We'll do this, Grumpy Colin roll again.
Just give where to get on the roll again? Why my love is making music with my friend? I give on the roll again.
Steve Collins Traveler.
His YouTube site, he simply called that Steve Colin's Traveler grumpy good morning.
Well Bullah to you, Tony, And of course buller is the three gen work for Hello. And guess where we're going this morning. We're going to the South Pacific.
Which we'll get to inester ticket. Have you spent much time in Tasmania? No Ah? The word Well, there there goes the segment. I thought we're going to probably milk that for ten or fifteen minutes.
Well, you're gonna ask me questions about it.
So you're what, you've never been to Tasmania.
No, it's a bone of contention because lonely this my wife has been that I haven't, and I keep putting pressure on her to for us to go and so far, because I've been to a lot of places, and because in fact, she got back from Tasmania a week before I met her.
Ah, right.
There you go.
She got back from Tasmania a week before you met and the rest is history. Had you known known.
That she was going to prevent me from going to Tasmania. I might not have.
Married her, that's right. She may not be the very famous missus Collins.
Well, that's exactly right. She might be a lot happier.
I don't know.
No, you've both had a joyous life and continua have a pretty joyous life.
The only reason I mentioned is because I threw it.
That little question with regards to a great line from song happened to come up in a feed just n plus twenty four about a button pushing cowboy was asked not to do what and had lots of responses by way of text as to what the answer may be. Some people are very very correct. Other people are really really not even close. And then we're and then we're talking about it, and then were and then we yeah,
and then we're talking about Tasmania. Given everything that's been in the news about whether at the stadium and what the government's doing, and it's been fascinating.
They might have. They might have They might have an election as well.
They could now be going to election, which imagine most Tasmanians wouldn't necessarily.
Want no, because we've just had a federal election, you know, I think people get sick of too many elections, you know, Tony.
I'd like to announce the date of my next election. Words to that effect.
Well, I haven't had an election for a long time, you know, because oh no, it was back in March, wasn't it. We had our last election?
We did, Yes, we did.
What's happening in your part of the world, Now, tell us about what do we need to know? When we talk about the South Pacific Islands, you specifically referred to what, well, the South Pacific.
It's actually vast. I mean that there's basically two different parts to it. You've got Melanesia, which is located in the north and northeast of Australia. That includes Papua New Guinea, Fiji, Solomon Islands, Vanawafu and New Caledonia. And then you've got Polynesia. Now Polynesia stretches right across the vast area of the Pacific. And then it's huge because it forms a triangle between Hawaii, New Zealand and Easter Ireland. And the country's there include Samoa, Tonga,
French Polynesia and the Cook Islands. And so basically we just call it the South Pacific because all of it is based in the South Pacific, and of course for holidaymakers, particularly Australias, they just love going to the South Pacific. Now a lot of them will go and do South Pacific cruises. They're very, very popular, in which instance you
visit a couple of different countries. Typically it's usually say New Caledonia, Vanawatu, Fiji, because that sort of does about a week ten days cruise, and then others just like to go and veg out. Now, the thing about the South Pacific, whether it be Melanesia or Polynesia, is you have got some wonderful islands anywhere. I mean there's hundreds of them, there's thousands of them. You've got some beautiful beaches, and both the Melanesian and the Polynesian people are just beautiful.
They're gentle, they're kind, they're happy people, and why not because they live in a very very gorgeous part of the world. Yes, and when you go there, you know, you're overwhelmed with kindness and it's just such a great place to relax. And of course there's a lot of stuff you can do there. I mean, you can just redg out on a beautiful island somewhere and do basically nothing or you can have a lot of adventures. I mean, you've got things. You've got excellent diving there, whether you
want to go snorting or scuba diving. You've got brilliant fishing. You've got some of these islands quite rugged, so you can do a little bit of mountain climbing. There's some sensational volcanoes there if you want to go and look at. In fact, one of the most active volcanoes, most active approachable volcanoes in the world, is in Vanawatu, and you can get up really and personal to that. And so there's so much to go and see and experience in
the South Pacific. And because they're different island groups, they've got different customs, different traditions, et cetera. And the one thing all South Pacific islanders seem to do really well is seeing they're very musical people. They're just amazing. They've got these wonderful voices. They can usually pick up a guitar or some other instrument and learn to play it pretty quickly. So it's just a wonderful experience to go there.
