“It’s about the journey not the destination.”
Tailor-made travel with Graham Elsom
Experienced travellers are always on the lookout for something different.
Keep an eye on these columns!
Graham has been travelling all his life and is always seeking something special and unusual.
Non-stop flights regularly depart from Hong Kong to the South Pacific islands of Fiji and this pristine destination can easily be combined with a visit to Australia or New Zealand.
A former British territory, the tropical islands of Fiji were first discovered by holiday makers from Australia and New Zealand.
The welcoming Fijians are renowned for their hospitality and their island homeland is certainly one of the most enchanting destinations in the world.
These are the islands you dream about. White sand beaches overhung by towering coconut palms and yes, hammocks as well.
The world’s finest five-star hotel chains are all represented in Fiji and there are island resorts of all types and standards.
To truly live the island experience, however, one does need to get amongst the islands and away from the tourist buzz.
Matamanoa Island Resort, below, is just one of many.
The island resorts of Fiji offer varying degrees of comfort and isolation. It’s up to you to choose what is best for you.
These islands are up there with the best of them.
My own destination knowledge of Fiji is good and should you wish to consult with me regarding your own travel plans for Fiji, please contact me at graham.elsom@jebsenholidays.com I look forward to hearing from you.
As an alternative to staying on an island, you might like to consider a private yacht charter or a cruise that will include visits to a number of islands.
Some time ago I sailed on the good ship “Tui Tai”, an adventure cruise to some of Fiji’s remotest islands. I had hoped to introduce this cruise to you but unfortunately the cruise is no longer operating.
This link to the photographs I took on that visit to Fiji will give you an understanding of just how beautiful and interesting the islands of Fiji are. You need to click on the first photograph and scroll through one by one.
https://goo.gl/photos/R5w8PPVa1sDqGS898
You can still cruise the islands of Fiji in various degrees of luxury and you can join a cruise of 3 to 7 days duration.
If you would like to consider a holiday to Fiji and seek more information about what is available, please contact me at graham.elsom@jebsenholidays.com
Written by GRAHAM
Having lived and worked in Asia for 40 years, I have travelled extensively to off- the- beaten-track locations in Asia. I like to think of myself as your man on the ground in Asia.
My passion is for the less travelled, more remote and interesting locations, which many simply bypass. It is the local culture, architecture and heritage in which I am most interested.
I always wanted to be a Travel Consultant. My favorite geography teacher sparked my interest at a very early age.
My very first job was with the world’s oldest travel company, Thos. Cook & Son. I joined them in 1962 in Melbourne, Australia.
Later, I founded my own travel agency, Concorde Travel in Hong Kong, from 1978 until 2016. We have now merged with one of Hong Kong’s oldest and most prestigious companies, the Jebsen Group, founded in 1895. This allows me to devote more time to my favorite pastime, Travel Consulting.
I have a special interest in smaller and more adventurous cruise ships. These enable you to escape the crowds and visit often unexplored and truly pristine destinations. I have been intrigued that the Virtuoso map will not let me include some of the more exotic places I have visited. These are spectacular destinations, but one or two of them might require a bullet proof vest these days:
Abidjan (Ivory Coast), Djibouti (Republic of Djibouti), Koror (Palau), Saint Helena (British Overseas Territory), Phu Quoc (Vietnam), Aden (Yemen), Turpan and Macau (Peoples Republic of China) and Port Lockroy (United Kingdom Antarctic Heritage Trust).
In these days of mass tourism, careful planning is required to ensure that one’s exploration is an enjoyable and memorable experience.
I hope you will let me help you to find these roads less travelled. All you have to do is let me know about your own special interests.
Please feel free to email me at graham.elsom@jebsenholidays.com
Having lived and worked in Asia for 40 years, I have travelled extensively to off- the- beaten-track locations in Asia. I like to think of myself as your man on the ground in Asia.
My passion is for the less travelled, more remote and interesting locations, which many simply bypass. It is the local culture, architecture and heritage in which I am most interested.
I always wanted to be a Travel Consultant. My favorite geography teacher sparked my interest at a very early age.
My very first job was with the world’s oldest travel company, Thos. Cook & Son. I joined them in 1962 in Melbourne, Australia.
Later, I founded my own travel agency, Concorde Travel in Hong Kong, from 1978 until 2016. We have now merged with one of Hong Kong’s oldest and most prestigious companies, the Jebsen Group, founded in 1895. This allows me to devote more time to my favorite pastime, Travel Consulting.
I have a special interest in smaller and more adventurous cruise ships. These enable you to escape the crowds and visit often unexplored and truly pristine destinations. I have been intrigued that the Virtuoso map will not let me include some of the more exotic places I have visited. These are spectacular destinations, but one or two of them might require a bullet proof vest these days:
Abidjan (Ivory Coast), Djibouti (Republic of Djibouti), Koror (Palau), Saint Helena (British Overseas Territory), Phu Quoc (Vietnam), Aden (Yemen), Turpan and Macau (Peoples Republic of China) and Port Lockroy (United Kingdom Antarctic Heritage Trust).
In these days of mass tourism, careful planning is required to ensure that one’s exploration is an enjoyable and memorable experience.
I hope you will let me help you to find these roads less travelled. All you have to do is let me know about your own special interests.
Please feel free to email me at graham.elsom@jebsenholidays.com
Tailor-made travel with Graham Elsom
Experienced travellers are always on the lookout for something different.
Keep an eye on these columns!
Graham has been travelling all his life and is always seeking something special and unusual.
In Sydney, you can look to the east and watch the sun rise over the Pacific Ocean. 4000 km away, in Perth, you can look to the west and watch the sun set over the Indian Ocean. The “Indian Pacific” railway can take you to both Sydney and Perth. This incredible trans-continental journey takes 4 days and 3 nights and it includes the longest stretch of straight railway line in the world, 487 km.
Presented by Graham Elsom
We have taken the liberty of including you in our mailing list because you were someone with an interest in our itineraries from our Concorde Travel days. Both Belinda and myself now work with one of Hong Kong’s leading and oldest travel companies, Jebsen Holidays, and we would like to maintain contact with you.
Essentially The Discerning Traveller is all about travel, something most of us enjoy doing more than anything else. Our aim is to inform you in a concise manner, about unusual/unique destinations, some further away, others closer to home.
Fancy a trip to Europe? Do you want to see everything the continent has to offer but worry that you don’t have enough time? Come to Mallorca! It is Europe in miniature.
Tailor-made travel with Graham Elsom
Experienced travellers are always on the lookout for something different.
Keep an eye on these columns!
Graham has been travelling all his life and is always seeking something special and unusual.
