Fiji’s North is the lesser known corner of Fiji, and those who come are richly rewarded with a real Fiji adventure: a different experience that makes for a really memorable trip. Savusavu town is on the south coast of Vanua Levu, Fiji’s second largest island and home to some world-famous diving.
Excited to go to Savusavu, it’s on Viti Levu, one of the other 333 Fijiian islands that I haven’t been to yet!
Jean-Michel Cousteau Resort is located in one of the most beautiful places on the planet, Fiji. Overlooking the beautiful Savusavu Bay, it is barefoot family luxury and quintessential Fiji island serenity. The focus is on rest and relaxation, authentic cuisine and culture, and opportunities to explore the incredible secrets of nature and the local environment, especially the marine world! 🐠
Found my spot in this pristine setting! I am surrounded by a marine sanctuary on this secluded coastline with coral reefs and exotic marine life, it is also an environmentally responsible resort while still luxury. Snorkeling and diving is a highlight here so that’s next! 🪸
What a beautiful last day at Jean-Michel Cousteau Fiji, sad to leave this paradise 💙
Savusavu is a lovely town strung along a waterfront street, backed by mountains and lush vegetation. Their Saturday Farmers Market is a large tented area full of tables laden with produce of all kinds where locals and tourists come to buy the usual tomatoes, lettuces, and green beans. Also tropical fruit, taro or kava root, peppers, cilantro, parsley, eggplant, cucumbers, bananas, chilies, and other interesting fruits and vegetables. The seafood market was even more fun seeing all the underwater delicacies and beautiful colored fish and crustaceans. Attached is a small handicraft market with beautiful locally made items that are perfect to bring home as gifts. Don’t miss a visit to the beautiful town, there are also so many interesting restaurants! 🍠🍅🥬
Namale is an intimate tropical sanctuary on Fiji’s northern island of Vanua Levu, sprawled across a gorgeous cliff overlooking the Koro Sea. My villa is one of four private villas.
Bula House is the original Namale Villa perched at the edge of Namale’s lava cliffs. This villa is luxuriously furnished with a lounging area, billiard table, and dining table. The bedroom area offers a large 4-poster king bed, a sunken sitting room for two, a walk-in closet with changing area, a two-person shower, a jacuzzi spa tub, and a private outdoor shower. Two unique features of this Villa are the large deck with a plunge pool and lounge furniture, as well as private stairs leading down through the volcanic rock to the shoreline. I really don’t want to leave this sanctuary! 🇫🇯
I absolutely love my deck and pool overlooking the Koro Sea. Between the villa and this area, there is no reason to leave! I see why it is a favorite destination for jetsetters and celebrities because of its exclusivity and luxury.
I love the sound of the lali drum, a traditional style drum signaling significant and community events in Fijian culture, which lets you know the start of dinner. The Indo-Fijian cuisine is inspired by the rich flavors and traditions of the islands and is made with fresh produce, herbs, and vegetables from their own organic farm and local seafood markets, sooo delicious!
Flying Fiji’s Airways business class is like a bed and breakfast experience – a comfy place to get a full night’s sleep with a pair of good meals on either side. The comfortable seats are topped with black & white pillows decked in a traditional Fijian pattern. After dinner, wine and a movie, I went to the bathroom and asked a flight attendant to make up my seat for the night. When I returned, it was done, set cozily with a nice mattress pad and a plush duvet in the same Fijian pattern as the pillow. Just as I’d hoped, I slept comfortably for nearly seven hours before waking up to breakfast, a mimosa and coffee a few hours before landing. For an 11 hour flight to/from LAX, there really is no better way than Fiji business class. Thank you Fiji Airways!! ✈️
Relaxing on a sandbar in the Pacific before we head over to Castaway Island 🥂🍾 🇫🇯
Today was so much fun, I helped in the coral planting program run by local marine biologists at the resort. Castaway Island has vast coral reefs that they study and protect. Because of the way hard coral reproduces and heals, small pieces can grow to eventually become mature colonies. We secure these fragments to the grates using cable ties and then put it back into the water. I felt like I was back in Panama studying coral reef ecology 🪸🐠🧡
Cloud 9 is a famous floating bar in Fiji. It is a great way to spend the day relaxing on lounges, drinking cocktails, dancing to a DJ, jumping off the top deck, enjoying their delicious wood-fired pizzas, swimming and snorkeling in the turquoise blue waters…a perfect day!
