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BULA!
Monday 6th July
After the short(ish) 3 hour flight from Auckland we got off the plane at Nadi International Airport, not quite sure how we were getting to our hostel, but it couldn't be that hard. After coming through duty free (where alcohol was REALLY cheap, though we decided not to get any as we wouldn't drink it in
Fiji and didn't want to carry it until we got home), and collecting our luggage, we came into the main concourse where there was a group of men playing guitars and singing traditional Fijian songs and we were welcomed by a lady who gave us a necklace made entirely of tiny sea shells. The lady also asked us where we were staying and told us where to get our free shuttle bus, but not before finding out we were spending 6 nights at a backpackers/dive resort on Mana Island called Ratu Kini. Slightly confused and worrying a little bit about being swindled early doors having just arrived, she took us up to an office for Ratu Kini (we weren't so worried when we saw the name plastered all over the office and windows), and paid for EVERYTHING - our 6 nights accommodation and our speedboat transfers to and from the island (including pick up/drop off at our hostel on the mainland). So we handed over nearly FJ$900 in cash, which made our wallets a lot lighter and meant I had to run back to the cashpoint for the second time in 10 mins so as we had cash for food and drink on the island. We then got the shuttle bus to the Nomads Skylodge hostel where we crashed straight away so we would be ready for our pickup at 9am.
Tuesday 7th
Now.... just to let you avid readers know, we didn't do a great deal on the island... it was INCREDIBLY beautiful, so we did what anyone would do, and just lounged about in the sunshine and explored the island (not a great deal to it as you can walk all the way around in 2-3 hours!). So I am going to bullet point most of this as each day followed a very similar pattern! The hostel itself has an amazing setting, the main building is right on the beach so as when it is high tide the water is actually underneath the building which is on a raised platform, then all of the rooms are set behind this building, further into the island and they are almost indistinguishable from the buildings which the island's inhabitants live in. It was very picturesque. The main building had a bar, a reception/TV room and the deck which is the bit that is over the water and where all the meals were served.
Got picked up from the hostel and taken to the speedboat to get to Mana Island.
Met two couples on the boat who were staying at the same resort - Dan & Sarah and Ash & Emma
On arrival we were told all about the diving courses you could do there, from introductory right up to learning to be a dive master, but we thought snorkelling would be fine for this trip!
After checking in to our room (we went for a private en suite room as opposed to a 20 bed dorm... a wise move!) we explored some of the beach near to the hostel as it was a little overcast.
Later in the afternoon we started drinking with Dan & Sarah, as having been worried about alcohol being expensive, it turned out to be pretty cheap!
Drank a bit too much... ended up getting involved in some Fijian dances (only watched the fire dances though... very impressive), and we all learned the BULA dance (slightly Macarena-esque!).
Weds 8th
Woke up for breakfast but we both felt a little fragile after the night before so decided to get some extra sleep!
Finally got up about 11ish and after rehydrating we decided to go to Sunset Beach on the other side of the island. It took about half an hour to get there but was so worth it. There is nothing on that side of the island except 2 or 3 private residences and a chapel, all slightly set back from the beach. We found a secluded patch of sand that was in the shade and lay there all afternoon. It was amazing. The nicest beach either of us has ever been to. It really exceeded both of our expectations. The water was the most unbelievable shades of blue, and you could walk out a couple of hundred metres from the shore and the water was only waist-deep. There wasn't a single cloud anywhere in the sky, which was the most azure blue imaginable. Even more fantastic is that we had this beach almost entirely to ourselves barring a couple of dogs (of which there were quite a few on the island, but all harmless). Quite the tropical paradise basically. You should go there, no matter who you are, as you will think it is just as beautiful as we did.
We decided that we would walk back to Ratu Kini by following the coast of the island instead of cutting across where we saw a sea snake and took some pictures (only later discovering that they are very poisonous!)
Had a much more chilled evening than the one before and had a pretty early night as it was very knackering lying in the sun all day.
Thurs 9th
Actually got up in time for breakfast before going straight onto South Beach (the one Ratu Kini was situated on)
Rented some snorkels and went snorkelling just off the beach, as there is a big drop off into deeper waters just 50 feet from the shore where there was loads of coral and all sorts of amazingly coloured tropical fish. Other than that we just lay in the sunshine trying to get back as much colour as we could having lost nearly all of it in New Zealand! Before going to Sunset Beach again in the afternoon (trying to see sunset) but it was quite cloudy by the time the sun was actually setting so didn't stay that late. Dinner was a Fijian Lovo which meant that all of the food was cooked wrapped in banana leaves and in an earth oven, much like the Hangi food in NZ. Very tasty!
