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We landed at Nadi Airport at 5am after a relatively short comfortable flight with Air Pacific and perfunctory service from the cabin crew. As we entered the terminal a duo played the guitar and sang a Fijian welcome to us, which certainly gave us a smile! A smooth trip through Immigration, though we were stopped at Customs because of two jars in Shirl's luggage, picked up on Xray. A quick bag search revealed Dianne's gift of the travel candle which passed scrutiny and we left with both candle and honey intact. Out into the early morning light we picked up a taxi - and Vinny drove us to First Landing, our base for the next 12 days, through the heat and humidity of early dawn.
En route we passed dark shapes along the roadside - people on their way to work barely visible. The palms, trees and sugar cane rose in dark relief against the early sky and very few lights. It reminded us very much of early morning journeys in Tanzania - slightly hair raising to put it mildly. The roads are under repair - there was huge flooding in this area in January and the damage is evident to one's posterior! There are no traffic lights guiding us through road works instead shifts of two men work all night/day at each obstruction with twizzle 'Stop - Go' signs to steer the traffic flow.
Eventually we turned up at the resort and a warm welcome - 'Bula!' - and we checked in to our very comfy and cool air conditioned Garden Bure. A cursory unpacking, a shower and early breakfast, a quick scout around the Resort admiring the early morning sea and island views and then it was back to bed for a very welcome snooze.
Up later and its pool time as the sea was out, the largish pool deliciously cool in the baking Fijian sun and the almost completely vacant sun-beds set our theme for the day - relaxation and lazy swimming.
Dinner later in the Restaurant - fish mornay for Shirl, rib-eye steak for Dave - was eaten with delicious views out over the beach, sea and gardens lit by flaming torches under a dark night sky and serenaded by three Fijian musicians with a wide repertoire/ eclectic mix and great enthusiasm. Which incidentally included Amazing Grace, 'O Lord my God when I in awesome wonder' and a Matt Redman number followed by Beatles, Clapton and Sinatra!
Then an early night before a tough day planning the next week's activities!
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