The Circus is in town

On a regular day Bota Bota, a ferry boat that has been converted into a sleek urban spa, is a soothing place to be. On their two-year anniversary however, it transformed into a colorful world of artists. Acrobats and jugglers performed while you soaked in the jacuzzi, and there were more sweets than you should have in one evening.

Two spa-hungry marines (a friend and I) were greeted by a man on stilts, a fire twirler, two feathery friends, and a pole master while embarking onto the boat which is

permanently docked in the old port of Montreal. After changing into our swimsuits in what used to be the engine room of the ferry, we were handed a gorgeous glass of Neige, a crisp, locally produced ice cider which we sipped while touring the spa.

Libations, anyone?

The nautical theme is subtle and done in good taste. With five decks, there is plenty of room to explore, and the high ceilings give the opposite effect you might expect from being on a boat. The water circuit includes two sauna and jacuzzi areas, both providing stunning views: one of the city skyline and the other, the St. Lawrence River.

Tall Men and Tiny Dancers

This is a spa where the hours pass quickly. Large padded, porthole windows make the perfect place to recline and gaze out at the water or read a book. Yoga and Pilates

classes are offered in both French and English or you can do your own private asana if the yoga studio is free. The hammock style swing chairs are great fun, and if you cannot be without the news there is a TV room, complete with headphones.

On a cold December evening, the candlelit experience was divine. Nonetheless, looking out at the sundeck and garden, urged us to schedule a future summertime date at this innovative spa that I think, circus or not, will really float your boat.

WRITTEN & PHOTOGRAPHED BY: KIM NIGHTINGALE

Chocolate Tortellini filled with Hazelnut cream, topped with a whipped Controy Orange liqueur foam framed in a Strawberry coulis & pure Orange reduction with orange wedges in between

“There is no love sincerer than the love of food.”
~George Bernard Shaw

Beautiful beaches, ancient historical landmarks, dense jungles filled with exotic creatures, ancient temples, stunning snow capped mountain visages, all these and more I have experienced while traveling. But time and again I come back to the stories. For me, it’s the people and their stories that make travel more than just an elongated sightseeing excursion. When you spend more than the typical holidayer’s weekend at a destination and have the courage and where-with-all to go out and explore your surroundings, you discover things opening up to you in a way that are often unusual, unexpected and illuminating.

For me it’s an easy process as I have an excuse. It is this very travel blog that you’re reading.

When I tell people what I do they usually immediately see the value in sharing with me whatever they are into. And I only ask if I am genuinely curious. I have found across the globe that pretty much everyone likes to be recognized for their good work? Of course precluding bank robbers and the like.

“Great art carries with it the same spirit or essence regardless of the medium it’s conveyed through.”

Here in Playa Del Carmen there are lots of stories and one would have to stay for a long time to get into even a small percentage of them. Today’s story however revolves around the gastronomical arts. Playa Del Carmen offers a great culinary options with a fair amount of variety.  But if I’m going to showcase something it has to meet certain criteria. My parameters generally are;

1. It has to be a bit underground or at least not well known to your average tourist

2. Is has to be done with an artist’s passion regardless of the medium

3. It has to be damn good! 

Elemento

I found this and more in Elemento Restaurant.

I had walked past the space a dozen times on my way downtown or to the market but simply could not quite make out what it was as it looked more like a boutique furniture gallery than a restaurant.

Finally, when I had experienced 3 days without power at my apartment, I decided to investigate. I though to myself, “If it is a cafe, surely they will have wifi I can use.”

What I discovered tucked away inside a designer furniture showroom was Elemento. A little cafe that played vibey lounge music, enjoyed an easy modern atmosphere and served some of the most thoughtful food in Playa Del Carmen.

While costing a little more than your “truly local” food, Elemento is by all accounts on par with the kind of consciously prepared cuisines one would enjoy in some of the better upscale restaurants in metropolises throughout the world without the attitude that usually accompanies them.

“Elemento is one of those places that an explorative traveler or wandering expat, who loves cuisine prepared with skill and passion for the culinary arts, must certainly make way their way to.”

Working that first day on my laptop I took note of the atmosphere they chefs themselves created, listening to their spanish banter, watching the various dishes as they came out and generally starting to salivate as each dish made it’s way past me. At the end of my work day I approached Chef Givran and gave him my pitch.

A few days later I would return and spend several hours photographing and eating their delicious offerings as well as getting to know the chef’s stories.

Discussing their approach to food I discovered that each had attended the Corbuse Culinary Institute in Mexico City which is where they had first met and became friends.

Chef Pauval

After graduating, Chef Pauval Ojeda & Chef Isabelle Lopez had moved to Playa Del Carmen to start their own restaurant while Chef Givran Mucino had gone off to work for a cruise ship.

Sadly, but not uncommonly, Pauval and Isabelle fell victim to a dodgy business partner and their first attempt was thwarted. But the curse turned out to be a blessing when the thief vacated a space, leaving a vacuum they would soon be called to fill.

The owners of Casona Diseno Interiores , where the cafe now resides,  wanted edible offerings within their showroom and when the pair had come to make payments on some of the furniture they had bought there, the owners invited them to open their restaurant within the walls of Casona, giving them the space they needed to commence work once again. After 2 months, Givran’s cruise contract had ended and he had had enough of cooking on cruise ships. Knowing all that had transpired and ready for a change, Givran too moved to Playa Del Carmen and joined the Elemento team.

Th team enjoy a very democratic process in deciding which dishes they want to offer their patrons. They each come up with a entree, main course and dessert for the week as well as offering ideas for specials of the week. They change the menu every week, continually offering new creative sand delicious new specials as well as change the breakfast menu every 2 month.

Chef Isabelle

Their vision is like many of the new breed on conscious culinary artists that are becoming more abundant around the world.

They source their products as close to local as is possible and design recipes around the changing season’s abundance. They also plan to create their own green house so this process becomes even more streamlined.

Elemento offer a variety of handmade products for use in your own kitchen including an assortment of infused oils as well as flavored pastas, salts and jams.

Infused oils, salts & handmade pastas

Some of the more unique among these include Coffee salt and Guava Jam.

Art of the BLT

The first dish I was to enjoy was a fresh spin on a time honored American classic,

the BLT.

This artfully designed comfort food consisted of smoked bacon, marinated with maple syrup & orange juice applied in the just the right proportions on slices of seed crusted, artisan bread dressed with Arugula & Cream cheese.  Deftly decorating the plate was a garnish of sliced tomatoes topped with orange wedges and Radicchio and framed in a Jamaica (Hibiscus) flower reduction. This was accompanied by delicious savory chips made from Parmesan cheese, pan fried in Olive oil that were simultaneously chewy and crunchy. Who doesn’t love pan fried cheese, right.

This was an exquisite way to begin, as the flavors touched upon the various flavor buds of my tongue in soft succession. My only recommendation was that a bit more Jamaica reduction should be added so as to give a little extra sweetness to the over all flavor profile. But as anyone who knows me will tell you, I’m a sucker for the “sweet”.

Chef Givran

The next plate was a curious surprise. Recommending the dessert special of the day, Givran brought out a beautifully displayed row of chocolate pasta filled with Hazelnut cream, topped with a whipped Controy Orange liqueur foam and artfully framed in a Strawberry coulis  & pure orange reduction and set between with little organe wedges.

