"Extreme Day Hike" ... sounds like the words don't go together (oxymoron), like "jumbo shrimp," "boxing championship, "airplane food," or "middle-east peace." "Extreme," which indicates a difficult variation of a physical activity, would appear to be an exaggeration of the simple feat of walking during the day. While overused today as an adjective, "extreme" does seem to fit some of hikes described on this web site.

For a person not in shape, an extreme day hike may be a walk around the shopping center. On the other hand, for a trail or marathon runner, these extreme day hikes may be a walk in the park. This site characterizes "The Extreme Day Hike" as one that consumes most of the day in a challenging adventure in a spectacular natural setting. Most of the "extreme" hikes described here will have an elevation gain of 4000 feet +, 14 miles round trip, and on a trail. Shorter day hikes that are not "extreme" are described on this site, especially if there is an unique aspect such as exotic, entertaining, scenic, or otherwise exciting.

Additionally, any hike to over 14,000 feet altitude, a "Forteener," is considered to be an extreme day hike due to two challenging factors: Lack of oxygen and quick changing weather. Even after acclimatization, some people do not cope well with the high altitude and become ill. Secondly, the danger of an unexpected storms bringing heavy rain, snow, or thunderstorms is greater at higher altitudes.

Try a hike in a tropical jungle!

Like to SCUBA dive and snorkel?

The key to successful snorkeling is relaxation in the water. It is as much a psychological as it is a physical skill. You will improve your skills and become comfortable in the water with practice. Here are some training tips.

1. Put all your equipment on and practice floating in the face down and horizontal positions. Don’t swim; just calmly float. You can do this in shallow water or a swimming pool.

2. Prepare for mask and/or snorkel floods. If a flood happens in open water, it can be distressing to someone who is not ready to handle the situation. Practice this skill by floating in shallow water and deliberately flooding and clearing your equipment. Here’s how:

a. To flood your mask, gently pull it away from your face and allow water to enter the mask.
To clear it out, lift your head out of the water and tilt the bottom of the mask away from your face and allow the water to drain out.

 
b. To flood your snorkel, immerse your head under the water until your snorkel fills up. Remember to hold your breath! To clear your snorkel, exhale a burst of air through your mouth to blast the water out. Then take a cautious first breath to make sure all the water is gone.

3. In the water, objects look 25% larger (or closer) than they really are. You can practice judging distance by floating in very shallow water and reaching down to touch the bottom. This will help you learn how far an “arm’s length” is underwater.

4. Walking with fins on can be uncertain on dry land or on a boat. If you are snorkeling from shore, try putting your fins on and removing them in waist deep water. If you are snorkeling from a boat, don’t put your fins on until it is time to enter the water and take them off at the boat ladder before getting back on the boat.

5. To use your fins correctly, you must use an efficient kick. You can do this by using a slow flutter kick motion. Try to keep your knees and ankles relaxed to prevent your leg muscles from cramping. Once you are proficient in this skill, you will notice that your fins propel you through the water. You will hardly need to use your arms and can let them rest easily at your side, or keep one arm floating in front of your head to act as a bumper.

6. Once you have mastered using your equipment, practice controlling your movements in the water. You will feel more comfortable and calm in the water as you improve your maneuvering abilities and you will minimize accidental bump-ins with objects in the water such as other snorkelers, reef elements, buoys, etc.

7. Knowing your personal limitations is a vital skill often overlooked. Recognize them and remain alert to them. There is no good reason to push your limits. They will change with each snorkeling opportunity presented. Factors to consider are water temperature, surge, currents, and visibility. Your personal limitations will also change when you gain experience, get older, or have a change in health.

A relaxed snorkeler gets more pleasure out of snorkeling and a greater appreciation of the environment. A calm snorkeler seems less threatening and when the aquatic wildlife realizes you are not a threat, they resume their normal routine, allowing you to experience their world.

Go Diving in the Caribbean!

What About Fiji?

PEOPLE
Most of Fiji's population lives on Viti Levu’s coasts, either in Suva or in smaller urban centers. The interior of Viti Levu is sparsely populated due to its rough terrain.

Indigenous Fijians are a mixture of Polynesian and Melanesian, resulting from the original migrations to the South Pacific many centuries ago. The Indo-Fijian population grew rapidly from the 60,000 indentured laborers brought from India between 1879 and 1916 to work in the sugarcane fields. Thousands more Indians migrated voluntarily in the 1920s and 1930s and formed the core of Fiji's business class. The native Fijians live throughout the country, while the Indo-Fijians reside primarily near the urban centers and in the cane-producing areas of the two main islands. Nearly all of the indigenous Fijians are Christian; more than three-quarters are Methodist. Approximately 80% of the Indo-Fijians are Hindu, 15% are Muslim, and around 6% are Christian.

Some Indo-Fijians have been displaced by the expiration of land leases in cane-producing areas and have moved into urban centers in pursuit of jobs. Similarly, a number of indigenous Fijians have moved into urban areas, especially Suva, in search of a better life. Meanwhile, the Indo-Fijian population has declined due to emigration and a declining birth rate. Indo-Fijians currently constitute 37% of the total population, whereas they were the largest ethnic group from the 1940s until the late 1980s. Indo-Fijians continue to dominate the professions and commerce, while ethnic Fijians dominate government and the military.

