New Zealand

New Zealand is one of my favorite places in the entire world … particularly the southern Island city of Queenstown.

This is the world’s adventure capital and I just love the place!

When I first traveled there in 1992, I visited AJ Hackett’s bridge, where bungee jumping started … but wasn’t brave enough to jump. I decided that IF I ever returned, I would jump. And on my 33rd birthday, I returned with my wife to Queenstown and fulfilled that promise. I hopped out of the bus, ran to the bridge and was first to jump … I did NOT want to watch others jump first.

Here I am before the jump:

During the jump!

Went skiing in the Remarkables and at Coronet Peak:

And then, went on a Shotover Jet ride (a really fast boat that drives perilously close to rocks in the canyon)!

There are so many fun things to do in New Zealand … can’t wait to go back!

 

Solomon Islands

Country Information:  The tropical Solomon Islands temperatures are wet and warm year-round. The name comes from King Solomon de Mendana, the nephew of a former Peruvian governor. About 700,000 people live here. The islands gained independence in 1978 from Britain and...

Seychelles

Spectacular beach at Kempinski Hotel on Mahe, 2019 Country Information: Seychelles is an archipelago of 115 islands in the Indian Ocean just off of the east coast of Africa. The Seychelles is a biodiverse area and serves as the home for a few rare species, such as the...

São Tomé and Príncipe

Typical streetscape in São Tomé Country Information: São Tomé and Príncipe is a volcanic chain close to the equator off the coast of western Africa.. The capital is São Tomé and the country’s population is about 250,000 people. The primary language is Portuguese, and...