I’m Going on a Trip Around the World & Getting $50,000!

I’m going on a trip around the world and getting $50,000!

Well, with your help! Please vote at http://www.mydestination.com/users/lesley/bbb#tab

Here’s my video submission:

Let me know if you’ve voted and I’ll reach out to your blog as a thank you.

Happy clicking!

Here’s how the voting works: click the link above, scroll down to the video, click the links next to the video, and send me around the world! It’s that simple. The more buttons you click next to the video, the more votes I get.

Darren and I created a “green screen” to include me in the video and I compiled some of my favorite footage from Fiji. Enjoy and don’t forget to vote and share with your friends.

“The purpose of life, after all, is to live it, to taste experience to the utmost, to reach out eagerly and without fear for newer and richer experiences.”

- Eleanor Roosevelt

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Faces of Fiji

Fijians are known worldwide as the friendliest people, and I’d rate their friendliness as the number one impression I was left with during my visit. From children to elders, the beautiful spirit of the Fijian people shines as bright as the sun that they are blessed with. The most common Fijian word you hear will be Bula (pronounced as”Boo-lah”). This is the Fijian way of saying “Hello”. Whether they are singing, dancing or welcoming you to their home, the people of Fiji will do everything they can to make you feel relaxed, welcome, and awed by the beauty of their islands and their hearts.

Meet my new friends and family in Fiji…

Favorite Photos of Fiji – What’s Your Idea of Paradise?

Fiji was the most beautiful, pristine paradise that I’ve seen in the 35 countries that I’ve visited. It has azure blue waters, lushes green rain forests, and golden sunsets. Every photo looked like a picture from a magazine even if it was from an amateur photographer like me.  Below are my favorites; each one for a different reason. On a cold December night, I’m dreaming of a white sand beach just like the ones I roamed in Fiji. Which one stands out to you? Share your thoughts.

My Fijian Dream – Accommodations

A wonderful aspect of visiting Fiji is the variety of accommodations that match the diverse needs of travelers. Whether you’re looking for luxury or budget, adventure or relaxation, family-friendly or adult-only, you can find it all in Fiji. Matangi Private Island Resort offers royal luxury in an adult setting. Garden Island Resort is littered with lusciousness and comfort; Castaway Island, Fiji is a dreamland with white sand beaches, vibrant coral reefs, and crystal clear waters; Outrigger on the Lagoon perfectly blends family focus with the option for an adult retreat; and Uprising Beach Resort is at the heart of adventure and mixes affordability with extravagance. Discover Fiji through its varied beauty and accommodations.

Continue reading…..

I Didn’t Think it Could Get Better…. Then There was More

10 days in Fiji already sounds like a dream. Add on whitewater rafting, snorkeling, riding on a catamaran and a jet boat, ziplining, hiking to two waterfalls, visiting 5 resorts and a village, and driving buggies and it starts to sound like The Amazing Race. Just when I thought it was physically impossible to add any more to our itinerary, we decided, on our last day in Fiji, to take the plunge and jump from an airplane with Skydive Fiji.

Which Picture is Your Favorite? The Uprising Beach Resort

With traditional Fijian style bures, luscious gardens, endless beach views, flowers everywhere, and a sparkling blue pool, Uprising Resort, Fiji has endless photo opportunities.

I couldn’t choose my favorite so I’m leaving it up to you. Which picture do you like the most? Which one makes you want to be in Fiji right now? Which one would you like to have as your Facebook cover photo with you as the center piece?

Share your thoughts and comments.

Everything I Dreamed of Finding in Fiji: Castaway Island

Castaway Island, Fiji embodies the heart and soul of Fiji. Close your eyes and envision what you think Fiji is like. Now, multiply all the beauty you just envisioned by a thousand and that’s Castaway Island, Fiji. The island’s 174 acres are covered in lush tropical rainforest and surrounded by white sand beaches with vibrant coral reefs and crystal clear azure waters. Add spacious, traditionally thatched Fijian style bures, numerous beachfront activities, and heart-warming hospitality, and you’ve found Castaway Island, Fiji.

Snorkeling at Castaway Island, Fiji

It’s obvious from my whale shark experience at the Georgia Aquarium that I have a great fear of encounters with marine life. When I can overcome that fear, I see it as one of the most naturally beautiful events that humans can experience. Today, at Castaway Island in Fiji, I was able to see past the fear and enjoy a unique encounter.

Island Time in Fiji

Fiji is a Utopia where you can do it all or do nothing at all and have the experience of a lifetime. But… I chose the do it all path and I’m quite successful. Today, I departed Matangi Private Island Resort, trekked through Bouma Waterfalls, stood on the international dateline, and arrived at Garden Island Resort. My legs are tired, my back is sore, and I’m so dirty that I have to type on the couch, but I would do it all again tomorrow if I was given the chance. I’m officially in love with Fiji!

Morning at Matangi, Fiji

Bula! It’s 6am, November 28th, in Matangi, Fiji. Exploring the resort makes me sad to be leaving after only one night, but there is so much to see and do in Fiji that my excitement is bubbling over like a boiling pot.

I roamed the grounds one more time before settling in at the restaurant for breakfast. The sun is peaking out from behind the mountains and the aqua blue and coral green ocean is still as bright as yesterday, yet the day has just begun.