Adventure Travel with Norm: Expedition Cruises and Wild Places

Want to explore a cave the way the first explorers did? In this episode, Normand Schafer of Far and Away Adventures.com (https://farandawayadventures.com/) goes into Križna jama, also known as Cross Cave, south of Ljubljana in Slovenia, with guide Janja, and the adventure options go far beyond a quick visit.Every tour starts the same way: rubber boots on your feet, a flashlight in your hand, and no electric lights anywhere. The classic tour lasts about one hour, plus 15 minutes to prepare, and includes a boat ride across the first underground lake.More enthusiastic guests can choose the Bear Tunnel tour, about two hours in the cave, which adds a passage once used by cave bears for winter sleep. You will see polished edges and remains connected to these massive animals, which stopped coming here during the last ice age, about 24,000 years ago.The cave has 22 lakes open to the public, and the deeper you go, the stricter the limits. A four-hour tour reaches 13 lakes, and Janja says the waiting list is at least three or four months. The seven-hour tour runs only in winter, is limited by group size because of the boat, and only 100 people a year can do it. The waiting list is more than three years, and flooding can force a change of date.Inside it is about 8 degrees Celsius, so dress warm. For travelers who love real adventure, this is a conversation about planning well ahead and earning a rare look at Slovenia's underworld.Get a free trip quote from Far and Away Adventures: https://farandawayadventures.com/form/quick-trip-request/?dest=Slovenia&src=spotify

Explore a different side of Tahiti through the story of its remarkable black pearls. Richard, grandson of Robert Juan and a manager within the family pearl business, joins Normand Schafer to discuss the Robert Juan Pearl Museum, pearl cultivation, and the natural treasures of French Polynesia. Discover destination travel planning with Far and Away Adventures.com at https://farandawayadventures.com/. During this episode, listeners learn why Tahitian black pearls display unexpected shades of green, gold, cherry, and pistachio. Their naturally occurring colors, surfaces, and shapes ensure that two pearls are never completely identical. This individuality also creates challenges for the artisans who transform pearls into jewelry.An adventurous journey does not always require an extreme activity. Sometimes it begins by discovering how something extraordinary emerges from the natural world. Tahitian pearls are formed inside living oysters, and Richard explains how their development depends on environmental conditions, careful cultivation, and outcomes that producers cannot fully control.Let Far and Away Adventures help design a French Polynesia journey that includes fascinating cultural experiences.The interview also examines the rarity of outstanding pearls and the patience involved in producing unusually large examples. These stories reveal why understanding the journey behind a beautiful object can be as rewarding as seeing the finished piece.The Pearl Museum offers another dimension of discovery. Richard describes displays documenting the pearl farming process, a replica of a pearl farm, and exhibits examining the historical importance of pearls in different civilizations. Visitors can explore the connection between nature, craftsmanship, and cultural traditions.Richard shares the origins of his family's business. In 1973, his grandfather encountered an opportunity to acquire a pearl farm after plans for another business were affected by broader economic circumstances. What began as an entrepreneurial decision developed into a lasting connection with French Polynesia's pearl industry. Get a free trip quote from Far and Away Adventures: https://farandawayadventures.com/form/quick-trip-request/?dest=French%20Polynesia&src=spotify

On a small island, the real adventure is out on the water. Normand Schafer of Far and Away Adventures.com (https://farandawayadventures.com/) explores Aitutaki in the Cook Islands with Heidi Rose, a local who calls the lagoon her backyard.Plan an active Aitutaki lagoon adventure with a Far and Away Adventures specialist.Heidi also describes the end-of-year round-the-island celebrations, when villages travel in cars, trucks, buses and on bikes from about eight in the morning until around five in the afternoon, performing at each village. It is a long, joyful day, and for travellers who happen to be there, a rare chance to see community life in full swing.It is a grounded look at one of the Pacific's most iconic lagoons, and the people who live beside it.She shares what island life is really like: a father from a family of 16, a move from Rarotonga for a slower pace, a community that grew its own food from seedlings during COVID, and a son who thrived outdoors chasing chickens and went on to win at school athletics.Beyond the lagoon, there are fishing charters and whale watching. Visitors can island hop between motu, and at One Foot Island you can still get your passport stamped. Heidi also recalls the Survivor season filmed there, when contestants were left on a motu, bringing exposure and jobs for locals.Heidi admits locals do not get out on the lagoon as often as they would like, but it is where she says the magic of Aitutaki lies, besides its people. When family and friends visit, they pack up and head out by boat, on her brother's boat or on the cruises offered to visitors. Get a free trip quote from Far and Away Adventures: https://farandawayadventures.com/form/quick-trip-request/?dest=Cook%20Islands&src=spotify

