Archive for the ‘Big Trip’ Category

2007 09 11 – Big Trip – Day 133 – Last Night in Fiji

Wednesday, September 12th, 2007

Sheraton Fiji Resort, Denarau, Viti Levu Island, Fiji

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Hindu Temple, Nadi, Fiji

Our 3 week vacation in paradise is almost over. We spent the last 2 days at the Sheraton Resort with a short visit to downtown Nadi yesterday morning. The downtown is one street with many stores and shops, bustling, busy and hot. The main attraction for us lay at the start of the street, where we visited a Hindu temple.

Sri Siva Subrahmanya Swami Temple is a colorful and busy little temple serving the Indo-Fijians living in the area. (more…)

We are in Sydney

Tuesday, September 11th, 2007

We just arrived. We are staying in the heart of downtown.

A happy reunion with Paola’s parents who came all the way from Israel to discover Australia with us.

More later.

-Hemi

2007 09 08 – Big Trip – Day 130 – Yasawa Islands

Sunday, September 9th, 2007

Oarsman’s Bay Resort, Nacula Island, Fiji

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Meke performance, Nacula, Fiji

This is the last of 4 nights we have spent on Nacula (pronounced Nathula) at this laid back resort with the most amazing turquoise water just 10 steps away from our bure (hut). After spending a delightful day and a half at the Sheraton we woke up bright and early on Wednesday morning and got on the Yasawa Flyer, a large yellow catamaran that sped us over the waves of a not so sunny day to our island getaway. (more…)

2007 09 03 – Big Trip – Day 125 – Back to Sunshine

Sunday, September 9th, 2007

Sheraton Fiji Resort, Denarau, Viti Levu Island, Fiji

No pictures.

Today started off with 3rd world Fiji popping its head up. We got up at 5am to prepare ourselves and the children for the bus pickup at 6:30. The hotel manager told me that Air-Fiji called and there is a 30 minute delay in our flight because yesterday’s flight was canceled due to the plane having a flat tire. From here to there, our pickup came only at 7am and when we reached the airstrip at 7:40 we were told that our flight had already left.

“What the ?$#?&!!!” I asked the ground crew. (more…)

2007 09 02 – Big Trip – Day 124 – Rainy Levuka

Sunday, September 9th, 2007

Royal Levuka Hotel, Levuka, Ovalau Island, Fiji

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Rugby, Levuka, Ovalau Island, Fiji

Don’t let the name of this hotel fool you. It is more a backpacker hostel then a royal residence. True, it is the oldest hotel in Fiji, over 100 years old, but it also seems that some of the rooms have not been upgraded in the last few decades. The kids are happy, we got a little apartment that is very spacious, and the girls are sleeping on a mattress next to Ron’s bed. The jumpfest from the bed to the mattress on the floor is a daily ritual before going to sleep. (more…)

2007 08 29 – Big Trip – Day 120 – Nadi to Suva

Sunday, September 9th, 2007

Tanoa Plaza Hotel, Suva, Viti Levu, Fiji

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Fiji Museum, Suva, Fiji

We are on Fiji’s “mainland” island called Viti Levu having arrived yesterday from the resort. We were sad to leave Tokoriki island, it was really peaceful and fun to stay in one place for 6 days doing nothing.

We left in the morning with the same catamaran cruise ship that brought us in. The return trip was longer, as we stopped at several other islands to pick up passengers. In Nadi, we checked into a hotel we had reserved (Mercure), and did not leave the room for several hours due to the oppressive heat and humidity outside. Only in the evening did it finally cool down a bit. (more…)

2007 08 27 – Big Trip – Day 118 – Paradise in Fiji

Sunday, September 9th, 2007

Amunuca Resort, Tokoriki Island, Fiji

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Fiji

Fiji has created a huge change in our trip’s tempo, style, and activities since we arrived almost a week ago. For one thing, the lack of communication channels has severely impacted this blog’s postings on the web. As a result, there will be less blogging in the next few weeks. The heat and the sun also have to do with it. The pampering conditions of the resort we chose to begin our Fiji adventure certainly help as well. (more…)

2007 08 20 – Big Trip – Day 112 – Good Bye USA

Monday, August 20th, 2007

Homestead Suites, Foster City

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Yerba Buena Carousel, San Francisco

The past few days have come and gone like a whirlwind. We had so many things to do that we didn’t notice how fast time went by. And in less than 24 hours we will be on our way to Fiji…

This is a short list of what we did here. Doctors appointments and Dentist appointments. Shir got her cast off and is feeling great. Meet friends. unpack from the RV trip and repack for Fiji. Play with Uncle Benny. Pack some more for Australia and New Zealand. Meet more friends. Pack for Israel. Birthday party. Uncle Benny. One quiet night in San Francisco without the kids. Day visit to San Francisco with the kids. Emotional meeting with Veronica the nanny. More friends at Golden gate Park. uncle Benny. More packing. will it all fit? Will we be overweight?

We are all tired and a bit stressed from all the running around. Paola hopes the kids will be well behaved on the long flight to Fiji. We are all looking forward to some serious downtime on the islands. I can’t believe I am saying it, but after driving 10,000 miles and seeing half the US parks and Canada, I look forward to spending an entire week on an Island doing nothing.

Communication from Fiji will be intermittent at best, as the infrastructure there is not up to par yet. So don’t look for postings and hundreds of uploaded pictures every day. we’ll do our best to let you know what we are up to.

Good night,

-Hemi

2007 08 15 – Big Trip – Day 107 – Back to Foster City

Saturday, August 18th, 2007

Homestead Suites, Foster City, California. Odometer – 10097 miles

1 picture:

Watching Teletubbies in our hotel room in Foster City

 

The first part of our adventure came to an end today. We returned our RV after 3 and a half months, and drove back to our “home” base in Foster City. A twitch of nostalgia for Paola and me, perhaps for Ron as well. (more…)

2007 08 14 – Big Trip – Day 106 – Back in the Bay Area

Friday, August 17th, 2007

Anthony Chabot Regional Park Campground, Oakland, California. Odometer – 10089 miles!

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Lat night in a campground, near Oakland California

It’s hard to believe that 3 and a half months have passed by so fast. Tonight is our last night in the RV and we are very close to our starting point, in a quiet secluded nature sanctuary just 5 miles from central Oakland. (more…)