Thank you so much for "taking us with you" and sharing pictures of your travels! I also really appreciate you continuing to share the business updates of Davis while traveling. This is a win win 😄.
Wendy, you're a skilled writer. I always enjoy reading your travel updates, and the photo of the blue sea star was a highlight. I'm glad you're able to continue writing professionally while exploring the South Pacific.
P.S. I still have your excellent notes from your Ireland trip—they’ve been really helpful.
Thanks, Diana! Hoping all the upgrades we made to our house, including your suggestions for new paint, are still in good shape when we return. Our older son is living there while we’re away.
Yes! Fiji has a lot of protected reefs, so the waves are pretty far out. Moorea too. Makes it nice to swim or paddle, as long as it’s high tide. Warm water and not a lot of jellyfish like Australia. We will be going to the Great Barrier Reef here, so it will be interesting to compare. Some of the Aussies said I shouldn’t get my hopes up too much for that. Too many bleached corals :(
Your travelogue is a bonus to your readers Wendy. We especially appreciate your sharing how you do food while traveling—-so that the costs are not over the top. Just our style too. And love that you can remote work too! Livin’ the life! Thank you for sharing
Thanks! I just had my first canceled subscription from a reader for posting this. It IS bonus content, and doesn’t affect my business news coverage. They don’t have to read it!
Thank you for taking us on your vacation. I spent several family vacations to Tahiti in the 80's and then the snorkeling rivaled Hawaii. It was incredible. I went back for my honeymoon (2023) and the reefs off Bora Bora were dead. Morea was actual in better shape but too many jellyfish making snorkeling painful. We then went to Taha'a which was more like Bora Bora used to be but still affected by global warming. The Polynesian Islands are still beautiful islands but so over build to the point of destroying the reefs along with some natural disasters such as tsunamis. The Hawaiian Islands certain parts have rebounded in many ways. You now see turtles when in the 80's/90's you did not. You can swim with Monk seals off certain islands when you used to not be able to. There are protected beaches where fishing is not allowed anymore and so the fish are bigger. There are definitely better snorkeling places in the world but I enjoy snorkeling in Hawaii especially because I have my favorite spots that are local spots and not touristy. That is the key.
I am so surprised by the mosquito issues you had in Tahiti. I would get a few bites but not on every trip or island but we never slept under netting. We always made sure there were some geckoes in our hut to eat any mosquitoes. Fiji from what I understand is much worse mosquito wise which is why I have avoided it because I am a magnet. Did you have any issues in Fiji. But those blue sea stars!
You should figure out a way to get something for sharing travel info about places you honestly recommend. Then if your readers go and use some code you share you would get some royalty or maybe a free night on a return trip.
We only snorkeled in one place on Moorea but it didn't compare to either place in Fiji, especially Drawaqa Island. We are going to the Great Barrier Reef later but some Aussies we met in Fiji were saying not to set our hopes too high, because there's lots of bleaching.
Our younger son took part in a coral research program at University of Hawaii, where they are experimenting with ways to restore the reefs. There was a lower-tech program like that on Drawaqa Island. He went to University of Hawaii to study corals (marine bio) but ended up changing his major to biotech because it was too depressing. He's a grad student there now, trying to develop a vaccine treatment for Type 2 Diabetes.
The mosquitoes were even worse and larger in Alaska but at least they didn't carry deadly diseases. Our places in Fiji had screens, which helped a lot. Our place on Moorea was open-air. I didn't mention it because I don't recommend it.
My husband plans our trips and reads lots of travel blogs, books and podcasts. Those people lose credibility if they take freebies. That's why I love Substack. There are no ads or perceived conflicts of interest. I think doing it any other way would reflect on my professionalism as a journalist.
Thank you so much for "taking us with you" and sharing pictures of your travels! I also really appreciate you continuing to share the business updates of Davis while traveling. This is a win win 😄.
Thanks, Serena! I appreciate the support. I was nervous to share with readers but they see now that I have worked out a way to make this work!
There is NOTHING you cannot do, Wendy!
