Category: Travel – Destination, Hospitality & Airline features

Nepal memories

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Taking a plane from Pokhara to Kathmandu

One of my advertising contacts is venturing to Nepal and asked me for some tips earlier today. I have conflicting memories about Nepal – I loved it for the shopping both in Kathmandu & Pokhara + the food but my diva side was not so thrilled at having to get up at 4am in the morning to go cycling and climbing base mountains in Pokhara so that I could catch the kaleidoscope of colours at sunrise on the snow capped Annapurna mountain range.
Ok…I have to admit it was worth it because the views were beautiful and I saw a lot of Sherpa families etc but by the end of the day, I was exhausted & kept dreaming of aromatherapy massages which I could only get the next day.
But breakfasts near the Pokhara Lake listening to ‘sur sudha’, the soothing Nepali music was fabulous and the people of Nepal are just WOW! If you like traditional buildings with a courtyard, try Dwarika’s Hotel in Kathmandu and The Fulbari resort in Pokhara (stunning views). *Oh yes, I took a bus from Kathmandu to Pokhara to make the most of the scenery and to meet locals – while the experience was great, my butt hurt cos of the seats and i had goats travelling with moi. So I took the plane back to Kathmandu. (Not exactly a 5 star experience but better than the bus).
My second trip to Nepal was as a VIP so it was more light & easy – Leila and I went on an inaugural Air Arabia flight with our Red team and we were completely amazed at the reception at the airport – the Airport officials had musicians welcoming us, beautiful garlands, silk scarves etc. Truly memorable and a must visit for globe trotters!

International Festival of Falconry

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A friend, not long ago ventured into my domain clutching a Motivate Publishing book called ‘Falconry – celebrating a living heritage’ because she said I was the only chick she knew who got all excited about heritage of people more than the latest lipstick from Lancome. (At that time I took that as a compliment and added the so called coffee table awesome book into my ever expanding library that seems to grow faster than anything else in my stunted life). Yesterday she called screaming to let me know about the upcoming festival of Falconry in Al Ain.

She was so keen on letting me know about the festival that figures kept pouring out of her mouth about the fact that a few hundred (700 when I later checked) falconers and experts in falconry from 75 countries were attending the festival. Normally I wouldn’t give this a second thought as I know nothing much about Falconry but would like to understand more about it one fine day so I decided to see what was flying behind the scenes.

The gist is that this is the Second International Festival of Falconry that will be held in Al Ain from15th to 17th December. It is organised by the Abu Dhabi Authority for Culture and Heritage (ADACH) in collaboration with Emirates Falconers’ Club and the British Falconers’ Club. Held under the patronage of HH Sheikh Khalifa bin Zayed Al Nahyan, there will be officials from the UNESCO and international heritage and environmental institutions attending.

What it means is that Diva’s brains are now tickled to see what makes Falconry so interesting hence my coffee table book is now out and strategically placed in my sight lines to delve in when I have 2 minutes to myself. If you see me wandering around the sand dunes of the UAE dressed as a bedouin, don’t be too surprised. (I have been told I look pretty hot in rugged clothes when last seen checking out some tents in Jordan so this may actually be a great next leisure activity to take up yet)

Going back to Muay Thai

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Apart from getting married in Thailand + loving Thai food and spa sessions, 5 years ago I developed a fascination for Muay Thai thanks to my ex-boss who introduced me to the National Muay Thai Team of the UAE who were about to leave for a International Championship in Thailand. (Who can forget the gorgeous Scorpion). After learning more about the sport from the Thai General Consul, I ventured to a few classes armed with gloves and guard to the nearby gym.

Like many things, I delved into it briefly as I normally do because I have a zest for life and believe in trying out anything that remotely fascinates me…I see it more as a learning experience than as a been there done that sort of thing. Anyway, I changed jobs, became a workaholic and my physical exercise sessions, travel for culture, dance etc became a thing of the past.

