Bucket List Travel with Norm: Best Places to Visit

The Ultimate Travel Podca
The Ultimate Travel Podca
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Bucket List Travel with Norm is your guide to the best places to visit in the world, from overwater bungalows in Bora Bora and the lagoons of Aitutaki to island cultures, epic cruises and once-in-a-lifetime experiences. Host Normand Schafer interviews locals, guides and travel experts on location to share what makes each destination special and how to plan the trip of a lifetime. New episodes every week. Plan your bucket list trip with Far and Away Adventures at farandawayadventures.com.

  1. 8h ago

    From Attorney to Raro Elvis: Award-Winning Hot Sauce at the Rarotonga Market

    His sauces range from fiery Carolina Reaper blends to tropical fruit combinations, built on island-grown chilies. For food-loving travelers, they offer a bold taste of Cook Islands flavor. Paul's story is anything but ordinary. During COVID, he pivoted from working as an attorney to crafting hot sauces, and his creations have gone on to win awards. Some of the best travel stories are found at a local market stall. Normand Schafer of Far and Away Adventures.com (https://farandawayadventures.com/) visits the Rarotonga market to meet Paul, creator of Paul's Rarotonga Hot Sauce.There is more to Paul than sauce. He has also become known as Raro Elvis in the Cook Islands entertainment scene, bringing Elvis performances to island audiences. Normand and Paul talk about Cook Islands food culture, South Pacific cuisine and why local market experiences are one of the most authentic ways to explore Rarotonga. Add the Rarotonga market to your bucket list and plan your trip with a Far and Away Adventures specialist. For travelers who love discovering local flavors, Paul's market stall is a perfect example of the personality and creativity waiting to be found in the Cook Islands. It is the kind of memorable, unexpected encounter that turns a simple market visit into one of the highlights of a South Pacific trip, and a story worth sharing long after you return home. Bring your appetite for heat. Get a free trip quote from Far and Away Adventures: https://farandawayadventures.com/form/quick-trip-request/?dest=Cook%20Islands&src=spotify

    From Attorney to Raro Elvis: Award-Winning Hot Sauce at the Rarotonga Market

  2. 1d ago

    Bucket List Flights: Air Rarotonga Founder Ewan Smith on 50 Years Over the Cook Islands

    Flying over a turquoise lagoon to a remote Pacific island is a bucket list moment for many travellers. In this episode, Normand Schafer of Far and Away Adventures.com (https://farandawayadventures.com/) talks with Ewan Smith, founder and managing director of Air Rarotonga, about the airline he built over 50 years. Ewan arrived in Rarotonga in 1973 as a 22-year-old pilot and engineer, just as the international airport opened. A few years later he started his own company with a single Britten-Norman Islander, flying to Aitutaki and maintaining the aircraft himself. He remembers flying the first aircraft into newly built airstrips on the outer islands, when whole villages came out to see a plane up close, and long pre-GPS flights about 1,300 km north to the Northern Group. He also shares a medevac from Pukapuka that shows how much remote communities depend on the airline. If flying to Aitutaki or the outer islands is on your list, this conversation shows the story behind the journey. Ewan talks about surviving fuel shocks, 9/11, the global financial crisis and COVID, and why every Air Rarotonga pilot is now a local Cook Islander. As chairman of Cook Islands Tourism, he explains what visitors remember most: the lagoon colours and the warmth of the people. Plan your Cook Islands bucket list trip with a Far and Away Adventures specialist. Get a free trip quote from Far and Away Adventures: https://farandawayadventures.com/form/quick-trip-request/?dest=Cook%20Islands&src=spotify

    Bucket List Flights: Air Rarotonga Founder Ewan Smith on 50 Years Over the Cook Islands

  3. 2d ago

    Meet the Rarotonga Artist Turning Rubbish Into Award-Winning Bags

    Sabina transforms recycled inflatables, candy wrappers and reclaimed fabrics into beautiful handcrafted bags and accessories. Along the way she has become an internationally recognized environmental artist. Every great trip has an unexpected encounter, and this one starts with rubbish. Normand Schafer of Far and Away Adventures.com (https://farandawayadventures.com/) speaks with Sabina of Circle Cook Islands about turning discarded materials into award-winning art and functional fashion pieces.The conversation explores upcycled fashion and art, creative entrepreneurship and the role of Rarotonga's artisan markets, where travelers can meet makers like Sabina in person. They also discuss ocean and plastic recycling, environmental awareness and community sustainability projects that help protect the islands for future visitors. Make meaningful encounters part of your Cook Islands trip with a Far and Away Adventures specialist. Sabina's story shows how creativity and care for the environment can go hand in hand. For travelers, it is a chance to bring home something handmade with a story behind it, and to support the people working to keep the Cook Islands beautiful and sustainable for generations to come. It is a story about local island culture and responsible travel, and a reminder that some of the most memorable moments in Rarotonga and Aitutaki come from meeting the people who live there. Get a free trip quote from Far and Away Adventures: https://farandawayadventures.com/form/quick-trip-request/?dest=Cook%20Islands&src=spotify

