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23 December 2012 - Arrive
After a short flight we landed in Nadi, Fiji. Unsure of what to expect as a cyclone had just passed over the Island, everyone in New Zealnd said it was going to be trashed. So a little worried.
We got through customs ok, although we wasn't allowed to take in our Ferriera Roshers. Before I had a chance to offer them to a Fijian band playing on their guitars as a Christmas good will. Stevie already had half of them in her mouth. We headed to the hotel transfer company before making our way to the Club Fiji Resort. It was a bumpy ride. We approached a littered beach with battered buildings. We dreaded it was our resort but luckily drove past. Although not very far past... We checked in and they showed us to our rooms. The rooms were exactly what we wanted. Little wooden huts on stilts. The bed was so comfy. We headed to the resort bar for a few drinks. It was BBQ night. I could have murdered a steak but we were full from crappy Aeroplane food. A few cocktails later we headed to bed.
24 December 2012 - Nadi / Kayaking
We woke up early with the sun shining through our shutters and the birds singing. We decided to book a couple of tours and confirm our online bookings. We booked a Robinson Crusoe Island tour, a 5 Island tour and confirmed our finding nemo tour.
After that we got the resort taxi into Nadi to have a look around. I managed to get my Fiji Flag badge for my backpack. Happy! We then got dragged into a shop and undertake a Kava ceremony. We had to sit on the floor, Stevie was given a blanket to cover her knees. The guy made up a mixture in a big bowl. Which consisted of Kava root and water. It looked like mud. He then instructed us to say Bula, Clap our hands once and then drink the Kava from a cup made of half a coconut shell. It tasted horrible, like dirty water. Once drunk we had to clap 3 times. It was then Stevie's turn. We had to do this until the bowl was empty. It's side effects made you lazy and your tongue go numb. Apparently we were now welcomed in Fiji although we had to look around his shop after the ceremony. We brought two wrist bands and a lovers statue with our names carved in it. Which I tried to haggle down. It was hard to do when Stevie wanted to pay the full price. Managed to save $25 though and get the bracelets for free. Gift purchased we looked around town before heading back to the resort. Back at the resort Stevie sunbathed and I went off exploring in the free Kayaks. After a while in the water it started to pour down. So there was me in my kayak in the choppy sea while it was pouring down. Luckily it didn't last long. although I'm sure I could see the resort staff in panic on thee shore time. Probably thinking crazy English man... We headed out for dinner before heading to the bar for more cocktails. In the bar we met John and Danielle a couple from England who are living in Australia and Celine a girl from Hong Kong. We stayed up late Xmas eve and arranged dinner together Xmas day.
25 December 2012 - Christmas in the Sea
Christmas Day arrived. I woke up from Stevie's excitement. She had set up an inflatable Xmas tree and placed all the presents under it. We unwrapped our gifts. I got Stevie a dress that she wanted and she got me a waterproof iPhone case and a couple of hobbit figurines. Although with the sun shining and being on a beach it didn't feel like the cold Christmas' back home. We headed for breakfast. We met Celine upset at the reception. She had been robbed that night. The thief had broke in while she slept and stole everything. including her camera which she was most upset about as she had photos on there of a friend who had passed. She said she woke up while the thief was still in the room and screamed and chased after him. Although it was all in vain as he got away with everything. The 5 of us spend most of the day drinking and chilling on the beach.
26th Boxing Day
It was a nice early start for us as it was the day of our Robinson Crusoe Island adventure...which started off like all great adventures, with an 8 o'clock pick up and an hour coach journey! I couldn't tell you much about the beginning of our morning as due to being in a moving vehicle I obviously slept for the while journey and woke up to find we had arrived at a tiny jetty on the edge of a river were a boat awaited to take us the 30 mins ride to the island....it was alot harder to sleep on this part of the journey which was good as it would have been a shame to miss the first sighting of the Island as we came out at the river mouth, the beaches looked golden and the sea a brilliant blue, clear enough to see the bottom!...Now this was looking to be a fun day especially when 2 traditionally dressed men jumped out from the palms and started throwing what I imagine were coconuts at the boat... ahh the authenticity.
