Feb 22, 2010

Perfect - Review of Matava - Fiji's Premier Eco Adventure Resort, Kadavu Island, Fiji - TripAdvisor

This place is a little slice of heaven.

However, if you are the type that likes to be entertained or have schedules then this isn't the place for you. We spent 5 days here and didn't dive or fish but we were busy. We went kayaking, hiking, exploring the mud flats, snorkling (it's quite good right out front of the resort) and just relaxed and slept. A much needed rest.

The food was great and all staff were friendly and helpful. Oh, we did take the kayak trip to the remote village and although our guide didn't seem super pumped to be out there with us, we had a fantastic adventure with him. he was knowledgeable. The village was a highlight and the voices of the children singing to us while we hiked to the waterfall is one of my favorite memories. It was hard to leave this place.

It's rustic and wonderful, our type of place.

Perfect - Review of Matava - Fiji's Premier Eco Adventure Resort, Kadavu Island, Fiji - TripAdvisor

Feb 15, 2010

Returning Soon - Review of Matava - Fiji's Premier Eco Adventure Resort, Kadavu Island, Fiji - TripAdvisor

We have been to several places on Kadavu and find Matava the best.

We would return just for the food but when you add the reef, the wonderful staff, diving, snorkeling, fishing, and the very nice beach facing the resort we will be there again in 2010 and that should be about 12 visits for us since we began traveling to Fiji in 1993-ps we did our rescue PADI Certification there.

Returning Soon - Review of Matava - Fiji's Premier Eco Adventure Resort, Kadavu Island, Fiji - TripAdvisor

Feb 10, 2010

Warning: Fending Off Mosquitoes May be Harmful to Your Health « I Count for myEARTH

mosquitoNatural Mosquito Repellent

According to an article by Vanessa Vadim, environmental advice columnist for Mother Nature Network, "Every year, 500 million people are infected with mosquito-borne illnesses and at least 2.5 million die from those infections."

Mosquitoes are attracted to floral scents found in perfumes, hair products, sunscreens, moisturizers and fabric softeners. They also like potassium, which is found in meat, bananas, melons, sports drinks, milk, potatoes and tomatoes, all foods we like to enjoy in abundance for summer cookouts. Mosquitoes are also tempted by the lactic acid and carbon dioxide that our bodies produce with exercise, so lingering outside after a workout is a surefire way to attract these annoying little pests.

The good news is that you can repel mosquitos naturally by incorporating repellent plants into your landscape and by welcoming animals into your yard that eat mosquitoes. If this isn't an option for you, you can make your own personal mosquito repellent. Using unscented skin cream as a base, add a few drops of eucalyptus, cedar, geranium, peppermint, lemon grass, fennel, catnip, rosemary, tea tree, castor or soybean essential oils and apply the mixture to your skin. You can also use water or alcohol as a base, mix together with essential oils in a spray bottle and mist onto your skin. Another natural repellent? Avoid wearing dark colors. As with any product, be sure to check the label on each bottle of essential oil for directions for use.



Warning: Fending Off Mosquitoes May be Harmful to Your Health « I Count for myEARTH

Feb 5, 2010

Travel Smart: Invasive Plants and Animals - The Green Guide

With 650 million tourists crossing international borders annually, travel is a leading cause of unintended invasive-species introductions. Fungi, insects and seeds hitch rides in luggage, on food and clothing, even on our bodies. "The organisms...that we import intentionally pale in numbers beside the masses of smaller living things we set in motion incidentally," cautions Yvonne Baskin in A Plague of Rats and Rubbervines: The Growing Threat of Species Invasions. And not without cost: In the U.S., invasive species have contributed to the decline of up to 46 percent of imperiled species.

Some countries require aircraft "disinsection" to crack down on alien invaders, forcing airlines to spray cabins with insecticides, including synthetic pyrethroids, which can spark asthma attacks. Passengers may be subject to in-flight spraying on some flights to Asia, Africa, the South Pacific and the Caribbean, while other countries spray planes immediately before passengers board.

What You Can Do: Travel Smart: Invasive Plants and Animals - The Green Guide