More recently I realised that I was becoming a boring person…last year I actually felt someone close to me behind the scenes preferred fun times with other people as all I was about was work and on assessment I realised it was true. I was too busy to take care of myself physically, emotionally, mentally etc and promised to throw myself into interesting things after work to get my energy levels up again and become balanced. Now that I’ve completed my bellydancing, Muay Thai is back in my books as my next big thing.

Last night after a particularly difficult day, I met with Dennis at Safa Park for my training – he put me through the paces with a quick run and sprint (I was breathless after) before we started on the jabs, crosses & hooks. It brought back memories of how I used to be so grounded and balanced on my feet before as yesterday I was out of my depth. It took an hour before I could go back to the levels I was 5 years ago and I was tired. Where I got the energy to pick my daughter up and go see friends at Bussola afterwards, I have no idea. But my daughter was adamant about seeing my friend Leila despite it being near 10.30pm so I gave in.

I was yawning on the way home and learnt that if a sport keeps you grounded, disciplined and keeps you healthy, don’t give it up. Another mistake I hope to correct this week amongst many others I made over the last few years!

Mawaheb

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Next week, like many weeks recently, Dubai will see a surge in art exhibitions by artists of all ages, different backgrounds and mediums. A few have impressed me and I felt like writing a bit about them despite the hectic schedule of the Dubai Fashion Week that has kept us running all over the city in the evenings. I particularly liked the off beat ones organised to support noble causes.

For those who are not familiar with Art Sawa, their next bit is presented by Mawaheb from beautiful people called ‘Walk into our world’. Mawaheb is the Arabic word for ‘talented’. They are a non-profit art studio for young adults with special needs, the first of its kind in the UAE and located in Dubai’s cultural and historical district, Al Bastakiya.

Most artists, aim to create their own identity by forming a style that is unique. However, the artists from Mawaheb are gifted with an untainted and unique view of the world around them, vividly
reflected in the beautiful art that they create in their studio.

Most people say that about the paintings done by innocent children as well. A lawyer friend of mine last month showed me some amazing paintings done by his two daughters during their playtime. I was so impressed by the vivid use of colours and wished I had spent time with Tash doing these kind of creative activities while she was younger. I hope its not too late for her to invest more than an hour she gets in art class at school after hours.

Mawaheb guys endeavour as an art studio to be self sustainable and all money raised will be invested back into the future development of the studio, which will in turn benefit their artists. If you do have time to drop into Art Sawa next week, I am sure you will be inspired. I have made up my mind to give up gym for one evening and drop by on the way home after work to see what these young generation of artists have come up with.

Oh Sydney!!!!!

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Amongst my top 3 cities to visit (after Paris and San Francisco) has to be Sydney. The Mediterranean climate, architecture, walks along the Sydney Harbour, the outdoor life and most of all the cool Pacific people just sometimes make me want to pack my bags and run there. This is aside from the fact that my daughters godmother is permanently based there and a quarter of my family members and friends from school are scattered all over the city – it is always a pleasure to catch up with them.

Sydney is where I aim to stop over everytime I go back home to Fiji. The city’s beauty provides immense indulgent pleasure just by being there and I reckon its because one can be unpretentious and just chill with whatever is most comfortable to each and its all cool. While I lived in KL, it was easy to get there via Singapore (They had the most comfortable flights at that time) although last month I went with Emirates and it was not too bad. (My daughter still raves about the Emirates A380 Business class cabin to whoever will stop and listen – she cant get over the fact that there is a place to lounge at the back while to me it looks like a glorified bar – I’d rather be horizontal on their nice seats watching ICE). But then she is ten times the diva that I am and appreciates the VIP Emirates hospitality and comfort based services a lot more than I do.

My daughter loves  Sydney as much as I do…the chocolates, the weather and the fact that even at the airport we can have a spa session together. We spent 2 hours in August at the airport spa waiting for our flight instead of the lounge. I recall a few years ago when we were cold and chilly walking down the streets near Sydney Harbour while she was giggling away because the temperature was different for her and she loved it. She couldn’t wipe the smile off her face as we took a cruise with the Sydney Opera House in view.

Australians love the sea….so if you are into watersports, you can consider yourself being in heaven with like minded individuals. The food is awesome and the city is vibrant in every way you can imagine. You just have to walk and get into the smaller streets off the beaten track to discover the true hidden gems.