    Meet the Rarotonga Artist Turning Rubbish Into Award-Winning Bags

  4. 4d ago

    Inside French Polynesia: Why Great Journeys Start With the Right Itinerary

    French Polynesia illustrates why international travel planning is about more than selecting attractive destinations. Valerie from Tahiti Tours joins Normand Schafer to examine the choices that connect individual interests with workable transportation and accommodations. Far and Away Adventures.com, https://farandawayadventures.com/, supports travelers seeking thoughtfully coordinated vacation experiences.Every destination has its own travel realities, and French Polynesia is especially interesting because a vacation may involve several islands with distinctly different characteristics. Normand asks Valerie whether travelers should begin by working out transportation before deciding which activities to include. Her response is revealing: the traveler comes first. Understanding desired experiences makes it possible to recommend islands and accommodations that suit those expectations. Their discussion introduces the variety within French Polynesia. The Tuamotus differ from the more mountainous areas associated with hiking, while Maupiti provides a more locally oriented guesthouse experience and an impressive lagoon. The Marquesas offer strikingly different landscapes and cultural traditions. An itinerary that matches those environments to personal interests can be far more meaningful than choosing islands without understanding their differences. The conversation also reveals what happens when carefully arranged transportation is disrupted. Normand recounts a situation in which bad weather canceled ferry service and affected a planned trip from Maupiti to Bora Bora. An alternative flight arrangement was made, followed by another cancellation. Ultimately, a direct flight allowed the travelers to continue on their original travel day. That experience introduces broader themes for international travelers: handling uncertainty, understanding the possibility of additional expenses, making timely decisions, and considering travel insurance. Valerie describes the role of local assistance when travelers need solutions during difficult circumstances. Whether your next journey is to Tahiti or another international destination, Far and Away Adventures can help you build a personalized itinerary around your interests and travel priorities. Get a free trip quote from Far and Away Adventures: https://farandawayadventures.com/form/quick-trip-request/?dest=French%20Polynesia&src=spotify

    Inside French Polynesia: Why Great Journeys Start With the Right Itinerary

  5. 4d ago

    Umu Feast, Weaving and Fire Dancing: A Must-Do Rarotonga Cultural Experience

    Add a hands-on cultural day to your Cook Islands bucket list with a Far and Away Adventures specialist. Normand and Namit talk about why cultural tourism matters in the Cook Islands, and why hands-on participation creates a deeper connection than watching from the sidelines. From the first coconut grated to the final fire performance, guests leave with real memories of local life and the people who shared it. Above all, this is culture shared through passion. It is the kind of experience that turns a beach holiday into a once-in-a-lifetime connection with the people of Rarotonga. There is time for basket weaving and plate weaving, followed by local music and a fire show. Namit also covers tour timings and operating days so travelers know how to fit it into their plans. Guests help prepare an umukai-style meal using traditional ground-cooked food, grate coconut and make coconut cream, then eat the traditional way with their hands. Namit shares traditional Cook Islands life through food, weaving, coconut preparation, music and fire performance, all in a welcoming home-based setting that feels personal rather than staged. Some travel experiences invite you to watch. This one invites you to take part. Normand Schafer of Far and Away Adventures.com (https://farandawayadventures.com/) speaks with Namit Tua of Tumutoa Tours about a hands-on Cook Islands cultural tour on Rarotonga. Get a free trip quote from Far and Away Adventures: https://farandawayadventures.com/form/quick-trip-request/?dest=Cook%20Islands&src=spotify