You relax, you're enjoying another culture, and of course you're in one of the most beautiful parts of the world. So it really is a wonderful place to go for that relaxing holiday, or for that cruise, or if you want a bit of adventure to go and you know, have a unique adventure. I mean some of these places you can swing with stingrays and things like that.
That's what we want to do, go and swim with those rays.
What are we doing today? Well why don't we go and rays?
Yeah? Well, look here in Western Australia, people going pa wow, yeah yeah they do.
Well that yeah, great in a place called Shark Bay. What could possibly go wrong? We stated, Because well we'll ask the listener. They know way more about these things than you or I do. One double three six ninety three. So those of you that have traveled around that area. Pacific Islands, which has grumpies just outlined, includes some incredible places.
Would you include Papuo and New Guinea in that.
I wouldn't. Well, it is actually the largest South Pacific island. I used to live in pup with New Guinea, but that is entirely different experience. I would rate the Solomon Islands with Papi New Guinea because they're very very similar, although part that as Papu Indi Guinea and Solomoni is a part of Melanesia, which means that they're they're sort of different to the Polynesians. They're different, different ethnic group.
But you've got Fiji, you've not got New Caledonia, and you've also got Vanuatu that are part of Melanesia, and it gets a bit more exciting. I think they're because they're certainly in Papua New Guinea. It's extraordinary scenery because you've got you've got mountains there that that go up to in the old language is over sixteen thousand feet. When I lived there, I used to I used to live at Mount Hagan, and I would be driving the track and we'ren'd be going on mountain passes over ten
thousand for you know. And it's just an extraordinar place. It rained every day on the at four per years.
Just when you don't need it to raid it every day for plust before o'clock.
It's busy.
One double three six nine three. It is the South Pacific on you've been there, been there, done that. Give us a call one double three six nine A couple of quick calls. Maggie, say how to Steve Grumpy Collins.
Long Rompy Colins. Now, yeah, cruising in a sense, you're talking about the number of cruisers in the past. Most memorable of those cruisers as far as destinations go, perhaps would be the Surmours. Back then it was were and Western and American smart and then honey Hour to visiting a hospital which was out of final World War two.
Hot.
There you go. There's a great piece of their history there, Stephen.
Yeah, it is. And it's interesting about a Samoa because Samoa was normally like I'm not talking I'm talking about Western Samoa, not not not American Samoa. But Samoa was right on the International date Line and it was just over the other side of it. So what they did was they decided, well, we don't like this, so they decided that they would move their time, their time and put it an hour earlier, so that they were the
very first country in the world to start the new day. Well, yeah, they just sort of changed.
Their time as well as it could be the.
First country to get of the day instead of the last country of the day.
Benny, Thank you, Maggie.
Ben, Now you spotted some roadworks for us, So whereabouts.
Can I go? Hey, he's traveling? Well, thank you, Benny, you know that the tunnel. The tunnel has got raid works on to see that and Dan have just got one guy closed down three lanes and just and just spray painting the walls.
Okay, So that was happening as I was coming through late last night, read about ten thirty and I thought to myself.
Then I reckon, it's going to go on for a good number two or three.
Weeks, two or three weeks.
With the rumor that's on the rumor file.
Though with one person painting?
Can I win the Mercedes?
Please? Too?
Good on your bed, thank you? In the running that's very funny. Can I win the Mercedes for you? Why? I think the Breaking program have a great relationship with the good people membership of the Berwick Mercedes at of Berrika and they do a great job and they've been part of the Breaking Program for a long time. So it's up for it was one of the rumor files. I think that's very funny. Angela, we've just been talking,
certainly about tas Mania. Angela, you wanted to make a comment about Tazzi in the AFL.
Look certainly do Tony. I hope you're feeling.
A little bit better thank you very much, welcome back.
I mean we do miss you certainly look up into football games stone Blieve. Overall, I've been to football games at your back and long Siste and I cannot ever send the.
Problem by the.
