5of7

Fab Fiji

Wow, Fiji was fabulous.... Let me start at the beginning and see how I go.... started my trip with a very early 530am start. Arrrgh, did I ever mention that there is only one thing I hate more than people waking me up during the day when I am on night shift. You guessed it having to get up early in the morning for a blaring alarm. Made my way to the airport to fly out to Auckland thanks to a very tolerant friend (Timmy), anyways I'm sure he owed me a favour :) Ok, arrive at airport and delayed because the traffic controllers in Dunedin also don't like early am starts and did not arrive for work on time. LOL. Got to see Rosie and Pam who were on a flight half an hour later waving a me through the glass partition and I knew we were on our way... I mean we were truely going to Fiji. That was the moment it finally sunk in for me. Up til then I hadn't really got exicited. Anyway lovely flight to Wellington, here we were delayed due to the weather and I finally arrive in Auckland to meet all my friends. Rosie and Pam are waiting for me at the domestic terminal having left after me and arriving before me (no delays on their flight or stop over in Christchurch). I got to see Tania again (she lives in Nelson) and that was very exciting cause I hadn't seen her for two months and of course my flatmate and friend Sarah who had left me lonely for a week to have a holiday in Auckland. Anyways after our great mini reunion we walk with our luggage to the international terminal. This is where I have to say my experience travelling with Andrew, Sarah and Glen in Australia last year really paid off... I packed too heavy to go on that holiday and had to lug around 19kg's for the trip, so I was down to a much lighter 12kg's for this trip.

In Auckland we of course did the usual perusal of Duty Free Goods to eye up what we wanted to buy on returning home and then progressed to have our first holiday meal together. Burger King...Mmm. I can almost still taste the fat... Ok no I can't but it is still on my hips so there you go. LOL. That's never going to change... On to the plane where we then had a another meal...Chicken curry...nice and a snooze. My snooze was rudely interupted by Sarah snapping a photo of me and the flash going off. Ohh well payback is a bitch... The in flight movie was nothing to rave about, could barely see the communal screen anyway. The staff on Air Pacific were very friendly and it seemed that they had an alcohol quota for those on board. Must have been in flight with several teetotallers, cause there was plenty of wine on offer. Personally only had one glass, cause for me two is on the way to messy, so there you go.

After landing in the hottest most humid weather I have ever experienced it was through the outdoor walkway into the building to collect our luggage and go through customs. We were greeted by 5 or 6 Fijian men singing and playing the guitar. Everyone was so friendly... Bula to all. Anyway amazingly they let me into the country with no hitches (was almost expecting them to decline me on my passport photo as it is not very current, staff must have seen the similarities...lol). After our group making it through customs we headed through the airport, stopping to buy duty free alcohol for the trip. We ended up with Tia Maria, Gin, Vodka, Pineapple flavoured vodka, and Midori and something else I cant remember. I found an ATM and took some Fiji money out for the trip. Rosie then led us in our adventure to find the airport connection to our resort.

Into the van with no seatbelts in the back (apparently not required in Fiji) and off to Tokatoka resort. Once there Rosie again took charge and checked us in. We ended up with two connecting suites for the five of us. We dumping our bags and headed back to reception to go into Nadi. Same van longer trip... Rosie pointed out as we headed into Nadi, the mountain range "the sleeping giant". We then had a quick look around Nadi as the shops were closing (around about 530 pm). I brought a burgundy Sulu for $20 (later to find out that this must be the most expensive Sulu in Fiji). We then headed to the supermarket to grab mixers and snacks for the rest of our trip. These were well above what you pay in NZ but cheaper than buying them in the resorts. Then we were back to our resort for drinkies and to explore.

The next day we were up bright and early to head out on our schooner cruise (Seaspray). We ordered room service for toast and fruit salad and then into a bus and around the different resorts to collect other passengers (apparently our pick up was first as we were close to the Airport). After a lengthy journey with tourists from all over we arrived at bustling Port Denerau. Here we had to fight our way through the crowds to check in and then we were loaded onto a catamaran to take us out to our schooner at Mana Island.

Once transfered from boat to schooner via speedboat we were able to sit back and relax taking in all the tiny tropical islands we passed. The journey started with a glass of bubbly at 9am (drinks and food inclusive in trip price). We enjoyed a generous morning tea of fresh tropical fruit...pineapple, paw paw, banana... mmm. We headed to Yanuya Island where as we anchored we saw some of the Fijian residents net fishing. Onto the island and hats off as we entered the village, initially through the boarding school grounds. We were led through the village of concrete buildings in various forms of repair and dirt tracks, ending up at traditional market where I brought a coral frangipani necklace for $15 ( also the most expensive Coral necklace in Fiji... LOL). There were traditional masks and lots of jewellery and also traditional drums). Onwards to Modriki Island on the way indulging in a great bbq lunch with fish, chicken, beef and lamb, also patsa, rice, potato and green salads with the usual condiments. Modriki Island "also know for it's starring role in the movie Cataway was bueatiful and was the coral reef and it's inhabitants as we snorkelled throught the cool waters. So refreshing on a lovely hot sunny day. on the return to Port Denarau we enjoyed an afternoon tea of cakes and biscuits and more fresh tropical fruit. Back at Port Denarau an onto the appropriate bus for the trip back to Tokatoka resort. This trip was not in a traditional air conditioned coach as previous but in an old bus with windows which open wide to act as a natural air conditioning unit. We travelled in cramped conditions with the locals and few other tourists back to the resort.

