http://www.travelblog.org/Oceania/Fiji/ Travel adventures in journals and photos from Oceania , Fiji en-us Fri, 05 Dec 2008 01:46:59 UTC Fri, 05 Dec 2008 01:46:59 UTC FijiI would just wanted to thank you all very much for the kind birthday emails. I had the most wonderful birthday just as you said lazing in the sun on a beautiful white beach on one of the Islands of Fiji. We met a lovely couple from Brisbane who we spent the day snorkelling and kayaking with. We went to a gorgeous lookout at the highest point of Mana island and watched the sun set on a seclude http://www.travelblog.org//Oceania/Fiji/Mamanuca-Islands/blog-351076.html Bula from FijiWe had arranged a hotel Sandalwood Lodge in Nadi for the first 3 nights and it was fine.The people here are unbelievably friendly. Road workmen shout Bula to us from the other side of the road and are even more friendly when they find out we are from The Mother Country. By the time we had been here 24 hours we had been invited to 2 homes for Christmas.However our destinati http://www.travelblog.org//Oceania/Fiji/Nadi/blog-349211.html We arrived on Fiji and took the advice of various people not to waste too much of our time on the main land and intead head straight out to the islands. After just one night on the main land we caught the 'Awesome Adventures' boat to Manta Ray island. This idyllic island resort was occupied by just 50 guests and had a sunrise beach and a sunset beach within just a 2 minute walk of each other. We w http://www.travelblog.org//Oceania/Fiji/Nadi/blog-348627.html Fiji The Yasawas We left Honolulu at 1200 on the 21st October and after six and a half hours flying we arrived at Nadi airport in Fiji where it was 1630 on the 22nd October. We had crossed the equator and the dateline and completely missed out on Tuesday night We took a taxi to the hostel we had booked for the first two nights and after sampling a couple of the local beers headed to bed for http://www.travelblog.org//Oceania/Fiji/Yasawa-Islands/Naviti-Island/blog-347971.html We've been safe and sound back in the United States for almost a month now. With new job and apartment issues and just basically getting settled into life in Syracuse and not out of our backpacks we've stayed busy enough to keep us away from the blog. But finally we can catch up and let anybody who may be still reading this about our last days on the trip. It only takes three hours to fl http://www.travelblog.org//Oceania/Fiji/Yasawa-Islands/blog-347965.html Educational question. JUST FOR THE WATCHING KIDS.Sorry not the big kidsWe are leaving Fiji tomorrow night the 24th November at 10 oclock at night and arriving in Los Angeles after 10 hours on the 24th November the same day at 1 oclock the same day.Apart from travelling in Doctor Who's Tardis or employing the USS Enteprise from Star Trek. HOW DO WE DID IT. How do we travel back in timeThe http://www.travelblog.org//Oceania/Fiji/blog-347690.html Bula from Fiji Fiji just for information sits on the 180 degree of longitude direct opposite the Europe. This fact will in later in this blog.First impressions remind us a little of India. What with the poor conditions of the roads and building. It is in fact a very improvished set of 366 islands. But what the people lack in conditions they make up with their greeting and hospitality. They appe http://www.travelblog.org//Oceania/Fiji/blog-347688.html The turquoise blue waters of Fiji were added to our itinerary as an after thought really Why not go to Fiji said the fellow at STA travel OK we agreed enthusiastically Fiji it wasAs our plans have taken shape in our minds and with further research Fiji did not actually sound as appealing as one may think it's expensive and it ate into precious weeks we felt we could have had boldly explor http://www.travelblog.org//Oceania/Fiji/Yasawa-Islands/blog-347365.html On a quitt notre maison Ottawa vers 9h40 Am samedi matin le 15 nov. Aprs trois vols drsquoavion et environ 28 heures plus tard on est arriv notre htel Fiji Cela semble norme mais honntement a srsquoest bien pass Aliz a fait une sieste pendant le 2e vol et Gabriel et Aliz ont chacun dormi environ 67 heures pendant le vol de L.A. Fiji. Nos trois vols taient lrsqu http://www.travelblog.org//Oceania/Fiji/Mamanuca-Islands/blog-346512.html PollyWe woke up early on the Monday for our 7.15am collection. As we walked out into the street fellow travellers lined the kerb of the 6 Wailoaloa Beach hostels with their rucksacks. When the big yellow coach turned up it felt a bit like