Not knowing what to expect and thinking for a moment that the pasta was actually some form of dessert mushroom, my first bite was took me by surprise.  To my delight, the creamy Hazelnut gushed from the lightly salted, cocoa flavored pasta and blended easily with the delicate orange foam and slightly tart bite of the Strawberry coulis. The flavor was so delicate and delightful that I took as much time as I could in chewing and swallowing each bite making sure it would hit every area of my palate before heading south.

Other offerings came by on their way to fellow patrons but those would have to wait another day. My palate, for the time being, was sated.

Exquisite meals like these remind me to appreciate life and human creativity anew. When we are allowed to explore and discover those things in life that we are truly passionate about and have the opportunity to learn the craft behind those passions, what we end up with is a better world. Because happy people doing what they love and giving their gift to the world is what makes the world a better place to live in. Today I was given a gift by these 3 wonderful chefs. My hope is to inspire your own creativity and that if you are ever in Playa Del Carmen, you”ll make your way over and your palate too will benefit from the talented and passionate chefs of Elemento Restaurant.

Thanks for reading. Be generous and please hit those little share and forward buttons above so the word gets out!

Cheers!

Travel Show – Arizona Tourism – Vulture Mine and Ghost Town from Jon Hamlin on Vimeo.

My Ganesha Tattoo

Emptying Your  Bucket

Recently I knocked off a major “to do” off my bucket list. What was it? Well, for years now I wanted to get a major tattoo for myself on my arm. What they call a 1/2 sleeve, meaning it runs from your shoulder down to your elbow. My grandfather had tattoos, my brother and friends had tattoos but I didn’t want one just because they had one. I wanted one because I wanted to wear a permanent piece of art that meant something to me.  Which is one of the reasons why it has taken me so long to get it done. I knew it would be expensive and I wanted the right artist who could create the right art. I finally found that artist in Scott Fieldhouse. Scott is a friend of my brother’s and a fantastic tattoo artist but more than that, he is a great human being with similar view points on life. Needless to say, it was a perfect fit.

The Inspiration and the Art

Having dated a woman of Indian origin for several years and for whatever reason feeling an immense pull towards the country, I found I had a curious draw towards a Hindu deity named Ganesha or in my previous partners native dialect, Gunapati. He is the elephant headed god for those of you who don’t know.

I knew his image was to be the one. But having researched I did not find the particular look for Ganesh in other tattoos that I wanted. I described what I wanted to Scott and sent reference photos to give him an idea of what I was looking for and low and behold, a week later he showed me the drawing he did and I said, “That’s it! Thats the one”. And thus we began the long process (20 or so hours) of needling that was required to get the job done.

But this isn’t just a story about a tattoo. This is actually a story of doing those things that you have in your heart to do in this life! Following through, not giving up and making the vision of how your life can be an actual reality!

Bucket Lists

Wreck Diving

Let me share another story. I once saw a post on yahoo about the “Top Ten Happiest Places In The World”. At the top was a little island nation north of New Zealand called Vanuatu. I read the story and said to myself, “This place sounds amazing! One day I will go there.” I said the same thing when I first saw all those great scenes of the outback in the film  ‘Crocodile Dundee’ regarding the country of Australia when I was a kid.

It took years to manifest these realities but those deeply internalized desires ultimately manifested themselves through, I feel, both conscious and subconsciously driven action. I have since been 2 both places experiencing some of the most amazing scuba diving for 10 days on 2 different islands of Vanuatu and living on the beautiful Sunshine Coast of Australia for a year. These are experiences most people, well Americans anyway, only dream about.  But truth be told, I’ve done a hell of a lot more than that.

Free Falling

When I was a little boy my father always talked about skydiving. I’d always ask when are you going to go skydiving dad and he’d say I don’t know but I’ll do it someday. I swore to myself that I would do it for certain before I died. I would not wait for some day. I would not wait until I was a tired old man to make that vision a reality. It was on my 34th birthday that I did my first skydive. A few years later I would do it again, only this time over stunning Lake Taupo in New Zealand.

I do not mean to come off like a braggart. When I see some of what my adventurous peers have done I think to myself, “Hell, I’ve just begun to scratch the surface.”

My desire with this article is merely to inspire you to get out there and do it. Whatever the “IT” is for you. One must take the first step. My experience is that setting your intention to make your vision a reality is key. We are “cause and effect” creatures so it must feel like it is truly possible for it to sink into your subconscious mind. Post up images on your desktop to remind you. Stay focused on it and remind your conscious mind why this is important to you. The mind is a problem solving machine. Give it a problem (One example might be; how am I going to get to Africa this year) and let it do it’s work to solve it. Life is short and unlike my new little Hindu friend on my arm, I’m not banking on a second go around.  So as far as I’m concerned…THIS IS IT! And I do my best to make the MOST of it.

Pretty much anything else can be replaced in this world but TIME is the MOST valuable commodity we have and if we waste it (especially those of us who were lucky enough to be born with options) we have no one to blame but ourselves. There’s no need to waste time with blame, shame or guilt about what may have been in the past. Those moments are dead! Forget them. Make that change NOW.

Whatever you CAN do in your present situation, push yourself to DO IT! Take a step, make a call, book a ticket, take a lesson or class, sign up for that 5 or 10k, go to that interest group, whatever. Just take one small step in the direction of your soul’s desire and it will come to you. Of course there are limitations in life. I’m not one to preach that any of us can do ANYTHING we want in life. We can’t! That’s an empirical reality. But we must think out of the box when we think about those things that seem potentially out of reach. I’m sure if a young Felix Baumgartner told his school yard friends that one day he would skydive from outer space they would have though he was nuts. But he found a way. He likely forsake a lot of other experiences along that path in order to achieve such a lofty goal but these are the choices we make.

Sky Diving Over Lake Taupo, NZ

If we are faced with certain limitations we have to look at what it is we are trying to get out any experience in order to know what other approach we can use to get that feeling. It’s doesn’t always have to be a direct route. But if you’re focused (unlike me who seems to zig-zag everywhere I go) you’ll likely get that goal checked off your list in half the time it took me!

One of the things I find I wrestle with is what kind of time and investment is a particular goal going to take and is it ultimately worth the sacrifice of a lot of other goals. Again, barring poor health, lack of a mental training and a certain degree of optimism, time is our biggest limiting factor. Turning visions into reality takes time. And that time will take you away from something else. That is why it is best to bring life into a synergy so that each goal or activity potentially encapsulates more than one thing. For example; If I had never skydived before than Skydiving and traveling to New Zealand would have been a 2 for one. Or take the example of wanting to scuba dive and wanting to live for some amount of time in a tropical paradise. The best plan might be to go down to some cheap little country in the Caribbean and work out an internship with a dive tour operator, work towards getting your Dive Master Certification and suddenly you have both things going simultaneously. You can get the creative wheels spinning and know that while not “anything” is possible, there is far more possible than what most of us think there is.

To leave you with a little inspiration here’s an incomplete list of all the extraordinary things I have been lucky enough to experience in my life in no particular order whatsoever! 

Sky dived over the desert valley outside of Phoenix, Arizona and Lake Taupo in New Zealand.

