Vinaka vaka levu, Fiji!

With the cyclone forcing me back to Nadi two days early, I decided to make the best of my time there. Luckily, I was able to book a nice room to myself back where I began at the Bamboo Backpackers Hostel. It's a lively international scene, with many locals also gathering for meals and drinks in the evenings. The staff here are super helpful and friendly, and I enjoy the evening kava ceremonies and sing-a-longs. 

The cyclone definitely brought rain like I'd never experienced- just dumping! This also brought out the frogs who occupied the grassy areas and street puddles. Feeling a bit stir crazy, I was able to gather a couple folks to share a cab and head out to the Sabeto Hotsprings and Mud Pools. $40 FJD, or about $20 USD paid for my portion of the cab, and entry fee to the quaint garden hotspring paradise. Located at the base of the Garden of the Sleeping Giant, a mountain named for its resemblance to its namesake, sits a family owned patch of land with a hot mud pool and a series of hotspring pools. 

   

You start off by slopping warm volcanic mud all over your body and face (no, not naked this time!), and let it air dry while you get a tour of the property and take in the spectacular views. Once dried you dip into the warm mud bottomed earthen pool and begin the first phase of rinsing off. It felt so good! Then you enter another natural hotspring pool to rinse off in the cleaner water before entering the last covered hotspring fed pool for a warm relaxing soak taking in the mountain and garden scene. Can't think of a better way to spend a rainy day. I definitely dozed off a bit on the cab ride home. 

 

 

 Vinaka vaka levu, my dear Fiji! Many thanks. I'm sure to be back again someday, hopefully in better health, for scuba and more Island adventures. You've exceeded even my wildest dreams of lush garden beachy paradise. If anyone reading this is thinking they might like to visit, buy a ticket and go! You can figure the rest out upon arrival.

    

 
 

        

  

 

Immunity Idol

My last night on Nacula Island the activities board posted something called "Suvivor Fiji"... loving the show, and knowing the current season happened to be filmed in Fiji, I asked about it, wondering if they were going to stream the show. To my dismay (and delight) they were not, but rather, they were hosting a game like Suvivor with shell tossing, trivia, and puzzles. One of the waitresses told me there was an immunity Idol somewhere too! I wondered if I should start scouring the nooks and crannies along the beach, but was informed that one of the staff had it, and all I had to do was ask around. Needless to say, I found the immunity Idol!   

I was told it could earn my team ten extra points... My team was hopeless, and when they finally asked for the person with the Idol to come forward I thought it would do us no good at this point. But the whole ten point thing was a bunch of bologna. I went up redeem the Idol and was faced with a special reward task! I got to choose from three folded wine list menues from the bar, each with a note inside indicating a prize. I was allowed to open one at a time, and could either accept it or reject it and open another one, but could not go back to any I rejected. I rejected a free sarong from the gift shop, then opened the second menu and accepted a free bottle of wine! The last prize I didn't open was a one hour massage, which I had no time for before I had to leave, so it worked out. Naturally I picked the priciest bottle. I offered to share it with my team, but they insisted I keep it. I saved it and enjoyed it after evacuating the island the next day back at my hostel in Nadi... made the rainy day a bit more... rosè (haha!)

"Senga na Lenga" (sega na leqa)

Nacula Island and the Blue Lagoon Resort is just about the last stop accessible by the Yasawa Flyer, located in the northers portion of the chain. Everything here is a bit larger than what I experienced on Waya. A long white sand beach lined with cushioned wooden lounge chairs beneath the palms offered views of the bright blue clear water, colorful sunsets, and floating pontoon accessible by a short swim out in the ocean- good for a few flips and dives off and into the warm water. 

 

The food here is a treat for the eyes and palate, offering a buffet lunch with eggs and omlets made to order, crepes, exotic fruits and juices... you name it! Most resorts on the islands have a compulsory meal plan, so might as well take advantage of it, since I'm paying either way.  The lunch menu includes a variety of items including curried chicken with saffron rice, fish cakes, and my favorite was the large green salad loaded with papaya, pineapple, watermenoln, coconut shavings, seeds, pumpkin, and fresh fish. Dinner is always a 4 course affair, with  appetizer, entree, main, and dessert options. I feel so spoiled!

