Los Angeles

Arriving in Los Angeles in late afternoon local time, a shuttle bus is waiting to take us on a quick tour of Los Angeles before checking in the Four Points Sheraton Hotel.

Finding ourselves at Mexican festivities in LA at one of the evening tour stops

After breakfast, we packed our luggage, checked out of the hotel and went on a bus for some real Los Angeles sightseeing, before being dropped of at LAX in late afternoon for a flight to Papettee, Tahiti.

One of the LA marinas				Venice Beach walkway

Venice Beach in the morning				Lifeguard tower

Shooting some hoops on Sunday morning	Santa Monica Pier

Walk of Fame of Hollywood - Hollywood Boulevard with bronze stars in the walkway			The concrete in front of Chinese Theater holds the hand and foot imprints of more than 180 celebrities

More imprints in front of Chinese Theater				Hollywood Boulevard

Entering Universal Studios Hollywood. Some really nice rides and shows, don't miss the Back To The Future ride!			Waterworld show. When they say you might get wet, they mean it. They throw buckets of water at the audience. Literally.	A finale of the Jurassic Park ride. That raincoat they are selling for $1 at the entrance - go for it...

There's always a crowd	The last panoramic shot of the Universal Studio's production halls, and we are on our way to the LAX airport, boarding a B-767 for Tahiti.

Tahiti

After another lengthy flight, we arrive at French Polynesia, its main island Tahiti. A change of climate is evident the same moment you step out of the plane. As the hour is late already, we just clear the customs and go straight to our hotel, Sofitel Maeva Beach.

A view from the hotel room in the morning	Maeva Beach by the hotel	After breakfast, a bus is waiting to take us around the Tahiti island. We get to know the landscape and culture through the driver who also serves as a local guide.

Point Venus Lighthouse, Tahiti This is where Captain Cook first made landfall in Tahiti, and is the Northern-most point on the island of Tahiti			A nearby bay	A breadplant

We were fascinated with all the flowers in the graveyard		Tahiti beach, with a famous blowhole nearby

An interesting place for a tree to grow	The next stop was a botanical garden...		Where were those French nuclear tests being done again?

These don't grow as big back home	Turtles	We visited the Paul Gauguin Museum, and had a lunch before turning back to Papettee	Tahiti has a nice waterfall, too

The rest of the afternoon and evening was free for swimming and sunbathing.
The next day was reserved for a trip to Moorea, an island that is an hour away from Tahiti with a ferry.

A ferry leaving Papettee port for Moorea	Clouds in the mountains over Papettee city	Arriving to Moorea. That was one windy trip, hang on to your hair...	First glimpses of Moorea beaches	There are some very nice resorts on Moorea, coral reef visible at the back

Moorea Sofitel Ia Ora		For the rest of the day on Moorea, we went on a boat trip around Moorea island		First stop - shark feeding! Get your snorkeling gear and in the water, behind the rope line.

Black-tip reef sharks are coming for lunch.	Next stop, stingray feeding	These graceful, gentle creatures love to play and cuddle

Stingray hoping for a treat. We have stopped on an island for a lunch picnic ourselves, and learned how to peel and break a coconut.	Sheraton Moorea Lagoon Resort, on a way back.	Before returning to Tahiti island, there was a short trip to the inland, showing landscape and annanas plantations.

We returned to Tahiti late in the afternoon, and went for a dinner to the Papettee city center to conclude the day. Tomorrow, we are going to see Bora Bora.

On Tahiti Airport once again, boarding a local flight to Bora Bora	Arriving to Bora Bora, this was our guide, and we had yet another boat trip.	Big cruisers are coming to Bora Bora	Bora Bora landscape from a passing boat

Bora Bora has nice resorts, too.		Following the boat	More landscape, crystal blue-green waters...	On-boat entertainment

The rest of the Bora Bora trip consisted of a visit to the lagoonarium, more swimming with the fishes, sharks included, and a lunch. The roundtrip concluded back at the airport in the afternoon.			Leaving Bora Bora on a plane back to Papettee, I made some snapshots from the air

Entry to the Bora Bora port	High above the clouds...		A Tahiti sunset

A goodbye dinner and a show in a neighboring resort.