Backpacked through Pariah Canyon

Posed nude with 3000 other fellow art lovers for Spencer Tunic at the Sydney Opera House

Chillin at the Taj Mahal

Scuba dive down to 140 ft into the hull of a sunken WW II era cruise liner at night

Scuba dive the Great Barrier Reef

River Rafted in Costa Rica, New Zealand, California & The best of all the Colorado River 280 miles through the Grand Canyon in AZ

Danced in India with the local villagers during the Diwali festival

Tracked wild Tigers on the backs of Elephants in India

Put out 2 CDs and several singles and EPs of original music

Opened for the Foo Fighters

Taken 3 cruises around the Caribbean and New Zealand

Won 1st place in a photographer competition

Taught myself how to play guitar, drums, bass

Taught myself film editing & cinematography

Spent a month living in Thailand

Spent over 3 months in India

Scuba dived in wrecks & caves and on some of the most beautiful reefs in the world

Zip lined from tree to tree 100′s of feet above the ground in the jungles of Costa Rica

Floated down rivers on bamboo rafts in Thailand

Crossing The Tongariro Pass

Got my yoga teacher certification in India

Overcome shyness and fear of public speaking and have since performed and/or taught, spoken and give lectures to thousands of people throughout my years in the entertainment and public speaking/teaching field.

Worked on films that showcased at major film festivals in the US

Acted in an award winning short film

Lived in Australia for a year

Hot air ballooned over Sedona

Spent a month exploring alaska

Lived through a major earthquake

Lived through vehicle 2 roll-overs

At The Cross Roads In NZ

Dove for fresh clams and ate them that evening in Baja

Swam in the Adriatic off the coast of Italy

Cried in the Notre Dame Cathedral

Went to Madam Tussaud’s in London

Rode a horse at full gallop while chasing another horse that had thrown another rider at the bottom of Canyon De chelly

Hopped a freight train as it passed through town

Held baby sea turtles in Australia

Swung on vines in the jungle’s of Costa Rica

Flew a glider plane

Rode in a Vietnam era battle tank

Studied sword fighting & fencing

Studied Thai massage

Studied martial arts with an ex navy seal

Held only 2 full time day jobs in my life none of which lasted more than a year (meaning I’ve been able to work freelance most of my life)

Received a music scholarship

Met many music legends & heroes of mine

Rafting The Rangitata River

Worked on projects for the History and Travel channel

Rode in a submarine

Cross country skied in Colorado

Surfed in NZ and Australia

Pet a Koala bear.

Pet a Tiger, Bear & Mountain Lion

Rode a Camel

Rode Elephants through the jungles of Thailand & India

At The Sydney Opera House Singing Opera…Naturally

Floated down a river on a bamboo raft

Meditated in Buddhist temples in Thailand

Hiked in the Denali wilderness in Alaska

Visited the Taj Mahal

Explore the Blue Mountains in Australia

Swam with Dolphins in the wild & been pulled through the water by a Dolphin

Nearly tripped on a 8 ft python in Costa Rica

Pet mother and baby grey whales in Baja

Had a monkey steal my soda can, open it and drink it while on a hike in Costa Rica. Bad monkey!

If I think about it more the list could go on but it’s enough, I hope, to inspire you to get out there and make things happen in your life.

Remember too that it’s also good to go back a little and reflect on all that you have done already. Sometimes we can forget what we actually have accomplished in our lives and fail to take stock of what we’ve done so far because we are too busy comparing what we have done to everyone else. I know I am guilty of this. I knock out one goal and it’s on to the next without really savoring the victory.

So remember to take some time, be thankful and give yourself a pat on the back if you have made an effort to live with courage and have been willing to take chances.

If though you are thinking, “I really have not done much of anything that I have wanted to do with this life” or something similar, then perhaps it’s time to make a change. And if you need someone to help guide you and keep you accountable for creating a life worthy or a History Channel biography, feel free to contact me.

Thanks for reading and if you know someone who could use some inspiration, please share this article with them.

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When considering a travel holiday to the Caribbean, Barbados is considered by many to be the best choice of islands with its beautiful beaches, high standard of living, and amazing people.  Whether you are in the market for total relaxation or a holiday packed with activities and parties Barbados will not disappoint.

Barbados, located in the southern Caribbean, is the most easterly of the Caribbean islands. This isolated pear-shaped island is 21 miles long and 14 miles wide at its widest point, giving it a total land area of 166 square miles.

View of Bathsheba

Endowed with rich natural beauty, the famous island nation of Barbados is located in the east of Caribbean Sea, near Puerto Rico, and is a part of the Lesser Antilles. This island was discovered in 1536 by the Portuguese, and 90 years later it was colonized by the British. It became an independent member of the Commonwealth in 1966 after being a British colony for over 300 years.

Barbadians or Bajans as locals call themselves are among the most educated people in the world with free education a right of each and every Barbadian citizen.

Although there a many private doctors and clinics on the island providing excellent care.  Health care is also guaranteed to every citizen and the standard of care is high.

The island’s lone airport. The Grantley Adams International Airport, is one of the most modern in the Caribbean and is serviced by many major airlines.

This charming island is made up mainly of coral limestone and is fringed with coral reefs.  However, the north-eastern part of the island or The Scotland District which runs through the parishes of St. John, St. Joseph and St Andrew is comprised of sandstone and clay. This area is well known for its lush vegetation and spectacular scenery and is covered in most if not all island tours.

The island is characterized by gently sloping; terraced plains which rise west to east ultimately reaching it’s highest point;  Mount Hillaby which ascends some 1100 ft.

High Street Rider

Most of the development in the island can be found along the south and west coasts of the island with the Capital Bridgetown at its center.  Most hotels on the island are also located on the south or west coasts of the island, with the south coast being the most active, the hotels on the south coast in general tend to be mostly 2 to 4 star hotels with many no frills accommodation available while the west coast is where most of the luxury hotels are located, including the exclusive Sandy Lane Hotel, although there are exceptions to the rule in both instances.

The crystal clear ocean of Barbados beaches provide the perfect setting for days spent at the beach engaged in water or beach activities including jet-skiing, surfing, kiteboarding, windsurfing, kayaking, parasailing, sailing, water skiing, snorkeling, wakeboarding and scuba diving.  There is also deep sea fishing, boat cruises boat charters available.  For the true water enthusiast there are rentals available for almost all disciplines including scuba gear, surfboards, kayaks and kite equipment.  Lessons are available for almost all water activities as well.

If you were to travel the coast of the island you would find the calm waters of the west coast meeting the small shore break conditions of the south getting increasingly rougher as you come around the east with the Atlantic waves rolling in and finally the equally rough conditions of the north battering the cliffs.

Transportation on the island is also excellent. The Transport Board (which is government run) and Route Taxi’s provide excellent coverage to just about every conceivable destination.  In addition there are many taxis and Rental Car companies available for those who wish to travel at their own convenience.

The nightlife on Barbados is varied and ranges from the rum shops to modern nightclubs, beach bars, pubs and also some of the best restaurants to be found anywhere in the Caribbean.

When ever I go to a new country I really like to find the activities that are unique to that country. Otherwise why go?

Below is a brief list you might want to check out for yourself.

Come Fry With Me

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You’ll find the weekly Friday fish fry a common occurrence on most Caribbean Islands and Barbados is no exception. On the Southern coast is a little place called Oistins. Get there in a Friday night and you’ll find it a lively place to enjoy some good fresh caught, fresh fried fish cooked up with love and delicious local recipes. It’s also a fish market so if you are renting your own flat or doing a little house sitting, it’s a great place to shop for some homemade seafood meals of your own. Locals tend to stay late and dance until the sun comes up.

The Cave of No Return

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Well, to be fair, you probably will return from this adventure. Harrison’s Cave is one of the best known attractions in Barbados. In this deep, dark hole you can explore deep beneath the earth and experience the wonders of subterranean geology. This cavernous hole below the earth offers trickling streams, beautiful, glassy pools and a wide variety of stalactites and stalagmites. Have a look at the Harrison’s Cave website for more information for more information.

