Adventure #236

TRAVEL
ISSUE
#236
the human touch
It's all about the people you meet - Adventure Magazine's
"away team" in Tahiti
I have been fortunate enough to have
travelled my whole life, with my family
as a child and as an adult. It has always
been a significant part of my work, firstly
surfing, then diving, then photography,
then a mixture of all of that was simply an
adventure.
People often ask ‘what is the best, the
most beautiful place you have ever been?’
There is an extensive list of amazing and
unique places that this job has taken us
to. Right now, as I am writing this, I am in
Rarotonga on the foreshore under a palm
tree; the sky is blue and clear, the trade
winds warm around 15 knots, and here
the reef edge is close to the beach, so we
have crashing waves, it’s impressive.
But there are a lot of equally beautiful
places in the world, all very different;
some hot, some cold, some green, some
desolate, but what is it that makes them
unique? The simple answer is ‘people’.
I have stayed at some stunning resorts
and could not wait to leave because the
people were just not …. Well, not nice.
And I have stayed at resorts like Friendly
Bungalows on Tanna in Vanuatu, where
the lady who met us had no teeth but a
very gummy smile, the rooms were made
entirely of natural materials, and the only
manufactured addition was the toilet.
As we arrived at our room, our toothless
guide stamped on the veranda floor, and
we heard scuttling, and she smiled and
whispered, ‘Micky Mouse’. She asked us
if we would like crayfish for dinner, and
of course, we did. We sat on handmade
chairs at a handmade table eating freshly
caught crayfish, which had been cooked
to perfection, but had been cut up into
tiny little pieces, as had all the vegetables
(remember, the lady had no teeth!)
While we were at dinner, a family of four
adults arrived from France, obviously
upset and demanding to be taken to
another resort as this was not up to
their standard. If they had given it just
a few moments, they would have seen
how utterly remarkable and unique the
place was; the people, the setting, the
jungle, and the black sand beach, all in
the shadow of Yasur volcano. The rooms
were comfortable and clean, the food –
(although cut up small) was delicious,
and the people could not have been more
friendly and welcoming.
That is what makes somewhere special;
not the five stars on the review, not the
fluffy towels, or Sky TV, or a well-stocked
mini-bar (but that can help.) What makes
any destination, any resort, and any
holiday special is the people.
It’s less about the white sand beach and
more about the smiling face, it is less
about the scenery but more about those
you meet. A memorable travel experience
is one with that human touch, that
interaction.
Lastly, travel is a two-way street. As we
branch out around the world and we meet
people who are caring and welcoming,
we, too, have a responsibility to be
welcoming. As the world shares its magic
with us as we travel, so we need to be as
enthusiastic and welcoming to those who
arrive on our shores.
We live in a fantastic country, and it is no
wonder so many people want to come
here and experience what we have, but
remember, it’s the people that make it
unique, and that’s where we can all play
our own small part!
Steve Dickinson - Editor
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