

Robert Edward Machado (better known simply as Rob Machado) (b. October 16, 1973 Sydney, Australia) is an American professional surfer from Cardiff-by-the-Sea, a community in Encinitas (San Diego County), California.  Machado attended San Dieguito High School, and is known for his casual, “laid-back” style both in and out of the water. Though he rides a modern tri-fin shortboard, he could still be considered a “soul-surfer” because of his smooth cut-back style that has earned him the nickname “Mr. Smoothy”. He is one of the best-known goofy-foot surfers in the world today.  

Rob has won many of pro surfing’s most prestigious contests, including Hawaii’s Pipeline Masters (Triple Crown of Surfing), and the U.S. Open of Surfing, the largest surfing event held on the U.S. mainland. His 2006 win in that competition was only his latest at Huntington Beach, and it came on the heels of his victory at the 2006 Monster Energy Pro (also held at Pipeline) on Oahu’s North Shore. Also, Rob was on the “West” team that won the 2006 Summer X Games surfing competition, called “The Game”, held each year in Mexico. -Wikipedia.org

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5. Andy Irons

Philip Andrew Irons (July 24, 1978 – November 2, 2010) was a professional surfer. Irons learned to surf on the dangerous and shallow reefs of the North Shore in Kauai, Hawaii. Over the course of his professional career, he won three world titles (2002, 2003, 2004), three Quiksilver Pro France titles (2003, 2004, 2005), two Rip Curl Pro Search titles (2006 and 2007) and 20 elite tour victories including the Vans Triple Crown of Surfing four times from 2002-2006.

On September 3, 2010 he won the Billabong Pro in Tahiti. He and his family hosted the Annual Irons Brothers Pinetrees Classic, a contest for youngsters. The Governor of Hawaii declared February 13 forever “Andy Irons Day”. He is the only surfer to have won a title at every venue on the ASP calendar. -Wikipedia.org

4. Duke Paoa Kahanamoku

Duke Paoa Kahinu Mokoe Hulikohola Kahanamoku (August 24, 1890-January 22, 1968) was a Hawaiian swimmer, actor, lawman, and businessman credited with spreading the sport of surfing. He was a five-time Olympic medalist in swimming. Kahanamoku easily qualified for the U.S. Olympic swimming team in 1912, breaking the record for the 200 meter freestyle in his trial heat for the 4×200 relay. He went on to win a gold medal in the 100 meter freestyle in the 1912 Olympics in Stockholm, and a silver with the relay team. During the 1920 Olympics in Antwerp, he won gold medals both in the 100 meters (bettering fellow Hawaiian Pua Kealoha) and in the relay. He finished the 100 meters with a silver medal during the 1924 Olympics in Paris, with the gold going to Johnny Weissmuller and the bronze to Duke’s brother, Samuel Kahanamoku. He also played for the U.S. water polo team at the 1932 Summer Olympics.  

Between Olympic competitions, and after retiring from the Olympics, Kahanamoku traveled internationally to give swimming exhibitions. It was during this period that he popularized the sport of surfing, previously known only in Hawaii, by incorporating surfing exhibitions into these visits as well. His surfing exhibition at Sydney’s Freshwater Beach on December 23, 1914 is widely regarded as a seminal event in the development of surfing in Australia. The board that Kahanamoku built from a piece of pine from a local hardware store is retained by the Freshwater Surf Club. There is a statue of Kahanamoku on the headland at Freshwater. He made surfing popular in mainland America first in 1912 while in Southern California. -Wikipedia.org

3. Taj Burrow

Taj Burrow (born June 2, 1978 in Yallingup, Western Australia) is a well-known Australian surfer.  He began surfing at the age of seven in 1985 and discovered he was a regular footed surfer. He worked hard and began to win contests several years later, becoming recognized as a grommet. He went professional in 1998, and has since been recognized as one of the best surfers in the world, even entering into the Australian Surfing Hall of Fame.  He has written a book (Taj Burrow’s Book of Hot Surfing) and has produced his own surf videos, Sabotaj, Montaj and Taj Burrow’s Fair Bits. He is recognised to be the most advanced surfer who has not won a world title. In a recent interview in spring 2006, Taj said his top goal was not to win a world title but to further himself and the surfing world. -Wikipedia.org

