oh what a hard life this travelling this (sunbathing, swimming and snorkling (the new 3 s's))

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Well what do you know. Its been 2 weeks since the last blog then 2 come along in as many days. This is basiclly going to start the morning after the last blog finished.

Again it was me and Natasha waiting for the bus outside the hotel at 7.30 the bus turned up to take us to the marina to go off to the Fijian Islands (the Mamanuca and the Yasawa Islands). We got on an no windows bus and within the hour were at the marina and checking in. In the process of doing this who jumps off another, none other than Mr Flexiable. I knew he was going to Fiji but did not know when and in talking to him found out we were booked on the same flight to LA. Though we weren't doing the same islands as each other.

The catamaran to the islands left at 9 and it only took 35 mins to reach Beachcomber island. It was included in my Fiji experience so meant most of the people on the trip would be spending one last night together. When I got there my bag didn't come off the catamaran, I was then told it would be arriving in 30 mins so after an anxcious wait it did show. Beachcomber is only a small island (it took 15 minutes to walk around slowly and I was convinced we had walked round half of it untill I recognised the resturant) however the beach was really good, food was really good and the 84 bed dorm was really not as bad as it sounds it should be. That afternoon the group of us just laid on the beach and sunbathed and talked. That evening it was our big group final night out and also Beckys birthday, we had some firedancers as the entertainment, alcohol to drink and a sand floor on which we danced. I had a great night and woke up with a surprisingly unsore head the next day. We spent the morning all catching up on the night before in the way that students and travellers do, than me, Tony, Becky (Tony and Becky having become an item) and Jess headed to Bounty Island only 10 minutes away.

Bounty Island was bigger and quieter then its neighbour, it took almost 30 minutes to walk round. It was the island where they filmed Celebrity Love Island and still has the pool (being filled up as we were there, grr)however the main area is only half standing and looks quite messy. We met some people from our dorm and sunbathed in the afternoon. The beach was quite cobbely and you could only go in a small bit of the sea at low tide due to the coral. That evening we had a quiet night, a few games of pool and we were spent. The next day me and Tony said bye to Jess and Becky for a few days and then sunbathed for the rest of the morning and in the afternoon did some absolutley amazing snorkling. We saw lots of blue starfish and some really good coral along with lots of smaller fish. That evening Tony was still feeling tired and so headed back early however I stayed out with the people from the dorm, playing games. The bar staff did not seem that interested in doing their job, leaving the bar unattended to watch rugby. So much so that when they didn't listen to Becky (a different one) saying " can I have a drink" she started shouting "I'll get my own drink" and they kinda waved at her implying that was ok and so she did. Then after the bar shut a few of us went back to one of there friends private room on the beach, again it was a really good night and I'm really going to miss these random nights when it just a few random people who don't really know each going out as they always seem to be fun.

The next morning there was the usual catch up at breakfast. Then we were all heading north into the Yasawa Islands. Tony jumping off at Waya Lalai and me at Coconut Bay. When I got to Coconut bay I saw Becky and Jess were getting back on the boat, they said unconvincingly that the resort was ok and I told them where Tony was which conincidently was where they planned to go the next day along with me. Coconut Bay was a bit of a dump. The beach whilst looking good was ruined by the dead coral sticking out of the sea. The food was limited but ok and the lights were impossiable to turn on at night once they had been turned off. That afternoon I went accross the island to a private beach which was a lot nicer and I feel asleep in a hammock for an hour as I was still tired from the night before. The entertainment was ok (the dancers looked like they really enjoyed the Bula Dance though their War dance looked to jolly to be scary) in the evening (came second in a game of doubles musical statues) and was out with a few people from the dorm for a little bit, before I decided I needed to head back and sleep.

