Holiday reading: Hawaii for Dummies

It seems some people clearly need instructions for lying by the pool! This guy is reading Hawaii for Dummies. LOL! It goes something like this: take towel from hot towel guy, lay it on sun chair (nearest pool steps is preferable), sit down and beckon hot pool girl to bring drink with umbrella in. Repeat tomorrow.

And if you need any more tips on great things to do in Waikiki, here’s a few of my suggestions:

1. Take the trolley all the way down the main drag (Kalakaua Ave) to Ala Moana Shopping Centre when you need to get out of the midday heat. This is an excellent and HUGE mall with really posh shops and run-of-the-mill ones, enormous food hall, cinema and bars.

2. Get along to the International Marketplace on Kalakaua Ave to ferret for souvenirs, jewellery, sun dresses, weird gimmicks…

3. Go to a Hawaii College football game at Aloha Stadium and watch the cheerleaders (oh, and the game) whilst eating hotdogs in the stands.

4. Walk along the beach and sit under the banyan tree at the majestic Moana-Surfrider hotel and people-watch over a nice cold beer.

5. Eat at Cheeseburger in Paradise for greasy burgers and fries (go on, you’re on holiday!)

6. Take the kids (or just yourself) to Honolulu Zoo right down by Diamond Head. Wander the extensive grounds or take a picnic on a Wednesday for the 6pm concert.

7. Dine at Roy’s on Waikiki Beachwalk for a bit of fine dining on “Hawaiian fusion cuisine”.

8. When in Hawaii you really must surf. Get a lesson or rent a longboard and head out into the waves. The latest craze actually seems easier though – punting on your longboard (not that I tried it!)

9. Pretend you’re ex-miltary and have dinner at Hale Koa Hotel – exclusively for US Military and right on the beach (down near Hilton Village). RSA prices on beer and cheap dinners. (Actually if you arrive and say you’re visiting, the manager will most likely “sponsor” you in.)

10. Swim in this man-made lagoon down at the Diamond Head end of Waikiki in front of Resort-Quest Waikiki. It’s not very crowded and the waves are blocked by this wall.

Over the years I’ve had luggage get ruined, as you do. Mostly fabric bags which would be ripped by heaven-knows-what. I truly think some baggage handlers must carry ice picks to slash and pull lugagge out of planes.

I bought my first hard-shell suitcase about 3 years ago in Kuala Lumpur with a TSA lock for secure travel around the world lest someone Schappelle Corby me. This one though had a key lock and lo, MAF here in New Zealand was inspecting my bag in my absence (a lost luggage story you don’t want to know about!) and they snapped the key in the lock. My only key. Fortunately for me they took full responsibility and replaced the bag. It was deemed that the Antler Flyweight suitcase was the closest fit and that is now my bag of choice. In fact, I’m so enamored by Antler lugagge, that I’ve convinced them to let me sell it!

So here’s why I love Antler (and some links to independent reviews too!)

Three sizes in the Flyweight

My bag is the Flyweight. It has 4 swivel wheels for easy peasy gliding through airports and hotel lobbies and weighs only 4kg (medium size) so less chance of paying for overweight luggage. It has a combination TSA lock so there’s no risk of snapping or losing keys. The shell is a high-tech ABS material which is practically crack-proof, but is somehow remarkably malleable for when I over shop and need to stuff all manner of purchases into it! It opens in two halves, so I use this for dividing my lighter weather gear and warmer gear, and a zipped in mesh bag secures one side of luggage. Love love. Have a look here at the prices and sizes. I can do free shipping in New Zealand and you’ll have it on your doorstep in 3 working days (or faster actually).

The fancy pants Liquis

Liquis is the top of the range and up there with Samsonite in quality and price. It comes with all of the above but is made with sturdier PC (poly carbonate) material. It’s also amazingly light – only 3kg for the medium size. Have a look here at this independent review from The Vacation Gals >>>

So if you want to check out the prices, jump here to the new retail section. I’m pretty sure you won’t find cheaper! Blogger at Large Products >>>

I have been travel writing and taking my own photos which are published with my stories in magazines, newspapers and websites around the world for 12 years. I have over 20,000 photos on my laptop – far too many to be safe! But I’m a keen amateur and have learnt a trick or two over the years.

Here are my top tips for taking great photos:

The magic hour: sunset in Russell, NZ

1. Time of day. The hour before sunset and after sunrise lights up even the most boring landscape with unbelievable colour. It’s also known as Magic Hour. Experiment at both ends of the day. Personally I love the sunset hour (and not just because I’m not a morning person!) Sand will become golden, white-out brightness will be gone, leaves on trees will pop. Wherever you are, grab your camera and hit the streets, the beach, the hills and snap till your memory card is full.