 

 

 

The reef here is my playground! Thousands of fish, some with up to 7 colors. I made friends with Angela, and Italian living in Belgium, who works for the UN as a lawyer of sorts involved in fish management. She gave me a few lessons on some things to look for and notice along the reef, which gave me a new lens and context to all that I was seeing. In the afternoon of my second day I ventured far out following the reef's edge finding the cuddlefish I had heard about. About 6-7 inches long with squid like arms and a ruffling skirt, the pair I spotted started out dark brown in color and changed light iridescent while I dove down deep to follow them a bit. The farther out I went, the better the sights. The water was a little choppy, and it was getting later in the day, so I decided to just go a bit further before making my way back to shore, when I suddenly came upon a reef shark! He was very curious about me, and followed me for a while, perhaps expecting to be fed, as snorkeling with reef sharks is a popular excursion, and they often need to be lured into an area by treats. At the time I did not know this, and definitely freaked out a bit. My rational mind told me, "He's harmless. You wanted to go snorkeling with the sharks. Enjoy this." The primitive, emotional part of my brain shouted, "Get the hell out of here!" It was a little nerve racking when he followed me around, but I was able to enjoy the experience... ok, I might have gotten a leg cramp from how fast I was kicking myself out of the area, haha. After calming down I saw a sea turtle on my way back- the Yoda of the sea- and felt safe again. 

 

The following day included a visit to Sara-I-Lau, the limestone caves, by way of a thrilling motor boat ride. The weather had turned, with threats of a cyclone coming in, and the seas were rough. The caves were a really special experience. 

 Hosting a mix of fresh and salt water, we saw eel and red snapper in the clear water. They say if you haven't visited the caves, you haven't really been to the Yasawas.  From the shore you climb a few steps up the hillside, then down into the first cave, lit up by sunlight streaming in through openings up top.

 

 From there, you can enter a second dark cave by way of an underwater tunnel, using a diving light to navigate. Our guide Petè found me to be somewhat brave and a strong swimmer, so he  had me go first to shine the light for everyone else as he guided them through the tunnel. The beauty of this was being the only one in the dark second cave on the way in, and the way out. I definitely let out a big howl while alone in the cave that echoed for what felt like minutes.

 

 The storm began to come in with full force, and I had to make the difficult decision to skip my last island to ensure I'd make it back to Nadi to catch my flight to New Zealand... smart choice, because all inter-island transportation was cancelled the day I was scheduled to come back for my flight... Seng na lenga- no worries!

The boat ride back to Nadi was packed, and I took the advice of some older wine loving ladies, and upgraded to the "Captains Lounge" for about $20 US. Free wine and beer and snacks, cushy couch seats, and roomy. Good thing, because the 4 1/2 hour ride ended up being a stormy 7 hour affair. When I left the the lounge to use the loo, it was horrific- people all wet, huddled together, sitting in isleways, green faced and puking everywhere. Feeling great and a little wine drunk, I felt like a jerk, and tried not to smile and draw attention to my purple teeth and dry clothes as I maneuvered my way through the miserable masses while the boat tossed back and forth. 
 

Yawa Island

Two and a half hours on the Yasawa Flyer, a big yellow jet boat, gets you past the Mamanuca Island group and out to the mid section of the Yasawa Islands to Yawa Island and the Octopus Resort, also known as pure paradise. Tucked into the hillside, and guarded somewhat from the wind, the resort boasts a beautiful white sand beach strewn with a variety of corals, lined with palms, and hosting a health reef teaming with a vibrant variety of tropical fish and anemone. The resort is quite classy with a laid back, friendly vibe. The bures are beautifully constructed with great attention to detail, using locally sourced materials including bamboo and intricate palm weaving. You're best off barefoot here, as the main dining area has a sand floor. All the walk ways are lined with hibiscus and frangipani, sweetening the hot humid air. 
 

 

  

The day I arrived happened to be the annual staff Christmas party- hard to wrap my sweaty head around the the fact that it's the holiday season. All the children came in from the local village for a special lunch and games. Feeling like death, and with half a voice, I elected to take a nap in hopes of salvaging the rest of the day- a good decision. (Maybe I can count this as a sick day, rather than vacation day from work?!)

In the late afternoon, all the village elders came and gathered for a Yakona ceremony, playing traditional songs on guitar and ukulele, singing in the kinds of rough throated harmonies only weathered old dudes can make. It was really special. I joined in for a bit, making new friends. 

   After a fancy BBQ dinner there was a band from Suva playing island beats all night long, with all the staff and local villagers dancing, laughing and drinking lots of kava. It was wild! 

