The final stop on my 2011-2012 travelling adventure is the
beautiful Islands of Fiji. I had been recommended the destination by many of my
friends and so touched down in Nadi for a week of relaxing. A much needed break
and a bit of R and R was just the thing for me after 6 and a half months of
hopping between continents and countries. Coming from a wintery New Zealand the
first thing that struck me was the heat and humidity as I stepped off the plane
into what felt like a very pleasant butterfly house! I was greeted by many
staff with a friendly Bula! And everyone was extremely helpful and friendly. I
spent my first evening at Smugglers Cove Resort as the next day I would be off
to the islands on the Yasawa Flyer Catamaran.
The Yasawa’s are the group of islands 2-4hrs North west of
the mainland. The boat ride up boasted some spectacular views of the other
islands including the Mamanuca group. My first stay was 2 nights at Blue Lagoon
Beach Resort. Surrounded by amazing clear blue and turquoise waters and picture
book islands filled with white sand, coconut trees and hammocks, It was
definitely my own little slice of paradise! Our longboat was greeted by the
staff singing us the traditional welcome song and then we were shown to our
amazing dorm with single beds, towels (yes much excitement about being given a
towel), and flowers. The resort had an incredible dinner service where I had an
incredible risotto one day and pizza the next. The evening dinner was also a
big hit with seafood platters the first night and a buffet with steak the next.
When not eating we led on the loungers next to the glistening water and soaked
up the rays with a good book (currently the girl with the dragon tattoo). As
with all Fijian resorts entertainment is put on throughout the day and in the
evening. The second day I was there happened to be Sunday so we took a boat
around the headland to the village of Nacula and did as every Fijian does and
went to church. It was all in Fijian but the singing was beautiful and the
children all dressed up in their Sunday best looked fantastic. We also got the
chance to have a look around the village at the thatched houses and the
children and residents were all very welcoming. In the evening the choir came
round to the resort and sang to us again before dinner. Unfortunately the next
day I had to leave the beautiful resort and head south.
Nacula village
Girls in their Sunday best
Blue lagoon resort
Destination number 2 was Mantaray island, famous for its
local mantarays, unfortunately they had decided to go awol and none were there
for me to see. However, the island is beautiful and we did bracelet weaving
from coconut palms, as well as games and the famous and very entertaining
Fijian night. The staff get dressed up in grass skirts play ukeles and sing.
They also did the traditional dancing and dragged us all up for the side by
side dancing and a bizarre conga where you make a chain by holding hands
between the person infront and behinds legs! All very hilarious and finished up
with a bonfire. Mantaray also boasts
some amazing snorkelling right off the beach. As I swam I saw huge royal blue
starfish, many tropical fish among the coral. I literally was surrounded by
fish swimming along in the middle of schools of little irredescent ones and
following parrotfish around. It was incredibly beautiful and I discovered that
the crackling/fizzing noise you hear as you swim around is the fish eating the
coral! Again unfortunately it came time to leave and off I went south again (in
a torrential downpour, not what I was expecting in Fiji but the heat and
scenery remained).
My last Island stop was on Wayalailai the first of the Yasawa group and a resort called Naqalia. This was a small community type resort and the first night I was 1 of 5 and the second night 1 of 2 guests! I was a little apprehensive at first but the staff welcomed me with a kava ceremony (an earthy tasting root that is used like a teabag in water and gives a relaxed and numbing feeling) we also did silly dancing games and played Fijian Uno which is an adaptation of the original card game, and much better might I add. The accommodation was a little dorm bure. In the morning I headed out, with the aptly named Fish, into the middle of the ocean to a reef where I donned a snorkel and jumped in to swim with sharks! The coral was really cool and the usual fish were cruising around. Our guide, Fish, soon found some reef sharks and had them following us and swimming very close around and under us. They were a metre plus in length and we managed to find 2. As they swam upto him to get his bait he grabbed them by the tail and dorsal fin (mentalist!) and thrust them at us saying “touch, touch!”. It was a brilliant experience and something I never thought I would do, it also turned out to be a nice alternative what with the mantarays being M.I.A. By the end of my 2 days I felt like one of the family and was sad to leave, but it was back to the mainland.
My final day was spent in Nadi, I went shopping in town and
then chilled out before my long and no doubt jet lag inducing flight back to
Heathrow. Its been a fantastic week and the perfect end to what has been a
fantastic 6 and a half months. I would tell anyone that if you haven’t already
you need to get yourself to the beautiful Fiji Islands and experience the sun,
sea and sand in Fiji time! A stunning place full of beautiful people and a
mental and physical escape from all your worries and trivia. I have loved my
week, and loved my travels, met some fantastic people and made brilliant new friends
and most of all unforgettable memories! I sign off now sat on a bench looking
out at the beach and sea of picture perfect Fiji! Thanks for reading!
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