| Today Norm Goldman, Editor of and is
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| | particularly honeymooners to this
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| honored to have as a guest, Ian Heydon,
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| | fascinating and rewarding part of the
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| author, travel writer, award- winning
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| | world. What I thought would be a hobby
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| comedy writer, artist and expert on
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| | quickly became a business and in early
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| Vanuatu, Fiji and Cook IslandsIan is here
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| | 2004 I visited the Cook Islands and fell
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| to talk to us today about his expertise
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| | in love with another Pacific
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| pertaining to these exotic islands.Good
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| | destination.2004 also saw visits to New
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| day Ian and it is great to have you
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| | Caledonia, Fiji and three trips to
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| accept our invitation to participate in
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| | Vanuatu. And I'm really excited about my
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| this interview!NORM:Can you tell our
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| | first trip to Samoa this year. While I
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| readers something about yourself and your
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| | don't have any actual publications on the
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| expertise pertaining to Vanuatu, Fiji and
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| | Pacific islands, I have three
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| Cook Islands.IAN:I first went to Fiji in
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| | comprehensive information websites,
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| 1993 and simply fell in love with the
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| | Vanuatu A to Z, Fiji A to Zand Cook
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| tropics, the warm, picture-postcard
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| | Islands A to Z.NORM:Could you tell our
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| waters and the relaxed rhythm of life in
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| | readers where these islands are located
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| general. I went back the following year
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| | and an idea as to what differentiates one
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| and got my PADI Open Water Dive
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| | island from another from the point of
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| accreditation and, after another couple
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| | view of topography, climate, and anything
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| of trips realised I was working pretty
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| | else you consider different?IAN:For me,
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| much with a goal to travel more.As I had
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| | living in Australia, Vanuatu and Fiji are
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| a fairly successful career as a writer, I
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| | so accessible, being just a few hours
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| decided to see if I could write about
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| | away. Visiting the Cook Islands means a
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| travel and kill two birds with the one
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| | stopover in New Zealand, but it is still
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| pen. In 1999, we took a family holiday
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| | just two meals and two movies. For
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| to Vanuatu, where my wife Annie and I
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| | Americans, the Cook Islands and Fiji are
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| gave each other a Renewal of Vows'
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| | more accessible than Vanuatu (requires a
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| ceremony as an anniversary gift.I felt
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| | stop in Fiji to connect or to be taken as
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| automatically at home in Vanuatu and, as
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| | a side trip from Australia or New
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| luck would have it, Annie was offered a
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| | Zealand). The climate in all
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| job teaching at Port Vila International
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| | destinations is similar, tropical with no
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| School. We decided that it would be an
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| | great range in temperatures but it can
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| adventure, especially for the kids (then
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| | get very humid in the summer months.
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| aged 7 and 3). Our 12-month contract
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| | These months are traditionally wet but El
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| extended to three fantastic years, during
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| | Nino seems to have changed that. In the
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| which time I got to write a lot,
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| | Cook Islands, when it rains, they call it
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| including my travel book on Australia,
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| | liquid sunshine. The warm water
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| The Small Guide to A Big Country.After
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| | temperatures mean swimming is possible
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| leaving Vanuatu I bought a travel agent's
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| | all year round.
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| licence to specialize in taking people,
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