The Melanesian Spell is Cast

Following his journey into the Solomon Sea in 2005, travel writer and photographer, Roderick Eime, has now completed the 34-night Melanesian odyssey from tropical Cairns through Papua New Guinea’s Bismarck Archipelago, Solomon Sea and Sepik River to the Solomon Islands, Vanuatu and finally New Caledonia.

Travelling aboard the luxury expedition vessel, Oceanic Discoverer, he encountered a multitude of cultural and natural attractions in one 14-night and two 10-night itineraries. Rod trekked to live volcanoes, dived on WWII ship and aircraft wrecks, fended off spear-wielding “attackers”, sang and danced with mud-smeared natives and, most notably, fell completely under the spell of the beautiful people of Melanesia.

Rod’s cup is overflowing with editorial and pictorial possibilities; from simple island encounters to more in-depth discussion of the impact of western-style tourism on the many remote and isolated communities.

Progressively I will add stories to this page as they run their normal course with print publications.

The stories here are now released for sale to travel media publishers.

2006 Stories

  • Wild Women of the Sepik
    Beware the spell of the river goddess [read]
  • NEW: Like Every Place You've Never Been
    There may be some truth in the clever tagline [read]

2005 Stories

  • Seduction and Sorcery
    The art of influence in the uninhibited Trobriands. [read]
    This story available as podcast - listen
  • Our Princess Makes Her International Debut:
    A true-blue Aussie Princess hitches up her breeches and heads north to the seldom explored waters of Papua New Guinea and the Solomon Sea. [read]
  • Seduced by Islands of Love
    As published at News Ltd - Escape [read]     or PDF 300kb
  • The Place Time Forgot
    I had no idea what I was getting into. That's why I went. [read]

On-Line Publication:

See also Image Library || Dr Nancy Sullivan's 2005 Log || Cruise Maps: PNG Melanesia || Rod's 2006 Log

Fact File:

Coral Princess Cruises operate the brand new 76-passenger expedition yacht Oceanic Princess on a range of 10-13 day itineraries that include the islands of Papua New Guinea, Melanesia and New Zealand. All meals and excursions are included.

Prices start at AU$6950.00 twin-share.

Bookings:

Further information:

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