The first activity of the day was snorkelling...so we stripped down covered ourselves in SPF 30 and geared up. It was back on the boat and a small trip to the reef.....we saw a few different fish but nothing spectacular, until I spotted an electric blue starfish and some weird black and white stripped sea snake....I swam as fast as I could from that one! As the snorkel tour came to an end one of the guides suddenly dived down an came back with a sea snake and started waving it above his head....needless to say people began to scream and swim in the opposite direction including Mark (I didn't even know he could swim that fast) pushing me in the way!
Back on land we enjoyed the hammocks as we dried off and waited for the next activity....it was a coconut themed demonstration...much to Mark's dismay (too many memories of a certain boat trip down the amazon) there was tree climbing, coconut gathering, coconut tasting and coconut hacking apart. The day continued much the same....we were made to dance like idiots, tricked into believing there was a live sea turtle on the beach, lost at crab racing and enjoyed some free time that included a stroll around the shore of the island looking for shells! By evening the rain just started I set in as the evening tour group arrived...now this is where the real fun started...after a demonstration on how Fijian food is traditionally cooked in a Lovo (an underground oven), fire walking and of course the traditional Kava ceremony, it was time for the fire and knife dancing (I was worried Mark would miss it as at this point he was running all over the island trying to capture the perfect sunset shot!)....it was brilliant one of the best experiences we had in Fiji, the dancing was amazing and we could have watched it every night! Mark fell in love with one of the dancers and stalked her for a picture at the end of the night!
After a great day it was back in the boat and then back on the coach for the journey back I the resort....a long day and only one thing was needed....our bed!
27th December 2012- South Sea Island
Today is the day we are off to 'FIND NEMO' on the cruise that Mark booked before we came....Still exhausted from yeasterday we just about managed to get up and ready before the taxi picked us up to take us to the Denarau Marina where we where setting of for the cruise. When we turned up we realised it was a little less cruise more ferry ride! Although this was a lot more comfortable then the boat yesterday....The further out to sea we got the bluer the ocean and the more excit4ed we felt...could this island beat yesterdays??? After 1/2 hour we arrived at South Sea Island which is part of the Mamanuca islands, and it was beautiful, I tranquil spot I had been dreaming of when we first booked Fiji....the sea was even clearer then yesterday, if that was possible and the beach was perfect, so we set up shop on two loungers smothered ourselves in SPF 30. Perfect....after a few minutes sun baking we were called to beging the activities of the day...first up submarine....this was coooollll! The range of fish was amazing and we managed to spot a few sting rays and about 50 electric blue starfish! As soon as we were back at the beach we grabbed the free snorkel gear and headed straight out, we only had to swim a few meters to the reef and we got to see everything up close...it was brilliant...untill we both realised that we were swimmming towards a very suspicious looking creature, at first I thought it was seaweed but then realised seaweed doesnt swim upwards nor does itswim in large groups...I got away from that pretty sharpish followed closely by Mark! We finished off the morning with some more sunbaking and then it was back on the ferry....wish this had been a whole day trip! And by 2 we were back at the resort.....cocktails anyone??
28th December 2012
Another day...Another day trip...This time we were hopping aboard the 'Whales Tale', for a 5 island adventure, (most of which we saw from the boat!!!!). The first highlight of the day was the champagne breakfast..(it was included and involved food....of course I was more then excited)...a smorgsboard of pastries and fruit followed by a bucks fizz and a beer for Mark, we really are getting into the hoilday lifestyle!... Once everyone was on board we found ourselves a nice little sun spot at the front, posed for some Titanic-esq photos....obviously and set sail! We were still sailing around the Mamanuca islands this time heading for Schooner Island...the trip was beautiful and relaxing and the Island equally impressive. The snorkelling wasnt as enjoyable as the previous day as we kept getting attacked by sea lice and I had a small freak out moment on the swim back when my face was mere millimetres from the coral...resulting in holding my breath and swimmimg with sheer desperation! We also managed to kayak around the whole island and get a little of tanning achieved.... Nearly forgot to mention Mark nearly killing himself as he slipped whilst jumping from the top of the boat landing not so comfortably in the water.....being the brave boy he is he managed to put on a brave face before returning to me crying with pain...(for the need of writting creativity, this may be a slight exaggeration...) Then once again it was back to the hotel and time for more cocktails before bed...obviously!
