Bula, or hello from Fiji!

I arrived here at 5 am on Tuesday morning and have had a whirlwind of a time over the past two days! I joined up with a bus tour of the main island of Viti Levu on Wednesday morning and we are currently along the South coast nearish to the capital, Suva. It sure is a bit of a culture shock coming here from the States - it is far more primitive than I imagined, but I am really loving it - everyone is so laid back, it is a far cry from Los Angeles and a world away from home! You can see every star in the sky at night, it is so peaceful.

Yesterday we headed into the main town in Fiji - Nadi - again a big culture shock! You have to haggle in the markets and get dragged into shops, it's really an experience. Next stop the beach, luckily it was sunny as it's drizzling here right now (the wet season starts at the beggining of November). The beaches are beautiful and deserted and so I'm looking forward to some snorkelling at some point. We headed into a coastal Fiijian village - wow - they live in wooden, tin and sometimes concrete houses with a large hut where the chief lives, you have to remove your shoes and enter through the back door and then take part in a kava ceremony. Kava is the traditional Fiijan beer (or narcotic) and is a huge part of Fiijian life. The ceremony is crazy but you have to get the process right - clapping and receiving the bowl of kava, drinking it down in one, clapping some more and then saying BULA! It tastes like muddy water! I also went sandboarding! It was pretty scary - a near vertical drop but wow - I zoomed down!

Today we went on a proper hike - up into a rainforest, bashing our way through trees, over logs and huge grasses, across rivers, and up to a waterfall and pool where we went swimming - it was amazing! Then we hiked/swam/slid down the waterfall and river, back though rainforests and then a mangrove swamp - it came up to my waist! I was soaking and flithy by the end of it but it was the best walk I've ever done by a mile.

The trip I am on finishes on Saturday, so I think I'm going to goo over to the Yasawa Islands and islands hop for a bit. The places we are staying in are really cool - like holiday resorts, but very quiet with dorm rooms of 26 beds, a poolside bar and makeshift nightclub! Again, a bit different to the States but its great to be somewhere so removed from modern life - Fijian people are so happy and friendly - it's bula bula bula!

Grace xx