Leaving Canada was kind of romantic with the truck breaking down in a blizzard on the drive between Regina and Edmonton where we flew out Tuesday, December 4th. Kirby brought some frostbite in remembrance of the cold we left behind. Our first flight was to Los Angeles, then on to Nadi, Fiji in the South Pacific. We arrived Thursday morning (20 hour time change ahead) to hot humid weather and got a shuttle to our hostel on Nadi Bay. We had booked a trip to the Yasawa Islands for 4 days, however, hurricane Daman was threatening the area so travel was locked down and people were brought to mainland. We thought we would have front row seats for the storm and had the camera charged and ready! The locals boarded up windows but didn't seem alarmed, however, hurricane Daman was on "Fiji Time" and the predictions of when he would hit kept getting postponed. In the end, the hurricane switched courses and only hit far north islands. We found out our island trip was "un-cancelled" when the bus arrived to pick us up Saturday morning, so we packed in fury and caught a taxi to catch the boat out. In the
Hostel view View off our back deck in Nadi Bay. A new colt was being led back to sea (?)
rush, Kirby didn't even pack a T-shirt!
We took a 3 hour boat ride from port Denarau and enjoyed 3 days on Naviti Island at Korovou Eco Tour Resort - the people, the food, the sights were all amazing. We stayed in a little cabin on the beach and spent our days reading and relaxing by the pool, hiking over the hills to Honeymoon Beach, visiting a village, going to church, meeting great new friends, and having kava with the locals. I should also add sunburning, this was one of Kirby's pastimes.
The Fijian culture is quite different from North American: they still have tribes (priest, chief...slave tribes), the whole country goes to church and has a day of rest, and they are not possessive of their belongings. Anyone can go into another person's house and take their things as their own and your belongings are given freely. Kirby experienced this when he said he liked Moses' shirt and Moses took it off and gave it to him right then!
All in all, we had a great time in Fiji, wished we had more time to spare, and caught the plane to Auckland, New Zealand Tuesday December
11th.
K & C in Nadi BayJust off the beach in Nadi Bay, early Saturday morning before breakfast.
South Sea IslandThis was one of the smaller islands we passed on our island tour to Naviti.
In the VillageOur kava ceremony in the village with the Chief and our new friend Sian.
4 Comments -
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Send Private MessageWonderful to hear about your adventures and see the beautiful sights through your pictures! Looks like the weather was great after the threat of the storm. So glad you had some time to relax!
Great first blog page!!! Oh the creativity - love the honeymoon beach thru Kirb's eyes... Good thing no one on Fiji commented how they liked your lulu top or you may have lost it! Is the Moses top the yellow tee? Fascinating & Surreal photos. Oh, in the colt being led back to sea photo - is there a gunshot victim on the horse behind????
I don't think your new friends and the Chief would really understand what changing an alternator on the side of a northern alberta highway in December is like... and I think they are alright with that. What amazing visuals and experiences in Fiji!! Keep making memories and wear Moses's shirt with pride.
Frost bite vs hurricanes and earthquakes!! Hm-m-m-m.
Fiji sounds wonderful - always wanted to go there!
Hope weather settles down a bit for you, we're anxiously waiting to hear if you were anywhere near NZ's earthquake.
What's your plans for Christmas Day? We'll be thinking of you (enviously). Enjoy!
Will be watching for more news and lots of pix (of course) :)
Auntimars & all
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