On return to the resort we perused the resort shop and then had dinner at our resorts restuarant which was also reasonably priced. I again had curry. At this point I had not quite clisked that Fiji was a curry wonderland with all the Fijian Indian populace and I was gorging myself with curry like it was going out of fashion. We then retired to our room for drinks and bed... I remeber feeling a little under the weather due to all the sun and heat which is far removed from NZ.

Up early again and with a quick tea and toast breakfast, packed up and back out to Port Denarau for our Catamaran trip to our next resort Beachcomer Island. On arrival to the island we were greeted by the friendly staff with Pineapple juice. Different in taste to anything you can buy here in NZ. It had a packet cordial taste to it but had floating bits of pineapple pulp in it. Pleasant and refreshing, this was my favourite drink for the whole trip. After checking in we then had to wait to go to our Bure as it was being cleaned. After an hour we were shown to our Bure and it was well worth the wait. It had magnificent views and was cool, modern yet traditional. After this we all got changed and hit the beach.

Meals on the Island were all inclusive and announced by traditional drum. Breakfast was toast, pancakes (with pineapple syrup), meat: sausages or bacon or pork, fried veges such as potato, kumara or taro, eggs: scrambled, poached, omelette, fried. Also tea/coffee and either the pineapple drink or a lemon honey drink similar to the pineapple juice. Also there were fresh muffins if you were quick. Pineapple, paw paw and banana covered in coconut were standard with all meals. Lunch was usually curry of varying types, salads, popadoms and roti bread mmm. there were also non-curry options which I dont remember at all. Dinner was several different types of curry and also a themed night, one night there was chinese, another english, another lovu and so on.

What we did on the island... Sunbathing, snorkelling, sunbathing, snorkelling, kayaking, sunbathing, snorkelling, sunbathing, snorkelling, mini golf, sunbathing, snorkelling, sunbathing , snorkelling, walks, weird turtle viewing trip, sunbathing, snorkelling, sunbathing, snorkelling, para sailing, reading books and relaxing in the sun.

At night there was various entertainment in the bar area. Crab racing. This was an entertaining auction of crabs representing different countries. I of course sucessfully bid on Abba of Sweden for $9, and won $50 for my trouble as my crab came 3rd. Sarah was unsuccessful in her bidding for All Blacks of New Zealand which went for well over $20. As you can imagine us kiwi's will never go cheap! Another night there was traditional dancing ( which some of us girls got involved in doing a train around the bar), another traditional singing, another a band and so on. One night it was a limbo competion won by pam. She won a trip on the schooner we had been on, so traded it for beer. Fiji bitter, very refreshing and gratefully shared by all. Us girls also took advantage of our private bure to indulge in our contraband which was not meant to be consumed til after the resort bar closed at 12am.

I had a delightful time on the island, one day spent out of the sun as I felt sick (partly bad tummy, all that curry! and partly the heat). I have to say that I was not pleasant or friendly to be around but my friends ignored me best they could and continued to enjoy themselves thank goodness. With this in consideration I also had a bit of a blub that night out on the beach looking out to sea. I have to admit this is when I finally let go of things in regard to my relationship with Timmy. Up til this point I hadn't really been able to move on, despite having been apart for 9 months and having brought a house on my own. I know I made things hard on myself by trying to be friends which I have since figured out can't be done (not that we are enemies) but friendship meant sex to him and I still loved him at that point. Silly really after all the hurt and disappointment in our relationship. Rosie being a blunt realist sorted me out joining me while I was having my blub and somehow making me work things out so I have never looked back nor shed another tear over Timmy. I think she is truely one of my guardian angels :)

After our stint on the island we returned to Tokatoka resort for a night and enjoyed a day trip into Nadi where we went to fresh produce markets and around the shops. We went to an Indian specialist shop where Rosie brought a traditional Sari, souvenir shops and also to a shop that sold Pearls. All the girls brought a string of pearls, I didn't and kind of regret it now. We finished off the day going getting fresh rolls from a bakery (a dozen for $1), two pineapples ($1 each) and a bunch of bananas ($1) which served as our breakfast (with leftovers) prior to our departure home. We ate out that night at a tradtional indian restaurant...more curry...LOL.

In the morning we checked out got back into our seatbelt less van and back to Nadi airport to go home. The airport was very humid as we waited for our departure. I brought some duty free Nike runners for only $70 Fijian while Pam and Sarah brought new digital camera's. The flight home was great with the same abundance of wine, this time not a curry meal though. We had individual tv's with a choice of movies on this flight.

Back in Auckland, I brough maximum duty free alcohol, 6 bottles of Wither Hills Sav Blanc (got a taste for this off Sarah), two bottles of Bailey's, two bottles of Sambuca and a bottle of Vodka. I have to say Sarah did the same and when we boarded a domestic flight home the stewards/ stewardess' just smiled. Carrying them from international to domestic at Auckland was tiresome as was lugging them on and off the plane. Overall worth it now :) I have to note initially I was to have 4 days in Auckland but I had to cancel this as my sister Kirstin's trip home from London coincided with my holiday. We shared one and a half days together so that was nice :)

posted by 5of7 @ 10:15 PM 0 comments