Just assist that they have a game down every probably second week in Hobard and then Monny, I don't know what I need this idea about the stadium one a billion another, because it's just trying to stop them giving in me. I think, yeah, I'm.
Not too well great. I feel like if.
You're going to get five hundred thousand people wanted to go to any game, you know what I mean that as it's just still being I just thought.
You know that.
They're putting, you know, silly team in the post before tas.
It's faulty.
It's insulting to people who love a game. It's about time they looked at why they're trying to stop the game.
It's a very good, very good point, Angela. You obviously love the great apple Isle.
It's all the people I talk to on your wife go down to Parliament and fantastic white as you found out today while they broadcasting, because it's suggesting, look, it's stupid. For just again it can be well, it's so precious down there's precious and if you don't.
Yeah, very very good point, Angela. We've got a bit of a dodgy line, so I'll let you go.
Unfortunately, for whatever reason, the line whereever it's coming through it if you but thank you Ange for that. It just goes to the affection that people have. Grumpy for Tasmania.
Oh yes, well, you know it's it's a very popular state and particularly for tourism. You know, it's I mean it's the most compact state in Australia. But it's certainly beautiful. You know, there's there's certainly a lot.
Of would you know, you've never been there.
I've seen photos.
Photos.
She lets me look at her photos every now and then. Totally have a.
Look at my photo album of Tasmania.
You've there. That's exactly right, That's that's what I.
So we were just traveling through the beautiful Yeah.
We'll talk about Fiji because that is the most popular of the South Pacific islands. What it is for the for Australians and that's part of Melanesia, but it lies about two thousand and Kilbaria's northeast of New Zealand, and it's an archipelago of more than three hundred and thirty islands. Now, although it's got you know, the three hundred and thirty islands, only only about one hundred of them have got permanent populations.
And out of that, eighty seven percent of the population live on the two biggest islands, which are Vita Levu and Evanua Levu Levu. And of those, Vita Levu is the main island. It's a home to Suva which as the capital, and Nandy the main airport which people who fly there would have gone to Nandy and it's and it's got the majority of the population of all of Figi living there. Of course, it's quite a big islands. It's one of the biggest islands in fig but it's
a really interesting place. You get your cultural experiences there. You've got your lux resorts and your golf courses, you've got your family resorts. It's great for snorting, diving, surfing. There's a place called cloud Break which is an internationally known top surfing spot. And they've got a few other little islands that are just off the delivery where you can go and I mean that you just catch a little boat. There's your resorts sort of thing, and it's
just a fantastic place. But one of the one of the popular things to do there. Part of that is called the Corals, and it's sort of it's a really nice drive right down the coast on the on the southwest of the island, and there's all these great little beaches there and there's pockets of stunning coastline and you've got a lot of family friendly resorts down here, and this is where you probably get more of the budget sort of resorts, and you've also got some boutique property
said that are a little bit more expensive. But look, it's just sort of a very very laid back area. Great for stork we dive in, surfing, et cetera. And of course the resorts you can sit by the pool and the locals are just friendly, you know. And this is but if you want something very up market, Fiji has got the most up market resorts, and also French Polynesia. But I'm not going to go to Bench Polynesia tonight because it was a bit far or cook far away.
Was just gorgeous, you know. I did the cruise there all those years ago on the old fair Sta.
Do you remember the first now.
I remember the fair Star, yeahship, Yes, well the Fundship first, and.
I did a couple of cruises and my job was to play the music on board.
Was it really?
That was my job on the ship?
Really? You were the DJ? Were you?
I was the nightclub presenter?
Well I was. They didn't call you a DJ in those days.
Load that expression.
Loaded, right, you know you were if you were in the sixties. You would have been proud to be a DJ in the nineteen sixties.
And your point is, well.
I've just pointed out that you were so much younger that you wouldn't have had that experience.
Good on your thanks very much. So it was.
The year was seventy eight, seventy nine and Kylie Minogue's manager, who had a relationship with the good people at Sidmar, said, look, here's a job. Would you like to spend a couple of some time traveling on the Festa? And I said, okay, yes, and so did. It took me three and a half years to get over it.
Well, I used to work for p and O the Modern Medication, and we worked it out. But in those days, this was in the nineteen sixties, and seventies that on some of these cruisers, women out number of single women number single men by about seven to one thirty.