2. Laird Hamilton

Laird Hamilton (born Laird John Zerfas, March 2, 1964, San Francisco, California) is an American big-wave surfer, co-inventor of tow-in surfing, and an occasional fashion and action-sports model. He is married to Gabrielle Reece, a professional volleyball player, television personality and model. Hamilton and his family split their time between residences in Maui, Hawaii and Malibu, California. -Wikipedia.org

1. Kelly Slater

Robert Kelly Slater (born February 11, 1972, Cocoa Beach, FL, USA), known as Kelly Slater, is an American professional surfer known for his competitive prowess and style. He has been crowned ASP World Champion a record 10 times, including 5 consecutive titles from 1994–98. He is the youngest (at age 20) and the oldest (at age 38) to win the title. Upon winning his 5th world title in 1997, Slater passed Australian surfing legend Mark Richards to become the most successful champion in the history of the sport. In 2007 he also became the all-time leader in career event wins by winning the Boost Mobile Pro event at Lower Trestles near San Clemente, California.

The previous record was held by Slater’s childhood hero, 3-time world champion Tom Curren. In addition to the ASP tour, Slater has also competed in the X-Games (in 2003 and 2004). On October 3, 2008, Slater won his ninth ASP world title at the Billabong Pro Mundaka by defeating local surfer Eneko Acero in the 3rd round. In May 2005, in the final heat of the Billabong Tahiti Pro contest at Teahupo’o, Slater became the first surfer ever to be awarded two perfect scores for a total 20 out of 20 points under the ASP two-wave scoring system. (The corresponding honor under the previous three-wave system belongs to fellow American Shane Beschen who achieved the feat in 1996.) -Wikipedia.org

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Top 10 travelling experiences I would recommend to others!
Thursday, August 04th, 2011 /

Climb the Sydney Harbour Bridge, Australia

Living in Far North Queensland, my first trip to the big smoke involved doing all the touristy things in Sydney, NSW.  The highlight and one of the most spectular things I have done to date, was the Sydney Harbour Bridge Climb which brings you to the summit of the bridge, 134 metres above the harbour.  Amazing views of the city and an incredible guide, made this so much fun for both me and my sister.


Ride granny bikes around Edam, Netherlands

As part of my Contiki tour around Europe, while staying in Amsterdam, we went for a day trip to Edam.  As well as visiting a cheese and clog factory, we hired oldschool granny bikes and rode around the small town of Edam.  With windmills and beautiful scenery, as well as trying to not fall over on the ridicolous bikes, it was a great day!


Hike Diamond Head in Waikiki, Hawaii, USA

Jason and I had plans to spend 6 months backpacking around the states and the first stop was Honolulu, Hawaii.  What a beautiful place with some amazing people we met at the hostel!  As well as going out to dinner at the Cheesecake factory and trying ‘deep fried macarooni and cheese’, we hiked Diamond Head which can be seen from Waikiki beach.  As well as being a rewarding hike, the views of Oahu were worth every step.


Experience amazing and weird food in Osaka, Japan

Going to Japan was like nowhere else.  Osaka has a reputation for being the place in Japan best known for its food and it certainly did not disappoint.  We tried all types of food, with takoyaki (octopus balls) one of my favourite from street venders.  We did however stumble upon a Yakiniku restaurant which ended up being a weird but memorable dining experience eating all types of meat that we had no idea what they were!


Hike the Stawamus Chief in Vancouver, Canada

Living in Vancouver, Canada for two years on a working holiday visa we wanted to make the most of our time here and see some of the spectular scenery around the area.  Vancouver is an amazing city with so much to offer but one of the best experiences that I have had was hiking the Stawamus Chief in Squamish an hour’s drive from Vancouver.  Upon reaching the top we had chipmunks running around everywhere, the beautiful snowy mountain tops over the water and every image I ever had of Canada before coming here, was in front of me.


