Fiji Time. To the arriving tourist it's a term that promises everything she'd want in her tropical vacation: relaxation, an easy pace, going with the flow. To the local it's a mantra, an excuse, steeped in the history of a kava bowl, to abide by the schedule of the clock or the schedule of the gut or no schedule at all. It's the key to the way of life in this small Pacific country, the charms and frustrations all wrapped into one.
Kava is the national drink of Fiji and many of its people enjoy it on a regular -- often daily -- basis. Also known as grog, it is a tea made from the dried and pounded roots of Piper methysticum. In the novice drinker it produces a numb feeling in the tongue and perhaps a slight feeling of sleepiness. As the kavalactones build up in the liver of the habitual user a quicker and stronger effect can occur which renders the individual indifferent to the buzz of jokes and guitars or even further coconut shells of the bitter drink as they are passed around the circle. The next day's lethargy which results from such a session is the supposed origin of Fiji Time. While in practice it's rare to see someone in such a state, the kava-over has been melded into the Fijian national identity. Thus the bus is just as likely to arrive five minutes early as five minutes late, the shopkeeper might be back in fifteen minutes or maybe tomorrow, the restaurant will be open for someone's idea of lunchtime.
This opens up many opportunities for even the most staid tourist to become a flexible and resourceful traveler. If you paid three figures for a tour it probably won't be more than twenty minutes late. Maybe thirty. But otherwise all bets are off. So if that cute cafe still hasn't opened try one of the food carts with their unfamiliar fare. If the bus hasn't shown up after an hour walk, because it's not coming. Or even better, catch a ride with one of the friendly locals. You may even get an invitation to visit a traditional village where you'll get a sense of what Fiji Time is really about. And if all else fails, you can always not do much of anything at all. With beautiful beaches, warm water, and tropical fruit it's hard to imagine a better place kick back and enjoy a slower pace of life. Because you won't find stress here, just Fiji Time.