The plane for Rarotonga was leaving at 3 am in the morning, and we were homeless already, so most of us spent the last night on Tahiti drowsing in comfy chairs in the hotel lobby.

Cook Islands

Arriving at Rarotonga, Cook Islands at 7 am, we had a free morning to catch on some sleep. In the afternoon, we are going to see the island with a bus.

One of the best accommodations on the trip, a very roomy beach-side apartment with glass patio door, the sea being just a few steps away		A nice sandy beach at the Pacific Resort, Rarotonga

A bus tour of the island, downtown Rarotonga		Take a guess what this one is the God of...	Cook Islands Parliament	Volcanic rocks

Landscape on the other side of the island, at the black pearls shop		Back just in time for a sunset	The next morning, we are visiting Aitutaki

Aitutaki is supposed to be one of the most beautiful islands in the Pacific, and it lives up to this reputation. This was also the location where they were filming the well known The Blue Lagoon movie, starring Brooke Shields.

Welcome to Aitutaki, we got flowers and a coconut drink	Driving to our resort, we made a quick photo-stop at the local port			One of the nicest and best arranged beaches we were on

Equipment like canoes and snorkeling gear were free to borrow. Waters are very shallow here though, except for the dug up trench right at the beach. You could easily walk to the island across.			Bungalows at Aitutaki Lagoon Resort	Hammocks were comfy, too...

This is where I was staying on Aitutaki	As most Pacific islands, Aitutaki is mostly volcanic in origin	There are some 500 locals living on Aitutaki, and are extremely friendly. We caught them at one of the greater social events, a football match.	What a hard time we are having at Aitutaki...

An evening show by the dinner	Waking up to a calm morning			Another day, another boat trip around the island

Aitutaki has lots of small, uninhabited islands, perfect if you want some piece and quiet. We've made a few snorkeling stops on the way, and had a grill lunch on the boat.				Of course, some local songs come with a trip.

Our destination, One Foot Island on the edge corner of Aitutaki		A few hours time off to explore the island, go swimming and snorkeling

Lots to see around worth taking a photo				Another coconut peeling demonstration

Beautiful beaches on Aitutaki

Late in the afternoon we were leaving Aitutaki by plane back to Rarotonga, where we would spend the last night on the Cook Islands. A picnic dinner was organized at one of the bungalows, featuring one of the most expensive hams in history, and early in the morning we would be reluctantly joining Air New Zealand once again on their flight to Auckland, New Zealand.

New Zealand

Arriving to the city of sails just before midday, a bus with our New Zealand driver and guide Maxine was waiting.

Leaving the airport	Drive-through shots of Auckland suburbs from the passing bus		The first stop coming from the airport was Mount Eden, a view point over Auckland.

Mount Eden is in fact an old volcano, one of many around Auckland	A few more panoramic shots of Auckland...

...and a few more. Didn't have my camera out for almost a whole day.				Auckland city center, near the Sky City Hotel

The Auckland Marina, location of the America Cup 2003 race. These are the docks where teams were based at.		We stopped at the Auckland Aquarium, too. They are quite proud of their penguins.

Not just a fish. Piranhas.		A couple more Auckland beachfront shots.

The next morning after breakfast, we are going by bus to Rotorua, some 200 km south-east of Auckland, a center of geothermal activities in New Zealand.

Landscape south of Auckland. Lots of green, lots of hills. Lots of sheep, too.				Arriving to Whakarewarewa (short name, see the pict for a full one) Thermal Reserve, this was our guide.

A hot mood pool, up to 98 degrees Celsius.	Hot geysers in action

Everything is smoldering...	There is a distinct smell in the air, something between ammoniac, sulfur and boiling water...

More geyser shots	Maori battle canoe	It's a bird. It's a kiwi.	Replicas of traditional Maori homes, a food chamber on the left	Maori Crafts Institute, open for tourists to watch their work

Treaty signing, artistic view	Supposedly the most beautiful house in New Zealand	Agrodome presentation - all the sheep of New Zealand	Shepherd dogs at work

Arriving back to Auckland in the afternoon

The next bus trip is in the other direction, Paihia, Bay of Islands, the northern tip of New Zealand, where we will be spending the night before heading back the next day.