Many Fijian villages are located on the banks of rivers with beautiful mountains and tropical wilderness. We took a fun and very fast speedboat to the village, trekked up a forested path from the river banks and were treated to the most beautiful afternoon. We brought kava as a gift, we were accepted as guests in the village with a ceremony and then offered kava. While Fijians are amongst the friendliest people in the world, it is important to respect their customs and traditions so the women had to have covered shoulders and long skirts. No shoes inside, sunglasses or hats anywhere, it is considered an insult to the chief of the village. They made us a delicious traditional lunch and then they sang and danced, it was such an amazing experience. 🇫🇯
The perfect day started with a relaxing massage and ended with a gorgeous sunset 🌅
Woke up to a beautiful first day and excited to enjoy it!
I love our accommodations, a spacious two story and two bedroom suite in a Key West style with a spiral staircase up to the third floor circular terrace. I think we’ll be very comfortable 😊
Good morning ☕️☀️🇹🇨
The Pirate Island water park is a lot of fun, even for adults and teenagers. There are areas for really young kids too but we loved the big slides, tube slides and the surf simulator.
It’s a long journey to Egypt and since I couldn’t leave a day earlier, it was even longer. LAX to London Heathrow and rest for a little while, then on to Cairo.
A few hours later, a flight from Cairo to Aswan, then from Aswan to Abu Simbel. So excited to see the temples of Abu Simbel!
The Temples at Abu Simbel were built by Rameses II in 1200 BC, 3200 years ago. The two massive temples are carved into natural rock formations. The main temple has four monolithic 66-foot statues of Ramses II at the entrance and it is carved 185 feet deep into the sandstone. The temples are dedicated to sun gods Amon-Re and Re-Horakhte.
We boarded our Nile River Cruise in Aswan and will cruise to Luxor. It meanders through panoramic desert landscapes, farmlands, colorful villages and UNESCO World Heritage Sites. I’ll experience the ancient glory of Egypt’s greatest temples, palaces and tombs for the next few days.
The ship is beautiful and spacious and the 6 course meals at lunch and dinner are delicious.
Today was a busy day in Aswan where we visited the Temple of Kom Ombo and the mummified crocodiles.
The Temple of Edfu, the most preserved temple in Egypt. Having the hieroglyphics along the walls, explained by our Egyptologist guide, was fascinating.
Today was so nice, relaxed on the sundeck at the pool and watched the beautiful landscapes go by. This evening was a special themed dinner on the sundeck as well, Arabian Nights. The food and entertainment was amazing!
Gently floating over the Valley of the Kings, the final resting place of some of the greatest Pharaohs of ancient Egypt. The sun is rising as we slowly go over ancient temples and forgotten ruins. This was so worth the 3:30am wake-up.
After taking a hot air balloon over the Valley of the Kings, we went there to explore the tombs. The Valley of the Kings has immense historical importance, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, the Valley is renowned for its tombs, which were built for the Pharaohs, was used as a royal burial site for over 500 years and is home to some of the world’s most remarkable and well-preserved ancient monuments. The area was chosen because of its remote location and proximity to Thebes, modern-day Luxor, the capital city of ancient Egypt. It was also chosen because it was believed that the gods would protect those buried here from grave robbers.
We were very lucky to have the Chief Director and archaeologist of the Valley of the Kings, Dr. Ali, spend time with us and tell us all about the area, the history and the current projects. He answered our questions, was such a source of knowledge and exciting to talk to!
These are the types of exclusive experiences that we can arrange for you when you want to visit Egypt, you will truly be a VIP.
The dazzling Temple of Hatshepsu…one of the world’s most influential early female leaders. She was one of only a few female pharaohs in thousands of years of ancient Egyptian history, only sons were allowed to succeed their fathers. Hatshepsut altered her image to be more masculine. She was one of the most prolific builders in Egyptian history and the temple is a perfect example.
The temple complex of Karnak is the largest religious building ever built, and was constructed over a span of 2,000 years (between 1570–1090 BC), so it’s around 4,000 years old in total! It is a complex of sanctuaries, pylons and obelisks. it’s large enough to contain about 10 cathedrals. It is also famous for its hypostyle hall – a spectacular forest of giant papyrus-shaped columns. There are two interesting avenues that used to connect the temples, one has ram-headed sphinxes and the other is 3km long and has human headed sphinxes connecting all the way to Luxor Temple.
