VOMO - Fiji

Bula! We wanted to stay but we had to leave. We arrived in Fiji after a 10-hour overnight flight that ran out of alcoholic beverages. It was a rough night alright. We landed in sunlight and was greeted by the hotel rep. We were ushered to a van for a 2 minute drive to the helipad. Emma was very surprised indeed.














The heli ride was the way to go. After 10-15 minute, we circled Vomo and landed in Vomo Island Airport. Basically an oversize X on a cleared patch. We were transported in a van to the other side of the island where we were greeted with a welcome song. Lovely start.















Lauren and I were tuckered out and feel asleep by the beach and woke up in time for lunch. Lunch was 4-course gourmet meal. Very civilized and yummy to boot. This is vacationing! After lunch, another nap, a little swim and then dinner. Dinner was again a tasty 4-course meal. Can it get any better?

The next few days were sublime and followed a routine: breakfast, beach, feed fish, snorkel, kayak, lunch, nap, beach time, sundowner then dinner. We snorkeled right in front of our villa (#1) and the girls kayaked nearby. During a fish feeding session, Emma and I saw a small shark swimming in the shallows. The best thing about Vomo was that it was not crowded. We were lucky to time our vacation during the quiet months. One of the highlights was Colin and Lauren's fishing expedition. They caught a huge Spanish Mackerel.


















We were all very sad to leave and I felt a lump in my throat as the staff sang the goodbye song. Don't know when we will come again but will do our best to find our way back.

Arrival at Vomo















Emma and Lauren















Lauren















Kava Ceremony. Our first time to taste kava!















Everyday they made our beds with flowers.















Emma not a happy camper on last day.














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Summer Summary 2010

We flew back to Boston in mid-June but did not stay long - just enough to drop off extra luggage at the house before flying off to Chicago. We flew to Chicago for Grandma Dorothy's memorial. It was bittersweet to meet new members of the family (Inara and Haley) while saying goodbye to a remarkble woman. It was very evident that weekend that she was very much loved by all of us.

Chicago














The girls and I accompanied Colin to New York for a brief business trip. While he was working, we explored the Museum of Modern Arts. The girls were a bit underwhelmed until the multimedia installation. Next day Colin had a rare free time and we visited the Met. This is more the girls style.

Emma at the Met


















We flew back to Boston in time to see Lady Gaga perform. Our friends Sabra and Cady partied with us. Back in Lincoln, it was nice to come back to the house. A bit dusty but still standing. Colin's garden was going crazy and the raspberries were taking over. For Fourth of July, we watched the parade in Lincoln, caught a Red Sox game and had a picnic at Codman Field to await the fireworks. Not a bad day overall!

In mid-July, we flew westward to Hawaii. We joined up with my mom and my siblings in Oahu. Had a chance to visit with relatives living in Honolulu and just plain kickin back. The kids had a ball with their cousins. But I do think we ate too many malasadas from Leonard's.

After a week or so in Oahu, we hopped over to Big Island to spend some time with Colin's parents. We also had a chance to visit properties that we bought recently. The condo in Kolea is in Waikoloa Beach Resort and has great access to Anaeho’omalu Bay. It's a 2 bedroom condo with a bit of view of the ocean. The beach house in Puako is across the street from the beach (mauka side). We have a view of Mauna Kea from the backyard. Both properties are vacation rentals.

We also had a chance to snorkel at Hapuna Beach. Intending to boogie board, we arrived during low tide and no surf. But the snorkeling by the left side of the beach (facing the beach) was one of the best I ever experienced. For our last night, we had dinner at Daniel Thiebaut in Waimea. Excellent food and we run into Chef Thiebaut himself. He told us some ghost stories, encounters he had in the restaurants, that scared us. Would we go back again to his place? You bet!




More pictures from our summer:

Inara and Lauren, Chicago














Fenway














Picnic with friends














Honolulu














Cousins














Kolea condo














Puako














Waimea














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