we were going on a Butlins holiday. We were all given colour coded tags depending on our first island destination before filing onto the coach.The coach dr http://www.travelblog.org//Oceania/Fiji/Yasawa-Islands/blog-346453.html RossAfter our leisurely three days aboard Pelorus Jack we decided to bus it to the other side of the main island of Viti Levu to an island called Nananuira. During our stay in Auckland we visited a kite shop in Takapuna where we picked up a leaflet about a kitesurfing centre in Fiji at Safari Lodge on Nananuira. With the promise of endless prevailing winds and aqua blue lagoons we hopped on a http://www.travelblog.org//Oceania/Fiji/Nananu-I-Ra/blog-346452.html PollyBefore leaving Auckland we checked the weather and were a bit disappointed to see that for the next 2 weeks the Fiji forecast was for rain rain rain and a few thunderstorms.As we landed on Friday evening the sky was grey but the rain was holding off. It was uncomfortably hot though and felt like it needed to rain. The airport was lovely and airconditioned so we hung out there for a bit http://www.travelblog.org//Oceania/Fiji/Mamanuca-Islands/blog-346451.html BulaWe've just spent 4 days and nights in Fiji. We had thought about going to Fiji on and off for a while but it was just weighing up the cost etc but luckily the cost of flights had gone down and down in various sales so we thought it had to be done as we are over this side of the world and we never may be this way again.After much researching on the net we booked a place called the Hideaw http://www.travelblog.org//Oceania/Fiji/Viti-Levu/Coral-Coast/blog-346046.html Chief John Sunday 16th November 2008We left Lautoka on Wednesday and came back to the Travellers Rest on Nadi Bay where we stayed for our first two Fijian nights over a month ago. We were well remembered and that night the staff had a little Kava ceremony and proclaimed John as Chief for the occasion. There were eight of us John and myself five Fijians and one Maori visitor. We put away fo http://www.travelblog.org//Oceania/Fiji/Nadi/blog-345724.html Well we were lucky enough that the cheap flights we got back to Aus were through Air Pacific meaning that we could stop over in Fiji for no extra cost. We only had one week there but what an amazing week. We are so glad that we were able to visit the islands and hope that we can come back to Fiji and other South Pacific Islands in the future. We spent the first night in Nadi as we had a huge tra http://www.travelblog.org//Oceania/Fiji/Yasawa-Islands/blog-345646.html I have to be honest. We spoiled ourselves in Fiji. After all our good intentions of staying at the backpackers didn't pay off and we were desperate for something to book quickly we chose Treasure Island and stuck it on the credit card. Ok it was a bit naughty of us but after reading some reviews of some of the backpacker islands we thought we probably made the right decision it would be aw http://www.travelblog.org//Oceania/Fiji/Mamanuca-Islands/blog-345249.html Through the heart of Viti Levu to Rakiraki Monday 3rd November 2008The alarm went off at 4.15 a.m. and we groped around in the semidark dressing and getting our gear together by torchlight because one of the guys from Rukuruku village was picking us up at 4.45 a.m. to take us down to the ferry in his truck somewhat early because it is only a twenty minute ride and the ferry wasnrsquot due http://www.travelblog.org//Oceania/Fiji/Nananu-I-Ra/blog-344264.html Bobo and the Bats7. Boborsquos farm Rukuruku Saturday 1st November 2008The journey here was a test of nerves and quite uncomfortable. The scenery however was superb although we only caught glimpses of it out the back of the covered truck since we were seated midway along facing inwards. The truck was rammed with too many people shopping oil cans and a large box of ice. The road was an u http://www.travelblog.org//Oceania/Fiji/Ovalau/blog-342784.html I have been unable to get online so havenrsquot been able to send any of my blogs for over one week so what follows is the backlog Before that however I have a message for my cousin Veronica in the USA I was SO delighted to get your email through the travel blog and hear all of your news after so many years. Unfortunately my replies to you keep getting sent back so if you have another emai http://www.travelblog.org//Oceania/Fiji/Ovalau/Levuka/blog-342769.html Fiji Land of Smiles....So Nadi isn't really what you expect when you disembark the overnight flight to Fiji. For myself.. i guess i was