Merry Christmas from Fiji!

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Merry Christmas to all of you from our little family. This year, we are spending Christmas and New Year in Fiji, a first for the four of us. This is the first entry of a serie of three. Our first stop is in “Aussie land” on Denarau Island.



We are spending our first five nights at the Sheraton Fiji Resort on Denarau Island. Denarau Island is nothing else than a “fantasy island” built to please the Australian and New Zealand markets. This little place hold few villas, two Sheratons, one Westin, one Radisson, one Sofitel and a Hilton. The facilities also include Port Denarau, a small shopping center catering for tourists full of restaurants and bars. To make sure you don’t even think of leaving the place, they have add-up a nice “tourists” golf course right in front of the Sheraton.



Would you fly from Europe to Fiji for a week and spend your time on Denarau…..this would be a non-sense. It has to be mentioned that the beach is actually less than average if you are a regular to all those exotic beaches. So you are going to tell me, from what you wrote, how was your time on “Fantasy Denarau”. Well, it was actually pretty good and way better than I anticipated.



Normal hotel rates around Christmas in any nice location are a killer. I have serious allergy to all those over-charging options for Christmas and New Year, let it be on the beach or on the ski slopes. The Sheraton Fiji Resort offered us a pretty sweet deal….5 nights for a total of less than 200usd. For this, we had a nice little upgrade to a lovely room, and breakfast for four of us. I know, I did my shopping before heading to Fiji.



During those five nights, we first and most important enjoyed a nice family Christmas celebration. This one is a pretty important one for us. By now you are aware that Tiffany is with us for the long run, and wow…didn’t she wait for this day for weeks! Mari and I had all the Christmas presents in our luggages. With all the books, all the diving gears, and all the toys…that was a lot of extra kgs!!!



Christmas was one of the best ever we had, as it was the first where four of us were finally together! Nothing amazing for the food though…not really the right place for it, but we had made sure we had the right bubbles!!



Over the five days, we didn’t actually take many pictures of Leslie and Tiffany as they spent most of their time at the kids club, making new friends and spending even more time with them at one of the swimming pools. They had a blast…maybe away from us, but these are the early years of independence for them!



Mari and I spent some time playing golf. First round we play was on Denarau Golf Club. Our next round was an experience by itself. We took the local bus to Nadi followed by a taxi to reach the Nadi Airport Golf Club, and yes, the course is actually next to the airport runway. 15 usd get you 18 holes. We had to pay our green fee on the way back as there was simply nobody there once we arrived. The Nadi Airport Golf Club is a small piece of history. It is here that one of the most well-known international golfer over the last twenty years comes from. I name Vijay Singh. Sadly, it seems he has turned his back on the place he grew up, as it seems he hasn’t made it back home for years. Sad! The course in itself is uneventful, but that’s ok for the 15usd green fee.



I know few of you are awaiting the diving pictures. Well, no diving around here. Our next stop, the place where I write this is from Suva, the capital of Fiji. No diving either here, it will come soon….but not today.



We would like to wish all of you a Merry Christmas, even if it’s over already! We wish you also all the best for 2012. In view of the internet connections in Fiji, it looks like our next proper internet connection may only be after we left the country in January!

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Comments

[Bonne Mamy]

Wouaahhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh....
You are nice boys !!!!!! Enjoy your hollidays..... I love you, I miss you...... But June is coming soon.... Happy New year my loves !!!!!!

[liliram]

Christmas greetings from my family to yours!
Christmas in Fiji! And all 4 of you. How nice. May not be the best beach or island destination, but sometimes we travel not for the sites but for the family bonding time. I'm sure the children would always remember this first Christmas together long into their adult years. Love the photos esp of the children! Merry Christmas to you all! [photo=6660955]

[Anastasia78]

Beautiful family!
Very fortunate man.

[denidax]

so lucky!
I must admit I'm a bit jealous!!! ;o) even though we're are in Spain with my family and it's the warmest winter I can remember... we've been to the beach as well, but with coats on :oD

[cabochick]

Holidays in paradise.
What a lovely family picture! Have a wonderful holiday.

[Evi]

wonderful as always
Mari and family...Have a wonderful time together. Enjoy and treasure each moment of it. Hope you have a great New year and many more adventures in it...

[Tony]

Getting around Denarau
We will be spending 5 days at the Westin Denarau in March prior to our Blue Lagoon cruise. Would you recommend having a car during that time to get out and explore the area?? Any thoughts would be welcome. It's just the two of us on an anniversary trip......Thx!!

[Maisondubonheur]

Hi
I thought about renting a car and at the end of the day didn't do it and that was the good choice. There are plenty of taxis around and the local buses are really cheap and a good way to see the area. If you can switch from the Westin to Sheraton, try to do it, the Westin did look way older....even if their swimming pool did look a little better than the Sheraton one.