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3/4/09 = The Luxurious Mana Lagoon
Woke up spritely at 7am after a really good nights sleep. V.excited for our island hopping which starts today, with Mana Island, in the Mamanuca group. Got ready, packed up and went for breakfast at 8:45. Got the same pancakes and they were the same beautiful. Dragged bags out of room then, checked out and waited for boatman to pick us up at 8:15. 2 other German girls were waiting too, so chatted to them until he came. We all got into mini van then and an English couple also jumped in at last minute. Van headed into town then and dropped us off at a hostel on beach front. Thought we would be getting boat straight away, but turned out that we had to wait until 10am and he had finished picking all other people up.
Chatted away during wait and started to plan what to do with remaining time in Fiji. Had both been quite suprised when checked itinerary yesterday to find that actually have 19days in Fiji, rather than the 2 wks we had thought...a nice suprise I guess. 10am soon came, got back in van which dropped
us off on beach, next to boat. Beach was a bit of a suprise...never seen a beach like it outside of England. Sand was smooth, but a dark, dirty colour, and water was actually a black/brown colour...don't even want to know what could have produced that colour! Surely islands won't have beaches like this???
Because could see boat, again presumed that we would be getting on, again wrong. Had to wait for even more people to arrive, despite fact that were already a lot of us and boat = v.small. Chatted to English couple while waiting, who were v.nice and then 2 American guys turned up too. Could instantly tell were American by accent and loudness of voice, with one complaining about some kind of taxi ride and repeated music...get me on that boat! Turned round then to find even more people...way too many for one boat, we must be waiting for a second boat. Nope...to my dismay, the boatman and his workers started herding all of us like cattle onto that one impossibly small boat, where our bags had already been loaded and took up at least a quarter of the available space. We can't all get
Then Welcome Song
The song we all came to know and love so well.on that!
We windled our way to front to make sure we definitely got a seat, then watched as others tried to do same. Not enough room. All got wedged in, with people dangling off of back - dangerously near motor if you ask me - and one Fijian guy actually perched on ledge outside of boat for whole journey there. Quite happy to have got a seat, until turned round to find one of American guys squashed next to me. How long is this journey again? He started to chat and I realised straight away that he was English. His friend had done all the talking before, who was obviously American, so I just presumed he was the same. Not so bad after all. Before set off, driver took a look at us all and explained situation. There should have been 2 boats or we should have taken 2 trips, but he didn’t want to make us late for island and he didn’t think it was fair to make some people wait, so were all squashing into one boat…honourable intentions indeed! Eyed up my life jacket straight away; no way there was enough for everyone…v.Titanic…without the ice
burgs and with gross, dirty sea instead.
Chatted to English guy as bumped our way across sea to island. V.bumpy ride. Half of people sat with their eyes closed, looking v.uncomfortable and poor people at back, who at first had their legs dangling leisurely over edge, were now tightly tucked up into balls, firmly holding onto seat. 1 ½ hrs later, after passing several lumps of land and other distinguishable islands, we pulled in to Mana Island. V.excited. Poked head out of window and saw the crystal green of the water and the pure white of sand…this is Fiji. A v.desert island feel. Jumped off boat and followed our bags into some kind of main hall, where we all sat round a table ready to listen. Not the kind of place I expected; not like any place I had been before. This main hall was just like a school dining hall, except the floor was made of sand, the tables were desert island wooden with cute table cloths over and there were lovely flowers everywhere. A v.island feel I suppose. Before anyone spoke to us, all workers gathered together and sang a welcome song for us, complete with
guitars and clapping. Was really cool, really cool. I videoed it, but rubbish travelblog won’t let me upload it. Felt so nice to be in a different culture.
After song, the main guy = Freddie, chatted to us about island and routines. Seemed like a nice enough guy, although I never saw him smile once, even when he told his well used jokes. He finished talking and lunch came out in the form of a big buffet. So glad we had all chosen to sit at front table. Lunch at midday everyday, but as soon as that clock struck, people surfaced like ants to jam. Made me v.excited…must be good. Talk about false hope! Was the strangest looking lunch I ever saw. Had 2 plates full of tinned spaghetti mixed with plain noodles - yes, like the Heinz spaghetti that comes in tomato sauce. Not even when my gran, who…God rest her soul…was a terrible cook, would ever mix stuff like that. The second 2 plates had some kind of chicken stew adorned…not too bad. But the best sight was the plates of plain bread. Load me up. So, the spaghetti and noodles tasted worse than it looked,
the chicken stew was at least 90% bones and the bread was sweet…maybe I will lose weight here afterall.
Went to our rooms after our somewhat overwhelming lunch. Yet more suprises there. Me and Deb got our own, private room = really cool, but definitely not as luxurious as it first sounds. Bedroom = a slightly large box, with a wobbly wooden table in corner, a rickety fan, a questionable double bad, a floor with only half the lino remaining, walls that used to be cream and ripped net curtains at the plastic shutter windows that wouldn’t close. This is Fiji on a budget! Shared toilets weren’t so bad, relatively normal, but the shower was a different story. In the place where the shower head should be was half a hosepipe dangling from the wall that fired out one cold jet of water. There was a small light bulb in the corner, tiles that you couldn’t see properly because of the light - probably a good thing - and the door didn’t lock. Doors that don’t lock in a place where boys and girls share facilities! Could only hope that people would hear shower running and not come
in. *Note* Mana Island = not the place for honeymooning!
