| Today, Norm Goldman, Editor of and
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| | traveling alone should avoid staying in
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| Bookpleasures.com, is pleased to have as
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| | isolated bungalows or wandering off on
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| a guest well known author, travel writer
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| | deserted beaches.NORM:Could you give our
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| and expert on the South Pacific, David
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| | readers an idea of the costs involved if
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| Stanley. David is the author of Moon
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| | travel originates from the USA or Canada
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| Handbooks South Pacific.Good day David
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| | and how accessible is it to fly to the
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| and thank you for accepting our
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| | South Pacific?David:One-month roundtrip
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| invitation to be interviewed.NORM:Please
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| | airfares from Los Angeles or Vancouver to
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| tell our readers something about
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| | Tahiti, Rarotonga, or Fiji start around
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| yourself, your expertise and the
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| | US$1,250 in the low season, provided you
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| books you have authored pertaining to
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| | book at least 14 days in advance and are
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| the South Pacific.David:I've earned a
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| | willing to accept a 35 percent
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| living from travel guidebooks since 1979,
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| | cancellation fee. If you fly on shorter
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| when Moon Publications of Rutland
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| | notice during the high season (December
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| published the 1st edition of SOUTH
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| | to February), you'll pay around US$2,000.
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| PACIFIC HANDBOOK.In November 2004, Avalon
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| | The weekend travel sections of major
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| Travel Publishing of Emeryville,
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| | newspapers carry ads for discounted
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| California, brought out the 8th edition
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| | fares, and websites sometimes sell
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| of Moon Handbooks South Pacific. I've
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| | tickets for considerably less than the
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| also written Lonely Planet guides to
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| | prices quoted by airline agents over the
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| Eastern Europe, Cuba, and Canada's
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| | phone.For example, I recently flew from
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| Maritime Provinces. Lately I've been
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| | Vancouver to American Samoa for US$700
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| exploiting the power of the Internet with
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| | roundtrip on an Internet special. Such
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| sites like SOUTH PACIFIC.ORG: MAP SOUTH
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| | offers are routinely announced in the
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| PACIFIC and
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| | newsletter of the South Pacific Tourism
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| CUBA PICTURES.NORM:When we talk about
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| | Organization, available at SOUTH PACIFIC
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| the South Pacific what exactly are we
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| | TOURISM ORGANIZATION.NORM:If you had to
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| referring to and where is it situated in
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| | choose 6 unequalled venues in the South
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| relation to the USA or Canada?David:The
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| | Pacific for a romantic getaway, honeymoon
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| "South Pacific" brochures printed by tour
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| | or wedding destination, what would they
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| operators often focus on Australia and
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| | be and why?David:My first choice would
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| New Zealand, but those countries are
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| | be:Tahiti and its neighbours Moorea and
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| quite different from the tropical Pacific
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| | Bora Bora.The soaring green peaks and
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| islands. Moon Handbooks South Pacific
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| | brilliant reefs of these islands are
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| covers 15 insular countries and
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| | unsurpassed, and the "exotic" French
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| territories from Easter Island to the
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| | atmosphere combines well with the charm
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| Solomons. People tend to consider this
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| | of Polynesia.Fiji is a very close second
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| region remote, yet it takes only two
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| | for its stunning variety and
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| hours longer to fly from Los Angeles to
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| | friendliness.Then there's Rarotonga in
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| Tahiti than it does to fly to Honolulu.
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| | the Cook Islands.