Get Wild…Life!

Everyone should feed the monkey at least once in their life. No that is not some metaphor for carnal activity. At the Barbados Wildlife Reserve, if you ask real nicely, you might actually get the opportunity to do just that.  The zoo, opposite Farley Hill in the central parts of Barbados, offers a mahogany forest filled with green monkeys, red-footed turtles and a caiman pond. Other creatures that may be spotted include brocket deer and agoutis. The monkeys are most lively during their afternoon feed so time your visit accordingly. The BWR also offers a small aviary with macaws, cockatoos and parrots. There are also free roaming peacocks and pelicans to ad to your bird viewing pleasure. If you like reptiles they have an Iguana sanctuary and for those fond of flowers they have an Orchid display.

Thanks for reading and be sure to share this article with your adventurous friends.

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Malta is a small island state, with a population of around 410,000. The Maltese people are descendants of ancient Carthaginians and Phoenicians with strong elements of Italian and other Mediterranean stock. The country’s official languages are Maltese and English, which is a language most Maltese speak as a result of a period of British rule that ended in 1964.

Although Maltese is much more widely spoken and is the mother tongue for the vast majority of Maltese. For English speaking tourists this means that communication is almost no problem, which is definitely a benefit when on holiday. Small percentages can also speak Italian, French while German and Spanish are offered in secondary school.

The Maltese are known as friendly (but temperamental) people and are renowned for their hospitality. The vast majority of the Maltese are Catholic and the Church plays an important role in Maltese culture.

Barracca Gardens in Valletta

Being one of the latest additions to the European Union, Malta is quickly developing into a top tourist destination and is competing with other South-European destinations for a larger share of tourists who seek out a holiday in the Mediterranean. Tourism is one of the main pillars of the Maltese economy and the island nation depends heavily on this sector. While investments are made to promote Malta in the rest of Europe, no single advertising slogan can bring across the benefit Malta offers over other Mediterranean destinations.

Language & Currency in Malta

As noted earlier, the Maltese people speak English so easy communication is a big plus for a holiday in this country. The Maltese currency is the Euro which helps to keep things simple if one plans on hopping over to another EU country from Malta before or after your stay there. And of course if you are from the EU then well, I guess you’re sorted.

Sports and Leisure In Malta

Malta is a great location for a variety of sports, including hiking, mountain biking, rock climbing, para-gliding, wind surfing and yachting. There’s plenty to keep you entertained, no matter the time of year. Most materials needed for these sports are cheap to rent and there are numerous places on the island where these sports can be enjoyed.

Gozo is a particularly popular location for rock climbing, thanks to its steep cliffs, and mountain biking thanks to its quiet roads and excellent hill climbs.

Events, such as pop concerts and theatre shows as well as historical re-enactments such as the In Guardia Parade are popular among both tourists and locals. And if you happen to be a fan of watching sports (I’m not) you don’t have to worry about missing any big matches or events, satellite reception is widely used by the more popular pubs.

Getting Around Malta

It’s never fun when it takes ages to get to the beach or to visit a few cities or museums. Nor is it enjoyable to waste valuable holiday time to take one excursion, unless it’s kick ass! Fortunately, in Malta it takes less than an hour to get from one side to the island to the other and there is such a high concentration of places of interest, beaches, holiday resorts, historical sites and places for entertainment (restaurants, clubs, cinemas etc.), that you’ll wish you’d have known about Malta earlier!

Many tourists choose to visit Malta multiple times, due to the fact that there is simply so much to do and to see, and it takes comparatively little money and time to get around. More fun, condensed into less time? Clearly a win!

Malta’s Sister Island- The Peaceful Setting of Gozo 

There is more to Malta than just Malta. What do I mean? Well, the Republic of Malta also covers Malta’s sister island, Gozo. This little gem is said to be the island that Malta used to be a long time ago: rural, quiet and untouched.

Marsaxlokk Harbor, Malta

Gozo is ideal for a peaceful (family or couples) holidays, with stunning beaches and glorious countryside views. Visit the capital Victoria, with its Citadel in the centre: a fortified part of the village which used to offer the inhabitants of Gozo shelter against foreign invaders, similar to Mdina’s surrounding walls on the main island of Malta. The seaside town of Xlendi is a popular tourist destination, offering a beautiful view of its bay surrounded by high cliffs. Ramla l-Hamra and San Blas Bay are beautiful beaches to go for a swim, one being larger and busier, the other being more secluded and more difficult to get to (steep hill descent) but very worth the effort.

A shuttle bus service is available, taking you straight from the airport to the ferries in the Northern most tip of the island of Malta, making arrangements for a Gozo holiday a little easier to plan for.

Malta’s Culture and Heritage

Throughout the ages, the Maltese islands have seen a wide variety of foreign rulers come and go while leaving behind their marks on Maltese culture. As a result, Malta is soaked in a rich mix of culture and heritage, offering a large number relevant sites located a very short distances from each other. This makes Malta a unique place in the world map of culture and heritage. Both in the Maltese language and culture, one can see remnants of Phoenician, Carthaginians, Romans, Arabs, Turks, French and English invaders lingering in this cultural melting pot.

Quality Hotels and Accommodation in Malta

Good quality hotels and self-catering apartments are widely available at very reasonable prices. Package deals are usually the way to go, but booked separately the cost versus quality of accommodation is very good. The main areas for holiday resorts are St. Julians, Bugibba/Qawra, and Sliema, which are all situated in the Northern part of Malta. Accommodation in St. Julianís is recommended if you enjoy spending your nights going out. However, being close to the nightlife hub of Malta is not advisable for couples and family who are looking for peace and serenity. For those travelers, places like Mellieha and St. Paulís Bay are much better places to stay.

Malta-The Year Round Destination

Mild winters and warm summers with an average temperature of 32C means excellent weather for both hot summer holidays as well as

Blue Lagoons of Cominotto

great holiday weather in winter, to escape from the cold back home. There are plenty of activities to keep you entertained all year round. One of my favorites is hiking and diving. In Malta, there are plenty of options for both. You can spend your days enjoying the mild climate above or below the surface or maybe get ambitious and do a little of both.The scenery and serenity in either situation is sure to be most agreeable.

Also due to the mild climate, most cultural and historical hotspots are open all year round. One consideration to keep in mind though is that the open air clubs don’t open during the winter months. Generally though, nightlife in Malta goes on throughout the whole year.

Malta Nightlife

Nights out on the town are a ton of fun, since Malta hosts a true clubbing hub that goes by the name of Paceville (St. Julianís) which offers a large number of clubs situated literally door to door, each playing different genres of music. If dont like one club just keep walking as you  are sure to find something that appeals to your aural palate.

Open air clubs are one of the many attractions that make clubbing in Malta rather special. But to my mind, spending a warm summer night dancing to the latest club and trance anthems or smooth R&B and hiphop beats under the stars is something pretty spectacular no matter where you are.

Cheap flights To Malta

Low cost airlines have found Malta and offer dirt cheap flights to the island outside of the high season and regular cheap flights in summer. One of these airlines is the Thompson Dreamliner, who seemed to have gone to great lengths to make air travel enjoyable again with it’s cozy, custom designed planes.

Thomson.co.uk itself is a holiday booking porthole which offers a wide variety of important travel information and booking services especially for those living in the U.K. or the E.U.

