Wedding Favors
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South Pacific As A Romantic Getaway?
   
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Wedding Hairstyles
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Brides around the world, want every aspect of their wedding day to be momentous. Just about every plan, for .....
WANT THE PERFECT WEDDING HAIRSTYLE? HERE'S 7 STEPS YOU MUST FOLLOW!
Brides around the world, want every aspect of their wedding day to be momentous. Just about every plan, for .....
Today, Norm Goldman, Editor of Sketchandtravel.com and
Bookpleasures.com, is pleased to have as a guest well known
author, travel writer and expert on the South Pacific, David
Stanley. David is the author of Moon Handbooks South Pacific.
Good day David and thank you for accepting our invitation to be
interviewed.
NORM:
Alcohol Consumption And Christianity
Tea-totalling Texans'
Alcohol consumption and the Church
I live in a small Texas town which is probably not all that .....
Please tell our readers something about yourself, your expertiseTea-totalling Texans'
Alcohol consumption and the Church
I live in a small Texas town which is probably not all that .....
and the books you have authored pertaining to the South Pacific.
David:
I've earned a living from travel guidebooks since 1979, when
Moon Publications of Rutland published the 1st edition of SOUTH
PACIFIC HANDBOOK . In November 2004, Avalon Travel Publishing of
Emeryville, California, brought out the 8th edition of Moon
Handbooks South Pacific. I've also written Lonely Planet guides
to Eastern Europe, Cuba, and Canada's Maritime Provinces. Lately
I've been exploiting the power of the Internet with sites like
SOUTH PACIFIC.ORG: MAP SOUTH PACIFIC and CUBA PICTURES.
Being A Beautiful Bride
Everybody wants to be a glowing beautiful bride on that special day. Taking care of your skin will make it appear more flawless when the makeup artist will .....
NORM:Everybody wants to be a glowing beautiful bride on that special day. Taking care of your skin will make it appear more flawless when the makeup artist will .....
When we talk about the South Pacific what exactly are we
referring to and where is it situated in relation to the USA or
Canada?
David:
The "South Pacific" brochures printed by tour operators often
focus on Australia and New Zealand, but those countries are
quite different from the tropical Pacific islands. Moon
Handbooks South Pacific covers 15 insular countries and
territories from Easter Island to the Solomons. People tend to
consider this region remote, yet it takes only two hours longer
to fly from Los Angeles to Tahiti than it does to fly to
Honolulu. Fiji is midway between Hawaii and New Zealand, to the
west of Tahiti.
NORM:
Would you consider the South Pacific a good choice for a
romantic getaway or wedding and honeymoon destination? Why?
David:
All of the main South Pacific destinations have attempted to
market themselves as wedding or honeymoon destinations. Fiji and
the Cook Islands have been the most successful as weddings can
be arranged locally with little fuss. In French Polynesia,
marriages can only be performed for persons with 30 days
residency, which excludes most tourists. Instead, French
Polynesia has developed an active honeymoon industry with Bora
Bora highly favored by bridal magazine writers who enjoyed the
hospitality of luxury resorts. In my opinion, Moorea is Bora
Bora's equal in all but name and is far less expensive. For a
romantic getaway, I recommend Rarotonga in the Cook Islands.
There is a lot to see and do within a compact area, and prices
are fair.
NORM:
What is the best time to visit the South Pacific from the point
of view of weather, costs, crowds, and the availability of
flights from the USA, Canada and Europe?
David:
Officially, the hurricane season in the South Pacific is from
December to April, although with global warming it's starting
earlier and ending later. Winter (May to October) is generally
cooler, drier, and less humid throughout the region, the best
time to go. May to August is the off-season in Australia and New
Zealand; hence Air New Zealand's low season South Pacific
airfares apply those months. So by a happy coincidence, you can
enjoy the best weather for the lowest price if you schedule your
trip at that time.
NORM:
How safe is it to travel to the South Pacific?
David:
Very safe. "Terrorists" would stand out like sore thumbs on
these small islands. Violent crime (muggings, etc) is almost
unknown, but petty theft does occur. Nothing will go astray if a
few simple precautions are taken. Contrary to the image fostered
by Hollywood and in the tourism brochures, the island societies
are socially conservative and scanty dress is frowned upon.
Women traveling alone should avoid staying in isolated bungalows
or wandering off on deserted beaches.
NORM:
Could you give our readers an idea of the costs involved if
travel originates from the USA or Canada and how accessible is
it to fly to the South Pacific?
David:
One-month roundtrip airfares from Los Angeles or Vancouver to
Tahiti, Rarotonga, or Fiji start around US$1,250 in the low
season, provided you book at least 14 days in advance and are
willing to accept a 35 percent cancellation fee. If you fly on
shorter notice during the high season (December to February),
you'll pay around US$2,000. The weekend travel sections of major
newspapers carry ads for discounted fares, and websites
sometimes sell tickets for considerably less than the prices
quoted by airline agents over the phone. For example, I recently
flew from Vancouver to American Samoa for US$700 roundtrip on an
Internet special. Such offers are routinely announced in the
newsletter of the South Pacific Tourism Organization, available
at SOUTH PACIFIC TOURISM ORGANIZATION.
NORM:
If you had to choose 6 unequalled venues in the South Pacific
for a romantic getaway, honeymoon or wedding destination, what
would they be and why?
David:
My first choice would be:
Tahiti and its neighbours Moorea and Bora Bora.
The soaring green peaks and brilliant reefs of these islands are
unsurpassed, and the "exotic" French atmosphere combines well
with the charm of Polynesia.
Fiji is a very close second for its stunning variety and
friendliness.
Then there's Rarotonga in the Cook Islands.
This is long a favorite holiday destination for New Zealanders.
Rarotonga is small enough to explore in a week, and the
facilities are excellent.
My fourth choice is Easter Island. Although for those into
hiking or archaeology, it should come first. Travel agents often
book three-night stopovers on Easter Island, but only the
highlights can be seen during such a short stay.
Finally, I should mention Vanuatu for those looking for
something really different. This little known Melanesian country
offers a colorful mix of scuba diving, tribal culture, active
volcanoes, and the South Pacific's most beautiful capital city,
Port Vila.
NORM:
What resources are available on the Internet pertaining to
weddings and honeymoon vacations in the South Pacific?
David:
Obtaining independent information on weddings and honeymoons
isn't easy as resort and tour company websites only promote
their own products. That said, HONEYMOON FIJI and HONEYMOON
VANUATU are worth a look, and TRAVEL MAXIA is useful in that it
covers the entire South Pacific. It's also well worth perusing
the official tourism websites of the island visitors bureaus,
all of which are linked to SOUTH PACIFIC.ORG
NORM:
Is there anything else you would like to add that we have not
covered pertaining to the South Pacific?
David:
The South Pacific should be recognized as a straightforward,
trouble- free destination. None of the countries included in my
book require visas of North Americans, Europeans, Australians,
New Zealanders, or Japanese. Obstacles like erratic pricing,
corrupt officials, violent crime, and security glitches are
generally absent here. This sprawling region is best
characterised by its amazing variety, with many distinct
cultures, cuisines, histories, and environments to experience
and enjoy. At US$24.95, Moon Handbooks South Pacific has the
potential to save vacationers hundreds of dollars, while
assisting them in making the best choices. It's all in there.
Thanks David for accepting our invitation to be interviewed.
About the author:
Norm Goldman is the editor of sketchandtravel.com
bookpleasures.com.
Norm and his wife Lily are a unique husband and wife team who
meld art with words focusing on romantic destinations.
Norm and Lily are always open to invitations to romantic
destinations and hospitality properties in the USA.