It's one of the reasons I no longer have hair. We'll do this when we come back. More of you, more of your course, cap and joined us one double three sixty nine, Steve Grumpy Collins.
You want to see some of these texts. Listen to this.
I thought the International dateline went through Tonga. We'll have to double check on that, Megan, not too sure. Another one doesn't go through Tom's Eastye, of course, thank you. My favorite holiday destination F one J one Licky Lickyloo adults only five star resort near Mulo Melo.
M A l o l o.
Yeah, helloo over water looks through the floor you can see Kaleidescobafish, obsolutely gorgeous.
Oh yeah, yeah, yeah, no, no, no, that's what it's our specific's all about. Look, it's paradise. Speaking of paradise, we're going to go to Vanawatu now our next one, which is sort of north of THREEG. But do you remember in the sixties a TV show called Adventures in Paradise. I do Gard McKay played Adam.
Troy did Adam Troy Yep, yep.
Now you'd be surprised to know that most of that was actually filled with California, But Vaneratu featured a lot. It wasn't called Vanuatu. It was called the Wallace and Ellis Islands or something. Then became Valawatu after that because it was sort of both French and British colonies that combined when it became Vanauatu. But that is one place in the world where you can actually get up, real
up close to an actual volcano. It's called the volcano is called Mount Yassur, and it's on Canna Island and it's one of the most accessible active volcanoes in the world. And one of the best places times to go is just on dusk because when it gets dark you see all the red glow from inside the crater and it spits out a bit of lava. But that they keep your will back from that. That's one of the great adventures. But the other one that the reason I pitched Adventures
in Paradise. There was one you've heard of land diving, you know, where these guys got up that it was. It was a precursor to bungee junkie jumping. They used to climb up these massive bamboo tower tie vines to their ankles and leap off a lot of I remember one episode where they filmed it there. Well, that wasn't probably them, was probably Lowell Thomas, another famous travel journalist who used to go there. But that is in Vanahatu, and that's on an island called Pentecost Island, and that
is a tradition still a tradition today. What they do is you start off as a as a child, it's funny for males, and you leap off from the lower the lower bridges because they have all these they like diving boards, and you walk on that and you and you leap off. And what they do is they soften the soilters. The whole point as it is to just drag your head on the soil and then bounce back up again without hurting yourself, and then as you get older and braver than you go higher up the tower.
Absolutely fascinating. But they still do that today and you can actually go and see that in real life on Vaniwatu if you want very exciting place. But the capital of vaner Wuardo is Port Villa and that's that's a it's a fairly quiet place. It's got a it's got a massive harbor there. And what are the features of the harbor is it's got an underwater post box.
And what you do is you get a water We all need one.
Of them, we do. And you, well, my son sent me a postcard from this you dove down. I don't know how deep it is and you dive down and you post send off this postcard and I send them all over the world. Absolutely fantastic place. But there's a lot to do there because there was a lot of adventures du tourists, oh yeah, and gorgeous rivers and stuff like that. It used to be whether it was a new hebides what it was.
Called, that's the one.
Yes, my recollection of that of that port was it was pretty good for duty free purchase.
But it still is, yeah, yeah, I think it is. That's that there's basically only one main road in Portvilla. It's sort of like a big long road along the harbor. But yeah, it used to be good for duty free, probably still is because they do depend on tourism a lot. And there's an island in the harbor that a lot of the cruise ships go to when everybody goes in and hops on this island and there's a nice beach there and stuff like that. But yeah, but that's in Vanuatu.