Malta = A Mixture of More Mediterranean Magic

The Ancient City of Mdina

You could say that the top reason for visiting Malta is a combination of all other reasons listed above: There are a lot of different things you can do during a holiday in Malta and a curious person would certainly never find themselves bored. Sunning on the beach is obvious after a long year of work or school, but the more adventurous among you will likely prefer adding a little variety to the time they spend on this beautiful island. Consider a visit to the many places of historical or cultural interest around the island. Visit the old capital city of Mdina, for example, surrounded by bastions and rich with history with an ambiance you’ll never forget. Or find an area that just “feels” good to you and start wandering. Life has a way up opening up some magical opportunities if you let it.

Thanks for reading and be sure to share this article with your adventurous friends

Melanesian Dancers at The Deco-stop

Part II: Vanuatu Adventure Vacation – Diving, discovery, and more diving!

My 10-day adventure to discover diving and happiness on the Island of Vanuatu.

See Part I for more on Porta Villa, local spots, and more diving! Click Here
My dives were amazing, particularly the cave and night dives. The wreck dives located in the bay, while interesting, were shrouded in thick, pea green soupy water that was hard to see past more than 3 meters or so. The murk did enhance the mystery of what we were exploring and I was having a blast simply being down with the wild variety of life forms in this grim, green graveyard.

The days in Port Villa had come and gone so fast with only occasional rain showers to dampen the mood and muddy up the place. I had found the dance club where the expats hung out, got to know another boat captain who sailed a crazy looking pirate ship and had also once called Austin, Texas home, racked up several more dives, ate new and exotic local cuisine for a fraction of what I would have paid and made some new friends, some of which I am still in contact with.

It was a wonderful few days but more was on the horizon, during my off days surfing the web in search of my next destination I had come to a decision on which Island I was to visit next.

As I stepped back on to the small island jumper that would wing me to my next destination, I wondered to myself what the next island would be like. I only knew that it had an amazing wreck dive that I was determined to explore while there but I had no idea how mind blowing my experiences there would actually be.

The town of Luganville on the island of Espiritu Santo was a bleak place by comparison with Port Vila. The few shops that existed were sparse and dilapidated. Having once been a hopping military outpost for the US and it’s allies during WWII, it was now as much a shell as those I had gathered from the beach the afternoon of my landing.

Fortunately The Deco-stop Dive Resort was an oasis that had a stunning view of the ocean and the neighboring islands from its perch high atop the hill country of the island. I had discovered The Deco-stop thanks to my dive club friends back in Queensland and the place did not disappoint.

The Deco-Stop is run by an expat Aussie couple named Kim and Ben who had decided they’d had enough of hustle and bustle of western living. They had taken over the Deco-stop some years prior to my arrival and seemingly transformed it into a one stop shop where one could stay, drink, rent scooters, be fed and entertained as well as book tours and dives without leaving the comforts of the resort.

It was a bit out of the way and I was concerned that I might be a bit bored there if the resort was sparse with guests. As it turned out, my timing was right in line with a dive club from Melbourne that was made up of a wild bunch of Aussies and a few Kiwis. They were a fun, rowdy bunch who kept the place jumping, when they weren’t diving or hungover that is. Which is a bit of an understatement given that by the end of the first night together we were enjoying a nude pool party together.

They too had come to dive the S.S. Coolidge. The story of this massive ship was quite spectacular though you’d be hard pressed to find many people who aren’t WWII buffs or Scuba diving enthusiasts who even knew anything about it.

Basically the story goes like this: the ship was decommissioned from being a luxury liner for the rich to a troupe carrier in 1941. On October 1942 the SS Coolidge was being chased more or less by a Japanese submarine. Backup was on its way but who knew how long they would take to arrive. The captain, one Henry Nelson, did what good captains must do sometimes and decided to take matters into his own hands, knowing well the many lives he had in his care. His decision?  Given that the ship itself had broken many speed records he did the obvious, put the proverbial “pedal to the metal” and high-tailed it into the bay.

Unfortunately the good captain was never given the information about the mines in the harbor that had been placed to protect it from enemy incursion and struck two of them on the way in, blowing big holes in the side. One, an enormous gash in the port side that we would later be diving into. Fortunately the ship was close enough to shore for him to go full steam ahead and basically drive the massive boat up onto the beach.

The channels on Espiritu Santo are steep so the boat eventually fell to its’ side and sank back into the sea resting its bow at 70ft (20 meters) and it’s stern at 240 ft (70 meters).  However, it stayed afloat long enough (90 minutes to be specific) to get all 5340 men off the boat with only 2 casualties. Quite an accomplishment if you ask me.

There was a little salvage operation that took place after the war but the government of Vanuatu decided that nothing further was to be taken from the site in 1983 and since then it has been enjoyed by thousands of divers for “wreck”-reational diving — Sorry, I had to!

The lady of the deep

Subsequently, copious amounts of interesting antiquities can be enjoyed while diving the S.S. Coolidge. Likely the most famous of these is a sculpture of  ”The lady & her unicorn.”

She sits in her pitch black room, quietly resting in a state of suspended animation about 140 ft (40 meters) in the bowels of the ship and to whom you are obliged to take out your breathing regulator and kiss when you see her.

While my new Melbourne mates were focused on racking up their S.S. Coolidge dives, I found a dive operator who had one of the few boats to take people to dive areas other than the S.S. Coolidge. The reason dive boats were scarce is due to proximity and economics. The Coolidge, being so close to the shore, was accessible enough for divers to just walk in and get to by land. No boat required. Since it was the biggest diving draw, I assume the dive tour operators didn’t feel the need to purchase and maintain boats.

I loved diving the wreck but I knew the coral and sea life would be extraordinary given that most divers only came here for the ship. So while I got several wreck dives in, I also got to dive some of the most amazing undersea gardens I have ever seen.

I floated through aquatic canyons and cliff sides, flying over lushly colored beds of coral and vegetation.  At one point my guide pointed to a massive lobster tucked back into an alcove. We stopped to have a good look at him while he too examined us. Really, I could write pages on just the diving here but there was so much natural beauty to explore on Espiritu Santo that I’ll save it for another article.

Back at the Deco-stop that evening we enjoyed a show put on by the locals that incorporated tribal dance, music, some authentic cuisine and of course copious servings of Kava  much got the regret of a few of my Aussie cohorts.

Millennium Cave

The following day I was to go with a small group on a fantastic hike through a local village and into the Millennium cave and canyons. The day started bright and blue but before long thick, rain laden clouds where moving in from the north and I dressed accordingly sparse in hopes that I would eventually dry off. I had no idea that part of the hike actually necessitated a swim to get to our final destination.

We drove for about an hour, pressing further into the jungled hills until the muddy, red earth road itself began to disappear. We stopped at an area with a few dwellings and livestock and prepared ourselves for a very moist day.

The jungle becomes rather quite when the rains fall hard. But the sound of the water smacking incessantly on the broad leafy plants that occupy much of the grounds surface more than makes up for the sound that is lost. As it turned out, the grand leaves actually served us well as umbrellas when our guide brought out his knife and carefully selected leaves of the appropriate size to offer each of us some modicum of cover. The leaves being around 1 meter from stem to tip and about 3/4 of a meter wide did the trick of keeping the water out of our eyes. This was an important detail as we would eventually be climbing down mud and moss laden ladders made from, what was by now wet and slippery, wood in order to get to the riverbed and into the cave. Our eyes needed to be keen as we made each potentially treacherous step down into the gapping green maw of the earth.

We made the descent slowly and carefully, finally reaching bottom, where we were greeted by a tribal elder who offered prayers and

Enter the big green maw of Millenium cave

anointed our foreheads and cheeks with some of the red earth we had been so eagerly slogging through.