One of the things I found most fascinating was that it is also considered the earliest Christian church in the world. During the 4th century AD, Christians we’re persecuted for their faith so they had to hide it but there are signs all over the temple. Look at the last few pictures, you’ll see the disciples on the pillars and a cross that was made from a statue of three people standing side by side. The two on either side of the middle person had only their chest area left, the rest was cut out and it made a cross.
My home for the next few days, the Four Seasons Hotel Cairo at Nile Plaza Located in the heart of Cairo on the banks of the River Nile. It’s is a peaceful retreat in the middle of a city that moves at a frenetic pace. The accommodations are so quiet and comfortable, I don’t even want to venture out…but I have to see the pyramids!!
Khan el-Khalili souk is a very rich and vibrant market that has been trading since the 14th century! I loved immersing myself in the vibrant atmosphere and enjoyed a delicious lunch of Egyptian specialities while in the souk!
Today was for the museums… the biggest and most well-known museum in Egypt, the Egyptian Museum, holds the world’s largest collection of pharaonic antiquities. But mostly known as the place where you can see the infamous King Tutankhamun collection, complete with his sarcophagus and gold burial mask. But no photos allowed 😣
Next was the National Museum of Egyptian Civilization. Here one of the highlights is the gallery of the Royal Mummies, this is a quiet, tomb-like space where I saw 20 royal mummies that are thousands of years old, including some of the most famous pharaohs of all time like Ramses II. I couldn’t help staring at them and all the details for so long. Again no photos but the ones at the end are not my photos, just from the museum so you can get an idea of what we saw.
Our guide was exceptional in his knowledge of everything in the museums, plus he was able to get us a private sit down with the curator of the museum. It was amazing hearing him talk about it and be able to ask questions.
Good evening Cairo…the evening started with cocktails at The Bar 🍸
The Step Pyramid of Djoser, constructed at Saqqara about 4,700 years ago, was the first pyramid the Egyptians ever built and the oldest complete stone building complex known in history. Saqqara served as the necropolis for the ancient Egyptian capital, Memphis in the Sahara Desert.
The last remaining of the Seven Wonders of the ancient world, the great pyramids of Giza.
They are the most famous structures in history and I can’t believe I am here standing in front of them!
The Great Pyramids of Giza in Egypt, a check off the bucket list ✔️
Another unreal moment for me in Egypt, standing in front of the Great Sphinx of Giza! The Sphinx is about 4,500 years old, one of the world’s largest monuments and one of the most recognizable relics of the ancient Egyptians. The Sphinx is a mythical creature with the head of a human and the body of a lion, the face is thought to represent the Pharoah Khafre from the 4th dynasty.
Lunch today at Cairo’s most historic hotel, Mena House. It was originally a hunting lodge built for the opening of the Suez Canal in 1869, it eventually became a hotel in 1887. This legendary hotel has played host to kings, queens and heads of state and lies in the shadow of the great pyramids of Giza.
Goodbye Egypt! We had a great farewell dinner at the home of our hosts in Cairo. It was a beautiful evening and we were treated to a special guest, the Secretary General of the Supreme Council of Antiquities, Dr. Mostafa Waziry. Listening to his stories was fascinating, from the past, the present and future plans. We were able to ask all the questions we’ve ever had about ancient Egypt and the pyramids! It was a whirlwind week and the best time! Thank you Farid, George, Walid and the whole team for sharing your country and ensuring that we experience Egypt the right way, it was the trip of a lifetime.
Please reach out when you are ready to go to Egypt. It is a complicated trip and you really need the help of a good travel advisor to make sure it is perfect and enjoyable.
My fascination with the Middle East continues with Qatar. It has been trying hard to become a tourist destination over the last few years. It hosted the World Cup recently and has Formula 1 racing among many other things to draw tourists. They have a stopover program like Dubai had years ago when it was trying to bring in tourism. So on my way to South Africa I decided to spend some time here.
The flight from LAX to Doha is about 15 hours nonstop on Qatar Airways. They codeshare with American so I easily used points for the flights.
A decade ago, few had heard of the sleepy desert capitol of Qatar an unassuming peninsula that juts out into the Persian Gulf. A city that’s only been in existence since the 1820s now boasts outlandish high-rises, lavish hotels and extravagant malls. It is an up-and-coming rival to the desert glamour of Dubai.
Here are two maps showing where Qatar is on the map.