29th December 2012
30th December 2012 - Treatment Time
We have an early start today as we are off to the spa...yay! The taxi picked us up from the resort at 8.00am and then we began the 1.5 hour drive to Sigatoka town....Mark booked the Bebe spa as an add on with the flight so we didn't know it would take this long to get to! The driver was very friendly and asks Mark a million questions on the journey about London and the queen, he also points out villages and temples on the way....his son who came along for the ride points out the horses!
When we arrive at the resort the spa we are very impressed, it was huge and is in a perfect location on a hill top that over looks the coral coast so we checked in at the spa desk and choose which hour treatment we will have...I opt for the blissful facial whereas Mark chose the Swedish massage...he does love a massage....the woman warns him in a very serious tone that it's the most relaxing of all the massages, will that be ok... erm yes I believe it will!!! We then wait for our transport to the Bebe spa which turns out to be a golf cart...brilliant! A few minutes later we are in these very nice huts in top of a hill with 360 views of the coral coast...amazing...so far so good! We each fill out the usual questionnaire and as Mark is having a full body massage he is shown where to change into his robe and slippers...when he comes back he whispers to me that he was unsure if he should keep is boxers on or take them off? I suggested leaving them on...he had! He then proceeds to pull out a navy tube wrapped in plastic from his pocket, 'look I even get an eye mask' he exclaims...what an idiot, he is holding a pair of disposable pants in his hands!
The next hour is heaven...we both get a mango foot and leg exfoliation and massage and then or individual treatments begin.....pure relaxation!
When it's all over we look refreshed and at peace :) so then we are given an ice cold lemon infused water with fruit and it's back in the taxi for the journey back to Nadi.
The driver stops on the way back to pick up some fresh duck for dinner...it's the freshest duck you could imagine...alive and shoved in a bag...the drivers son spends the rest of the drive in the back with us trying to get Mark to touch the duck whilst I nap.
31st December 2012 It's New Years's Eve
This is our 4th one together and will hopefully be our best. It'd looking possible....the sun is shining and we spend the day lounging around the resort and taking quick dips in the now clean pool while we wait to hear news about our new years eve tickets that Jenny and Granny were getting us today, slight accident in the pool, Mark's scuba suit that I bought him for christmas has a crack in it and the phone is a bit wet!!!!!....all looks ok now but only time will tell!....As 4 o'clock rolls around there is still no word so we decide to get clean and put our faces on just incase (Mark's obviously takes longer then mine). Mark has a mini meltdown when he discovers that the water has effect his phone and the camera lens is now covered in a gentle mist...whoops! We eventually make it too the bar to wait for the ladies, (they manahged to get tickets) Mark starts to feel slightly better when he has a few pre-party cocktails...who wouldn't! When the taxi arrives we head straight to the dock, we did think we were being kidnapped at one point, as we kept stopping to pick up locals and none of recognised the journey, all ended well when we realised we were in fact going to a different dock...that of Beachcomber resort and they would transfer us to Beachcomber Island, Jenny came well prepared with a few bottles of vino and some glasses so we even managed to get in some more pre-drinks. As we pulled up at the Island we were not dissapointed, Beachcomber Island was a small paradise, surrounded by crystal clear ocean and then converted into one giant partying playground!.....We had the best night.....frozen margarita's, dancing and good company. We even won a few comps....the couples dance off, nailed that! Mark won another individual dance competion and he came so close in the limbo!!!!! At midnight we kissed and stripped down and jumped into the sea it was brilliant. We danced the rest of the night away and finally we realised that Mark and Granny had probably had a little too much to drink as they were falling asleep on the bench...we managed to hitch a ride back to Port Denarau and persuade the taxi man to take us back to the resort via Mc'Ds. Granny wanted 'hot chips' and Mark needed a double double double cheeseburger!
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