Each of us took our turn and with a nod and a smile from our host, we’d move on making way for the next in line.

Like a giant mouth with a never ending thirst for water, the cave hungrily slurped the river into the black void that lay before us. The rustle of bags and zippers reminded me that I too would need to get my torch (flashlight) out. At which point our guide’s assistant appeared and took our excess baggage on what was presumably a dryer path to our final destination. These would be gathered again once we were reborn on the other side.

We stumbled and splashed through water and over stone for the next half hour through the dark. The cave was a monument of aquatic craftsmanship. Like a sad, low budget laser show, our lights zipped frantically across the dark, sculpted landscape in search of who knew what. The high chirps of bats sending sonar signals to figure who or what had invaded their territory combined with the flash of birds and their accompanying shadows across our white beams gave ample reason for our primeval instincts to kick in to overdrive.

Eventually the darkness was forced to retreat as the hazy grey light of the outside world began to offer itself to us again. Exiting the cave we were offered our bags again and in light of a brief reprieve from the rain, sat and enjoyed a bite before going deeper into the gorge.

The mossy, jagged rock of the steep cliffs surrounding us offered no options. It was literally sink or swim. Like ducklings following their mother, we cued behind our guide, each taking tentative steps into the dark green water until steps gave way to strokes and our bodies were slowly taken by the gentle current through the narrow gorge. I had brought with me a small video camera but had nothing to keep it dry. Seeing my dilemma, the guide generously offered to carry it while I swam so that I could use both hands to dog paddle downstream. He seemed rather practiced at swimming with one hand while holding items over his head so I assumed I wasn’t the first to come ill prepared on this journey.

We finally reached dry land and were met again by the guide’s assistant to equip us with our packs and the miscellaneous items we had brought. We marched back through more damp jungle to one of the villages we had passed on the way in and stopped briefly to meet the locals and see their wares before heading back to the van.

Deep Blue Sping

We passed by an old WWII Air Force landing strip long reclaimed by foliage and fauna on our way to Blue Hole. My mind wandered back to the past, picturing the olive green willie’s jeeps racing about between twin engine bombers and fierce faced fighter planes parked on the runway. I imagined Big Band Jazz blasting from the little am radios while plane mechanics made sure “all systems where a go”. The place was jumping in those days from everything you read but once the war ended and Vanuatu had served its purpose, the “Empire” would leave the tiny island nation with nothing but the wreckage of the past.

I pondered what other possible outcomes could have been had different decision been made. I wondered how they would have affected this place and its people. I decided that the island’s inhabitants were better off that the allies simply left.  This land could have very easily been torn apart by commercial development had the western influence remained a dominant one. Still, it seemed a happy medium was possible given that some very basic things were lacking on this island. But this idea, I realized, was a very western perspective.

Cool and clear turquoise waters of Blue Hole

Blue Hole is a natural spring that forms a large deep pool in the jungle with water so unsettlingly clear that you literally cannot tell how deep it is. What you think is perhaps 2 meters could be more like 5 and you wouldn’t know it until you’re trying to actually touch the spring’s silty floor.

Our group splashed and played about in the beautiful blue oasis. Our time was short as we had gotten there rather late in the day. The sun soon fell behind the tall, thick wall of trees and left its last fragmented rays sparkling upon the crystalline water. Across from the rocky out cropping from where we all jumped in, about 20 meters out, was a large tree with a rope swing tethered to a high branch. It was too tempting for our band of thrill seekers and most of us quickly made our way over to the swing.  Each of us took a turn at offering our best Tarzan impersonation swinging far out over the surface of the water, some 3 to 4 meters depending on when you let go of the rope, only to plunge deeply into the cool azure pool.

I had brought my diving fins and snorkel with me but had not brought the booties (or shoes) that you are meant to wear with the fins.  I tried to cinch them on as tight as possible but the effort would not be enough to keep one of them from falling off my foot and slowly sinking down into the deep. I thought it was gone for good. I could see it, it seemed right there. The water was like a magnifying glass bringing the floor right up to you. But the painful reality was that it was about 10 meters down and I definitely didn’t have the breathe control to fetch it.

Fortunately one of my Aussie crew had spent some time learning the techniques of free diving. This is when you dive down to often obscene depths while only holding your breath. (As an aside-At the time of this writing, the record for free diving is held by Russian born Alexey Molchanov with his depth of 250 meters.) Often these divers learn to hold their breath for up to ten minutes.

Thankfully, that level of skill wasn’t going to be needed to fetch my lonely fin.  But the principles my Melbourne based friend had learned came in very handy. His initial attempt had failed. He needed more breath and more propulsion. We asked around until we found another of our crew who had also brought fins. After putting them on he preceded to simply float face down in the water and breathe deeply and deliberately. It was like a kind of meditation. He said he slowed his heart rate down and hyper oxygenated his cells giving him the excess O2 he’d need to get to the bottom and back up without gasping for air and sucking in water mid dive.

After only a few minutes of this he was ready. A handful of us watched with anticipation to see if he’d pull it off. I put on my mask again and ducked my head underwater to watch as he took one long last breathe and plunged beneath the surface. I was astounded to see him not only swim gracefully down the fin, picking it up, but also seemingly take his time ascending. I thought surely he would be kicking those fins of his furiously to get back to the surface, but it was quite the opposite. He surfaced triumphantly raising the lost blue fin to the roar of cheers whistles and hand claps, my own included. It was no ten minute feat but it was impressive none the less and I was very thankful not to hobble home short one diving fin.

“Floating in the dark womb of the great ship, I lost all sense of time and space.”

The Last Dive

Our small boat buzzed through the black sea as the twinkle of the resort lights faded into the distance. Unlike most of my evenings here, this one was wet. The rains were less like drops and more of a fine mist. Combined with the sea, it covered us thoroughly like a moist blanket. There were only a few of us on the boat and we would be diving into the large hole blown into the port side of the S.S. Coolidge apparently to see a show like no other. I had no idea what was in store.

My dive guides were good humored and well trained locals, young Vanuatu men who had found an escape from the drudgery of farming or having to placate tourists too much from behind a bar at some resort. They really loved their job and I think occasionally enjoyed the company of those of us they had to take out with them.

Day diving Into the hull of the S.S. Coolidge

We cut through the smooth obsidian surface for 15 or 20 minutes before reaching our “in point”. Flashlights came on and every one geared up. Our guide proceeded to hand out various colored glow sticks, you know the ones that lollipop licking, “X” indulging ravers dance around with. We each took one and cracked it open, tying it on to our BC. (This is the vest you see most divers wear to control their buoyancy).

Our guide then told us that we could not use our flashlights on our decent into the hull of the ship as it would ruin the show. “No lights!?!” I thought to myself. “That seems like a bad idea.” But then I thought, “Hey, this isn’t their first rodeo,” and proceeded to psych myself up for what I was about to do.

The sense of awe and wonder began to really sink in the moment I rolled back into the water. The water was alive with each movement of my body. Neon blues, pinks and purples flashed like electric sea fairies all around me and I was entranced. The trepidation I’d felt just before entering the water was gone. I was completely swept up in this mysterious experience.

The temperature of the sea was nearly bath like but not stifling in anyway. It seemed to match the air. For the next 45 minutes though the only air I would know would be coming from the weathered, steel air tank upon my back.

