Yay for the Yasawas

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A few weeks ago, my sister Michelle came to Fiji for a visit. I showed her all that Suva had to offer including the Pure Fiji Day Spa, a traditional Fijian lunch at my work, great Indian food, the pancakes at Raintree Lodge, happy hour at the Holiday Inn and "Fiji Idol" - Suva's own vocalist competition as part of the Fete de Musique.

Then it was off to Nadi for a 4 night cruise around the Northern Yasawa Islands - the chain of islands to the north west of Nadi. First stop was Tivua Island - only 30mins from Nadi - for some twilight snorkelling. That night we sailed to the very top of the Yasawa island chain to Yasawa Island. The following day, and the days that followed, took on this pattern: eat, snorkel, eat, snorkel, eat, sleep.

We spent the second day at Vawa Bay on Yasawa Island. The snorkelling was amazing with a huge range of fish and some amazing coral.

The third day we headed to Sawa-I-Lau and the Blue Lagoon. Yes THE Blue Lagoon from the movie of the same name. I have now been to both film locations for Blue Lagoon and Return to Blue Lagoon (Taveuni) but have yet to actually see either movie! (Some might say not a great loss!) The highlight of the whole trip for me was the school visit that afternoon at Ratu Nemasi Memorial School on Yasawa Island. After a beautiful performance by the school's choir, we met some of the students at the school. I practiced some of my Fijian much to the delight and laughter of the kids. It didnt take long for other kids to run up and ask "O cei na yacamu?" (Whats your name?) and giggle when I answered back in Fijian. I just wish I remembered more phrases from my classes last year! :-) Three sisters at the school took my sister & I on a tour of the school including the library and their classrooms.

That night we had a lovo dinner & meke performance at the village including a kava ceremoney and a visit to a small handicraft market run by some of the women on the island. The lovo dinner included my now all time favourite Fijian dish - palusami - onions, sometimes meat, coconut milk wrapped in dalo leaves and cooked in the lovo (an oven in the ground covered with hot coals and vegetation). While we were walking around the village I heard "Tracey - lako mai!" (Come here!). It was one of the students from the school calling out to me from behind her house - we had a quick chat - me trying to remember more Fijian and her asking me to come back next week. I wish I could have gone back again!

The fourth day we anchored off Drawaqa Island and, you guessed it - snorkelled some more in combination with some beach time and hammock time. That afternoon, we went to another beach on Drawaqa Island - just across from Mantaray Resort. Once we were back on the boat, the boat cruised through a narrow passage between islands which made for some nice photos and a final farewell to the Yasawas.

We disembarked early the next morning to the now familiar tune of "Isa Lei" - the Fijian farewell song. We spent the day in Nadi before Michelle flew back to Australia the next day and I headed back to Suva.

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Comments

[Tanya]

And you didn't win Fiji Idol? I am very surprised by this.