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Day 15- Wed 23rd
We landed in Nadi safely but we lost a day because of the time difference. Could instantly feel the heat as we stepped off the plane even at 6am in the morning. We booked a tour of the Yasawa Islands at the airport and got to the port to jump on the boat straight to Beachcomber. This island is known as the 'party island' but when we got there we were shattered and didn't see it to its full potential. We had dinner and a drink but headed to bed early. We stayed in an 84 bedroom dorm which was quite intimidating for our first dorm but it was ok. The other girls said they saw mice but I was oblivious luckily!
Day 16- Thur 24th
Today we woke up early to catch the boat to the most northern island of the Yasawa's. It took us nearly four hours but it was worth it. Along the way we saw some beautiful places, the sea is so clear and the sun is shining. We got off at Nacula Island and stayed at Nabua Lodge. We were put in a straw hut called a Bure which was very basic and didn't have its own bathroom. They give you all your food so we had lunch then went for a swim. The sea was like a bath, so warm and clear. After dinner the main man Ron made us learn the Bula dance and we sat on the deck and had a few drinks with him. He taught the lads the Hakka which was so funny, they were shattered by the end of it!
Day 17- Fri 25th
We had our second day at Nabua and visited the local village in the morning. It was a really worthwhile trip as we saw how the Fijians live. Their houses are really simple, much like a bure and they are so warm and welcoming. We went to the Chief's house but he was away so we met his wife and child. When they see foreigners coming they set up their stalls selling jewelery and things. We all bought somethingas we knew the money was going to the real people. After lunch we went to the Blue Lagoon for some snorkeling. It was the best thing ever, there were so many fish of all colours and size and I got to see Nemo! In the evening we had to do the Bula dance again but we didn't mind, Nabua was definitely a great place to stay.
Day 18- Sat 26th
We spent most of the morning chilling on our hammocks, these had become our best friends and were very difficult to not fall asleep in. Lisa loved to lie in hers and snore! After lunch we got on the boat to head to Sunset Resort on the island of Waya. This was the island that was really 2 islands but at low tide could be joined by a sand walk.The bure here was even more basic but it did have its own shower and toilet. The people here were really nice and were always singing and playing their guitars when you ate. After dinner we did the conga and the limbo, it seems dancing is great after dinner entertainment! They then made a bonfire and we all sat around chatting and having a few drinks. At these smaller resorts its really easy to make friends and chat to other people because there are so few of you. Its also a really good mix of people and the majority are travelling so you get some good advice.
Day 19- Sun 27th
Today we went by boat to the other side of the island to attend a church service in the village. The church was definitely the best building in the village even though it was very plainly decorated inside. We sat at the back on benches but the children sat on the floor at the front and sang a song at the beginning of the service. It was all spoken in Fijian but we could tell when the Lord's prayer was said. It was quite a long service and one of our group had to get up and say thanks for letting us attend. After the church we had a little time to walk around the village. Again it was very basic but was build in closer proximity then the village at Nabua. Some of the huts had gas cookers but many had a few beds but little else. Along the way around we were followed by children who were talking to us, they spoke very good English as this was taught as a main subject at their schools. One of the girls gave us her address so we plan on sending her a postcard at some point. We went back to our resort and just chilled out in the hammocks, there were no activities on a Sunday. After dinner they let us do Kava because we had told them we hadn't done it before. It is basically the dried root of a pepper plant that you add to water and drink. Its meant to make your tongue numb and make you a little light headed. It tasted like muddy water and was pretty disgusting after the 4th cup!
Day 20- Mon 28th
Today was our last day at Sunset, we spent the morning weaving our bracelets which were really cool. It was Vinny's sister that taught us how to do it, she was 8 and a half months pregnant and still working! There was a rainstorm at lunchtime but luckily it cleared before we got on the boat to head south back to Beachcomber. We arrived in time for dinner nut I wasn't feeling well so headed for bed. I was woken up at midnight by some of the girls in the dorm who said we were moving dorms as there was a huge storm coming and it may flood the dorm. It was fairly windy outside and tipping with rain. We were all put in other dorms but during the night the storm picked up and the wind was unbelievable. I did manage to fall asleep but didn't know what I would be waking up to.
Day 21- tues 29th
Today we woke up and there were fallen trees and leaves everywhere. The wind was so powerful and the rain was pouring down. Nothing of ours had got wet luckily and everyone seemed to be ok just a little worried about what was going on. Apparently we were in the middle of a hurricane but the staff didn't seem to be very helpful or informative about what was going on which made it a little worse.
The sea was really rough and there was no way that any boats were going to sail today so we were stuck on the island till who knows when. The staff kept giving out food and we spent the afternoon in the bar area just playing board games and cards. I played scrabble for the first time in years! It was such a surreal experience but we all carried on as normal and tried not to think about missing our flights or panicking about the weather. We had dinner and played a few more board games in the evening but we weren't really up for partying.
Day 22- Wed 30th
To everyone's delight the staff announced that boats would be running today so we packed up quickly and literally dived on the boat to get as far away from Beachcomber as possible. Luckily they did not charge us for our extra night there. There was no way we were going to make our flight today so we changed it for Friday which meant we had to stay a few nights in Nadi but at least it was on the main land. The boat back was so rough and I'm sure a lot of people were sick. The little boat that took us to the main boat was pretty hilarious, even thought we were covered head to foot in raincoats and plastic bags we got soaked!
We made it to Nadi and they provided free shuttle buses to your hotel so we went to Beach Escape and booked one night there. It was not that great but it was a bed at the end of the day. We went to another hotel, Smugglers Cove, to do our washing and use the internet. Came back to that hotel in the evening for dinner which was really nice. It was nice to have a proper meal and there wasn't a coconut banana in sight.
Day 23- Thur 31st
Today we got up early to head to the airport to try and catch a flight instead of waiting for tomorrows flight. We were put on standby and luckily they had 3 spaces. I was so relieved to leave Fiji and the flight to New Zealand was a happy one! Landed in Auckland safe and sound, the airport was really nice, a weird thing to notice but you do when you are travelling! We booked our first night in Auckland at a Base hostel as these were recommended to us and is one of the biggest in Auckland. Checked in and headed straight out for a walk around. It's a really big city and surprisingly has quite a number of high rise buildings. Its quite expensive here so we have to watch our spending. In the evening we went to Nando's for dinner, I think we all needed a taste of home.
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