After every one had entered the water and gathered themselves we looked to our leader and how gave us the cue to let the air out of our BCs and descend into the dark depths. It was strange that in such blackness, with only the light of glow sticks, our eyes still managed to adjust. I don’t know if the ocean itself magnified what little light there was or it was just the eyes amazing capacity to adapt but we could see the outline of the mammoth vessel even in the dark. Submerging along the ridge and over the bow down some 35 meters to where the hole was, the “show” began to reveal itself.

As we entered the blast point thousands of tennis ball sized green orbs moved erratically in front of us. They flashed and bobbed, circled and bounced, coming close and whizzing away. We floated in 3-D space surrounded by these magnificently bioluminescent beings. My mind was so overwhelmed by the experience that it had nowhere to categorize it. I imagined for a moment that I was hallucinating, that perhaps I had died. Or perhaps I wouldn’t mind if I did as long as this euphoria could last forever.

Everything and everyone disappeared. Floating in the dark womb of the great ship, I lost all sense of time and space. The stillness of my mind, having been so profoundly disoriented, was experiencing a form of Nirvana. I was lost and in rapture.

Then suddenly there was a tap on my arm. Awoken from my hypnosis, I looked to see that my guide was inquiring about the air I had left in my tank. More time had passed than I had been aware of and my air supply was reaching dangerously low levels. Given that I’d need extra air for the time required to stop and decompress on our way up it was definitely time for us to go. Once again I was aware of my fellow divers and each one of us slowly ascended back up to the bow where we would wait at the buoy chain to decompress.

I had gone into the red on my air gauge and though I was still inhaling oxygen it would likely not last the length of time needed to decompress. Having been an asthmatic all of my childhood, I don’t tend to panic without air. This seems crazy to most I’m sure but it’s a learned response. At this point our underwater torches could be used again so I calmly let our dive master know the situation and he seemed to be more worried about it than I was. As a divemaster you often deal with panicked divers so I think he was expecting the worst. But when he saw that I remained calm he simply handed me his extra regulator to breathe off of for the duration until we were to surface.  After our 15 minute “deco-stop” I offered his reg back and began breathing off of mine again as we easily made our way back to the boat.

Million Dollar Point

After the allies had won and the war was over, there was a lot of the military’s equipment that needed to be dealt with on the island.

Ghostly tractor wheels beneath the waves of Million Dollar Point

This ranged from boats and tractors, structures and combat tanks, various pieces of equipment and who knows what else.

But what to do with it all? Spend tax payer money shipping it back? Leave it for the locals to use? Much of it could have helped them with farming or building and so on but no…a brilliant idea was drummed up by some desk jockey back in the US.  That decision? Dump it all into the deep trench in the ocean at the tip of the island! I mean that makes sense right?

All sarcasm aside, the obvious wastefulness and lack of generosity to the people who had their home used as an air base and soldiers “way station” was astonishing to me. Having said that, it did make for some AMAZING diving! The “millions of dollars” of wreckage offered great hiding places for all stunning array of sea life in these largely unspoiled waters. For me, seeing the works of man so far underwater and in such disrepair always puts perspective on how all of our efforts can be quickly brought to ruin given the right circumstances.  Everything is transitory and I think the sea is a great place to understand that on a visceral level.

The stunning view from the Deco-stop pub & restaurant.

Back at the Deco-stop I recuperated from the extraordinary days that lay behind me. After a day of rest, it was time to pack my bags, say goodbye to my new friends and head back to Australia. I had enjoyed the time of my life and experienced things I had never imagined in Vanuatu. There was much more to do but I knew I would be back. I would take these experiences with me for as long as my mind could carry them and do my best to bring them to life in others, hopefully inspiring them on journeys of their own.

See Part I for more on Porta Villa, local spots, and more diving! click here

My 10-day adventure to discover deep sea diving spots, friends and the islands of Vanuatu.

It started some years ago with perhaps a yahoo news story or some such thing. Like most, my eyes are easily swayed from the task at hand when a photo of some idyllic tropical beach setting pops up in my periphery. The article had rated different countries on their G.N.H. or Gross National Happiness. At the top of the list was a little island nation called Vanuatu. The article showed a few stunning photographs of the island. This combined with a nicely written description of why the island received its ranking was enough to inspire yet another bucket list addition.

I mapped it online to see exactly where this newly discovered island paradise was located. Low and behold, it was completely on the other side of the earth from me. I had no idea at the time that I’d have reason and opportunity to actually be on that side of the world a few years later.

Cut to 2010, I’m living in Australia working on a documentary film about hitchhiking and my visa’s 3 month limit is coming to a close. Unlike many other countries in Oceana, Australia’s immigration police is none too keen on having people “pop” out and pop back in again.

As it turned out Vanuatu was only a few hour flight from Brisbane, which was only 2 hours south of my home in Coolum Beach.

©Phillip C

I determined to make my immigration jump a genuine adventure and booked a ticket for the tiny island nation for a full ten days with pretty much no plan other than where I was to stay the first few nights of my arrival and a day-long dive tour and sail the morning after I had landed.

I knew the diving was good since I had been a part of the Sunshine coast dive club and some of the crew had had their own great diving experiences there a few months prior.

I was excited. “This is going to be awesome!”, I muttered to myself.

The small island airway had me landing on the tiny island of Efate’ fairly late in the evening. Fortunately my hosts, a friendly Asian couple in their mid to late 50s, were extremely accommodating and were waiting for me once I finally got through customs at around 11:45 pm.

I loaded my pack into the back of their shiny new and abundantly sized Chevy pickup and we sped away into the dark. I looked around, trying to get my bearings but all I could see was the glow of scattered yellow hued lights like sedentary fireflies lighting up the shadows of thick foliage. After we bounced and bumped along for a good 30 minutes or so we arrived in the small capitol town of Port Vila. It was only a few minutes more before the truck pulled into the makeshift driveway of the dimly lit Emman Imalo motel that I would be calling home for the next few days.

I was given a brief tour of the area, we exchanged pleasantries and called it a night.

Beep! Beep! Beeeeeep! I was blasted out of bed by the particularly annoying horn of my guide’s van.  I fumbled to get my wits about me and grab the bare necessities that would get me through the day’s dive and sail. I jumped to the door before I was to hear another blast of the infernal horn and motioned, open palmed, for the guide to give me “5″.

Down the road, I got to know a little about my dive master/sea captain for the day. Pete Whitelaw was an Aussie expat, in his early 60s, lean and weathered by the tropical sun, with long wispy graying hair flowing just to his shoulders. Captain Pete had a no bullshit quality about him, without being overly cynical, that I rather enjoyed.

It was a small crew of fellow adventurers that I would be enjoying the company of but only the Captain and I would be scuba diving.  Which suited me fine.

Views from Cafe Numbawan

His boat was a mid-sized, multi-hull (Catamaran) equipped with the rudimentary items required to enjoy a comfortable day on the water comfortably with a small group of pleasure seekers.

We explored 2 different dive sites. We seemed to have these stunning natural playgrounds all to ourselves. Later I was to find out that the captain had option the only tourist permit to explore the regions of the island. The second dive offered exquisite sea life that seemed virtually untouched.

We dove deep mourned an underwater pinnacle that was teeming with fish and got a wild show when the Captain brought out some fish food.

Between dives (or snorkeling for the rest of the group) we had a nice meal consisting of sandwiches and fresh fruit from the local markets. The Captain had us back to the transport van just as the sun, with its brilliant pinks and blues, was on its way out of the sky. For a full day on the water, including lunch, beautiful scenery, a 2-tank dive, I paid around $130 dollars. It was money well spent.

The following day I walked the 20 or so minutes back in to town to see exactly how “happy” the locals actually were.