Speaking of gems, no visit to Sydney is complete without buying Opals. Like diamonds and pearls, getting an exquisite pendant or opal earrings is awesome. My daughter has already told me she is inheriting all my opals….as long as she does not kill me early to get it, I guess I am cool with that.

If you are a shopaholic, markets in Sydney are awesome. Plus get to the area with the IMAX theatre (wish I could remember the name of the place)….it is superb for walks and people watching. If you have kids, get to Taronga Zoo and Sydney Aquarium and your kids would love you to bits. As for me…I shall stick to Bondi Beach, the Opera House and the boutiques 🙂

The Glitz & Glamour of Los Angeles

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The first time I went to Los Angeles was purely for my daughter’s sake heading straight to Disneyland on arrival – I’m not sure who enjoyed Disneyland more, the husband or the child. After that it was a lot more of a grown up holiday as I don’t particularly enjoy kids stuff and my last 2 trips to LA was on my own…must find my inner child for my daughter’s sake.

So what’s nice about Los Angeles…plenty actually. There’s endless fun stuff to do in every part of the city. Who doesn’t love Hollywood – one can walk on the footsteps of the legends and be inspired. Universal Studios and the Arts District are particularly great places to go. I cant remember much about Warner Brothers Studios or if we ever made it to the Palladium so will have to dig through my daughters photos to go down memory lane on that one.

Downtown is equally interesting with great cinemas, the music centre, museums etc. On one visit I was luckily to be there as the same time as AAM (American Association of Museums) conference so was able to do tours of all the museums in LA in the evenings as part of the event. Other than science centres, I did like the Torrance Cultural Arts Centre that has inspired me to one day have my very own Japanese Garden. I would love to see a performance at Walt Disney Concert Hall, Ahmanson Theatre or the LA Opera which I’m told shows Puccini’s Madame Butterfly.

I was never interested in the Madame Tussauds wax museum…prefer meeting real people although I did have a bit of fun in Vegas (check my pic with Whoopi Goldberg on twitter) when walking towards Venetia and I must say that coming across Johnny Depp on Fisherman’s Wharf San Francisco was nice…even though he was all waxed up :).

For evening drives in LA suburbs, my favourite places include Brentwood (my friends who live there describe it as paradise), Robertson Boulevard, Malibu, Santa Monica and San Fernando. I found the people at San Pedro dodgy because a few kept touching my skin as though it was the most exotic soft thing they’ve come across. After the fifth time, I jumped in the car and left the Maritime Museum to avoid the creepiness.

It was interesting to see that Mexicans were treated like God….everyone loved their food, clothes and culture etc. The South Americans were treated like dirt and as low class citizens…they were the maids, waiters, prostitutes and street sweepers. I was hoping I would pass off as a Mexican and be treated like a goddess 🙂 . Although I do love the Brazilians too and would love to go to Peru one day….my only 2 bucket list spots in that part of the world are Rio de Janeiro & Peru.

I was told most North Americans find that the presence of poor South American nationalities lead to increase in crime and prostitution that makes most North Americans look down on people from places like Uruguay, Argentina and Bolivia. Naturally I made sure the LA peeps knew I was an exotic Fijian so got treated like a diva instead.

I missed visiting the LA library which I’m told as a Literary MA student I should have made a priority. Apparently the building has Egyptian style architecture and has amazing literature books. If you love the hustle bustle, don’t miss the California Plaza, the Venice Ocean Front Walk and Griffith park. I didn’t have time to do much retail therapy because of trying to take it all in, driving from one place to another but I’m sure shopping in LA is a lot of fun. My friend and ex colleague Siew keeps harping about The Grove, Glendale galleria, Beverly Center and Montana Avenue – she’s a HOT LA model so she knows a thing or two about fashion. Must compare this with the fashion scene in Paris.