I stayed at the Intercontinental Doha Beach Resort and it was very nice. It’s right on the beach with beautiful views of the city. Too bad the gulf was way too warm to swim!
I enjoyed every minute of wandering the labyrinth of Souq Waqif. The energy, the smells, the haggling, the unknown around every corner. I had an amazing local Qatari dinner, it didn’t look good in picture but tasted great! People watching was very enjoyable. The souq is built on the site of Doha’s century old trading market, on the banks of the Wadi Musheireb. It almost feels out of place with the backdrop of Doha’s modern skyline. The mud and limestone buildings keep it cool, winding alleys bring you back to what traditional street life must have been like at the time of the Bedouins. It’s still a bustling center of activity, commerce and so much fun.
Good night Doha
I explored more of Doha this morning and then relaxed on the beach back at my hotel. The heat is oppressive so it was nice to relax on the beach and swim in the pool, the gulf was too warm to swim. One of the coolest things I saw today was the outdoor air conditioning around the city!
At Souq Waqif Falcon Hospital مستشفى سوق واقف للصقور — I really enjoyed a visit to the Falcon Souq in Doha. Falcons are the national bird of Qatar and have always been a huge part of the country’s rich heritage and culture. The souq has trained birds and all the equipment they need. There also is a Falcon Hospital that is the largest of its kind on the world. In the same area of the souq, I visited camels and Arabian horses that belong to the police for their use and patrols.
Some interesting facts I learned about Falcons:
They are the fastest animal in the world with diving speeds of over 200mph.
They helped during WWII, they were used to intercept carrier pigeons.
They commit to one partner for the duration of their reproductive life.
They have amazing eyesight and use each eye independently to focus on up to three objects simultaneously. So they can focus on more than one prey item at a time.
La Mar Doha by Gastón Acurio is right here at my hotel so I had to take advantage of this and have a nice meal, even if it’s not local! It is contemporary Peruvian cuisine, known for its rich flavours and diverse influences. The menu has cebiches, fresh seafood, and charcoal-grilled meats paired with signature handcrafted cocktails. Situated right on the beach, it has stunning and panoramic views of the Doha skyline.
I have been looking forward to seeing this airport! I’ll spend more time here at the end of my trip and see how it compares to my favorites, Singapore and Beijing Capital. The airport is crazy, it has a mosque, two hotels, 12 lounges, so many duty free shopping areas, health club, two squash courts, a gym, a spa and a swimming pool. Perfect for long layovers but you really do need to see the city!
Next stop is a 9 hour flight to Johannesburg, South Africa!
After my layover and rest in Qatar, I am on my way to Johannesburg, South Africa. The flight is another 9 hours from Doha.
In Johannesburg, South Africa — What a change from Qatar! I flew into Johannesburg and walked out to a temperature of 61° from 101°, felt refreshing! Met two new friends and looking forward to this week in South Africa.
In Dullstroom, South Africa — We had lunch in this adorable little town. It’s known for its fly fishing so I had to have the smoked trout pancakes and the local town beer for lunch.
At Blyde River Canyon, South Africa — Today we set out for Kruger and drove the Panorama Route in the Mpumalanga province. It is one of the Africa’s great natural wonders and one of the world’s most beautiful driving routes. We stopped at Blyde River Canyon, the world’s third largest canyon, and the Three Rondavels for some beautiful views!
At God’s Windows — More along the Panorama Route, these highlands in Mpumalanga are famed for some of the province’s most spectacular scenery. There are lush mountain peaks, magnificent waterfalls, and raging rivers. We hiked up to a view called God’s Window and Rainforest with views to Mozambique.
Off to Kruger! Biltong is like our beef jerky but so much better. We snacked on it all the time, buying it whenever we saw it. All different types like beef, impala, wildebeest, steenbock and lots more. I also loved the dried mango with it 🥭
At Ndula Lodge – Our lodge is located in Mpumalanga Lowveld region of South Africa near the town of White River. Close to Kruger National Park, the Blyde River Canyon and the scenic Panorama Route we drove to get here. The name “Ndhula” means “Giraffe” in the local Zulu language. They are all over the property!