Hike the Mist Trail in Yosemite Valley, California, USA

When deciding to spend a few months in the states, I wanted to see the obvious places like New York and Vegas.  Yosemite Valley wasn’t on my to do list, but after visiting was one of my favourite.  Living in Cairns, Australia we didn’t experience seasons and when we got to Yosemite the leaves were just changing colour to beautiful oranges, yellows and reds.  I was in awe of my surroundings and a hike of the mist trail up the side of two waterfalls completed my experience.  This hike is definately not for the faint hearted, 11km round trip up Vernal and Nevada Falls, 5-6 hours and 600 steps alone just to get up to the top of the first waterfall Vernal! I will tell you right now, I couldn’t walk for two days properly after tackling this hike but WOW.  We even saw a bear two metres away from us in a tree (it was scared of us!), numerous squirrels and even a bobcat! What a day!


Visit Disney World in Orlando, USA

I told Jason if we were going to go to the states, I would not be satisfied unless we visited Disney World.  We decided we were going to do that for my birthday.  As funds got cut short and we ended up in Canada earlier then expected to start working, this trip was postponed but taken one year later! There is no place in the world quite like Disney World and this kid at heart loved every minute of it!


Ride Gondolas and see crazy bag men in Venice, Italy

Venice is on my list as there is nowhere else that is so unique.  A city on water is just.. weird.. and amazing! From doing the touristy gondola ride to chasing the millions of pigeons, it was so unique. The one thing I wasn’t expecting was the bag men who carry around in a sack lots of rip-off brand bags which they sell to the many tourists. Warning from our Contiki guide was, it was illegal to sell or buy from the bag men, but once you were in possession of a fake, you woudn’t be in trouble.  So the whole process of walking past looking at the bags, without ‘looking’ at the bags and quickly making a purchase was hilarious.  Even more amusing was when some sort of authority would come up and they would swoop up there bags in the sack and run down the street!


Tobogganing, ice caves and snow fights at Mt. Titlis, Switzerland

Switzerland.. is just so pretty and magical, oh the swiss alps!  Taking a gondola ride up the side of Mt. Titlis and not even realising we were going to see snow up the top! Ice caves, tobogganning and snow fights made this trip even more fun! The scenery is breathtaking and worth the trip.


One crazy long day in Paris, France

Contiki trips are known for how crazy time is, and that was definately not an understatement.  we had one full day to spend in Paris, France and tried to squeeze in as much as possible.  The day started off with going up the Eiffel tower, climbing the Arc De Triumph (I don’t know who’s crazy idea that was.. see the staircase in the picture.. so dizzy), visited the Louvre and saw the Mona Lisa, went inside Notre Dame church, then had dinner and a cabaret show.  I will definately be back to Paris again one day to take it all in!


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Oahu, Sights Often Unseen
Monday, August 01st, 2011 /

Oahu is a bustling tourist attraction where millions flock to the warm beaches of Waikiki or travel to Pearl Harbor to view the memorial. However, many people fail to see the hidden treasures of Oahu that exist. If you want to see Oahu for more than the tourist trap it’s often seen as, you must venture away from Honolulu to other parts of the island.

The north shore of Oahu is famous in its own right for its enormous waves. Particularly Sunset Beach where many professional surfers flock to enjoy the surf. But the north shore is much more than that. Because it’s less developed there are many secluded beaches and coves to enjoy. The north shore has also been used to film movies and TV shows like LOST.

I highly recommend checking out Hanauma Bay. While tourists travel here in droves, it remains the site for snorkeling I have ever experienced.

Tropical fish and sea turtles swarm the area. At one point I was literally surrounded by a school of purple fish swimming in circles around me.

If you are not interested in snorkeling there is also a large sandy beach to lay on. It’s also a great place to take your children because there are lifeguards on this beach.

If you are up for a bit of a hike Diamond Head is worth checking out. This dormant volcano takes about 1.5 to 2 hours to climb roundtrip, but the views from the top are incredible. It’s not really an easy hike. The trail is uneven an unpaved most of the way. I would only recommend climbing to the top if you are in decent physical condition.

There are many things to do in Oahu. While I think everyone should experience the hustle and bustle on Waikiki and Pearl Harbor, there are many other hidden treasures in Oahu worth exploring.

Take my advice. You will be glad you did.

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