If you  are into cuisine and like pasta (my sister still makes fun of me wanting pasta in LA), Matteo’s Restaurant is an LA institution. I still cant imagine why she ridicules me on this as the pasta there was WOW! Anything Mexican is fabulous and I love the seafood at Kendall’s (this was introduced to me by a make up artist to the Hollywood stars and I was not disappointed). One day I will listen to her advise and actually stop at the Farmers Market for tapas and other world cuisine. Hopefully I will find a travel companion whose appetite for fine cuisine matches mine. Speaking of tapas, I must at some stage write about Spain.

Whatever the case, I feel that driving from one attraction is the best way to see LA – you can really spend time at venues that appeal to you without the worry of having to catch a tour or worrying about transport when exploring the suburbs.

San Diego Adventure

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I started September in the USA starting out from San Francisco to San Diego to Las Vegas to San Jose and finishing off again at San Francisco. Although I’ve been to California numerous times, this was my first venture into San Diego. Most resorts in San Diego are thankfully located on the world’s finest beaches (over seventy miles in fact stretching from Harbour Beach to the State Park in San Ysidro).

Personally, I had a wonderful experience and content at just being at the Paradise Point Resort sitting at breakfast looking at people getting off yachts, returning from deep sea fishing, kayaking and surfing, enjoying the sound of the waterfall next to my table and the sound of birds. The best part is that the resort is less than 5 minutes drive from the famous Sea World (check http://www.seaworld.com). I’m told that Knott’s Soak City and Belmont park are just as much fun as the Sea World.

I recall a few years ago we took my daughter and nephew to Disneyland in Los Angeles after a long drive from San Francisco….we contemplated going further to San Diego but there was way too much on the schedule to make it happen. I’m glad we didn’t because I feel to do justice to San Diego, you need a special trip focused only on this city to fully enjoy and appreciate all that it has to offer. My Californian sister said I should spend some time with my cousins in San Diego but I told her there was no way I was going to give up my adventure to get stuffed on home cooked Fijian food as I normally do. I had far more interesting company to make the journey exciting.

I am amazed at the number of academic centres and research institutions in San Diego….unbelievable. I hope my daughter decides to do her university there….what an amazing experience that would be with a world of opportunities at the doorstep for her to delve in…hopefully that will give me a chance to stay somewhere like Hillcrest (Hint!)

My most memorable time in San Diego has to be spending the day at Old Town, which is California’s birth place when in 1769, Father Junipeo Serra established 21 missions that became the cornerstone of California’s colonisation. On the nearby hill is the Heritage Park where Victorian looking houses have been authentically restored to its full splendour.

I thoroughly enjoyed the Mexican fiesta De Reyes with more nachos and salsa I’ve ever had while looking at traditional dancers entertaining the crowd plus a photo session that transports me back to the old times in a saloon, with guns and a dress that will particularly rock the senses out of my Y-chomosome friends .(Hence it will remain under lock and key until its cropped enough to make it safe for public consumption).

Driving along the city port in San Diego is an experience in itself. Looking at the USS Midway Museum with its collection of restored aircrafts is overwhelming….an equally adventurous friend took me to his favourite waterside restaurant to try calamari which was fine but we adored the dish at Paradise Point and San Clemente Pier a lot more on the drive to places like Laguna Beach, Newport and Balbao Island etc. I have the most beautiful art image from Laguna Beach – love it.

The coastal drive on historic Highway 101 was an unforgettable experience – from San Diego to La Jolla to Laguna Beach to Newport and finally to Balboa Park that is home to more than 15 museums. La Jolla was as breathtaking as I imagined and at Balboa, it was fun driving the car onto the ferry, getting across to the other side and sitting by the beach, watching people (I was chilly so we left quickly).

Anyone who knows me will tell you that I am a Spa junkie….and most Spas in California (Paradise Point, Aria at Las Vegas etc) carry the Pure Fiji line products so I was in heaven. Still have warm memories of my bath with rose petals and bath oil by Pure Fiji and how smooth my skin was for 3 days after…..like a baby according to my therapist at The Spa at the Fairmont!

