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