My time in Fiji has now come to an end. I could easily spend weeks on end here jumping from one island to another although I feel good about what I've managed to see - four days doing a full loop of the main island, three days in the Yasawa's and a day trip around the Mamanuca's. The whole trip has gone really smoothly and I'm now getting savvy to backpacker ways and feeling quite at ease. Of course it helps that I've been continually chatting to such nice people. I've not eaten alone once since arriving in Fiji. After the tour around the main island, which I spent with the girls I met on my first day here, and after travelling alone to the Yasawa's I ate with another girl from Holland and a couple of guys from Taiwan then last night I had dinner with my American roomie. I'm loving hearing everyones stories of their travels and future plans but I'm also loving learning about other countries that I'm not even visiting through other travellers stories of home.
So, about my last few days in Fiji...
The Blue Lagoon Resort on Nacula in the Yasawa group of islands was bliss! I can't believe backpacker resorts like it exist! I fully expected all the best beaches to have been bought up and privatised by high end hotels but by all accounts I found myself at one of the best of the outer islands (all that pre-planning paid off). It had one of the most beautiful beaches, fab food (three courses for dinner with sorbet in-between - very fancy) and free wifi so I managed to load a few sick-making pictures hehe. The sea was really shallow and warm and when I took a walk along the kilometre of sand I didn't see another sole - can't remember the last time I felt as relaxed. I only wish the photos could better show how blue the sea was. On my two nights at Blue Lagoon there were thunder storms in the distance and it was so nice to be warm and dry, sitting and watching the far off lightning from the beach.
For my final day I went on a day sailing trip around around some of the Mamanuca Islands (closer to the main island than the Yasawa Islands). All the food and drink was included and we started with champagne which was an unexpected treat. The BBQ lunch was also amazing but the highlight was spending an hour at Modriki, the island where the movie Castaway with Tom Hanks was filmed. We snorkelled off the beach there and took a very short walk into the cover of the coconut trees and drank from some coconuts that our guide climbed and pulled down from one of the trees for us.
The things that have characterised Fiji for me are:
- singing: I've never heard so much singing and acoustic guitar playing and it's so good
- a numb tongue: from all the kava drinking (it has an anaesthetic quality)
- beauty: see pictures
- warmth: from the 13 hours of blazing sun a day, the water in the pools and sea and the lovely people
The locals right across Fiji have been so friendly. So many have stuck around after their shifts just to sit and chat. One older guy I was talking to was in the army for many years and has travelled to most continents and when I asked which was his favourite he said he liked no place more than Fiji as here they don't pay rent or mortgages, they eat what they grow and there's a better sense of community - says so much.
On a light note, here's some more of the silly stuff from my travels:
- I've discovered my insect repellant designed to be applied to my skin removes nail varnish! Slightly worrying
- Animals, domestic and livestock, are free to roam here so I've seen many a cow and goat strolling along the main ring-road around the island
- I've had no issues with all the boats I've been on however I got motion dizziness for an hour from reading the instructions on the laundrette washing machine whilst in mid-cycle! lol
So, 2 of 10 countries and 2 of 23 weeks away from England now complete. By lunchtime I'll be in New Zealand!
