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Nuku Hiva and the Cannibals

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FRENCH POLYNESIA, PARADISE - PART THREE - NUKU HIVA Visiting this beautiful volcanic island first thought is to find those so much disputed cannibals. Took a jeep ride, but nothing like the one I had in Moorea. The only way of touring the island is with local jeeps, the island is small and has limited resources for tourism, which is great by the way, so the only transportation on the island is using the jeeps owned by the locals. So we drove up the top of the island, spectacular views as only French Polynesia can offer to the hungry traveler's eyes such as mine. Happy to be in this so remote place but where are the cannibals? I have read so many stories about them, the last incident of cannibalism was registered in 2011, which was only 4 years back from the date I have been there. Apparently, this 40 years old German tourist was traveling with the girlfriend and disappeared. Parts of his body were found in the jungle and he was identified based on his dental fie. The cannib

Naked truth about the life of a crew member onboard a cruise ship

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Parties and more parties EPISODE ONE Many people seeing my pictures around the world, always in a cool and exotic place, probably hated my luck, the chance to travel for free and explore the world. But there are so many things happening on board the cruise ships that many crew members prefer not to speak about in order not to ruin the glamour of the job either because they do not want to loose their jobs. I've just read an article on one of the British online newspapers regarding life onboard cruise ships as crew members and I feel like I have to share some details with you as this article and many others are so inaccurate. I have been working at sea for the past 5 years of my life, worked for two cruise companies, first one the best in leisure cruise sector and the second one of the topmost luxurious cruise lines in the industry. First one was Royal Caribbean International in 2012. Was a late start for me and everybody told me that the golden age of being a crew member h

Easter Island and the Rapa Nui myth

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SAILING  INTO THE MYSTIC I have heard so many stories and read so many things about the Easter Island or Rapa Nui Island that for me this place was even more intriguing then the Bermuda Triangle story. Obviously never even dared to dream about seeing this island, most people they don't know where it is let alone dream about it. One of the perks of my job was not only the free travel but actually to visit more in depth destinations and iconic landmarks. In order to get there you travel only by sea or by air due to the remote position of the island. And it is a fact that Easter Island is one of the world's most isolated inhabited islands. When we were preparing for the arrival of the ship some of my most experienced colleagues expressed concern about the logistic of the operation as it was according to their saying really challenging. Ship was in anchorage and the debarkation of the guests and crew was made using the tender boats which are also life boats used in case of

The nightmare of packing and unpacking

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IF YOU WOULD LIVE ON A DESERT ISLAND WHAT WOULD YOU BRING WITH YOU? This is how I think every time when I have to start a new contract. Usually, I am away for 4-5 months and living in a tiny space almost at the size of a matchbox called crew cabin. Space measures about 4 square meters and has to be shared with another female crew. The dresser or the closet fits just the minimal stuff. At home, I use the same space only for underwear but here fits all my 5 months life. As I hate packing usually I leave this process for the very last 1-2 days before departure. Usually, the travels take me to remote places where the usual toiletries and cosmetics are a luxury that cost much or in some places even nonexistent. So I have to make a stock of things that I can't live without such as my favorite shampoo, toothpaste, face cream etc.  Another challenge is the fact that with so many countries visited in such a short period of time as a tourist/traveler intends I can go from summer season

Fiji Islands and how I got high in Fiji with Kava

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DO YOU DREAM OF FIJI PARADISE? Because I did for so long! I just had to become a millionaire in order to get there. Well, if I have to dream at least to dream BIG! This job I have is most probably the dream of many girls, traveling and making money, obviously, there are some sacrifices that need to be made, but about this, I'll tell you another time. Here I am the morning of arrival in Suva, Fiji when a big decision had to be made. What to do today? The best of the job that I get to choose the excursions that I have to go. Yes, part of the job is to go as much as possible in tours in order to know the products and socialize with the guests. Since I saw the movie Anaconda and the Lost Orchid which I knew was filmed somewhere here I choose the tour that goes to the waterfall and visits a local tribe community.  The tour took us with longboats up the river, passing the green jungle, seeing colorful birds and on to the waterfall, and there it was. Simply beautiful! Everybody too

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