expecting leis and flowers not the dull worn tiles of Nadi Airport. But on the outside it is a different story. Opening the door and getting smacked in the face by the heat of the tropics is one of my most vivid memories. I also remember the smiles of the Fijii http://www.travelblog.org//Oceania/Fiji/Viti-Levu/blog-342541.html Pacific Airways FJ 930 to Nadi from Melbourne. FINALLY we take off. The overlyloud aircraft music was all harmonised lilting voices and plucked polynesian ukuleles flight attendants had cream frangipanis tucked behind their ears drinks were plentiful and multicoloured it was South Pacific HolidayVibe overkill. Wasn't Halloween a couple of days ago already This was just scary in a charmin http://www.travelblog.org//Oceania/Fiji/Denarau/blog-341087.html bulabulaaa http://www.travelblog.org//Oceania/Fiji/Ovalau/Levuka/blog-340746.html We arrived on the mainland Fiji on October 31. It was so sad to leave the place. For my birthday Jeff got us a couples massage on the beach. It was such a nice way to end our stay there. We took an hour long boat ride from the island to Port Denarau. What a difference The pace here is much more like the city life. As we boarded the bus to take us to our hotel we couldn't help but notice http://www.travelblog.org//Oceania/Fiji/Denarau/blog-340652.html Hello EveryoneWe're sorry we've taken so long to update our blog for the first time We're currently in New Zealand but we'll back track for now and talk about what we've done so far. The first stop was Fiji we landed into Nadi on the more southern mainland. We spent one night at a hostel named Smugglers Cove. It was beautiful but not quite the Fiji beaches we were soon to learn existed The nex http://www.travelblog.org//Oceania/Fiji/Nadi/blog-339565.html In the morning we had a fruitless shopping trip in Nadi Fiji's second city.Though we brought very little it was definitely an eye opener we're having quite a few of theseWe braved the local transportation which entailed a 80c bus trip. This was a laugh as we had no idea where we were supposed to get off. The bus was really rickety with no windows plastic poppered sheets for rainy season http://www.travelblog.org//Oceania/Fiji/Nadi/blog-339544.html Arrive in Fiji and get a 140 taxi to our resort yikes It's on the Coral Coast and we have our own private beach During our stay here Jen went snorkelling Hollie done jewellery making and had a massage we both done fiji cooking lesson and basket weaving. We visited the nearby village and school.We met Taz and all dressed up for an Indian festival they celebrate. We also go on a waterfall h http://www.travelblog.org//Oceania/Fiji/Viti-Levu/Coral-Coast/Mango-Bay/blog-339491.html Our second day here at Matamanoa. I just can't describe how beautiful it is here. It is quite romantic and so many places to find peace and quiet. Most of the couples here are on honeymoon or celebrating something special. The best thing about this island is the many different activities they have to do here and it is all freeYesterday we went snorkeling and it was awesome. It was like look http://www.travelblog.org//Oceania/Fiji/Mamanuca-Islands/blog-339411.html lsquoBularsquo everyone. This saying is used frequently throughout the Fiji isles to say lsquohellorsquo. The people have been extremely friendly and seem genuinely pleased to meet us. Fiji has been wonderful. It really is quite an idyllic island despite having hosted lsquoCelebrity Love Islandrsquo on one its 350 islands. Needless to say we did very little here just relaxed http://www.travelblog.org//Oceania/Fiji/Denarau/blog-339208.html Bula from Fiji We arrived around 5am today October 28 2008. Yes we are ahead Just wanted to let everyone know that we landed safely and we are enjoying our stay here so far When we arrived at the airport we were transported via helicopter to a secluded island called Matamanoa. I can't describe how beautiful everything is We passed many little islands and coral reefs. We already hav http://www.travelblog.org//Oceania/Fiji/Mamanuca-Islands/blog-339056.html Moturiki School Fair Saturday 25th October 2008Today was probably the highlight of our whole trip so far. We got up chucked the hermit crabs out of our sandfloor bure hut had breakfast and then Elena and Simosi invited us to go with them to Moturiki island where the children go each day to school by boat. On Moturiki there are just three villages no tourist accommodation one school and http://www.travelblog.org//Oceania/Fiji/Ovalau/Levuka/blog-338774.html