A towering Tahiti waterfall, the legendary wave at Teahupo'o, and encounters with island residents are all part of this exploration with Natalia of Tahiti Welcome Tours. She joins Normand Schafer to explain how a private tour can reveal the landscape and character of French Polynesia. Far and Away Adventures.com (https://farandawayadventures.com/) offers specialist guidance for travelers seeking meaningful South Pacific experiences.Begin with the contrast between Tahiti Nui and Tahiti Iti. Natalia explains that the longer of her company's private sightseeing options makes room to explore the smaller part of Tahiti, enjoy scenic lookouts, and include a Polynesian lunch. Travelers may also have opportunities to visit the Teahupo'o area, known for its powerful surfing wave and Olympic connection.The waterfall story is especially vivid. Natalia describes approaching along a narrow road before the view suddenly opens, leaving visitors amazed and sometimes unable to find words. She also explains why the sequence of sightseeing stops matters: each experience can build toward a particularly impressive final highlight.But adventure here isn't only about dramatic landscapes. Natalia wants guests to feel connected to Tahitian life. That might mean stopping at a small fruit stand, speaking with a vendor, or asking questions about the island's people and traditions. These interactions can become as memorable as any scenic viewpoint.The journey takes an educational turn when guests ask how a barrier reef was formed. Natalia explains how such moments create opportunities to discuss coral growth, geology, ecology, and marine life. The island becomes more than a beautiful backdrop; it becomes a place with a natural history worth understanding.Whether you favor scenic exploration, cultural encounters, or learning about the ocean, this episode illustrates why the best adventure may be one that adapts to your interests.Create a Tahiti adventure that matches your travel style with guidance from Far and Away Adventures. Get a free trip quote from Far and Away Adventures: https://farandawayadventures.com/form/quick-trip-request/?dest=French%20Polynesia&src=spotify

Imagine flying about 1,300 km over open ocean, before GPS, past the point of no return, with only one place to land. Normand Schafer of Far and Away Adventures.com (https://farandawayadventures.com/) talks with Ewan Smith, founder and managing director of Air Rarotonga, who did exactly that.Plan a remote Cook Islands adventure with a Far and Away Adventures specialist.Ewan explains what made that kind of flying possible: careful technical work and self-belief. In the early years, with one aircraft and little money, an unscheduled engine removal could threaten the whole business. He says many aviation businesses in the region failed for technical reasons, and that looking after equipment properly is what keeps remote routes flying.His lesson from decades of flying through the oil shock, 9/11, the global financial crisis and COVID: perseverance is everything.Wild places feature in another way, too. Ewan produced a documentary on the reintroduction of the kura, the Rimatara lorikeet, with Gerald McCormack, and his aerial photography captures the islands from above.Those remote islands still depend on the airline. Ewan describes a medevac from Pukapuka, where there is no doctor, completed in a single day. He talks about the Northern Group as a unique experience for travellers seeking truly isolated places, with few places to stay, and why the airline is working to make it more available.Ewan arrived in Rarotonga in 1973, aged 22, as a pilot and engineer, and founded Air Rarotonga about four years later with one Britten-Norman Islander. His early flights to the remote Northern Group felt, he says, like going to Mars. He also flew the first aircraft into newly built outer-island airstrips, with whole villages coming out to see. Get a free trip quote from Far and Away Adventures: https://farandawayadventures.com/form/quick-trip-request/?dest=Cook%20Islands&src=spotify

