On paper it was an innocuous, routine inter island flight but somehow I finished up one step away from the amplified snap of the rubber glove and being requested to, "walk this way sir". You can't blame the good ol U.S of goddamned A for being gun shy, particularly in and around airports, but a general warning readers: "don't wear pants with brass buttons on the pockets when attempting to board a plane ANYWHERE in this land". Kauai had better be worth it. Last time around Kauai was worth it, that being 32 years adrift, but I needed to be prudent to bathe in the nostalgia of Memory Lane and not drift down Melancholy Lane. Melancholy Lane? Back in those heady days Kauai was my favourite but the possibility of my version of "a paradise lost" ... read more

The Big Island? I suppose it's all relative and in respect to the rest of the Hawaiin chain, The Big Island is mammoth, large enough to become the namesake island for the entire state. In reality, Hawaii is barely a small fraction the size of Tasmania but let's not become too bogged down with semantics. Having said that and whilst firmly brandishing my poisoned pen, if your sole exposure to the Big Island was Kona, you may be tempted to bestow another monicor, something akin to "The Feral Island". Some may consider Kona's "colourful local identities" as unpretentious, others probably figure the spirit of Mount Druitt or The Bronx will never die as long as these folk maintain a pulse. Fortunately for the Big Island, she crams in a slew of alternative spicy attractions and was ... read more

Hey, it's Terry Wiley's quote, not mine, and whilst it's mildly appropriate there is a pronounced emphasis on the Nearly Deads rather than the Newly Weds, though I'm still not exactly sure where Penny and I fit in with those categories. Newlyweds 19 years ago and hopefully about the same before nearly dead. Delve deeper and I would suppose Terry's little quote was intimating that if it's cultural immersion, pulsing nightlife or life style with edge that you seek in a destination, then perhaps you would be better off booking plane tickets to Varanasi, Paris or Ibiza. If, on the other hand, the great sub tropical outdoors is your poison then Lord, Howe have you managed to miss this place. (I bet that pun has been bandied about the odd thousand times or two). In terms ... read more

After our debacle 10 years back in the Solomons, courtesy of Solomon Airlines, confidence wasn't at its peak with the narrow changeover between our international flight from Oz and the subsequent inter island flight scheduled only 45 minutes after touchdown in Honiara. But, Hey Presto, our fears were unfounded, initially because Solomon Airlines have lifted their game dramatically and also because we were assured the ongoing flight would wait for us. Wait for us? How many airlines would delay a flight for 2 plebs like us? As it turned out, we 2 plebs comprised 40% of the entire passenger list so they really couldn't take off without us. Five passengers plus pilot nestled into a lawnmower with wings skating up, around and under cloud banks with textbook tropical islets dotting the ocean below. The landing strip ... read more

Ya reckon Vancouvers got a homeless issue? HA! Seattle laughs in your face. In comparison, Vancouver is a veritable Monaco. Seems like every second person has an angle for some sort of freebie. It's a downsided backdrop on what is otherwise a seemingly fantastic city, an enigma if ever there was one. A modern skyline is punctuated by Bohemian enclaves, bustling waterfront markets, groovy cafes and bars, and trendy shops, all with this infusion of down-and-outers loitering amidst. A wonderful day was spent delving into the bowels of Seattle but with one eye constantly on our valuables. Highlights? Well now you mention it: 1. The weather - it may have been patchy at best but we did manage to unfurl the sunnies, if only for a few minutes. In a city that "boasts" 300 days of ... read more