Safari Day One, Part 1, Kruger National Park, South Africa
Up at 4am to leave for the park at 5am, we were all so excited! While the weather is nice, high sixties to low seventies, it is very chilly that early, about fifty degrees, so we were all bundled up in the open air vehicle. We saw two of the Big Five already, a lion and a water Buffalo. The lion was resting behind a tree and we kept a good distance away, would have liked a closer picture but I was comfortable at this distance! The second was the water Buffalo and it was just a fierce looking!! We also saw zebras, impalas, a hippo, crocodiles and a wart hog.
A boma dinner is a quintessential part of an authentic African safari. Boma is a Swahili word for an enclosure and refers to the wall or fence that surrounds the area where people are dining – to protect them from any surprise visits from wildlife. There is always a fire and the thrill of being outside in the bush at night and under the twinkling African stars. There is storytelling, dancing, drumming and delicious food and drinks.
At Kruger National Park — Safari Day One and Two, Kruger National Park, South Africa
The game drives we were on start at 6am and last until 3pm. We take about 3 breaks during this time to stretch and eat since we sit in the vehicle for hours looking for wildlife. We also stay pretty quiet as to not disturb the animals. This increases our chances of seeing more and also keeps them from getting aggressive towards us. When you are inside the vehicle they really don’t notice you much as they are used to the vehicles and don’t see them as a threat. It’s when you make noise or stick your body out that can cause problems. We saw the third and fourth Big Five animal, the elephant and the rhino! We saw so many elephants, they are huge and also cute, especially the babies. It was great to see the rhinos because there aren’t too many left due to poaching. We also saw so many giraffes, baboons and vultures. It was a great day!
At Kruger National Park — So excited to see the last of the Big Five, the leopard!! They are usually hard to find and when in trees with their spots, it acts as a camouflage. Right at the base of that tree is a hyena waiting for scraps to fall from the kill that was in the tree with the leopard.
We were also lucky to see two cheetah, they are not Big Five but not seen often either, so it was a good day!
Today I am so happy, checking off another bucket list experience….an African Safari and seeing all of the Big Five! 🦁🦏🐘🐆🐃
We left Kruger this morning with a stop in Pretoria before getting to the airport in Johannesburg. The Union Buildings are named for the Union of South Africa, which was formed in 1910, while the buildings were being planned. In 1961 the country changed its name to the Republic of South Africa, but the Union Buildings kept their original name. There is a 9 meter tall Nelson Mandela statue there as well where there were a lot of school kids who wanted to take photos with us.
From there we flew from OR Tambo International Airport in Johannesburg south to Cape Town. Romney Park is where I am staying in Greenpoint, my room is large and very cozy, a big change from the tented camp!
A great start to a Cape Town visit is to go to wine country. We started at A beautiful wine estate overlooking False Bay! We had a gorgeous day for wine & cheese and beautiful views in Cape Town.
The Victoria & Albert Waterfront is the oldest working harbour in the Southern Hemisphere, it’s so picturesque and we were here as the sun was setting so it had a nice glow.
It’s impossible to find a spot that’s not in the shadow of Table Mountain, it dominates the city’s skyline and is Cape Town’s most prominent landmark. It’s hard to plan when to visit because the clouds roll in and out so quickly but I was lucky and had gorgeous views over the city and the ocean.
We woke up to a chilly and drizzly morning in Cape Town but it cleared it very nicely for our trip to wine country. Our first stop was a winery in Paarl called Fairview. We had a tasting paired with local cheeses and wandered around the beautiful grounds. Paarl is located north of both Stellenbosch and Franschhoek and the third oldest settlement in South Africa.
After our first wine tasting in Paarl, we stopped in the town of Franschhoek. It means “French Corner” because of the French settlers who lived there. It is known for having some of the top restaurants in the country, a strong wine culture, pristine natural and architectural beauty. This is what has made Franschhoek into what many describe as the “food and wine capital” of South Africa. It is absolutely beautiful, we walked around, stopped for a bite to eat and shopped before going to Stellenbosch. The weather was really nice now and we loved the town.
Moving on from Franschhoek in wine country, we made our way to Stellenbosch. Stellenbosch is like the Napa Valley of South African wine. The Cape Winelands is such a stunning part of SA, made up of three main wine areas. We started in Paarl, then moved on to Franschhoek and now Stellenbosch. These valleys produce some of the world’s finest wines, and Stellenbosch dominates this wine scene in terms of quality. We did a wine tasting and lunch in a beautiful wine cellar at Lanzerac. It was so beautiful in the cellar and of course the wine was amazing.