French Polynesia offers much more than its best-known lagoon destinations. Valerie from Tahiti Tours joins Normand Schafer to discuss Maupiti, the Marquesas, and the importance of choosing islands that match your idea of adventure. Far and Away Adventures.com, https://farandawayadventures.com/, helps travelers explore these possibilities through personalized South Pacific vacation planning.For travelers interested in seeing different sides of French Polynesia, the conversation highlights how dramatically experiences can change between island groups. Valerie explains that activities should guide destination selection because the same opportunities are not available everywhere. Someone interested in hiking may need a different combination of islands from someone who prefers beaches, fishing, and lagoon exploration.Maupiti becomes a particularly interesting example. Normand describes its guesthouses, simpler style of accommodation, and remarkable lagoon. He emphasizes that visitors should understand what a more local travel experience may involve, including accommodations that do not necessarily provide every comfort associated with luxury hotels. Reaching remote islands can also require extra thought because transportation choices may be limited.The Marquesas provide a contrasting type of adventure. Valerie expresses her affection for these remote islands and their distinctive culture. Normand observes that the landscape is very different, while Valerie discusses the importance of cultural traditions and crafts. The exchange makes clear that choosing an island is not simply about picking a beach or a place to stay.Adventure also requires practical preparation. The discussion turns to flights, ferries, and the challenges of changing weather. Normand recounts a disrupted Maupiti-to-Bora Bora journey in which canceled transportation forced several itinerary adjustments before a workable flight was secured. Valerie explains why quick decisions and local support become especially valuable in these circumstances.If remote islands, local culture, and distinctive landscapes appeal to you, let Far and Away Adventures help design a French Polynesia journey that balances discovery with practical travel arrangements. Get a free trip quote from Far and Away Adventures: https://farandawayadventures.com/form/quick-trip-request/?dest=French%20Polynesia&src=spotify

Around her stall you will find the wider island world: flower ei, pareu, island foods and coconuts, and local oils such as monoi oil. For adventurous travellers heading out to the outer islands, or just starting in Rarotonga, the market is an easy first introduction to Cook Islands craft and culture.She also shares how the market itself was born. After the 1992 Pacific Arts Festival, the huts used by visiting countries for carving and weaving were kept in use, and Mrs Q, back from travelling Australia with her art, helped open the market in 1993. It began small, took years to grow, and kept going through COVID with local people. It now has a new building.Mrs Q makes jewellery by hand using shells from the Cook Islands' far-flung Northern Group islands and pearl shell. Her earrings and pieces are a small, wearable link to atolls that few travellers ever see, and she talks about how she turns these materials into something to take home.Some of the most remote islands in the Pacific are hard to reach, but their treasures find their way to Rarotonga. In this episode, Normand Schafer of Far and Away Adventures.com (https://farandawayadventures.com/) talks with Mie, known as Mrs Q, a founder of the Punanga Nui Market.Plan a Cook Islands adventure, from Rarotonga to the outer islands, with a Far and Away Adventures specialist.There is a lesson in grit here too. Mrs Q explains that there were few tour buses when the market started, and the local mamas and papas had to be persuaded to come and sell. During COVID the market closed for a time, but it kept going with its own people. That same self-reliance runs through life on the outer islands.Her advice is to come on Saturday, the biggest day, when locals and visitors fill the market. Get a free trip quote from Far and Away Adventures: https://farandawayadventures.com/form/quick-trip-request/?dest=Cook%20Islands&src=spotify

The adventure begins with details that travelers might otherwise overlook. Polynesian crew members welcome guests with island greetings. The tiare Tahiti flower introduces a scent closely associated with the destination. Blue cabin colors recall the lagoons, and Tahitian music establishes a gentle rhythm that encourages passengers to settle into an island frame of mind.Before exploring Tahiti's lagoons and landscapes, travelers may experience French Polynesian culture aboard Air Tahiti Nui. Moy joins Normand Schafer to explain how the airline turns a flight into an early encounter with the destination. Far and Away Adventures.com, https://farandawayadventures.com/, helps curious travelers explore French Polynesia through thoughtfully planned journeys.Moy describes the intention behind these sensory details and how different passengers connect with them. For some, the fragrance of the flower marks the moment they feel their vacation has truly started. For others, it is the music or the genuine welcome from the crew.Discover how your journey to Tahiti could come together with personalized planning assistance from Far and Away Adventures.For those preparing for their own French Polynesia adventure, Moy introduces Air Tahiti Nui's economy, premium economy, and business-class experiences, including the option of lie-flat seating in business class. Her message is that comfort preferences are individual, but Polynesian hospitality remains central throughout the aircraft.The interview also explores the human side of an international journey. As a former flight attendant, Moy remembers travelers whose connecting flights had been delayed and who arrived upset. She explains how simple acts of service and a relaxed manner helped the crew provide a better experience. Get a free trip quote from Far and Away Adventures: https://farandawayadventures.com/form/quick-trip-request/?dest=French%20Polynesia&src=spotify