I think it's some of the upper islands that you want to go to Tanner Island and Pedecost Island to see the others and it's just and it's they've got it's very very cultural. They've got these traditional ceremonies there and you can visit local visit villages and they're very similar to some of the they're very similar to the Papua New Guineans and some of the some of the rituals and that that they do because there's a lot
of singing and dancing. But yeah, they really get dressed up in the in their gear with their their masks on and their their paint and stuff like that. Fascinating experience. So yeah, that's that's that's a that's a great place for Vanuatu studying holiday destination. Pristine beaches, last rainforests and really rich cultural experiences. So it's it's something if you want something a little bit more exciting than say fee
G that's sort of the next step up. I guess is to go to Vadawatu, but no, it's just it's just a great place. You've got a Fete Island is at the home of Port Villa, but then you've got a Spiritu Santo which is famous for its Champagne beach and the Blue Holes. Now these blue holes, there's world class diving there. They are really really deep dive holes that you go down to and down the bottom of one you've got the wreck of the s S. President Coolidge,
which was sunk during World War Two. So you know there's a lot to do there. It's just a fantastic place. And you know, whatever holiday you want, excitement or just relaxation and cultural activities, it's all there on the in Vanat and you've got a choice of really good resorts as well. You've got Turtle Bay Lodge for instance, You've got the Ratua Private Island Resort, and you've got a lot of a lot of other resorts like that. So it's another fascinating place you visit in the South Pacific.
I'm just having a look at Adventures in Paradise. Been a lot of comments online about Adventures in Paradise, so have a look at this. So you're right about Gardener. McKay played Adam Troy and James Holden.
Very young looking bloke.
Yeah yeah, yeah, Guy Stockwell like Chris Parker.
I think he was Dean Stockwell's brother, Remember Dean Stockwell. He played Stockwell. I'm just trying to think he was in a police series or something like that. Yeah, he was in Oh, was mainly in TVs. He was sort of like the young teenage guy. I'm just trying to think what he was in.
He was in the Hebody going to be somebody will tell us that's train.
He had a good television career Anchors Away Man. Yeah, yeah, he was in that. Yeah, and you.
Else was in Adventures in Paradise from time to time. Was a very well known person.
Michael Pate.
Yes, yes, he well, when he wasn't playing American Indians. Michael Pate was a lovely man. He was a trific, terrific guy because he came back to settling Australia after his career in Hollywood. But for some reason they thought that this this good looking Australian guy.
Was always going to be portrayed as a grumby.
Stay there, we'll come back in just a moment. Wrap it up, it's Steve Grumpy Collins. We're talking travel Have a look of the week. The YouTube site which is great simply called Steve Collins Traveler Steve Grumpy Collins. Have a look at what he does on his YouTube channel. A great friend of this program for a long time
as well. I don't know, one of these days, Grumpy you and I might do you know, like one of those moments where two blokes just go away for three or four weeks and I think we should go somewhere like Israel.
Yes, well that would be interesting certainly together. Who is all my sons as well? I haven't been there. He absolutely loved it. He just thought it was a fantastic place to go over the very good destination.
Well, let's go to Israel right now.
Hello, David, Tony, you and Steve Grumpy Joes Jones would be absolutely welcome. That puts you up. We drink beer. We have Pavlova and I will take you to all the great size.
Beer and beer and pa beer and Pavlova. What could possibly go wrong?
Well, you know, do you know Australia's connection with Israel was.
The ANZACs, the Ansecs, the horspit granted whatever there, Yeah, the butler chevar in the the First World War.
Against I got a second.
Gents, we're talking over each other a little because we're both in two parts of the great Land.
So you were saying, David.
In the the what's it called the horse Brigade free to bear a chevar from from the Turks in the in the First World War and is a very big Anzac memorial. Actually, not far where the fromas visited us on October seven, is an enormous Antact memorial there in the Anzac forest. Which of them too, were the kids a lot gubby?
Yep? Well, that was where the Battle of Besheba occurred, and that was the Australian Cavalry and it was the last cavalry charge on horseback because it was the Australian Mounted Force and they were taking on the Turks and the Turks were well in trench and I said, Aha, these guys on horseback, We're we're going to slay them, right. Unfortunately that didn't happen because they kept riding and riding
and riding, and the Turks were in the trenches. Their horses leapt over the trenches and so they were behind them, and they won the battle, and we celebrated the hundredth anniversary of that probably five or six years ago, I think would have been more than that would have been back in the brand were about twenty eighteen or twenty seventeen. But I had a bit to do with that, because there was Asrael the historian came to Australia and he
would but I just thought it was amazing. There we are a bit of Australian history, the Battle of Wash but the last ever cavalry charge on horseback, and it was and the the Australians were heavily outnumbered by the Turks and they beat them.