Colour in Freycinet Bay, Tasmania

2. Use bold and bright colours. This is especially good if the background is fairly monotous – like the ocean or a grey day. This kayak, for example, works so well because it’s bright yellow. And use your zoom. I’m all about the zoom. I just bought a new camera (Panasonic Lumix FZ40) with a 25x zoom. I find the ability to zoom is more important than how many mega pixels you have. On a boring street you might catch a poster in a window or a brightly painted door.

Fortress detail: Oman

3. Try new angles. We’ve all taken photos of landmarks using a wide angle and placing the object smack in the centre. Try being a little creative. Lie on the ground and shoot up the structure to the sky, tilt the camera so the shot is angled, zoom in on a small feature of cornice work. Crouch down and get the road in the forefront of a building or the shells on a beach.

Horizon line and scale: Ninety Mile Beach, NZ

4. Positioning the object. The usual rule of thumb is to put your horizon about one-third from the top. Don’t chop the frame in half with a horizon line. Also, try focusing on your object – whether it be a person, animal or building – then shifting the camera so they are now to the left or right of the frame.

Reflections: Club Med Mauritius

5. Look around you. Be observant. Look for the unsual – a pair of undies hanging on a washing line out of an apartment window against a background of neon signs, as is often seen in Hong Kong. A cat curled up beside a bicycle; reflections in water or even in glass sky scrapers can make amazing shots.

6. Children and animals. The reason I bought my latest camera was so I could zoom in ridiculously close to take pics of wildlife. But they’ll never look great unless that animal is making eye contact back at you. Compare these two…

Compare these 2 shots of the same lion

You need to be patient and quite possibly make a dick of yourself trying to get its attention, but you’ll be rewarded when you do. A child is never as cute as when she looks straight down the lens. But also keep this in mind for crowd shots. It’s so easy to take pics of busy streetscapes only to get home and realise the crowd all seems to be walking away from you. Make sure you wait until you get some faces not backs of heads.

Leaning against a lamp post: Dusk in Pasadena

7. Night photography. Buy one of those tiny tripods that you can slip into your handbag and try some night photography. If I don’t have my tripod handy, I lean my camera on something solid like a lamppost or fence railing. Even the most basic of digital cameras will have settings to capture the mood of night lights and traffic.

8. Scale. It’s tempting when on a perfect idyllic island, for example, to just take photos of the scenery, but adding people in your shot adds perspective and a bit of movement and life. Also, if you’re in front of a massive building or tree (aka Tane Mahuta) you’ll need people in there just to show the sheer magnificence.

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Firstly, you need to know that travel editors get inundated with emails from people who have had a wonderful holiday and want to write a story about it. Often these people are egged on by their friends (and their mother) who have oooh’d and ahhh’d at their hilarious adventures via Facebook and told them they should write it for the newspaper. But writing witty status updates vs writing a feature story that an editor will want to publish are verrrry different beasts.

So here’s where to start:

1. It’s all about the hook. That 1st paragraph is crucial. I like to try and start in the middle of some action – preferably a drama of sorts!

2. Draw the reader into the story with personal anecdotes or quotes from characters you meet. Go off the beaten track and explore your destination so you have something unique to tell.

3. Take notes on your travels, write down direct quotes, descriptions of the surroundings, sounds, smells, textures so when you get home you can recreate that event/moment.

4. Don’t try to cover too much – you may only have 600 words to entertain, inform and enthrall. A story based on one incident will be more interesting than a whole trip glossed over lightly.

5. Don’t expect to get rich! In fact, expect to write for free to get started. Try approaching blogs, websites, local newspapers.

6. Finally, don’t give up. Be friendly and ask for feedback from an editor if your stories are declined, as this will be helpful to know where you went wrong.

Good luck!

They include a range of designer hotels, from luxury boutique hotels with all-black walls and bedside copies of the Karma Sutra to hotels with 007 suites for those who like their liasons dangerous and their luxury stays lusty.

Andaz

Andaz San Diego, San Diego, California, USA
Can a suite really be stylish with a stripper’s pole at its centre? We think so. It is all about how you present it.

Crazy Bear

Crazy Bear Hotel, Beaconsfield, UK
This is where English eccentricity meets s-excess and it works.

Fleming House, Goldeneye, Jamaica
Make like 007 in this house built on a cliff, overlooking a beach and designed by Ian Fleming himself.

Hotel Amour

Hotel Amour, Paris, France
Who could resister a hotel called ‘love’, especially when it is in Paris?

Hotel Sezz, Paris, France
There is no denying this is a devil’s lair ripe for raw seduction.