Morning traffic jam in Auckland	Drive-through landscape	Waitangi, the place where the treaty was signed between native Maori and conquesting English, making New Zealand British.		Treaty House, as originally owned by James Busby

A Maori temple, a gathering place and history keeper for the whole village		Nicely arranged flowers on the premises	Replicas of war canoes

A trunk of a large kauri tree, used to make one of the canoes.	Arriving to Paihia	The evening was free, and a three of us went on a dinner cruise up the river with Darryl and Jenny.		Landscape by the river

Our destination for the evening, waterfalls.	Dinner time. Enjoying Darryl's prime steak or fish, fresh from the grill, and a beautiful sunset landscape while slowly floating back towards the sea.

The next day, we are heading back to Auckland tracking by the west side of the Northern Island. Golf is a popular game in New Zealand.			One of the smaller towns we were passing through.	Sandy dunes on the way to Waipoua Forest, a home of kauri trees.

More sandy dunes	Tane Mahuta, God of the Forest. The largest kauri tree in New Zealand. It is hard to see from the photos how large it really is, nearly 14 meters all around it.

On the way back, we stopped at a local winery to try out New Zealand's wines. Weren't impressed.		Most known beach in Auckland, it will be full in a month or two	Our bus, taking us around New Zealand

Auckland landscape from the Sky Tower, visited on late afternoon after returning from Paihia.				Unique view from the tower through a glass floor

Leaving Auckland for the airport in the afternoon next day, after having a day off for shopping and individual sightseeing.		A B-767 waiting to take us back to the warm islands, this time to Fiji.

Fiji

We came to Nadi, Fiji in the evening, and were transported to our hotel, Sheraton Fiji Resort, Denarou Island. Fiji was planned to be easier on our schedule, giving us some more R&R time on the beach for the end of the trip.

Sheraton Fiji Resort, Denarou Island		Fiji is no exception, another beautiful sandy beach

Everything needed to get some sunshine	Shells on the beach

A view from the hammock...	Even the birds are colorful	Lighting up torches in the evening	The sun is going down, dinner time

After dinner, a presentation of local songs and dances

The next day was reserved for a catamaran trip to the Beachcomber Island, very well equipped for a remote island, where we can enjoy the day swimming and sunbathing until late afternoon.

About to board the catamaran, the right one was ours.	They are going to the Beachcomber, too.	Beachcomber Island. There is no notable coral reef or lagoon around Beachcomber for a change, waves were notable.

Some of the activities at Beachcomber.			Our own little house of shadow	Beachcomber natives. Now coconut-stuffed.

As the catamarans are too big to come to the beach, we were transported to and from the beach using these glass-bottom boats.	Going back to Denarau Island	Shadows are getting long back at the hotel beach, the Sun is about to set, and torches on the beach get lit

A sunset at Fiji

The last day at Fiji. The morning is reserved for one last swim in the Pacific Ocean, then we have to empty our rooms and go on the bus tour around Fiji.

Leaving the Sheraton Fiji Resort	A Hindu temple	Fiji landscape, lots of sugarcane fields	A narrow-track railway, transporting its sugarcane load to the processing	Entering the Viseisei village, where the house of Fijian president is located

Chief's main house		Viseisei village		Breadplant fruit

The last stop was at the Garden of the Sleeping Giant, a 50-acre orchid range. Lots of flowers to photograph.

We returned from the trip in late afternoon, and had the goodbye dinner at the local golf club. In the evening transport to Nadi airport for the first leg on the way home, a flight to Los Angeles.

London

After two long flights, 9 hours from Nadi, Fiji to Los Angeles on B-767, and additional 10 hours from Los Angeles to London on B-747, we arrived at Heathrow Airport in late morning, local time. As our connecting flight home wasn't due till late in the evening, a bus was arranged to store our luggage for the day, and take us around London on sightseeing.

London, Trafalgar Square		Nelson's Column	Tower Bridge	Tower of London

London Eye	Big Ben	The National Gallery	Buckingham Palace. George Bush Jr. was coming to town that day...	Nice ship

A Thames River view	Royal Observatory, Greenwich	The Prime Meridian, located at the Greenwich Observatory. This red line was responsible for our shifting clocks all the time in the last 18 days.	London at dusk. The bus is waiting to take us to the Gatwick airport, and in a few hours, we'll be home.