HISTORY
Melanesian and Polynesian peoples settled the Fijian islands some 3,500 years ago. European traders and missionaries arrived in the first half of the 19th century, and the resulting disruption led to increasingly serious wars among the native Fijian confederacies. One Ratu (chief), Cakobau, gained limited control over the western islands by the 1850s, but the continuing unrest led him and a convention of chiefs to cede Fiji unconditionally to the British in 1874.

The pattern of colonialism in Fiji during the following century was similar to that in many other British possessions: the pacification of the countryside, the spread of plantation agriculture, and the introduction of Indian indentured labor. Many traditional institutions, including the system of communal land ownership, were maintained.

Fiji soldiers fought alongside the Allies in the Second World War, gaining a fine reputation in the tough Solomon Islands campaign. The United States and other Allied countries maintained military installations in Fiji during the war, but Fiji itself never came under attack.

In April 1970, a constitutional conference in London agreed that Fiji should become a fully sovereign and independent nation within the Commonwealth. Fiji became independent on October 10, 1970. Post-independence politics came to be dominated by the Alliance Party of Ratu Sir Kamisese Mara. The Indian-led opposition won a majority of House seats in 1977, but failed to form a government out of concern that indigenous Fijians would not accept Indo-Fijian leadership. In April 1987, a coalition led by Dr. Timoci Bavadra, an ethnic Fijian supported by the Indo-Fijian community, won the general election and formed Fiji's first majority Indian government, with Dr. Bavadra serving as Prime Minister. Less than a month later, Dr. Bavadra was forcibly removed from power during a military coup led by Lt. Col. Sitiveni Rabuka on May 14, 1987.

After a period of deadlocked negotiations, Rabuka staged a second coup on September 25, 1987. The military government revoked the constitution and declared Fiji a republic on October 10. This action, coupled with protests by the Government of India, led to Fiji's expulsion from the Commonwealth of Nations and official non-recognition of the Rabuka regime from foreign governments, including Australia and New Zealand. On December 6, 1987, Rabuka resigned as head of state and Governor General Ratu Sir Penaia Ganilau was appointed the first President of the Fijian Republic. Mara was reappointed Prime Minister, and Rabuka became Minister of Home Affairs.

The new government drafted a new Constitution that went into force in July 1990. Under its terms, majorities were reserved for ethnic Fijians in both houses of the legislature. Previously, in 1989, the government had released statistical information showing that for the first time since 1946, ethnic Fijians were a majority of the population. More than 12,000 Indo-Fijians and other minorities had left the country in the 2 years following the 1987 coups. After resigning from the military, Rabuka became prime minister in 1993 after elections under the new constitution.

Tensions simmered in 1995-96 over the renewal of land leases and political maneuvering surrounding the mandated 7-year review of the 1990 constitution. The Constitutional Review Commission produced a draft constitution that expanded the size of the legislature, lowered the proportion of seats reserved by ethnic group, and reserved the presidency for ethnic Fijians, but opened the position of prime minister to all races. Prime Minister Rabuka and President Mara supported the proposal, while the nationalist indigenous Fijian parties opposed it. The reformed constitution was approved in July 1997. Fiji was readmitted to the Commonwealth in October.

The first legislative elections held under the new constitution took place in May 1999. Rabuka's coalition was defeated by the Fiji Labor Party (FLP), which formed a coalition, led by Mahendra Chaudhry, with two small Fijian parties. Chaudhry became Fiji's first Indo-Fijian prime minister. One year later, in May 2000, Chaudhry and most other members of parliament were taken hostage in the House of Representatives by gunmen led by ethnic Fijian nationalist George Speight. The standoff dragged on for 8 weeks--during which time Chaudhry was removed from office by the then-president due to his incapacitation. The Republic of Fiji military forces convinced President Mara to resign and brokered a negotiated end to the situation. Speight was later arrested when he violated the settlements’ terms. Later in February 2002, Speight was convicted of treason and is currently serving a life sentence.

In July 200, Former banker Laisenia Qarase was named interim prime minister and head of the interim civilian administration by the military and Great Council of Chiefs. Ratu Josefa Iloilo was named President. The Supreme Court reaffirmed the validity of the Constitution and ordered the Chaudhry government returned to power in March 2001, after which the President dissolved the Parliament elected in 2000 and appointed Qarase head of a caretaker government until elections could be held in August. Qarase's newly formed Soqosoqo Duavata ni Lewenivanua (SDL) party won the elections. In May 2006, the SDL was re-elected to a majority in the Parliament, Qarase continued as Prime Minister and formed a multi-party cabinet, which included nine members of the FLP.

 

Lets Go to Fiji!

The Mayan Riviera!

Cancun was a small fishing village in 1967, when the Mexican Dept. of Tourism slated it for development. Now, its 25-kilometre Hotel Zone of ocean and lagoon waterfront draws night-club-goers, upscale shoppers, and diners-out.
Yet just to the south is the "Mayan Riviera", a 100km stretch of quiet beaches, ancient ruins, coral reef, and "eco-theme" parks.