Maison Moschino, Milan
Who’s been sleeping in my bed? Fairytale fantasies take flight in this hotel where beds are dressed as ballgowns and even a Little Red Riding Hood has her wolf tucked up in bed.

Night, New York

Night New York, New York, USA
Black is always sexy right? The nearly-all-black Night New York hotel, in the heart of Midtown Manhattan, was inspired by the ‘pulse and passion of Gotham after dark’. Sounds promising.

The Library Hotel, New York, USA
A hotel which bases itself on books may not seem that sexy (hey, didn’t you know the mind is the real erogenous zone?) but wait until you see the books….

The Palms

The Palms, Las Vegas, USA
Hugh-Hefner inspired dreams, come true at The Palms – for a price.

Seven

The Seven Hotel, Paris, France
Floating beds, starry ceilings, mood lights, the 007 suite ..so many reasons to include this one ..

For more information and websites for each hotel, jump to The Luxury Travel Bible story.

If you need some Brownie points or just want a romantic weekend away, here are five of New Zealand’s stunning hotels, B&Bs and resorts that you may not have heard about.

Elegant Valentine luxury

Price $450 twin share. This deal is available until 31st August 2011.

Free-falling Valentine

Price $1570, twin share. Valid 12 Feb – 20th March 2011

Action-packed Valentine

Price from $689 per person per night. Minimum two night stay.

Fly Me Valentine

Price $800 per person inclusive. Valid until 28th February 2011.

Sublime mountain-top Valentine

Modern Release Private Retreat in Wanaka is architecturally designed to command panoramic views of Lake Wanaka, Treble Cone and the rugged peaks of Mt. Aspiring. This is a cutting edge masterpiece of eco-friendly design flooded with natural light and filled with unique and contemporary New Zealand designed furniture, artwork and sculptures from local emerging artists.

Pic from Flickr: mjb84

West Edmonton Mall, Alberta, Canada. This colossal mall occupies 350,000 square metres with 800 stores, and employs more than 23,000 people. It’s carpark can hold 20,000 vehicles and 28.2 million visitors come browsing every  year. It also has an amusement park which is probably the perfect nanny while mum can try on pretty little frocks.

Pic from Flickr: elif ayse

Cevahir Shopping Centre, Istanbul, Turkey. Opened in 2005 this is the biggest shopping mall in Europe and the 7th largest in the world at 348,000 square metres with business, retail and 3 skyscrapers soaring up 40 and 48 floors.

Berjaya Times Square, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. The up floor space is about 7.5 million square feet and the mall within is stretched over 320,000 square metres. You’ll spend a few hours browsing the 1,000 retail shops, 1200 posh service suites, dining at 65 food outlets and when you’re finished that you can play in Asia’s largest indoor theme park, Cosmos’s World and Malaysia’s first IMAX 2D and 3D theatre.

Dream Mall, Taiwan. This is the largest shopping mall in the Philippines, sprawling over 407.101 square metres. It is home to the first ever IMAX theatre in the country and boasts the first ever Olympic-size ice skating rink in the Philippines.

Well this time I decided not to step foot inside the National Art Gallery or the iconic Air and Space Museum, or even my fave – the Natural History Museum. Instead I asked a local for 5 off-the-beaten-track things about DC and here’s what she suggested:

Medieval torture device used for nagging wives

1. Visit the Crime and Punishment Museum. Being a bit of a cops n robbers girl, this – the newest museum to open – was right up my alley. I walked in and mass murderer Ted Bundy’s VW Beetle was parked in the foyer, the passenger seat removed just as he had it when he restrained his victims. Uggh. It was VERY in-your-face. We walked on past the medieval forms of punishment like these wooden stocks for such crimes as being a nagging wife. The car riddled with bullet holes from the movie Bonnie and Clyde is here along with all sorts of photos of mafia crime bosses and their punishments. This is also where America’s Most Wanted is filmed. A fascinating attraction for crime boffins.

My companion at the Monaco

2. Happy Hour at the Monaco Hotel. This is a Kimpton hotel and as such they have a FREE happy hour every night from 5pm to 6pm for all guests. I stayed here too, so not only did I partake in as many tipples as I could get away with in the space of an hour, but I requested a goldfish for my room. No, I’m not a high maintenance movie star – the Monaco has them in glass bowls ready to be distributed to rooms upon request. They have names too. When I got back from dinner Haile Selassie was waiting. Not the imperial rastafarian leader of Ethiopia but my personal goldfish.