I left the next Lunchtime (after a rain filled morning) on the catamaran to Waya Lalai. I met Becky and Jess on the island and went to book my bed only to find the resort was sold out so I booked in at the resort opposite (Kuata) for a night and then planned to jump accross to Waya Lalai the next day. I felt really bad for Jess being third wheel for the night and hoped it wasn't going to be to bad for her. I bumped into Mr Flexiable again on the Catamaran and found out he was off to Kuata that night and when I got to Kuata I got an even bigger surprise when Suzane and Matt found me. They had been able to get some money out so had booked a tour through the islands before they went home. Kuata provided free tea for us so we went and had a cuppa and talked for a bit and met some more new people. That evening me, Matt, Suzanne and a new girl (Lisa I think) played cards and had a good laugh together (by the way if anyone goes away travelling take a pack of cards they are so useful).

I was able to head accross to Waya Lalai early the next morning (Matt and Suzanne also headed over but just for the day to see the others). Spoke to Jess who had apparently the worst night of her trip (way to make me feel better). Again spent the day sunbathing on the beach (oh what a hard life), then said bye to Matt and Suzanne again as they had to leave and also to Tony. Becky wasn't feeling that great so they her and Jess headed to bed early, I stayed out with some people from my dorm till they all headed off as well, deciding I didn't want to go to bed I did something very unlike home me and found some people who looked like a random group playing cards (drinking game cards) and asked if I could join in they said yes so I met 7 new people that night had a fun few hours all joking about a bit and then the bar shut (booooo).

The next day (the actual longest of my life) me and a girl from the dorm were going reef snorkling so we had to be up early and pack our bags as we were both checking out that day. We got the resorts little motor boat about 30 minutes out in the ocean (which was incredibly bumpy which got me wondering if I was going to be a good enough swimmer. Then at a random bit of the ocean they stopped the boat the water smoothed and we jumped in the water. The snorkling was probably the best of my life and was well worth the uncomfortable journey. There were massive walls of coral with some tunnels and encaves. There were fish everywhere and the guide was jumping down with his spear to do some fishing. He must have been diving down 4 metres (12 feet) to kill these fish which was meant to attract the sharks (harmless reef sharks) I saw him get a couple of fish and when he got one all the rest swim away pretty quickly (even a shark did after he killed a fish once) I saw about 7 or 8 sharks which was pretty cool (they were all a a couple of metres (a few feet) away. I did see the guide get a fish once and then drop the spear and had to come back up for air before retriving it. I got stung a lot in the water (by jellyfish though I only saw one) however it was just uncomfortable rather then a major pain (there not very poisoness this species).

That afternoon I sunbathed some more and read my new book (I had swapped books with Jess) and then we all got on the catamaran at about 3.45. Becky and Jess jumped off to spend another night at Beachcomber, so I said bye to them again, and headed back to the mainland with Flexi. From the marina we got the bus straight to the airport where we checked in and then met Tony who was on the same flight as well. We left ontime at 10pm and thanks to crossing the dateline we landed in LA at 1pm on the same day and were at the hostel (me and Flexi somehow randomly booked the same hostel as each other) just before I left Waya Lalai. That all happened yesterday and I spent the secong afternoon of yesterday getting back up to date with things after having two weeks with almost no internet or phone. It was fairly early to bed to try to catch up on sleep, though not before getting the free food this hostel offers.

Today we went on a tour round LA. We have seen the Hollywood sign, Steve Martins house, walk of fame, farmers market, Disney Concert hall, Venice (Muscle) beach, Santa Monica, the Kodak theatre (where they film the academy awards and American Idol), the LA river, Olmada Street and a restuarant called "the bungalow" where the rich and famous hang out upstairs . Though no gangs or police chases unfortunitly. Its strange being somewhere that I have been with family before, but doing it on the cheap as you see a completly different side to a place. Like where Im staying theres none of the normal American hospitality from the staff (I can't afford friendliness here) though we had the typical cheesey tour guide. We pulled up next to a Civic whilst on the tour (an American Civic probably slightly bigger than a mondeo) which the guide said that all Americans would be driving small cars like that soon.

And thats where I'm up to now. So I will speak to you all again soon

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