Yeah, and they feed their chev you know Hebrew bel Seva. As I said, there's an enormous Anzac memorial there in the attack forest, in the place called Berry, which is not far from where the must invaded and did what they did very nice with eucalyptus trees. It looks very much like the Australian.
Landscapes.
As I say, we used to go to where the kids a lot. I'll tell you what tee you what I called called about Tasmania. Please, Tasmania is the most paradise it's just beautiful. I remember going to Tasmania and going to the Huan Valley where you do this walk and all these trees are like one hundred meters or something in the air walks at fifty meters. You've got the ground below, you've got the tops of it, the cannon be the trees above you.
You sort of you're walking with.
The trees and everything. And did it in the winter, so that was sort of it was very damp and you could you could smell the eucalypt and it was just gorgeous. And another place was Mount Wellington where I climbed Mount Willington with a friend to the peak, also in the winter, and you've got water coming out of the rock. People go up there with you know, with their with their bocking collect water from the rock and
drink it. And you're actually above the cloud. When you get to the peak of Mount Wellington, you're actually above above the cloud. The cloud is sort of on the mountain and then the peak is it's biblical. It's very very special, so it's really worth going there. So if you get to get convinced your wife to go there, you must. You will enjoy it.
There you go so you've got to get work on the Thank you, David. You're going to get to get Brandy points if you get there.
Yep, absolutely, I would like to go. But yeah, fascinating, a fascinating place.
Yeah, now, I hope we don't know. Not getting confused here.
So I've got lots of text now in front of me saying yeah, Butshiba, the charge of the Light Brigade was in Palestine, got into jam.
Well yes, I'm saying that it was in Palestine then, but it is now part of Israel.
Got it? All right? Thank you, it's all because.
That area changes its name quite often. Yeah, but it was Palestine, yeah, yeah, yes, but it is now it is now part of Israel.
Very good.
All right, Now where do we get to just to wrap up with a couple of minutes left grumpy.
Oh yeah, we were talking about Tonga. Yes, well, I was going to talk about Tonga because that was that was another one. But we're talking about there was a very The Tomlin's are very very big people. You see, They're very large, and they had their most popular their longest They're large in Tonga because one of the most popular Tonguin's ever was their monarch Queen Salotte and Queen Slato.
She ruled from nineteen eighteen to nineteen sixty five, which is the longest strain of any Tongue and Market monarch. But she was She was six foot three or one point nine to one meters tall, and because she was a monarch, she was invited to the coronation of Queen Elizabeth the Second and she shared an open carriage with the Emperor of Ethiopia, Hailey Selassie. Now she was a very big lady, and I mean tall in stature and quite quite robust, and he was a very very small man.
And I remember the commentator at the time was the bb City Today, and she was very popular in Britain because she'd been out and about and they said, oh, oh look there's Queen Solati. Who's that with her? And the commentator said, I think that's her lunch.
Oh oh ah.
Now, just as you've been speaking, because we've been talking about the international dateline, yes, and if you look at the International dateline, I hope this is accurate. I'm looking at it now and so it goes really just to the just slightly to the east of Tonga.
Yeah, well wobbles around here and.
Then wobbles around and then goes around KIDABARTI.
Back through Cura bus busy kid.
A bus Yeah, and then back around and then it's just really interesting.
Who would have thought?
So it divides if you might be in between Tonga right down through American Samoa.
Yeah, that's great. Yeah yeah, and Western Samoa said, uh, you know, we want to be the first. We want to be the first place in the world where the new day starts. So they they changed, they changed it to suit them.
One does grumpy.
It's always a bit of light relief on a Friday morning, and I thank you for that. If people want to find out more about what you do, how you do it, and with whom, the best way to do that is.
Well, it's called Steve Collins tramp. But I don't know that anybody would want to be with me though, to be.
Honest, I'm sure.
I'm sure if we ever did a tour together, it would sell out within I don't know, seven and a half years.
Probably, yes, yeah, probably.
See bye. Thank you for that.
Got a lovelier text here that says is the international dateline zero zero five five one eight hundred. No, it's a different international dateline. It's funny though, Thank you Rob. The voice is going forgive me.
What have we got? About four minutes away from the news time