Adventure in Moorea doesn't have to mean rushing from one excursion to another. Normand Schafer talks with Hikura from Sofitel Kia Ora Moorea Beach Resort about exploring the island's lagoon, mountainous surroundings, and cultural experiences while still enjoying time to relax. Far and Away Adventures.com, https://farandawayadventures.com/, can help travelers combine these different sides of French Polynesia into one rewarding itinerary.One of the most memorable adventures starts before reaching the resort. Hikura recommends traveling from Tahiti to Moorea by ferry, both for the striking approach to the island and the opportunity to see local life. Passengers share the journey with residents, students, and people going about their normal routines. As the vessel approaches Moorea, the island's green mountains create a dramatic backdrop to the sea.The underwater environment is another highlight. Normand recalls using sea scooters near the resort and describes the area as a personal favorite for snorkeling. Hikura explains that the lagoon directly in front of Sofitel Kia Ora Moorea is protected, with clear water, coral, and numerous fish. The absence of motorized boating activity in that particular area contributes to its quiet atmosphere.If your ideal adventure combines snorkeling, culture, beautiful landscapes, and a little time to unwind, plan your Moorea journey with the destination specialists at Far and Away Adventures.Food becomes another form of exploration. Hikura describes the resort's French-Polynesian cuisine, the Pure restaurant, the waterfront K restaurant, and traditional Polynesian evenings. The preparation of an ahima'a earth oven reveals the effort behind a local culinary tradition.On land, visitors can discover Moorea by renting a bicycle, scooter, or car. The discussion also touches on safari experiences, ATV excursions, eco-museums, cultural tours, street food, and cooking classes led by island residents. These activities offer different ways to engage with Moorea beyond its postcard scenery. Get a free trip quote from Far and Away Adventures: https://farandawayadventures.com/form/quick-trip-request/?dest=French%20Polynesia&src=spotify

Imagine exploring ancient Polynesian heritage on Raiatea and then setting out by boat for Taha'a's coral gardens, pearl farms, and vanilla plantations. Arnold from Opoa Beach Hotel joins Normand Schafer to explain how travelers can experience both islands from one comfortable base. Far and Away Adventures.com helps turn destination inspiration into a tailored itinerary at https://farandawayadventures.com/.Raiatea is an island where adventure is not limited to the water. Arnold introduces Taputapuatea marae, a UNESCO-listed cultural site located approximately five minutes by road from the hotel. He describes its importance to Polynesian history and the feeling of mana associated with the site.Normand has visited the coral garden more than once and shares how impressive he finds its abundance of fish. The discussion captures the appeal of an adventure where learning about local production, enjoying island scenery, and exploring marine environments can all fit into one day.For travelers eager to explore the surrounding islands, Taha'a provides an exciting addition. Arnold explains how guests can depart by boat and experience an excursion combining several different activities. The itinerary he describes includes a vanilla farm, rum distillery, pearl farm, lunch on a motu, and time in Taha'a's coral garden.Back on Raiatea, possibilities extend to a pearl-farm treasure hunt, coconut farms, honey production, pineapple gardens, and botanical gardens. Even rainy weather can introduce another experience through cooking classes or coconut-leaf weaving.Arnold also describes Opoa Beach Hotel's 10 lagoon-facing bungalows and the ease of returning to a peaceful setting after a busy excursion. His strongest recommendation is to allow at least three or four nights rather than trying to fit everything into a brief stop.For an island adventure with both cultural substance and time to relax, work with Far and Away Adventures to build a Raiatea and Taha'a journey around the experiences that interest you most. Get a free trip quote from Far and Away Adventures: https://farandawayadventures.com/form/quick-trip-request/?dest=French%20Polynesia&src=spotify