On our way to see the penguins we took Chapman’s Peak Drive, one of the world’s most spectacular coastal drives. It runs along the Atlantic south of Cape Town towards the Cape of Good Hope with 114 curves. The road is amazing, it was hacked into the near vertical face of the mountain! While I enjoyed the scenic drive, our destination was to Boulders in Table Mountain National Park to see the African Penguins. These African Penguins are endemic to South Africa and closely related to the Humboldt, Magellanic and Galapagos Penguins. Penguin fact – penguins are only found in the southern hemisphere except for the Galapagos Penguin which is found north of the equator. They were fascinating to watch and of course, so adorable!!
One of the southernmost points of the African Continent, the Cape of Good Hope is a rocky headland on the Atlantic coast of the Cape Peninsula. It is narrow and juts out into the ocean with lots of wind. It is beautiful but has unpredictable weather, baboons that will raid your car, and adorable penguins playing in the water. With a love of geography, it was amazing to see a place that I have wanted to see since I was young. 🇿🇦
We started our evening with a Djembe drumming session in a huge restaurant decorated on every open space with African artifacts, puppets, beautiful beadwork, and wooden carvings. It’s definitely touristy but really enjoyable. The 14 course “Taste Safari” had dishes from all over Africa and the servers were dressed in beautiful local dress, so everyone was different and such gorgeous colors and patterns. Throughout dinner performers sing, drum, and dance. It was the perfect way to end a trip to South Africa 🇿🇦 ❤️🖤 🤍 💚💙💛🇿🇦
Leon is a beautiful historic city not far from San Miguel de Allende. It is lively, has a great arts scene and gorgeous architecture.
Leon
Next stop was a gorgeous Hacienda for an Al fresco lunch and a Mexican cleansing ceremony
Yet another beautiful Hacienda but this is where we are staying!
This is my huge room at the Hacienda.
My room
Dinner tonight was in a really cool large room. This Hacienda is owned by the former President of Mexico, Vicente Fox.
A highlight of my visit to Hacienda San Cristobal was this show with these talented horses!
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Time for some wine tasting on the way to San Miguel 🍷
Wine Tasting in Guanajuato
Guanajuato is one of the most beautiful cities in Mexico, with gorgeous colorful streets and colonial architecture everywhere you look. It is not just a city of cobblestone alleyways but a city with underground streets!
Excited to spend the day at the University of Guanajuato, founded in 1732. After a brisk run up the stairs, I was energized for the work day. The best part about it is the view over the city, just beautiful!!
Guanajuato
A beautiful boutique hotel in Guanajuato and an amazing party at Mina de Guadalupe. I must come back to Guanajuato and spend more time in this gorgeous city! Tonight is the big event and it was so much fun.
Guanajuato
San Miguel de Allende may just be the most charming town in Mexico. I have always wanted to visit and I’m so excited to finally be here! Located in the central highlands of Mexico, in the small state of Guanajuato, San Miguel de Allende is iconic and recognized worldwide for its Baroque architecture, vibrant atmosphere, colorful streets, and friendly locals.
San Miguel de Allende
San Miguel de Allende is a colorful, colonial style city with markets, artisans and the iconic pink Parroquia de San Miguel Arcángel towering above Spanish style buildings sprawled out around the square. Built in the late 17th century, this spectacular 17th-century gothic structure is one of the most photo. It’s a dreamy and colorful city that I love!
Live Aqua Urban Resort San Miguel De Allende captures the historical richness and cultural charm of one of most beautiful cities in Mexico and the rooms are so gorgeous and comfortable!
Live Aqua Urban Resort San Miguel De Allende
One the most authentic San Miguel experiences, a callejoneada. It is a wedding party parade through the cobblestoned streets, with tequila in hand, huge smiles and voices singing. It starts with giant mojigangas (10 feet tall papier-mâché puppets) that dance wildly as the mariachi music starts. An adorable burro is decorated with colorful paper flowers and pulls a tequila cart – the spirit is contagious!
Callejoneada
Dia de Los Muertes fiesta at Instituto Allende. What a great place for an event, besides being beautiful, when you walk in from the courtyard you have a direct view of Parroquia de San Miguel Arcángel, the iconic San Miguel view!
Dia de Los Muertes fiesta
Our next stop is a stately restored hacienda from the 16th century. Beautiful colonial architecture and acres of beautiful gardens plus they have their own vineyard on property!
We had a beautiful dinner in the vineyard tonight! It was a little chilly but the food and wine were delicious.