Mayan Riviera Highlights:
lovely lagoons full of colorful fish (perfect for kids to learn to snorkel)
second-largest barrier coral reef in the world
unique "eco-archeological" theme park, Xcaret
sister park Xel-ha
"cenotes" (deep natural pools of clear water-- lovely to swim in)
fascinating ruins at Tulum and Coba

Aktun Ha - giant caves on road to Coba

Check out the beaches!

Top 10 Things to Do on a Honeymoon or Romantic Getaway in St. Thomas USVI


With its white-sand beaches, range of water sports, bargains-on-bijoux shopping, and many restaurants and bars, St. Thomas in the U.S. Virgin Islands is a great spot for a romantic vacation or honeymoon.
The liveliest of the USVI, St. Thomas offers plenty to do. While it’s also a super spot for lying on the beach with a tropical drink in hand, enjoying the clear turquoise water, and soaking up the Caribbean sun, honeymoon couples may want to rouse themselves for these fun activities.

1) Take in a View of St. Thomas by Tram
To get oriented, start your St. Thomas honeymoon with a trip to Paradise Point via tramway. The St. Thomas Skyride takes you 700 feet up for amazing views of Charlotte Amalie Harbor. You’ll also find a restaurant, bar, shops, and a short trail. Every Wednesday night there’s a party with live music. And the sunset is spectacular seven nights a week.
 

2) Visit Coral World Ocean Park
Petting a shark or feeding a stingray at Coral World Ocean Park could be a highlight of a St. Thomas honeymoon. The Underwater Observatory takes you 15 feet under the water’s surface, while the Deep Reef Tank puts you nose to nose with sharks, moray eels, and other terrifying predators. If you’re adventurous, try “Sea Trekkin’,” wearing a special underwater helmet to walk under the sea. There’s also a natural trail, a turtle pool, and Iguana Alley.
 

3) Stop and Smell the Flowers
Stroll through St. Peter Great House Estate and Gardens, a lush, 4-acre botanical garden located on a former sugar plantation. The grounds feature a nature trail that winds past waterfalls and tropical flowers, an orchid jungle, and, at 1,000 feet above sea level, great views of other Caribbean islands.
 

4) Take an Ecotour
Get into that glorious turquoise water! Virgin Island Ecotours at the entrance to the Inner Mangrove Lagoon Sanctuary offers boat, kayak, snorkeling, and hiking tours. Couples on a St. Thomas honeymoon who are experienced scuba divers can explore the coral reefs on an excursion arranged by Aqua Action Dive Center, which dives 40 different locations.
 

5) Ferry to St. John USVI
Plan a day trip to St. John, only a 20-minute ferry ride away, as part of your St. Thomas honeymoon. Two thirds of the 20-square-mile island is part of Virgin Islands National Park, making it perfect for snorkeling or scuba diving, hiking, strolling around the ruins at Annaberg Plantation, or just enjoying the picture-postcard beaches.
 

6) Sail on a Sunset Cruise
Another fabulous activity on a St. Thomas honeymoon is a sunset cruise. Atlantis Adventures hosts a three-hour sunset catamaran sail and beach barbecue on Water Island, which recently became the fourth Virgin Island. Jester Sailing Adventures also offers sunset sails, as well as half-day and full-day trips to neighboring islands.
 

7) Shop Charlotte Amalie
The charming Caribbean harbor town of Charlotte Amalie is widely considered the best shopping area in the Caribbean. Duty-free items reign, and you’ll be hard pressed to find better prices for liquor, jewelry, perfume, linens, china, and crystal. There’s a $1,200 duty-free allowance per person and no sales tax.
For china, crystal, and jewelry, check out Little Switzerland. Other top jewelry stores include Cardow, H. Stern, and Diamonds International.
 

8) Check out the Local Crafts
Charlotte Amalie also has places that sell local crafts, spices and hot sauces, and resort wear. And if you truly love to shop, you’ll have fun poking around the colorful Vendor’s Plaza, where merchants hawk faux designer handbags and other fabulous fakes, inexpensive jewelry, and various fun souvenirs. This is a popular port for cruises, so be prepared to find the shops teeming with tourists when a ship is docked.
 

9) Ascend the 99 Steps and Visit Blackbeard's Castle
Built with bricks carried on ships from Denmark in the 1700s, the 99 Steps provide a bird's eye view of the harbor. Near the top, 17th-century Fort Skytsborg, known as Blackbeard's Castle, is a National Historic Landmark.
 

10) Pay a Visit to the St. Thomas Synagogue
Some of St. Thomas' earliest settlers were Danish Jews, and they built one of the oldest temples in the Caribbean in 1796. The original building was destroyed by fire, and the current structure dates to 1833. In keeping with tradition, the temple floor is covered with sand. While some believe it relates to the Caribbean-beach location, it actually symbolizes the flight of Jews out of Egypt and across the desert in ancient times.


Lets go shopping in the Virgin Islands!