FIJI… who said Paradise?

In one word? Impossible…

Fiji is the real paradise… 336 islands in the middle of the Pacific Ocean, one of that places to be once in your life, a place to be in your personal list of the “100 things to do before I die!”.

Fijian are SO NICE... Always smiling, dancing, singing, helping… they really know how to enjoy life and you understand how as soon as landing in Nadi, the mainland.

The smell of the nature, the green of the palm trees and the forests together with the amazing light and dark blue of the water … and of course the bright white of the sand…. A perfect mix to make you feel staying inside a postcard!

But this is not a piece of paper, this is reality!

Snorkeling among hundreds of fully colored fishes, blue star fishes, amazing shells and reaching a white sandy line right in the middle of the Ocean, just reachable swimming and sailing. Look around you: in 360º… just crystal water!

Of course there is also time for a good surfing day: yes, also in Fiji there are good spots and good waves to catch, easy going like the lifestyle of the Fijian.

And fire-bones in the night, right on the beach, together with people from all over the World,

united to celebrate another great day in this paradise!

A place to be, a play to enjoy, a place I will remember forever!

BULA!

New Zealand is awesome, mate!

After more than 3 weeks driving about 5.000 km, I can almost sat that I have visited quite a lot of this natural paradise called New Zealand.

Starting from Auckland, the most modern city of the Country, with its impressive sky tower,

the magic old style barrios, the harbour full of big sailing boats, the big glass window buildings and the multi-cultural mix with a touch of Maori culture.

The Northland and Cape Reinga, with the conjunction of the Tasman Sea with the Pacific Ocean, an explosion of water and waves all together in just one peace of the outstanding view…

Rotorua and the geisers, natural pools of hot waters and gas that are constantly coming out from the ground creating strange sounds and clouds. Be aware and don’t touch the ground or you will get burned!!!

Wellington is called the windy-Welly.. And you will soon understand why… the wind blows constantly and this is one of the reasons why the sky is always so blue. It is worthy enough a ride on the typical red cable-car to reach the top of the hill and reaching the botanic garden from where there is a fantastic way back to the center just among fully colored flowers.

Than you can also experience a 3,5h ferry trip to cross the sea and to reach the South Island. The view is absolutely fantastic and the pictures are assured… it is like crossing a fiord-land... Impressive!

The South is colder than the North, but worth enough to see the magic views and surroundings.

Kaikoura, on the East Coast is a little fishing town from where there is a high chance to view the whales and the dolphins, but for sure you will see a lot of seals just chilling at the sun, in their natural habitat.

Nelson is the sunniest town of the Country, and really is like that. Just chilling out, having a walking tour of the center, having a wine tasting in one the famous wineries of the area and you will feel like flying!

Nothing better than experience a view at just 80m from a glacier, both in Franz Joseph and Fox Glaciers, where the ice becomes blue and the lakes and little rivers get a color that seems like painted from a Pantone color….

Queenstown, the Cortina of NZ… a jewel surrounded by mountains and a fantastic blue lake, where it is possible to practice a lot of extreme activities like sky diving, bungy-jumping, paragliding, canyoning, jet boat… and whatever you wanna do! Or simply wear a pair of comfortable shoe and hike up the mountain in on the different walks around the town. The view is payless!!

After driving through the middle of the island and having a dream while viewing magic light blue lakes and rivers, finally you reach Christchurch… a surprisingly fabulous city which really has kept the English colonization style. The old tram rides slowly across the center, while the weekend market is a good place where to stop by and have something to eat, chilling in the green yard of the old Canterbury University, now intelligently transformed in a good art center where you can spend half a day just looking inside the different boots.

And what a night life! In an industrial reformed area, there is the best sport for night life called the Sol Plaza… very nice restaurants and bars and a lot of people just hanging around and enjoying the late hours.

…the trip is finished… it is time to say goodbye to my friends. After 3 weeks travelling together, 24h a day.. Drinking, eating, sightseeing, sleeping, walking, driving… but most of all after having a great time and laughing a lot!

It has been a great experience that I will never forget in my life! Thanks to all the people that I have met on my way, I have learned a lot from all of you!

NZ Queenstown, where the sports is REALLY extreme!

After several km driving up and down the mountains, viewing sceneries absolutely breathtaking… I have reached also the beautiful little town of Queenstown, a jewel surrounded by mountains and a light blue lake.

I have finally decided that I had to have an extreme experience and of course this had to be THE PLACE TO BE!! So I have chosen to….. FLY… and I have gone with one of the most expert guide to do paragliding, you know that kind of parachute that allows you to run down a mountain and literally fly in tandem, just hanged in front of the guide and just with a couple of cords that are supporting you in the air.

I didn’t even have words to explain my feeling when suddenly my legs where suspended in the air, I was not touching the ground any more and I felt absolutely FREE… not scary at all, I was absolutely calm and just enjoying every single cm of that fantastic view from the top at 360º around myself.

What a strange feeling! And the guide was taking pictures, videos and …also doing some tricks to let the experience be even more excited! It has been awesome and something that I will never forget in my life!

NZ from North to South

If you have visited already the North and you think that it is amazing… when you go on the ferry from Wellington to Picton… you feel like in paradise.

The nature is giving you a very special present, cruising among the Tasman Sea and the Pacific Ocean you have a 360º view with mountains and glaciers, green of the hills the go directly into the water and the always blue sky with always cotton-white clouds.

But then, arriving to the coast of the South Island… is even better and the scenery that you have in front of you is amazing. I didn’t really think that such a natural place could still exist on Planet Earth! And the feeling of freedom and happiness is elevated to the maximum power.

In a lucky day, you can even watch the whales and the dolphins jumping out of the water and for sure you will see a lot of seals warming up at the sun. You will feel the light wind blowing from the mountains and of course some of the 40 million sheep eating their portion of grass together with the nice cows!

Everything is a mix and match of colors and sensations: just lay down, open your eyes and feel that beat that you will never forget!