So, i booked a 6 night/7 day tour around the Yasawa islands in Fiji called "The Ultimate Lei" with Awesome Adventures, which involved 2 nights on Tavewa Island, one night on a cruise boat, 2 nights on Kuata Island, then 1 night on South Sea Island. A big yellow boat bus leaves at 8.30am and stops at each island where the island chaps go out to the big boat in a little boat to collect and drop off passengers. My first stop was quite northerly, (about 5 hrs on the boat), so i put my factor 30 onto my arms and face (thinking this was the only bit of me in the sun...) but when i get there, i find my knees were in fact in the sun (see the comedy red knee picture, even now, 2 weeks later they are still peeling). The islands on the way look amazing with the classic idyllic paradise islands with palm trees and lovely beaches. Arrived at Coral View resort to a welcoming party singing to us. The accomodation was a little sparse with 9 bunk beds, sandy unmatching lino on the floor and manky mossie nets around the beds, with unpleasant toilets and showers with roaming night-kittens hanging round them. Had a good dinner then went to bed. There were about 4 annoying Japanese people who went to bed about 2am, then got up at 5.30am. Grrr. Upon waking - uh-oh, innard alert. Twice. Rather than disturb my fellow room sharers by going back to bed shuffling along the sandy lino at 6am, i had my first low moment. Was sat on a damp bench (rained overnight) it was 6am watching the sunrise behind a cloud, with bright red knees, loads of mosquito bites, big old cold sore and no innards. But after brekkie i felt fine again. Then spent the day chilling in the alternate sun and shade (near the toilet facilities). There was a lovely Fijian family staying there for the easter weekend, the mother asked me "Caroline, is this like England?" "Errrr, no. It's like another planet" as we looked across the clear blue water at the palm trees...

On each island for the evening entertainment they like to do the "Bula Dance" which is like a combination of the macerena/Saturday night routine. Then they also like musical statues in pairs. And the conga. Oh the joy. It was like being at a kids party without the jelly and ice cream. Also the Fijian small print for things not running on time would be "it's Fiji time" everywhere you go - it starts at 9am Fiji Time. So that means about 15-30 mins later than stated.

My 2 days on Tavewa were mainly spent chilling before we got a send off by the resort staff who felt they had to cuddle us all as we left "we'll really miss you!" Will you really? No. You do this every day when people leave. Then spent the next day on a cruise boat, which is the only place to have air con, and also a TV and DVD player - oh the luxury. Again, was very active and chilled a lot. To celebrate Easter Sunday we had a crunchie and a Fiji Bitter. Mmmm. There were loads of fishy things out in the sea (surprisingly) and went to look at the front of the boat. Gosh - look at that huge dark thing under the water, thought I, thinking it was a shark/huge fish. But it was my shadow. Durrrrrr. Luckily no one else was around...

Then the next 2 nights were on Kuata island, met some cool people - Ana and Brian - Americans studying in Brisbane for a semester (Ana wasn't too impressed with how basic everything was on the island, especially one night where we had to eat with our hands...) and James an english TV producer and skate boarder. Then we all met up again on the mainland. Went on a village visit to see where the real Fijians live (in shacks with roaming beasts) and i wove a bookmark with the help of a lady (see piccie) and she only had to undo some of my craftsmanship and re-do it... The eat with your hands night we also had a Kava ceremony (not the Mary-Bob type caaava) which is a ground up root thing in water which is a bit hallucenegenic (sorry, bad spelling...) which tasted like muddy water. I had a numb tongue. Think you have to drink pints and pints to have a real effect. The last day James found a coconut and peeled it down so we all drank from a coconut in the sea. Can life can get any better than that?? There was a reef shark snorkelling trip from this island - errr, no thanks. Why would I do that?

Then went to the final island - South Sea Island which is the nearest to the mainland and where day trippers go (it was good to see some normal people who weren't yoofs starting/finishing university) this was my most active day - went on a glass bottomed boat to see the fish-beasts and coral, and then went snorkelling to feed the fish - we all had some bread to feed them with, but i freaked and dropped the bread at the thought of them nibbling my hands. But seeing them at a slight distance was cool!

So the 7 day trip was good, though some people said other islands were a lot nicer. The resort on each island is the only place to get food, you have to eat what you were given (luckily i didn't go to the island where they served liver and corned beef...) at the given times. So i was quite glad to get back to the mainland and not be waken at 7am with a drum and shouts of BREAKFAST!!! And to have a shower with warm water. It was kind of like a guide/scout camp and quite tiring in a way.

Spent the next couple of days back in Nadi (tipping it down with rain yet again...) chilling (yet again!).

Final Fiji thought - the bank notes have the Queen on them, but she is smiling. She is obviously a lot more happy in Fiji than in the UK.