Overlooking the town of Port Vila ©Phillip C

Wandering along the sea wall of the port’s bay I quickly discovered the local expat and vagabond coffeehouse situated right on the waterfront and surveyed the scene to asses just where I might fit in to this mixed bag of misfits.

Cafe Numbawan would be my means of connecting both locally and with the folks back home since my room had no internet option.

Sailors, neo-hippies, over fed tourists, expats and the NGO volunteer contingent all were represented at varying times throughout the day. I was kept thoroughly entertained by the variety of conversations I’d occasionally be privy to. I found the food and drink, while priced according to “tourist” standards, to be of high quality and of course the wi-fi was fast and free so that helped!

Fortunately for me a few feet away under the same thatched roof building was another dive operation. I wandered over and inquired as to what other local dive options there were and was shown a book consisting of photos of a number ship wrecks that had gone down in the nearby bay.

Night diving with my undersea friends

I negotiated a fair price for a “package” of dives and had my plan set for the next few days. While on Todos Santos I would rack up a total of 7 dives. Many of them dives I had not experienced before. Night dives meeting sleeping sea turtles up close, wreck dives and even an extraordinary cave dive! All of this and I still had another island to go!

Port Vila is pretty small and fairly limited in terms of choices for entertainment if you’re on a budget. There was some dancing to be had at certain clubs but mostly there were expensive pubs and restaurants where money would likely leak out of your pocket like a melted popsicle if you weren’t careful. I was on a tight budget and wanted to make my coins count towards experiences that would last me more than a few bites of usually average food or drink.

Fortunately Cafe Numbawan offered free movie nights during the week. I had made friend with a beautiful French-African girl who

Free Movie Nights at Cafe Numbawan in Port Vila

was doing her tourism industry internship in order to complete her studies and as the evening set in I would make my way back from a day’s wandering to the cafe and we’d enjoy the film together.

Happiness

Generally speaking, I didn’t find the indigenous locals to be particularly “happy” people at all. In fact, and of course this is just my opinion, due to the influence of the missionaries they seemed a rather bored lot unlike the fiery and fiercely tribal Pau Pau New Guinean or equally “smiley” Fijian counterparts. Not that I’m surprised given the nature of colonialism. In general, most (if not all) island nations have had a rough go of it regarding the influence of the “westerner”. And the people of Vanuatu are no exception.

They were pleasant enough but aside from the ones who worked in the pubs and restaurants, I found them to be rather disinterested and not inclined to make eye contact or greet you unless obliged to do so. Fair enough, given the history of westerner and islander relations but I guess I carried the preconceptions of that initial article with me. I will say though that I was tickled to see a group of young local kids playing on the sea wall, taking turns at showing off their diving skills. All trying to entertain and impress one another. The sight reminded me of how simple childhood could still be far away from video games, computers and television.

Local kids show off their diving skills

Alice's Restaurant, Local Market, Port Vila

Another wonderful caveat to the above statement was a lovely older woman named Alice, who I had befriended in the local’s eatery and open air market. The market itself consisted of a large roof covering a cement slab and was held up by large wooden beams. It offered no walls and inside a myriad of tables had been set up for the locals to sell their fruits and vegetables.

“…one could find amazing meals for 1/4 of the cost you’d be paying in the tourist haunts just down the road.”

Near the back, one could find amazing meals for 1/4 of the cost you’d be paying in the tourist haunts just down the road. This discovery was a boon for my sad wallet and Alice seemed to take me under her wing, offering stories from her life as a young girl, her love affair with a white man and her ostracization from her community because of it. She also offered clues as to how to best enjoy the local surroundings.

See part two for a historical wreck, a jungle paradise, and more diving hot spots! Click Here

1. REMEMBER THAT THE AIRLINE AGGREGATORS LIKE KAYAK, ORBITZ, EXPEDIA AND SIDESTEP DONT ALL HAVE THE SAME FARES!

Often they can be several hundred dollars cheaper from site to site! Don’t forget to go right to the source as well. Southwest and Virgin are just 2 examples of airlines that wont even be included in these searches. I have discovered 2 sites with the same international airfares at substantially discounted rates from the normal batch listed above. Skyscanner.com and Momondo.com

2. TO POINT 1, SEARCH THE INDIVIDUAL AIRLINES TOO!

Often they will have sales that you can only take advantage of through their home site.

3. TRY TO KEEP YOUR DATES FLEXIBLE!

You can often save a few hundred just by shifting dates around by a few days!

Travelocity has a great flex date search option.

4. SIGN UP FOR DINGFARES, AA DEALFINDER & OTHER AIRLINE’S PROMOTIONAL EMAILS!

Airlines are just like any other retailer in that they have to move their inventory. In this case it’s seats! Sign up to these various notification services and you’ll find there are man more options for reduced airfare than you thought!

5. CHECK FARES OFTEN! 

Just ilk the market, airfare’s are a volatile commodity. Therefore it’s important to just keep checking back in to see how prices have moved. Also, be sure to CLEAR YOUR COOKIES. Otherwise the search returns will just pull from the last search instead of the updated.

6. BUY PACKAGES=HOTEL+CAR+AIRFARE!

It’s the “combo meal” mentality plain and simple. This is best for people traveling together. Often you will find that you are not saving as much as you may think, if ANY, by trying to book everything separately. Agents are particularly great at working out package deals but if your just using the net it’ simple enough to see if the price is better or worse when you try to book it all separately. Sometimes even if it is a little more it’s worth it just to have it DONE!

7. SATURDAY IS OFTEN THE BEST DAY FOR GREAT FARES!

Call it glitch in the matrix but keep your eyes out for fares on Saturday mornings. For some reason the system spits out some “blooper” fares that if your quick enough you can jump on before they figure out what has happened.

8. PIECEMEAL IT! COMBINE FARES INSTEAD OF JUST BUYING ONE!

If I fly to Europe from Arizona unless I find a great deal I’m usually going to pay a lot more than if I took jetblue or southwest to a gateway city on the east coast and then found a ticket across the pond. If almost always had a better price by booking flights piecemeal style.

9. COMBINE WEEKEND FARES! 

Last minute weekend fares can be very cheap. You can often break up the trip and  combine these rates to get a cheaper price on a flight instead of going direct.

10. BUY TICKETS ON AIRLINES THAT REFUND THE DIFFERENCE ON FARE DROPS! 

This is getting harder and harder to do give all the penalties and other garbage airlines are throwing at passengers but it’s worth it to inquire.

Please feel to share this info with your traveling amigos!

Cheers!

Moscow is joining the ranks of other great cities like Amsterdam, Paris and New York with it’s very own Museum of Erotic Art.

Part museum and part sex shop, G-Spot, offers both blush worthy works of art and the opportunity to put a little inspiration into action, all with a Russian twist.

G-Spot is a private initiative, located on one of the capital’s busiest streets – New Arbat.

As with all art, good or bad is in the eye of the beholder.

G-Spot’s owners aim to make it the largest Russian art gallery of its kind, and have already gathered some 3,000 exhibits. 

With tickets costing around 18 dollars, it’s certainly more expensive than an average Moscow gallery… But is it worth it?

That depends on your tastes. In this museum, sex sells! And these works of art are not for the faint of heart. G-Spot unapologetically puts sex right in your face…so to speak.  But the work offers more than just shock value. G-spot’s curatorial choices reveal sex as it is! Sometimes funny, sometimes spiritual, sometimes animal but always provocative.

Click here to view the video on YouTube.

Thanks for watching and please feel free to share this video.