Breakfast in the courtyard of the Hacienda .
Querétaro is a lovely historic city and UNESCO World Heritage site in the central highlands of Mexico. It is sophisticated and genuinely Mexican with one of the highest qualities of life in Mexico and considered one of the safest cities in the country.
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Querétaro
We came back to the hotel to such a nice Carnival themed farewell dinner!
Off to Tahiti to explore the islands in French Polynesian. An 11pm flight for 8 hours and we landed at 5am local time. I slept most of the way in Air Tahiti Nui’s Moana Premium Economy because it was so comfortable. We were warmly welcomed to the InterContinental Tahiti Resort at 5:45am with fresh pineapple juice and our rooms ready. Back to sleep for a little while then time to explore the beautiful resort and have an al fresco lunch.
Cocktails at the Intercontinental Tahiti while we wait for sunset. One of the most beautiful sunsets greeted me on this first night in Tahiti, no filter, just pure nature.
Next was dinner with the most delicious Poisson cru, the national dish of Tahiti. It is made with fresh, raw fish, crunchy raw vegetables, lime juice and coconut milk – it’s heavenly!
Off to Moorea next, then back here before we go to Tetiaroa.
Middle of Trip
The ferry brought us back here after 2 days in Moorea then we flew to Tetiaroa. When we returned from Tetiaroa after 2 nights, we spent some time exploring the island.
We had the most delicious French lunch at Le Soufflé!
End of Trip
Our last day was back here for some shopping at the International Marketplace and a day room at the Hilton Tahiti until after dinner.
The Hilton Tahiti was next to relax, have a nice dinner and regroup for the flight home. I’m sad to say goodbye, it was a beautiful time in French Polynesia.
Arrived safely in Bora Bora and was whisked off quickly to the Four Seasons Resort Bora Bora. My beach villas is absolutely gorgeous! 🌴
Welcome sunset cocktails with our Four Seasons friends at Viamiti. It is set over the water with great views and Asian cuisine. The crispy roasted Maitake mushroom was amazing.
Our 2 bedroom villa at the Four Seasons Resort Bora Bora is gorgeous, pictures don’t do it justice!
Overwater Villas are gorgeous too!
The Four Seasons Resort is so pretty, truly a tropical paradise that I don’t want to leave.
ST. REGIS BORA BORA
We arrived at The St. Regis Bora Bora Resort and loved the sprawling grounds and the most spacious overwater villas in the South Pacific!
For all the foodies, we had the most amazing dinner at Jean-Georges Lagoon Bora Bora!! The 5 Course Signature Menu with the Wine Pairing was outstanding. Thank you for the great company and fabulous dinner The St. Regis Bora Bora Resort!
The St. Regis Bora Bora has the most spacious overwater bungalows in Bora Bora!
The most beautiful day in Bora Bora. We had a local guide who shared everything about the culture, music, food and wildlife. His pride for his culture and willingness to share it made the whole day for me. This is just the first part…more to come!
Swimming with the sharks in Bora Bora. We went out past the reef to swim in deeper water. So amazing! 🦈
The most perfect day in Bora Bora is a motu picnic 💙 🐠
We had a fun photo shoot with one of the best photographers in Bora Bora, thank you for the great pictures Bora Bora Photographer & Videographer Sadry Ghacir!
LE BORA BORA
We had a nice afternoon and delicious lunch the Le Bora Bora. The resort had a renovation and it looks gorgeous. Le Bora Bora has a beautiful white sand beach.
CONRAD BORA BORA NUI
Next stop in Bora Bora is the Conrad Bora Bora Nui Resort. My overwater villa is beautiful and the bathroom is heavenly!
Our last night in Tahiti was a great sushi dinner at the Conrad Bora Bora Nui Resort. Sad to leave but I will be back 💙
We took the ferry today from Papeete to Moorea and arrived at the Kia Ora Moorea Sofitel The property is so green and lush with sparkling blue water and a beautiful white sand beach.
A great evening of cocktails at Sofitel Kia Ora Moorea Beach Resort then dinner and champagne at the Moorea Beach Cafe By Bruno Jamais under a gorgeous sky. 🥂
What fun it was to explore Moorea today. Beautiful bays, scenic outlooks and local snack food
More fun in Moorea, botanical gardens, pineapple plantation and a distillery! I know all the fun things to do and places to send you when you’re ready to go.
