UAE - South Africa

Fiji 2010

Well, we just got back recently from a stint in Fiji. Elena's company had a conference there and partners were invited too.. Score! We had a fantastic time and after the conference, got to spend a couple of days on a different Island, Matamanoa.

Here are a few snaps from the trip..

This is the main reception area at the Sheraton Resort in Denarau. They had a bunch of these water features around the main area which provided great photo reflection opportunities...

A shot of us at the Black Tie Dinner

This was the entertainment for the black tie dinner. Fantastic show!

On the second evening of the conference at Coco Palms, we had some locals do their traditional dances etc. Something different although not quite sure on that head gear..

This is BeachComber Island Resort which is a backpacker style resort. Nor bad for a backpacker eh?

This was taken from the ferry enroute to our Island. It was a stunning day with incredibly calm blue waters that day..

This is a shot at the Sheraton in Denarau where we stayed for the conference..

We climbed to the top of the hill on our island which provided spectacular 360 views. The boat in this shot is the ferry that comes once a day to collect people from the various islands taking them back to the mainland..

A rare shot together at dinner at Coco Palms. After this, Lena was back to work running the conference..

Elena wih Vika, the conference organiser at Sheraton in Fiji.

These were the locals boats which ferried them across back to their homes each day after work.

This Restaurant is the Flying Fish at the Sheraton in Fiji. Run by the same guys as the one in Sydney I presume. Excellent food!

Fiji - May 2005

On our way to a supposedly the best beach in Fiji - Oarsman's Bay. It did not disappoint! I haven't visited every island and every beach in Fiji but I'm happy to agree that Oarsman's is one of the best beaches I've ever seen...

Oarsman's Bay - Yasawa islands in Fiji.

Caught a little too much sun that day but man.. check out that sunset! and they're like that day after day..

This is where we stayed for a week. Nanuya Island Resort in the Yasawa Island group. Just 8 bungalows.. no TV, no internet, no phones, no radio. Perfect! Forced relxation...

Apparenlty this is where they filmed Blue Lagoon many years starring Brook Shields.

Some british friends we met at our resort in Fiji. They had recently been to vegas and after learning a few card games we spent many consecutive nights playing cards and drinking straight vodka into the early hours of the morning..

Doing some exploring of the island. It was big enough that it could take 7-8 hours to walk around it..

Vietnam / Malaysia

Halong Bay - Vietnam

We took a 2 day overnight package our from Hanoi to Halong Bay, stayed on one of these junkits whilst sailing the marvelous islands Halong Bay... we did kayaking, explored the caves, which is where this shot is taken from and swam in the emerald green waters..

Trying my luck at some hawking in downtown Hanoi.. I didn't sell anything but the local I borrowed this from managed to scalp a few vietnamese dong off me...

This little guy blew my mind.. we were casually having dinner el fresco in a restuarant in downtown Saigon when all of a sudden this kid rocks up, pulls out a live snake from a basket and the proceeds to stuff it up his nose and pull out through his mouth and then pull it back and forth like he was flossing with it :-)

I personally loved the the show and snapped a few shots of him. A lot patrons around didn't quite share the same enthusiasm..puh! That's what Vietnam is all about...

This beast was big and heavy! We were on a day trip from Saigon down to the Mekong Delta.. pretty interesting. When we stopped for lunch here they had a "pet" snake which Lena insisted we had to pick up. Now I personally am not a snake man but did it anyway and behind that smile I'm asking myself why I had to hold the side with the head...

These are the traditional Vietnamese fishing boats that head out each night to catch the latest seafood which gets bought in early morning and sold to the various restaurants..

Fresh crayfish cooked along the street on some coal washed down with a Heinekin of course..

South Africa - Xmas 2007

My parents took us up the coast about 3 hours from our hometown Durban to a game reserve for 2 days and we did a "Water Safari" which involved cruising around on a small boat for a few hours and to be honest it's probably the best Safari I've been on. We saw heaps of Elephants venture into the water right in front of us wallowing around, we saw Hippos, 2 Fish Eagles.. just spectacular!

My parents and Lena boarding the boat for our Safari...

Here's a few Giraffe's from our afternoon safari drive from the Ghost Mountain Inn

This is the Ghost Mountain Inn where we stayed for our Safari.. It's about 3 hours north of Durban.

On Safari with the parents. Some beers and Savanahs on ice in teh back. Life's good! Can't remember the name of the dutchman at the back of this shot though..

After asking my folks to go out for dinner somewhere "african".. they came up with Umoyo's which is fantastic! They had face painting.. african singers, decent grub and a great ambience going on.. Lena loved it!

Lena and Mom posing after dinner at Umoyo's...

A rare moment having the entire family together for sunday arvo BBQ... ahh, those were the days. Actually come to think of it, dad is missing. Oh well, someone has to mind the meat... or was he taking the shot? not sure now..