Gorgeous photos!! And we love hearing all about the islands. Safe travels!
Thanks Diane!
Wendy, you're a skilled writer. I always enjoy reading your travel updates, and the photo of the blue sea star was a highlight. I'm glad you're able to continue writing professionally while exploring the South Pacific.
P.S. I still have your excellent notes from your Ireland trip—they’ve been really helpful.
Thanks, Diana! Hoping all the upgrades we made to our house, including your suggestions for new paint, are still in good shape when we return. Our older son is living there while we’re away.
Wendy, as a person who loves to swim, I have to ask whether you went in the ocean waters much? Are they warm? Safe?
Yes! Fiji has a lot of protected reefs, so the waves are pretty far out. Moorea too. Makes it nice to swim or paddle, as long as it’s high tide. Warm water and not a lot of jellyfish like Australia. We will be going to the Great Barrier Reef here, so it will be interesting to compare. Some of the Aussies said I shouldn’t get my hopes up too much for that. Too many bleached corals :(
Thank you.
I love your bonus travelogue!
Thanks, Laura!
Your travelogue is a bonus to your readers Wendy. We especially appreciate your sharing how you do food while traveling—-so that the costs are not over the top. Just our style too. And love that you can remote work too! Livin’ the life! Thank you for sharing
Thanks! I just had my first canceled subscription from a reader for posting this. It IS bonus content, and doesn’t affect my business news coverage. They don’t have to read it!
So fun to experience a place I’ll never get to. Thanks for sharing your pics with your readers.
Thanks, Pat!
Thank you for taking us on your vacation. I spent several family vacations to Tahiti in the 80's and then the snorkeling rivaled Hawaii. It was incredible. I went back for my honeymoon (2023) and the reefs off Bora Bora were dead. Morea was actual in better shape but too many jellyfish making snorkeling painful. We then went to Taha'a which was more like Bora Bora used to be but still affected by global warming. The Polynesian Islands are still beautiful islands but so over build to the point of destroying the reefs along with some natural disasters such as tsunamis. The Hawaiian Islands certain parts have rebounded in many ways. You now see turtles when in the 80's/90's you did not. You can swim with Monk seals off certain islands when you used to not be able to. There are protected beaches where fishing is not allowed anymore and so the fish are bigger. There are definitely better snorkeling places in the world but I enjoy snorkeling in Hawaii especially because I have my favorite spots that are local spots and not touristy. That is the key.
I am so surprised by the mosquito issues you had in Tahiti. I would get a few bites but not on every trip or island but we never slept under netting. We always made sure there were some geckoes in our hut to eat any mosquitoes. Fiji from what I understand is much worse mosquito wise which is why I have avoided it because I am a magnet. Did you have any issues in Fiji. But those blue sea stars!
You should figure out a way to get something for sharing travel info about places you honestly recommend. Then if your readers go and use some code you share you would get some royalty or maybe a free night on a return trip.
We only snorkeled in one place on Moorea but it didn't compare to either place in Fiji, especially Drawaqa Island. We are going to the Great Barrier Reef later but some Aussies we met in Fiji were saying not to set our hopes too high, because there's lots of bleaching.
Our younger son took part in a coral research program at University of Hawaii, where they are experimenting with ways to restore the reefs. There was a lower-tech program like that on Drawaqa Island. He went to University of Hawaii to study corals (marine bio) but ended up changing his major to biotech because it was too depressing. He's a grad student there now, trying to develop a vaccine treatment for Type 2 Diabetes.
The mosquitoes were even worse and larger in Alaska but at least they didn't carry deadly diseases. Our places in Fiji had screens, which helped a lot. Our place on Moorea was open-air. I didn't mention it because I don't recommend it.
My husband plans our trips and reads lots of travel blogs, books and podcasts. Those people lose credibility if they take freebies. That's why I love Substack. There are no ads or perceived conflicts of interest. I think doing it any other way would reflect on my professionalism as a journalist.
Thanks for allowing us to share in your adventures!
I add my thank you yo the chorus of appreciative folks who like the photos and narrative….