    Umu Feast, Weaving and Fire Dancing: A Must-Do Rarotonga Cultural Experience

  6. 5d ago

    Swimming With Sea Turtles Off the Beach at Rarotonga's Lagoonarium

    Imagine stepping off the sand and snorkeling with sea turtles in a protected lagoon. Normand Schafer of Far and Away Adventures.com (https://farandawayadventures.com/) visits The Rarotongan Beach Resort and Lagoonarium and speaks with executive chairman Tata Crocombe about one of the most iconic resort experiences in the Cook Islands.Tata explains what makes the lagoon so special: protected snorkeling right off the beach within a marine reserve, with sea turtles, coral and tropical fish close to shore. The conversation also turns to family travel and how a holiday on Rarotonga helps families reconnect. Tata shares why the Cook Islands appeal so strongly to travelers looking for authenticity over big-chain tourism. Tata also highlights whale season and swim opportunities, Rarotonga day tours and experiences, and why so many travelers return to the Cook Islands again and again. Culture is everywhere here. They talk about Cook Islands Island Night with traditional food and drumming, plus local art and cultural activities that bring guests closer to island life. Whether you are planning a family holiday or a long-awaited escape to the South Pacific, this episode shows why Rarotonga's lagoon, people and culture make the Cook Islands such a rewarding place to visit, and why the experience of swimming among turtles right from the beach is so hard to forget. Put Rarotonga's lagoon on your bucket list and plan it with a Far and Away Adventures specialist. Get a free trip quote from Far and Away Adventures: https://farandawayadventures.com/form/quick-trip-request/?dest=Cook%20Islands&src=spotify

    Swimming With Sea Turtles Off the Beach at Rarotonga's Lagoonarium

  7. 6d ago

    Sunsets on Aitutaki's Lagoon: A Bucket-List Stay at Tamanu Beach Resort

    Aitutaki's lagoon is one of the South Pacific's great dream destinations. Normand Schafer of Far and Away Adventures.com (https://farandawayadventures.com/) visits Tamanu Beach Resort and sits down with general manager Errin Fawcett to talk about what makes this intimate Cook Islands stay so memorable.Errin describes mornings at the resort and why a smaller, boutique-style property can feel more personal. The warmth of local staff and Aitutaki hospitality is a big part of why guests often want to return. Errin also shares a memorable, intimate beach wedding story, showing how the resort becomes the backdrop for once-in-a-lifetime moments. The setting does the rest: the lagoon, the beaches and sunset views from the resort itself. The resort offers both adults-only and family-friendly accommodation wings. The conversation turns to protecting the island, with recycling and coral planting goals aimed at keeping Aitutaki's environment as remarkable as it is today. Normand and Errin also talk about the guest moments that make a stay here special, from quiet mornings by the water to the island warmth that greets visitors throughout their time on Aitutaki. For travelers who want lagoon views with a personal touch, this smaller resort shows why Aitutaki has such a strong pull. The episode also explains why expert support before you go can make a Cook Islands journey smoother. Ready to see Aitutaki's lagoon for yourself? Plan your stay with a Far and Away Adventures specialist. Get a free trip quote from Far and Away Adventures: https://farandawayadventures.com/form/quick-trip-request/?dest=Cook%20Islands&src=spotify

    Sunsets on Aitutaki's Lagoon: A Bucket-List Stay at Tamanu Beach Resort

  8. Oct 18

    Sunday Church Harmonies: A Cook Islands Experience Travelers Never Forget

    The conversation covers Sunday dress, from woven hats to flowers and color, and the respect for faith shared across different islands. Sarah and Matt also explain how Christianity blends with older spiritual traditions. Church services are the heart of the day. The guests talk about powerful choir singing and harmonies, and why visitors are so often welcomed into congregations. Many travelers say a Sunday service is what they remember most. Sarah and Matt describe how the islands slow down on the Sabbath. Shops close, sports stop and families gather, creating a rhythm that gives travelers a rare window into everyday local life. Beyond the beaches and lagoons, one of the most unforgettable experiences in the Cook Islands happens every week. Normand Schafer of Far and Away Adventures.com (https://farandawayadventures.com/) is joined by Sarah Elise and Matt Duffus to explore what Sunday reveals about faith, family and community.They look beyond Rarotonga to Aitutaki, Atiu, Manihiki and other outer islands, where Sunday traditions and community rhythms can feel even stronger. Make a Cook Islands Sunday part of your trip of a lifetime with help from a Far and Away Adventures specialist. For visitors, this is a chance to slow down with the islands and see a side of the Cook Islands that no beach day can show. Normand, Sarah and Matt explain why this weekly rhythm leaves such a lasting impression, and why understanding the culture is just as important as choosing the right island escape. Get a free trip quote from Far and Away Adventures: https://farandawayadventures.com/form/quick-trip-request/?dest=Cook%20Islands&src=spotify

    Sunday Church Harmonies: A Cook Islands Experience Travelers Never Forget
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About

Bucket List Travel with Norm is your guide to the best places to visit in the world, from overwater bungalows in Bora Bora and the lagoons of Aitutaki to island cultures, epic cruises and once-in-a-lifetime experiences. Host Normand Schafer interviews locals, guides and travel experts on location to share what makes each destination special and how to plan the trip of a lifetime. New episodes every week. Plan your bucket list trip with Far and Away Adventures at farandawayadventures.com.

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