3. Hillwood Museum. This is a little heralded museum estate with stunning gardens and the biggest collection of Russian Imperial art outside of Russia. And the best thing? No one’s here! If Faberge eggs are your thing, you’ll love this place. It belonged to one Marjorie Merriweather Post, heiress to the Post cereal empire. She married 3 times and with her 2nd husband the company became General Foods. She is known as one of America’s first businesswomen, she was an art collector, noted philanthropist, and socialite. Her 3rd husband took her to Russia – hence the Faberge eggs. She gifted the 25-acre Hillwood Estate and Gardens as a public museum on her death.

4. Until you’ve visited Ben’s Chili Bowl, you haven’t visited DC, is what the locals say. For a chili dog that’s good enough for the president, head to Ben’s Chili Bowl at 1213 U St, NW. Ben’s has been here for 50 years but the area is considered up and coming. Check out their website for video of President Obama downing a chili dog and shaking hands with his adoring public. A sign on the wall reads: no free food less you’re one of the Obamas or Bill Cosby. Their signature dish is Bill Cosby’s Original Chili Half-Smoke for $5.45 originally made by Ben in 1958 – half pork half beef smoked sausage on a warm bun topped with mustard, onions and their iconic homemade chili sauce.

5. Assuming you’ll do the monuments by night (and if you weren’t planning to you really must for #5. They are floodlit and this is the probably the best way to see such icons as the Lincoln Memorial). But if you’ve done that, then head to Georgetown and dine (or just have a drink) at Sequoia. (It’s happy hour every week day from 4pm – 7pm) and views down the Potomac river at night are brilliant.

Now for the hot deal: If you’re reading this in New Zealand and Washington DC is on your agenda, then jump here to United Travel for special deals on flights to the USA. This is just a snippet so give them a call and ask them to work out some hotel magic for you too!

Hawkes Bay is my childhood stomping ground, and Havelock North is a little village that punches above its weight for eating, drinking and being generally merry. Here’s my list of the places I try and get to each time I visit:

Black Barn Growers Market

This vineyard and restaurant on the slopes of Te Mata Peak has a number of really great events including open air cinema in the summer in their amphitheatre where you can take a picnic and drink their award-winning wines in a civilised manner whilst nibbling on your chicken wings and coronation salad, and the now famous Grower’s Market which also runs on Saturday mornings through summer.

It’s set out in a circle under the giant plane trees with canvas awnings – kinda like an olde worlde market. All you need is a chook running round as you browse the locally produced oils, relishes, veges and wine with a hot espresso.

www.blackbarn.com

Coffee at Cuccini

There are a few cafes in the little village of Havelock North, but I like Cuccini for its brunches and coffee as well as outdoor seating under the vines that are just beginning to stretch along the footpath. A great spot to people-watch and plan your next move.

9 Middle Road

Strawberry Patch

People travel from far and wide just to visit the Strawberry Patch between mid-October and mid-March. They make strawberry ice cream and low fat frozen yoghurt on site and from late November you can either pick your own berries by the bucket load or buy them already picked.

Pull in under the 120-year old oak trees with your own picnic lunch to eat on their wooden tables, then line up for a snow freeze treat.

www.strawberrypatch.co.nz

Lunch at Te Mata Cheese Company

Driving past Black Barn on Te Mata Road you reach the T-junction to take you to the river or out to the beach. But right on the corner is the Te Mata Cheese Company where you can taste the many cheeses made on site, order a platter for lunch and sit outside under umbrellas, or take a wedge home for happy hour. Oh and the Te Mata Creamy Blue was awarded Champion Blue Cheese at the 2009 national Cheese Awards.

393 Te Mata Road
www.tematacheese.co.nz

Pizza at Pipi

This bright pink building is hard to miss on Joll Road, but whatever you do, don’t miss it. It’s open from 4pm till 10pm every night and is the closest thing to a real fair dinkum Italian experience you’ll find in these parts. You help yourself to beer and soft drinks from the old fashioned fridge and they just add up the empties.

The pizza bases are so popular that they are sold separately in the local supermarket under, the Poesy label, to replicate the taste at home. But nothing can replicate the experience with mismatched furniture and candles burning, music playing. It’s a popular spot, but worth waiting for a table as their pizza and pasta is delicious.

www.pipicafe.co.nz

Dinner at Craggy Range

The poshest spot in Havelock North would have to be Craggy Range. This stunning vineyard restaurant and tasting room sits right behind Te Mata Peak (great views from the peak over it) and alongside the Tuki Tuki River.

Its restaurant, Terroir, is on the pricey side but if it’s a special night, then hey – you’re worth it. During the winter you can enjoy the enormous fire places or if it’s one of those perfect Hawkes Bay days, then lunch outside on the terrace is fab.
www.craggyrange.com

For more info on Havelock North, click onto www.villageinfo.co.nz.