BULA! FIJI!

Fiji was beyond amazing. I met so many cool backpackers with awesome stories in the past week. It’s safe to say I now have the travel fever! I will definitely be going back to Fiji the next time I go traveling.

Day One - Easter Sunday!

            Allie and I woke up at 2:30 am to prepare for our 6:45 am flight to Nadi, Fiji! We got a taxi to the Brisbane airport at 3 am and began our lovely day of traveling. We landed in Sydney at 8:15 am and hung out in the airport for our five-hour layover. I Face Timed my parents and told them Happy Easter and got some of my stuff in order for the next week. Once we boarded the flight to Nadi, Allie and I started to get very excited! Unfortunately by the time Allie and I landed in Nadi it was 7:15 local time and it was very dark.

            Once we arrived to our hostel, Allie and I got settled in and then headed next door to a hotel to have dinner. Unfortunately it took almost 90 minutes for us to finally get our food. The fish and chips I ordered were yummy, but they weren’t worth the wait or the price. After dinner we just came back to the hostel and passed out for the night.

Day Two - Monday

            Our first full day in Fiji was definitely an adventure! Allie and I got up early to go to the nearest grocery store to buy some staples for the week. On our way there a taxi stopped us and asked us if we wanted a ride for 3 dollars. Getting in that taxi was the best decision we made! Kris, our taxi driver, ended up being our unofficial tour guide for the week!

            On Monday he took us to a spot in Fiji where on a clear day, you can see as many as 21 of the islands surrounding Fiji. On that day there were a few clouds and it was a little bit hazy so Allie and I could only see about 12 or 13 of the islands. It was still an incredibly breathtaking view.

            We then headed down to the First Landing Village. This is the place where the natives first came to Fiji. We were able to go on a historical tour of the village and I learned quite a few interesting things about the native Fijians. They were cannibals and very violent. The used tools called ‘neck-breakers’ and ‘eye gouges’ to kill people when it was dinner time, and it didn’t matter if you were a mother or cousin you could be the main dish.

The 'neck-breaker' weapon

            Christian missionaries were the ones to convert the Fijians to a less violent way of life. There is a plaque in the church in honor of the first Christian missionary to ever visit Fiji.  He was chased into the mountains and killed by the villagers so all that was left was his jacket.  The villagers realized what he had come there to do and made a plaque out of the buttons off of his jacket. Now the people that live in the villages are very nice and have strong Christian faith.

            After the village tour we headed to the Sleeping Giant Botanical Garden where there were over 200 different types of orchids. Allie and I went on a twenty-minute walk through so many beautiful flowers and foliage. Once we returned from the walk they gave us complementary fruity drinks. So yummy!

            Kris then took us grocery shopping. We went to a local super market and a fresh fruit and vegetable stand. Once we got all of our groceries Kris dropped us off back at the hostel just after noon. For the rest of the day Allie and I took a much-needed nap on the beach.

Day Three – Tuesday

            Allie and I woke up bright an early to begin our day with Kris! Our first stop was a booking office to plan an island day trip to Beachcomber Island the next day.  We went into the town of Nadi to bargain our way to an inexpensive island day trip.

            Once we left town, Kris drove us to the natural hot springs and mud bath! We sank down into a warm pond with yucky warm mud that came up to mid thigh. Susu caked mud onto our faces like a facial and then we got out of the water and covered ourselves in more warm mud. Then we hung out in the sun and waited for the mud to dry and crack on our skin. Once the mud was all dry we rinsed off and we submerged ourselves in the thermal pool. Allie and I then decided to splurge on a Fijian massage, which was AWESOME. Once we got to the hostel that afternoon we once again spent the afternoon sleeping on the beach.  

Day Four – Wednesday

            We got up bright and early for our day trip to Beachcombers Island! I was very excited to go somewhere touristy for the day. We left for the island just after 9 am and we reached the island after 10 am. The water as we moved away from the main island became brighter and brighter blue. Once we arrived Allie and I had morning tea and then we napped on the beach until lunchtime.

            For lunch we had an amazing authentic Fijian meal with vegetable curry and beef and chicken. Everything was delicious as well as the lemon custard shortbread dessert! We ate until we were uncomfortable full. I actually thought I was going to pop!

            Once lunch was finished we headed out for a snorkeling trip on the reef. Before we hopped into the water we were feeding the fish with bread. They were going crazy!  Then we got all geared up and jumped in the water. I had forgotten how much I missed snorkeling and diving. Allie and I were having the time of our lives in the water. So many beautiful fish and coral were everywhere. We ended up being the last two to make it back into the boat to head to the island again.

            We finished the day by falling asleep on the beach once again and then we jumped on the boat to head back to Nadi on the main island. Traveling to Beachcombers island was such a relaxing, touristy day that I definitely needed. I LOVE FIJI.

Day Five – Thursday

            We woke up very early this morning to go down to the beach and go fishing with Kris our taxi driver. He had a 50-meter net with two tall bamboo sticks on each end that we would hold and walk out into waist deep water to catch the fish. We would then drag the net onto the beach against the current and pick up all the fish we caught.

            We headed to Kris’ house to make lunch with his family afterwards. We watched Kris and his friend clean the fish and shave a fresh coconut. He let us try the coconut fresh and it was the best thing I had ever tasted. His wife made a coconut milk curry sauce for the fish and a regular curry sauce for the chicken. Kris also fried some of the fish to resemble fried chicken. Except the fish had the heads on them so I was a little weary of eating it. The food all tasted very good but it didn’t sit well with neither Allie nor me. 

We headed into town later to buy a little time on the Internet at the Internet café so check emails and contact family. We then headed to an Americanized lunch place and I ordered a delicious chocolate milkshake and Allie got a huge fruity slushy. It was such a perfect ending to the day.

           

Day Five – Friday

            5 am wake up to catch a 6 am taxi to the airport.  I had my first really coffee in a week and it was wonderful. The flight was short and sweet back to Brisbane because Allie and I had our own exit row isles to ourselves! Once we landed we headed to our lovely home on Ninth Ave. It feels good to be back at home!