TripAdvisor

"There's no stopping me honey, so you can take my hand,
We can lay on the beach and count grains of sand,
Or take a plane to Japan, and drink saki with mafia,
Fly to Libya for some Bacardi with Gadafi a
Dinner date, followed by a funk show, (uhh,)
We'll rip off our tops and jump around in the front row." - Hilltop Hoods Nosebleed Section

There’s nothing like the occasional email from Trip advisor, flattering you that your opinion matters- to remind you that you’re actually having a bloody good time, and it’s very possible that you’re just a little bit spoilt.

While I’ve been counting down the days to getting home for a week in NZ with my darling wife…I’ve also been flitting about the islands like a some sort of social butterfly. From the retreat at Aggies a fortnight ago, to Manono Island last weekend, to ocean kayaking on Monday this week, with half a dozen dinner invitations in between…frankly, that would have been a years worth of outings at home.

Another ex VSA volunteer hooked me up with an Ocean Kayak “day out” this week. One of the local operators was filming promotional materials, and needed bodies to fill the fun-boats. I didn’t need to be asked twice to take up what would normally cost a weeks wages, for free…and so spent I much of Monday gliding across still aquamarine waters- watching turtles, reef sharks and fish aplenty. The weather wasn’t golden- in fact it was a bit blowy and overcast, but that just added to the adventure. A little bit of swell now and then to vary the mirror like lagoon. A fresh fruit and salad lunch beneath a tree on the beach, out of the drizzle - a hot afternoon tea on return (deep fried banana donuts and sweet coffee)…and frankly, it the kind of complete and satisfying day to which I had little right, having woken up with a Vailima frosting on my consciousness...

The volunteer/expat community here is pretty cool- even for the socially inadept such as myself. In fact especially for us- because most of these people have departed “normal lives”, to do something new and adventurous, and many of them have made significant sacrifices simply to be here. The chance to actually enjoy it all could easily slip away. While I miss my family - you can be lonely, but there’s no excuse to be alone. I can be sharing lunch, dinner, or tourist type experiences at the drop of a hat, providing I have the nouse to accept every fair invitation which comes my way. If I’ve learned anything at all from the parable of walking the home and back each day- it’s that if you don’t accept the occasional invitation of a lift, eventually the offers will wane.

Anyway, while I try to remain immune to Trip Advisor's unsubtle flattery (just 4 more reviews and I too could be a senior advisor? "I wrote it and they love it"...oooh, stoppit...)

I guess I’m not above taking a sec to let someone else know the places I’ve enjoyed- to share the luff….http://www.tripadvisor.com/