I never made it to the San Diego Zoo, the Children’s Museums, Ultrazone for laser tag, the Palomar Observatory and Legoland cos of Vegas calling but have left it as something I would do with my charismatic daughter one day. She would love the Discovery, Air & Space, Surf and maritime Museum as well as the science centre while I cant wait to see the Auto museum, being the car junkie that I am.

Till then I have to work on convincing Tash that San Diego is the perfect place for her to do her higher studies and the fact that we can drive to LA …wish me luck – this kid has probably picked out her choice of university, course and apartment already being the diva that she is!

Rugby World Cup 2011

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While the Kiwis are gearing up for the much-anticipated Rugby World Cup 2011, the rugby fever in Fiji for the World Cup is equally festive and addictive. There seems to be talk of the big event in the Pacific in all shops, homes, playgrounds etc. (I have returned to the UAE with two official World Cup Rugby balls courtesy of Nadi’s Courts Mega Store who felt my reward for spending over FJD6,000/- for furniture with them entitled me to get nothing but the best I could take from Fiji). Naturally that meant something associated to rugby, the sea or crafts so here I am with two rugby balls I am meant to take to the World Cup for autographs from muscular, hunky, gorgeous, half naked men running around the field battling to get a trophy for their high levels of testosterones.

Mind you, in another context, going up to get an autograph from a hunky obliging dude would be absolutely fantastic but nothing would make me battle the crowds in a World Cup to do this. Afterall, I am on first name basis with rugby legend, Waisale Serevi – what more could a woman want in life???

Punters estimate that there would be about 4 million people venturing into New Zealand for the Rugby world Cup 2011. But from what I hear, this is not necessarily the only attraction our gorgeous Pacific Island has to offer. Alongside the World Cup will be another festival running from Sept 9 to Oct 23 bringing together a host of arts, culture, cuisine, history etc throughout the country.

Visitors will definitely be enthralled with the rich Maori culture, which is very similar to Fijian culture as well as the country’s sophisticated cuisine, wine and arts shows. My fondest memories of New Zealand is about yummy milk, chocolates, corned mutton (Best in the world) and their craft made from wood. One of my favourite pieces at home is a beautiful wooden tabletop oval clock from New Zealand that would always remain timeless no matter where I live and what deco I have in my house.

In Fiji, people are already talking about the World Cup with as much enthusiasm and vigour as they would about their annual festivals like the Hibiscus, sugar or Bula festivals where everyone gathers to have a good time.

Me, I will have my official World Cup rugby balls pumped up and ready for rugby players I deem worth my charming while perhaps at Dubai 7s. Afterall, this diva will not just settle for anyone who has got into the world cup – only ones who come close to the benchmark set by the likes of Serevi!

Ramadan in Fiji Islands ++

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This year I was lucky enough to catch the first few days of Ramadan in Fiji after 22 years of being abroad during this holy month. It was fun, overwhelming and a wonderful experience for a number of reasons.

My uncle, who is the President of  a Jamat in Fiji had invited us to dinner the night of the first tarawih. As soon as our family in New Zealand sighted the moon, the phone started ringing as my uncle’s house hosts the community for 30 days for iftar meals and tarawih prayers together with other members of the jamat. It was a comical sight as all mobiles kept ringing all around us for people to get news if Ramadan was the next day while half of us trying to manage 2 calls at a time with people we didn’t know.

All of the a sudden, there was a flurry of activity post dinner relating to decisions if we follow the Kiwi’s and start Ramadan the next day, preparing the area where people were going to break fast, where they were going to pray in congregation, my daughter insisting on doing her first proper fast, me freaking out about going hungry the entire day while running around hardware and furniture shops and the like to get my flat in order etc.

Ramadan in Fiji reminded me a lot about Ramadan in Malaysia where I lived for 9 years. There is an air of festive social atmosphere and I guess the reason I was more involved within the community in Fiji was because we went through a special period with loved ones around us. When I’m abroad, it’s not the same but still a very special experience with new insights, cultural uniqueness around the same activities etc.

I love the night life in UAE during Ramadan. During the day, we are too busy to notice the day go by but at night, its lights and activity in all parts of the city. I love spending evenings with my two special friends, Rajah and Maissa who make Ramadan in the UAE that much more special. I asked my daughter what she liked most about Ramadan and she replied “having condense milk with soft yummy roti at dawn + praying in a group with other kids (she is an only child)’.

