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Exotic Islands Of Vanuatu, Fiji and Cook Islands?

Today Norm Goldman, Editor of and is honoredtaking 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 Cookquickly became a business and in early 2004 I
IslandsIan is here to talk to us today aboutvisited the Cook Islands and fell in love
his expertise pertaining to these exoticwith another Pacific destination.2004 also
islands.Good day Ian and it is great to havesaw visits to New Caledonia, Fiji and three
you accept our invitation to participate intrips to Vanuatu. And I'm really excited
this interview!NORM:Can you tell our readersabout my first trip to Samoa this year.
something about yourself and your expertiseWhile I don't have any actual publications on
pertaining to Vanuatu, Fiji and Cookthe Pacific islands, I have three
Islands.IAN:I first went to Fiji in 1993 andcomprehensive information websites, Vanuatu A
simply fell in love with the tropics, theto Z, Fiji A to Zand Cook Islands A to
warm, picture-postcard waters and the relaxedZ.NORM:Could you tell our readers where these
rhythm of life in general. I went back theislands are located and an idea as to what
following year and got my PADI Open Waterdifferentiates one island from another from
Dive accreditation and, after another couplethe point of view of topography, climate, and
of trips realised I was working pretty muchanything else you consider different?IAN:For
with a goal to travel more.As I had a fairlyme, living in Australia, Vanuatu and Fiji are
successful career as a writer, I decided toso accessible, being just a few hours away.
see if I could write about travel and killVisiting the Cook Islands means a stopover in
two birds with the one pen. In 1999, we tookNew Zealand, but it is still just two meals
a family holiday to Vanuatu, where my wifeand two movies. For Americans, the Cook
Annie and I gave each other a Renewal ofIslands and Fiji are more accessible than
Vows' ceremony as an anniversary gift.I feltVanuatu (requires a stop in Fiji to connect
automatically at home in Vanuatu and, as luckor to be taken as a side trip from Australia
would have it, Annie was offered a jobor 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 threemonths are traditionally wet but El Nino
fantastic years, during which time I got toseems to have changed that. In the Cook
write a lot, including my travel book onIslands, when it rains, they call it liquid
Australia, The Small Guide to A Bigsunshine. The warm water temperatures mean
Country.After leaving Vanuatu I bought aswimming is possible all year round.
travel agent's licence to specialize in



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