Still laughing at where we would be spending next 4 days, wondered back to main hall and found one of German girls (Zilia) who asked us if wanted to do the walk to Sunset Beach. Why not? Freddie led us, 2 Irish girls, 2 Argentinean guys and a v.odd American guy on the walk to Sunset Beach…not the same American moaning about taxis earlier. Was a really nice walk to start with and chatted along the way; not so nice when the tide came in and had to wade through water that was mostly clumps of seaweed. Absolutely hate the feeling of seaweed wrapping around my legs and now I was having to plough through it under my feet and totally around my legs. Couldn’t contain the girly scream. The weird American guy was even worse than us…he stood still and when we asked why he had stopped, he replied “I´m waiting for the water to go out”…not sure he understood the concept of the changing tides.
So glad to get out of water and headed up towards the first lookout. Was an o.k. view, but not
really high up enough to see over trees. 2nd lookout was better. It was a built, wooden stand that had to climb up. Wood have been fine had it not been for the wobble and the missing planks. Stepped v.delicately up there and definitely didn’t dawdle. Nice view though. Was a bit rubbish for Deb because her camera stopped working; not had much look with cameras. Walked back to beach front after that and over some v.slippery rocks. Came out onto a lovely beach with not a single person in sight. Clear, white sand and v.v. green water. About to get in for a swim when Freddie marched us off to his ‘friends’ house. Didn’t really know what was going on, but as we all arrived at the incredibly posh house, we were all being hushed and ushered around side. He then told us that this wasn’t his friend’s house at all, his friend was just the caretaker looking after it. We were just there to trespass and nosey around a posh house…ha! I wonder how many people have looked round that house.
Didn’t stay too long; headed on to final destination = Sunset Beach. Passed a cute
The main house
A bit like a school hall chapel by the sea on the way - would be a great place to get married - and the American guy from the boat turned up. All went down to beach and laid down. Not as nice as the beach had been to earlier, but got a good view of Castaway Island, so named because of the film. The water was lovely though and I went in for my first Fiji swim. Couldn’t believe how warm the water was…it wasn’t just not cold, it was actually warm…really nice to get into. Swam, chatted as a group, then headed back to Mana Lagoon at 4:30. Walk back was a lot easier and quicker and didn’t involve any seaweed 😊. When did get back, wasn’t long until dinner, so decided to sit in main hall and wait it out. Ended up sitting with the formerly irritating American = Scott/Alabama and a Norwegian guy called Jorgen. Am usually quite good at first impressions, but got Alabama totally wrong. He actually turned out to be a really nice guy…not at all the stereotype that I imagined. We all played cards and he taught us a new game called Spades that was really good.
Was dinnertime then and it was just as delightful as lunch…how do they produce such meals?! There was rice…a good start, lots of meat dishes = 90% bone…no thanks and some tasty orange juice to wash it all down with. Wasn’t being sarcastic there, the orange juice actually was tasty. Ended up picking out the veg and sauce of the meat dishes and eating that with rice, which was o.k. Quickly headed off to get showered and ready after that. Caught an amazing sunset on the way, with a sky unlike any sky I have ever seen. It actually looked fake; the kind of thing you would see on a postcard or poster and think it was definitely photo-shopped. Amazing. Had another look at shower when got back and on second thoughts, decided against it…sea cleans you right? Went back to main hall armed with airport bought vodka. First night = everyone drinking. All of us new people sat together, just as all the other, older groups sat together. A natural order had formed. Us new people, and subsequently the people I spent the next 4 days with include:
*The 2 Irish girls = Theresa and Orla
*The
English couple = Alan and Kirsty…who were not a couple, just friends
*The English guy who sat next to me on the boat = Rich
*The American = Alabama
*Yurgon
*2 Argentineans…who only feature midly
*The American guy who didn’t understand the tides = Daniel San…who we actually only spoke to a handful of times but referred to several times.
Started off drinking nice and steadily, but as with all things, the pace soon speeded up. Sat, chatted, laughed and then at 8pm, there was a talent contest where each nation had to perform…this is when it is really good to be English…there’s always plenty of us. However, none of us had a ‘talent’ and couldn’t thing of anything to do. Decided to take the cowards way out and leave it to the other, older English group…just had to keep our heads down and our accents quiet.
Some of the performances were really good. Theresa and Orla did a brilliant Irish jig for team Ireland, Yorgan and all the Norwegians did a v.good version of a Norwegian kids song, complete with actions, but Team America was by far the funniest. Daniel San was a karate teacher at
home (hence the name), so Alabama decided it would be funny to perform a skit of master teaches student. It basically involved Alabama completely taking the mick out of everything Daniel San did and imitating him in a Mr Bean style fashion. Was highly amusing. Team England…well…it turned out to be 3 girls who did a bit of a Fijian dance. Felt highly shameful watching them as 5 of us sat round table…but really did give them a big clap.
Night passed with more drinking and chatting. Chatted to a guy from NZ who was a squash player and knew our friend from home (that's you Kirsty), which was really weird. Laughed with the Irish girls…they were v.typically Irish…I love the Irish. Also joined in the cava ceremony, which was absolutely disgusting. Cava = a vile, traditional Fijian drink that is made from a crushed root plant mixed with water. It tastes exactly like dirt and the only effect it has is to numb your tongue. Don’t know why I joined in at all, but before I knew it, was knocking back the cups. Soon hit my limit and swiftly left the table before emptied the contents of
my stomach onto it. Cava = gross! Chatted to Freddie = a v.moody Samoan guy who was supposed to be our leader. He really never did smile! Also chatted more to Alabama, who was much better for knowing, a really cool guy.
All ended up on beach after midnight. Freddie played guitar and sang, Rich played guitar and sang, in fact everyone who could play the guitar played it that night. We all sat v.drunkenly on the beach wall and chatted all about life, as you do when you are drunk. When Kirst and Allan headed off to bed sometime around 2ish, it prompted me to do the same. Debs was already in bed. Said goodnight to guys and went to bed really happy. Had met a really good group of people; was going to be a brilliant 4 days 😊
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