Quick Q&A: How I travel

Stole this questionaire off the New Zealand Herald website - my travel preferences.

Do you travel light or heavy?

I travel light, sometimes too light. I've been known to get to a destination and find that I've forgotten something important like a towel or a blanket or even enough clothes/shoes.

Cattle or first class?

Cattle always. I'd rather spluge at the destination and by getting the cheapest flight possible it means I have more money to spluge at the other end.

I can't travel without ... my camera. To capture all the scenery, memories and experience.

What type of suitcase do you carry?

A large, hard-covered, pale blue wheely one - you know the one's that you pull along behind you. But I want to upgrade to a backpack as it's more practical particularly when taking public transport to the hotel.

What's always in your hand luggage?

Moisturiser, so my skin doesn't dry out during the flight. Also the usual things like my passport, cellphone, wallet and camera.

Are you a planner or a last-minute packer?

I try to be a planner but generally end up being the last-minute packer.

What's the best thing you've brought back from a trip?

The photos. Also a cool beer glass I got in St. Goar, Germany.

What's your favourite or most exciting airport to land in?

Singapore Changi Airport - I love the free foot massaging machines and free internet all around the airport. For landing alone though I'd say Heathrow with the views of the city and the Thames River as you come in.

Best travel tip?

Pack light, take loads of photos and don't be afraid to explore beyond the tourist tracks to get the real essence of the city/country. On a tour of Europe one of the best advice on exploring Venice from our group's tour manager was to forget the map and "get lost in Venice".

Most memorable trip?

Rarotonga earlier this year for Lisa's wedding. Beautiful white sand beaches, brightly coloured fish, warm salty water. Breathtaking. Everyone has to experience Polynesia at least once. Oh and can't forget the sea cucumbers LOL (thanks Jackass XD)

What do you do while on the plane?

Read, watch movies and, if I'm sitting next to someone nice, talk to my neighbour.

DAY DREAMING: The travel bug strikes again.

IT'S been over four months since I got back from Rarotonga and while I'm over the post holiday blues I am already yearning for my next adventure. There's been a lot going on emotionally for me and the family lately too with the death of my younger brother Waimarama on April 27. It still fresh on our hearts and minds and it is also one of the reasons I think I need a distraction. A global distraction.

I've found myself exploring travel websites such as STA Travel: http://www.statravel.co.nz/ which features loads of cheap flights, tour deals and round the world trip itineraries. Asia is the destination I'm considering for my next adventure with these Intrepid tours in mind:
http://www.statravel.co.nz/cps/rde/xchg/nz_division_web_live/hs.xsl/Intrepid-Asian-tour-Special-Offers.htm?WT.mc_id=onsite_flash_WokonIntrepid

I'm particularly keen on the 15-day Tibet Unplugged tour (pictured) as I have always wanted to go to Kathmandu and especially to Mt Everest.
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My Mum, Nan, Aunty Ngaira and cousin Rawinia-Molly plus half the whanau have also just returned from a cruise from Auckland to Fiji, Vanuatu and back to Auckland onboard the Pacific Sun (no not the one that was caught in the storm) and were raving about how great it was. Surfing the net, I came across this one on the Flight Centre website which looks really good:
http://cruises.flightcentre.co.nz/custom/special.html?special_id=156629
It's called TAHITIAN TREASURES and is a 21 night voyage stopping in at ports on the island nations of Tonga, Cook Islands, French Polynesia, Tahiti, Western Samoa and Fiji.

It leaves June 29 next year and it's only just around $2000 (that price includes basically everything on board except for booze) for a four berth cabin. So if anyone is interested in this trip give me an email as it would be cool to get a group together to go.

Oooh back to Island...

P.S. Trip was great. But instead of writing out a word for word accound here's a selection of pictures from the vacation. A picture does tell a thousand words.

IT'S about time I updated this blog since I got back from the Cook Islands capital of Rarotonga about 3 weeks ago now. I'm still getting used to the drop in climate coming home to winter though! My last post said I lost my passport, well obviously I found it again! Sitting in one of my many handbags in the back of my wardrobe! Thank God for that!





And ofcourse any adventure of mine would not be complete without a little blonde moment.





You may remember from when I went to Europe last year, my first time out of kiwi-land, that I was so excited that I forgot to sign my passport and had to be reminded at the last minute by the lovely customs lady at the departure gate. Well this holiday I thought I was safe as I already had my passport signed so I couldn't possibly make the same mistake twice. Could I? - Then there was this little thing could the departure card. And ofcourse I'm filling it out in a rush as, despite arriving at the airport with ours to spare, our party suddenly find our flight has started boarding and we haven't even got to the departure gate yet!





So anyway, I'm doing the usual security check in thing, showing my passport and boarding pass et cetera to the lovely customs man and then he's like "oh you need to put your passport number on the card". So red-faced me makes a joke about always forgetting something and quckly scribbles it down before rushing off to the baggage x-ray. Afterwards, my friend ML who was right behind me tells me the lovely customs man got a right old laugh out of it saying to her "you know most people forget to write their name but that's the first time someone's forgotten their passport number".


-M