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Archive for March, 2010

Day 15: Time Travel Mar 05

It’s easy to lose track of time while you are relaxing on vacation. Hey, what day is it?

The International Date Line runs through the island of Taveuni in Fiji. I know this is a confusing concept to many people who depart from Los Angeles on Thursday night and arrive in Fiji on Saturday morning. The flight is really only 10 hours. You “lose” Friday but “gain” it on the return flight,  often arriving back before you even left.

Anyway, don’t tax your brain over time zones and the earth’s rotation. Just for fun, you can travel to this site and have your picture taken with literally one foot in each day – yesterday and today.

International Date Line, Taveuni, Fiji

By the way, this was the site of quite a few celebrations on the Millenium New Year.
Party like it’s 1999, I mean 2000! I’ll be curious to see what’s planned for year 2020.

For more information, go to:
www.IslandGetawaysTravel.com

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Day 14: E Ticket Ride Mar 03

” Mr. Roarke, da plane, da plane!” exclaimed Tattoo.
Sorry, I just couldn’t resist the reference to the t.v show Fantasy Island (1978-1984) as we depart for one – or several.

The aircraft taxis in and we wait for passengers to deplane before climbing aboard. There is no formal airport security, no baggage screening, usually no seat assignments. You can even sit directly behind the pilot and co-pilot and watch them as they work. There is no heavy locked door, in fact, there is no door at all.

Pacific Sun Air

For those of you who remember back when Disney World rated its attractions and rides with a letter system A through E, this would be an E Ticket ride, one of the most thrilling. Views from either side of the small plane as we fly northeast from Viti Levu are dramatic. The aircraft banks and makes quite a steep angle descent toward the landing strip as it arrives on the second largest island of Vanua Levu or the third largest island of Taveuni both in the northern area of Fiji.

For more information, contact:
Jacintha Perera, Fiji Matai Specialist
www.IslandGetawaysTravel.com
(916) 897-9597

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Day 13: It Takes a Village Mar 01

The Koroipita Community Development Project is a model township outside of Nadi on Viti Levu island. Designed to house low income earners who were once homeless, the settlement has been supported by the efforts of Rotary International, U.S.-based Legends Travel and local Fijian tourism companies.

The town provides new homes constructed by teams of volunteers over a three day period. Each unit consists of one bedroom, a kitchen, a bathroom and living room area. Residents are also offered small plots of land to grow food and hands-on educational programs to acquire home-craft skills.

For those interested in social tourism, it is possible to arrange a visit to Koroipita, to meet the tenants and see the direct human impact. One can even particpate in the building of new homes in the next phase of development for displaced families.

For more information, contact:
Jacintha Perera, Fiji Matai Specialist
www.IslandGetawaysTravel.com
(916) 897-9597

 

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