Fiji’s Checkered History

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An ancient land filled with waterfalls, remote tropical islets, forested big islands, rare tropical plants and birds, Fiji is an exotically wonderful vacation destination. Originally a land of cannibals, Fiji is now known as a former British colony and ex-pat hangout, with an atmosphere of slow colonial decay pervading the islands and its infrastructure. Tempered by the exhilarating rush of tourist dollars, this malaise gives way to hustle and bustle in Suva and Nadi, the big towns of Fiji. Otherwise, you are on remote tropical islands in the midst of the South Pacific. But how did we get here?


Fijian Warriors

According to Dr Roger Green, Professor of Anthropology at Auckland University, in New Zealand, the first settlers arrived some 2,000 years before Christ was born. Comprised of two distinct peoples, one Melanesian, the other Polynesian, these early settlers spent millennia battling each other for control of the islands.

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History of Australia

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The Police State of Australian History

At the dawn of time Australia was part of one massive continent that covered the earth. This eventually broke up as the oceans formed, and this land was called Gwandanaland. Australia is ancient, flat and remote; and also one of nature’s cruelest places in terms of natural selection, and the history of its inhabitants.

The first people started to appear some 60,000 years BC. The next creature to arrive on the scene of significant impact was the Dingo, which arrived some 3,500 years ago and decimated of most of the original slow-moving marsupials.

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Dutch Economy Shrinks

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Dutch Econmy Shrinks

According to reports, the economy shrunk in Holland for the first time in 20 years, due to slower exports. Perhaps this is due to the high exchange rates on the euro, or the world economy at large. Unemployment recently rose to 6.6 percent in April 2004 and is still rising.

In spite of this seemingly bad news, the Netherlands ranks eighth in the world as an exporting nation, and the third largest in food exports worldwide. Amazing considering the small size of Holland, with it’s three names for itself.

Whether you call it Dutch, Holland or the Netherlands, this place is still incredibly productive and industrious compared to any other nation on earth.

The highly-educated multilingual country is home to many worldwide banking, insurance and manufacturing companies such as ABN-AMRO, Phillips, and Shell.

Amsterdam’s Schiphol airport is one of the world’s largest transportation hubs, and the port of Rotterdam is on of the biggest transshipment points of global trade.

Very important stuff.

However, there are still some serious drawbacks to doing business in the Netherlands, and old traditions die hard in this country. Holland has the highest rate of temporary workers in the world, and the glass ceiling is firmly in place for women trying to get to the top of any business structure. Women do not exist at the managerial level in the Netherlands, or very rarely. This part-time work mentality leads to masses of people with careers in a virtual loop of always looking for the next job, and no stability. Yet they pride themselves on their flexibility as they flock to the coffeeshops, cafes, bars and restaurants to fuel the service industryu with their hard-earned euros.

~Martin Trip

Mission Beach

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View over Mission Beach, Dunk & Family Islands from Bicton Hill

Mission Beach is a very laid back community in Far North Queensland. Off the main highway, it has avoided the over development that has infected so many beach towns in Australia. Surrounded by lush rainforest, the town is home to 4000 humans and 40 wild cassowaries. You can’t miss all the signs reminding you to slow down for them. They are an endangered species, and with planned further development they will probably soon disappear from Mission Beach and their other remaining habitats in Australia.

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Handheld GPS for rent to tourists in Amsterdam

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Amsterdam is the first city worldwide where a GPS based handheld navigational device can be rented by tourists. The City Navigator is easy to use and filled with 500 selected points of interest; tourist attractions, restaurants, bars, entertainment, museums, cultural hotspots etc., as well as various interesting pedestrian routes. The City Navigator helps its users to find their way effortlessly through the beautiful Dutch capital with turn-by-turn directions in all European languages. Strolling through town the users can see on the map which special places are in their direct vicinity. The City Navigator is for rent at various hotels. Prices from 16€/day.

Background:
Tourists often get lost. In the historical centre of Amsterdam they virtually stand on every street corner staring at a city map trying to figure out how to get to their next destination. The strength of navigation systems that use the Global Positioning System is that it always displays the exact position on an electronic map and that is where the fun starts.

Using the City Navigator, visitors find their way without the endless discussions and quarrels how to get to there. Since it is programmed for pedestrian use,(it also works great on a bicycle!) it always takes the shortest possible route, usually taking you off the main roads and through the charming picturesque streets of Amsterdam. The location based service always gives information on the restaurants, bars, museums, shops, picturesque places near their current location. Amsterdam is relatively small compared to other capitals like Paris and London. Tourists still often get lost because they have no feeling for the scale of the City.

With the City Navigator visitors can feel free to roam the town without having to worry how to get back to the hotel, and always have all interesting places at hand.

The Citynavigator is the perfect addition for printed media (travel guides, etc.) as one can find any address in greater Amsterdam with one touch of a button.

More info:
www.citynavigators.com

Kuranda

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Kuranda’s Main Street

 Kuranda is a little town perched on the edge of the Atherton tablelands, about 40 minutes from Cairns. It lies amidst ancient rainforest alongside the Barron River and attracts tourists who arrive via the Kuranda Steam train up the Barron Gorge or over the hills and river by Skyrail (cable car), or by bus or car.

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Australian Slang – How to Get By Down Under

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In America we all know an ankle-biter is an obnoxious child, and avos are avocados. These are just a couple of Aussie slang words we have picked up and use daily. Aussie being a prime example of Australian Slang, we also know that “down under” is either Australia or New Zealand.

Mozzies are definitely the disease-carrying mosquitoes, but a billy is something you boil water in. A wombat is someone who eats shoots and leaves, and is probably just a vejjo (vegetarian).

Whatever you do in Australia, please don’t whinge (whine), as it is unsightly. You’d be better off getting a wobbly boot on (get drunk) than getting all wobbly (excited). Someone may be accused of having kangaroos loose in their top paddock if they appear a bit deranged.

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Indigenous Australian Foods: Bush Tucker

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The continent of Australia, being remote as it is, evolved along different pathways from the rest of the world. The indigenous peoples here survived some 60,000 years without interference from European or other civilizations. These people survived on the meager resources of this continent, in perfect harmony with nature, using the natural resources without destroying them.
Native Australians survived in the bush without such things as pots and pans, and did not usually boil water. They didn’t brew teas and make coffee. They drank water from rivers and streams, or the dew from grass. The natives used foods from their area, and did not trade foods with other groups.

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Daintree River Ferry Crossing

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When traveling north on the Captain Cook Highway you will cross the Daintree River on the way to Cape Tribulation. Here you must use the ferry to cross the rapidly flowing croc infested Daintree River.

Charging 16 Australian Dollars (return) for the ride, this ferry operates on cables that cross the river.

The 21-car ferry runs from 6 AM thru Midnight 7 days a week.

Ten kilometers upriver from here is the village of Daintree, where you can hire a boat to explore the mangrove lagoons and see crocs up close.