I must say that sitting here now in Sydney Australia, I feel like I’m leaving one home to go to another. My ex classmate Aiyaz is screaming at me for not having iftar in Preston at his house tonight but I have promised to spend some time with him and his family on my next trip. I would have loved to spend another day here so my daughter could have stayed with Amira, my very special Lebanese Australian university mate who also happens to be my daughters guardian.

There are plenty more Ramadan days to go – while I may not be able to commit myself to a life of a recluse the last 10 days, I sure hope to become more calm and spiritual this month. With the drama I normally go through day to day, wish me luck. I certainly need the life of a hermit to detox and get my chakras aligned in more ways than one!

I hope this Ramadan is a blessed one for Muslims all around the world. Ramadan Kareem.

Fiji – the way the world should be

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Natasha performing a 'meke' at her school's cultural day

Its been eons since I last blogged about the magical and mystical Fiji on my facebook notes and this my first bit on Fiji on wordpress. While I’m packing for Fiji and Sydney, a few of the Emirati families I know are returning from Fiji after 18 days in paradise. When I hear them talk about the exoticness and uniqueness of the Coral Coast where I was born, the Blue Lagoon Cruises and the fact they keep going back, I realise that I’ve only been to a fraction of the 332 islands that make up our nation.

As a child, I was fascinated and enchanted by the beauty of Rotumans. I wanted to go there as a teenager to get myself a Rotuman husband because to date, I find they have the best looking men on earth. I wanted to taste the red prawns of Vatulele which I did and dive the Astrollabe Reef instead of spanning the Sigatoka river for ‘kai’. Na kai is possibly the tastiest shellfish I’ve ever tasted in my life and I guess Fijian cuisine has its own taste because everything is fresh, organic and people go to the markets for fresh produce everyday as apposed to depending on processed food to save time.

Then there is the artesian Fiji water which has scientifically been proven to keep one’s skin young and healthy with its high levels of natural silica. Thanks to Hollywood celebrities giving up botox injections and turning to Fiji Water for eternal youth, our small nation is now one of the most famous brands associated with folks who will settle for nothing but the best.

Someone once described Fiji as a place where you experience the “exhilaration of a dolphin arching high into the air, the gliding swoop of an orange dove through the rainforest and children performing in unison to the beat of a hollow log drum. Its where one can sizzle with the evening’s entertainment, murmur with the quiet calm of pristine nature, swim with huge harmless manta rays or have an adrenaline rush at ‘Cloud Breaker’, the incredible wave offshore Tavarua that draws surfers from around the world. Fiji is where you can float in the calm turquoise lagoon privately, walk through lush rainforests, where flowers are tucked in the hair not to impress tourists but because it makes us feel at one with nature, where the sun shines everyday and when it does rain, people rush out to the brief downpour for a warm tropical rainbath shower which ends as quickly as it began.”

Its still fascinating when I go home to see people gather around in my living room in the evenings having a bowl of kava with my dad – I never seem to have the luxury of time the way people in Fiji do or enjoy life to the max in true Fijian style all the time. I miss waking up at home to the view of the sea in shape of a boat, looking out to the sandhills of Nadroga from my bedroom window, picking mangoes, oranges and passion fruit in the forest 2 minutes walk from my house or gazing at the Sigatoka town from my kitchen looking for excuses to go for a milkshake on the promenade.

In between decorating my new holiday home, thanks to my very generous sibling who gave it to me as a gift, this time I look forward to day trips on deserted islands with no form of digital technology, to a Blue Lagoon  or Starlight Dinner cruise and walk through the Garden of the Sleeping Giant. I hope to snorkel at Treasure Island or Vomo, vegetate on a hammock with a cocktail in my hand and I am insisting on the little umbrella.

To the wild world seeped in negativity, deception, recession, heartbreak and sadness, I strongly suggest taking a walk in our paradise. It helps and you will emerge a brand new better person at the end of it!