Up bright and early for church at the village- a short one mile hike up and over the hillside led by Tai Voli "grandpa". The elders here are limber and well built with open hips from sitting cross legged during evening Yakona ceremonies and strong legs from traversing the landscape. 

   Church service was filled with a passionate sermon in Fijian, choir singing, and little boys sitting in front of me being total rascals- non stop flicking each others ears, slapping behind the head and other shenanigans. Classic!  The collection basket went around, and we all gave generously. 

Women here are required to cover shoulders and knees, and most locals were in their Sunday best- light cotton dresses for the ladies, and colorful dress shirts and formal skirts for the men. All the villagers go barefoot, or maybe flip flops on occasion. The men's feet especially, develop large, wide toed, and callused. The generator was out, so there were no fans and the church felt truly like a sauna. I nearly had to excuse myself for fear of passing out. I was able to fan myself with a folded up crossword puzzle I'd stashed in my purse, but was jealous of the large woven hand fans the women had. I inquired about these later, and my new local pal, Lacey, brought me a couple the next day.

The village is quite simple, with the only real constructed buildings being the church and the school house. The family homes are not much more than shacks with separate woodfire makeshift stoves.  

    

Met a friendly little pig pal on my hike back to the village...

 

In stark contrast to church at the village, I spent the rest of the day treating myself to a traditional Fijian head massage in an effort to ease my congestion and heal... then a pedicure, and another full body massage- all in a lovely facility and accompanied by plates of fresh pineapple, watermelon, and papaya. The price was right, the weather had turned sour, and I needed some healing touch. 

 

Lo-fi Wifi

Delays in publishing posts. Wifi in Fiji is about as weak as the coffee. Of course the photos make it more difficult... I'm sure the pending cyclone doesn't help matters either, as the hostel I retreated to is at capacity, with many travelers on their devices trying to rearrange plans.

Bula Fiji

Arrived safely in Nadi, Fiji with all my baggage. The air here is hot and humid, and it's a welcomed change to the freezing rain I left behind. Everyone here greets each other with a warm smile and "Bula!" Made pals with fellow travelers on the shuttle from the airport to Bamboo Backpackers resort, all commiserating in not having slept much on our flights and also fueled by the excitement of another stamp on the passport and the anticipation of adventures to come. After some breakfast and a celebratory mini bottle of champagne, my room was ready, and I was glad to lay down after time traveling over the international dateline. 

 

The public busses are cheap and easy, with many of them open air (no windows), providing a breezy reprieve from the heat- it does not cool down here, not even at night. Navigated my way into town with a new pal, Nadia- friendships amongst backpackers are fast and fleeting, always sharing where you've been, how long you're here, and where to next. We hit up the growers market, where I enjoyed a spiral cut pineapple for a snack while perusing all the unfamiliar fruits and roots.

 Took part in a Yakona (Kava) ceremony the first night in hopes of sleeping off this nasty cold I caught on my way here. Sat in a circle with some locals playing some songs on guitar and make shift percussion instruments and telling stories. The yakona is steeped for a while served in a little coconut shell cup, that gets passed around the circle until someone takes it with a single hand clap and shout of "Bula!" Then passes it back around to be refilled. The warm drink is bitter and some don't prefer it. (I love it) I had a few cups full, making my whole mouth numb and relaxing me into "fiji time".

Day 2 found me with no voice and feeling worse, not having slept much in the heat. But I ventured out to the Garden of the Sleeping Giant, boasting a vast array of beautiful orchids and varieties of flowers you can only dream of.

    

   

After lunch at the hostel, I bussed back into town for some needed items before heading out to the Yasawa Islands, where all you have access to is what you brought along. Picked up some Sudafed, a new phone charger and visited the Hindu temple.

 

The bus back took a shortcut off road and on to the beach! 

Had a beautiful dinner of mahi mahi with some local root vegetables, and greens cooked in a coconut broth. So kind! So far the food does not disappoint, and I'm told the island fare is even better. Everything organic and grown or harvested from the island and surrounding seas. Cooled down on the beach with a cold Fiji Gold beer and watched a vibrant sunset with dramatic clouds and lightning striking hard and fast behind me inland.

Headed to Waya island now to relax at the Octopus Resort for 2 nights to start off my week of island hopping. Looking forward to the free morning yoga, and planning to book a massage for tomorrow... because vacation!