Friday 10th
Again straight after breakfast we grabbed some sun loungers and set ourselves up on South Beach to continue topping up the tan. One of the activities they do at Ratu Kini was making coconut jewellery so Jo, Sarah and Dan went and did that for a bit whilst I read in the sun. After a while (having gotten too sweaty in the sun), I went and joined them and helped Jo with the ring she was trying to make i.e. she just waited til I came along to do most of the hard graft of course! Making the ring round was actually pretty tough so in the end I said I would keep it and use it as a necklace, whilst the Fijian guy who was showing us how to make the jewellery made Jo a much nicer pendant! He was very adamant about only helping Jo and Sarah, and leaving us Dans to it! Obviously trying to impress the ladies! After lunch Ash invited us to play some beach volleyball to try and recreate everybodys favourite scene from Top Gun, which was good fun except I could barely see what with the sun, sun cream and a fair amount of perspiration in my eyes, whilst Jo went off snorkelling again to try and see the cool purple starfish that the rest of us had already seen. After all this exertion we decided it would be a good idea to just lie there in the sun... which was also very tough of course! After dinner we had a few beers with Dan and Sarah but wisely didn't get involved in the evenings fun and games which involved the limbo, hilarious multiple person musical statues and the fantastic BULA dance!
Sat 11th
I got up for breakfast, but Jo stayed in bed as she was feeling unwell from something she ate :o( I sat on the balcony outside our room and just read. It was more overcast today so we weren't too bothered about missing out on sunbathing time by being in the room. Dan, Sarah, Ash and Emma were all leaving so we said bye to them, played some cards (for about the first time since Australia!), and walked to another beach where the TV show Survivor was filmed - there were still all of the beach bures, a meeting area and a big hall just open to anyone who walks past. Though slightly in disrepair it was quite cool (though I never saw the show, Jo remembered it well and was glad to see the sets!). In the afternoon it was still overcast so we read and played cards on the deck area in the main building. We had a very early night as we were incredibly tired from all of the nothing that we had been doing!
Sun 12th
Got woken at about 6:30 in the morning by the sound of rain pounding on our roof. This rain started then and went on until we went to bed that evening. Bits of the island and paths around it were slightly flooded, which brought out all of the native tree frogs which were MASSIVE (bigger than a tennis ball). Obviously we couldn't sit in the non-existant sun, so we just chilled in the room, and on the deck area of the main building and just read and played cards and lazed away a whole day as Jo and I seem to be able to do so so well! Most exciting was the fact that the standard dinner that we had ordered for the evening was steak! Awesome! Packed up most of our stuff as we were leaving the next day
Mon 13th
It had stopped raining by the morning, but we were leaving on the speedboat at about noon. I got up for breakfast, but Jo sacrificed it for an extra half an hour in bed. You can clearly see where our priorities differ! Packed up the final few things and checked out of the room by 10, then we just chilled and played cards on the deck. The sun finally came out for the first time since Saturday morning about half an hour before we left which was a bit annoying but we couldn't complain too much as we had had 4 days of the most amazingly clear skies with the accompanying lovely heat made perfect by a cool sea breeze. Loaded all our stuff on to the boat with the 4 other people who were leaving that day and set of for the main island, only to be stopped after about 10 seconds when one of the girls realised she had left a bag on the deck, the bag that had her passport and flight tickets in it of course. Then we left. Except again after 10 seconds the same girl realised she had left her camera, but that was ok because reception was shouting at us not to leave as this same girl hadn't paid her bar tab for her stay. Muppet. At the 4th attempt we finally left beautiful Mana Island behind. Definitely one of our favourite stops of the whole trip. The Fijian way of life is just so laid back it's horizontal, and they are all so friendly and welcoming and helpful whatever you need. Just remember to say BULA to everybody and you will have a great time.
On arrival back to Viti Levu (the main island) we were taken back to the Skylodge where we were staying for one night before our flight to LA on Tuesday 14th (where we arrive 9 hours BEFORE we leave.... silly International Date Line!). We had some lunch and sorted out some laundry before getting a bit to eat and updating the blog (a long task as we hadn't done it since arriving in Wellington!). Had a beer and a cocktail with dinner before getting another early night before a VERY long day on the 14th.
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