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| Fiji is midway between Hawaii and New
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| | This is long a favorite holiday
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| Zealand, to the west of Tahiti.NORM:Would
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| | destination for New Zealanders. Rarotonga
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| you consider the South Pacific a good
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| | is small enough to explore in a week, and
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| choice for a romantic getaway or wedding
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| | the facilities are excellent.My fourth
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| and honeymoon destination? Why?David:All
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| | choice is Easter Island. Although for
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| of the main South Pacific destinations
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| | those into hiking or archaeology, it
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| have attempted to market themselves as
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| | should come first. Travel agents often
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| wedding or honeymoon destinations. Fiji
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| | book three-night stopovers on Easter
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| and the Cook Islands have been the most
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| | Island, but only the highlights can be
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| successful as weddings can be arranged
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| | seen during such a short stay.Finally, I
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| locally with little fuss.In French
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| | should mention Vanuatu for those looking
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| Polynesia, marriages can only be
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| | for something really different. This
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| performed for persons with 30 days
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| | little known Melanesian country offers a
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| residency, which excludes most tourists.
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| | colorful mix of scuba diving, tribal
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| Instead, French Polynesia has developed
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| | culture, active volcanoes, and the South
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| an active honeymoon industry with Bora
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| | Pacific's most beautiful capital city,
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| Bora highly favored by bridal magazine
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| | Port Vila.NORM:What resources are
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| writers who enjoyed the hospitality of
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| | available on the Internet pertaining to
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| luxury resorts. In my opinion,
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| | weddings and honeymoon vacations in the
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| Moorea is Bora Bora's equal in all but
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| | South Pacific?David:Obtaining independent
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| name and is far less expensive. For a
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| | information on weddings and honeymoons
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| romantic getaway, I recommend Rarotonga
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| | isn't easy as resort and tour company
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| in the Cook Islands. There is a lot to
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| | websites only promote their own products.
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| see and do within a compact area, and
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| | That said, HONEYMOON FIJI and HONEYMOON
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| prices are fair.NORM:What is the best
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| | VANUATU are worth a look, and TRAVEL
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| time to visit the South Pacific from the
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| | MAXIA is useful in that it covers the
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| point of view of weather, costs, crowds,
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| | entire South Pacific. It's also well
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| and the availability of flights from the
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| | worth perusing the official tourism
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| USA, Canada and Europe?David:Officially,
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| | websites of the island visitors bureaus,
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| the hurricane season in the South Pacific
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| | all of which are linked to SOUTH
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| is from December to April, although with
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| | PACIFIC.ORGNORM:Is there anything else
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| global warming it's starting earlier and
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| | you would like to add that we have not
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| ending later. Winter (May to October) is
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| | covered
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| generally cooler, drier, and less humid
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| | pertaining to the South
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| throughout the region, the best time to
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| | Pacific?David:The South Pacific should be
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| go. May to August is the off-season in
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| | recognized as a straightforward,
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| Australia
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| | trouble-free destination. None of the
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| and New Zealand; hence Air New Zealand's
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| | countries included in my book require
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| low season South Pacific airfares apply
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| | visas of North Americans, Europeans,
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| those months. So by a happy coincidence,
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| | Australians, New Zealanders, or Japanese.
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| you can enjoy the best weather for the
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| | Obstacles like erratic pricing, corrupt
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| lowest price if you schedule your trip at
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| | officials, violent crime, and security
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| that time.NORM:How safe is it to travel
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| | glitches are generally absent here. This
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| to the South Pacific?David:Very safe.
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| | sprawling region is best characterised by
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| "Terrorists" would stand out like sore
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| | its amazing variety, with many distinct
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| thumbs on these small islands. Violent
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| | cultures, cuisines, histories, and
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| crime (muggings, etc) is almost unknown,
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| | environments to experience and enjoy. At
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| but petty theft does occur. Nothing will
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| | US$24.95, Moon Handbooks South Pacific
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| go astray if a few simple precautions are
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| | has the potential to save vacationers
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| taken. Contrary to the image fostered by
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| | hundreds of dollars, while assisting them
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| Hollywood and in the tourism brochures,
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| | in making the best choices. It's all in
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| the island
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| | there.Thanks David for accepting our
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| societies are socially conservative and
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| | invitation to be interviewed.
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| scanty dress is frowned upon. Women
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|
