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.