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Published: November 24th 2006
The Yasawa's consist of a group of islands northwest of the mainland of Fiji. Everything was booked and we had a pass to hop between 4 islands; Nanuya Lai Lai, Naviti, Kuata and Beachcomber.
After one night in Nadi in a very nice hotel (Nadi Bay Hotel) we were picked up early, 7:30am, and taken to the port to begin our island hopping on a large yellow boat with AWESOME ADVENTURES printed in large letters all over it.
NANUYA LAILAI; Sunrise lodge. Our first stop was at the Sunrise lodge. After following a young man, Vassou, across the island to the lodge 30mins away, leaving beind a stunning blue lagoon where we arrived. We walked into a very rugged and very basic resort, as we'd been informed when we booked it, that the further north we travelled from the mainland the more rugged it would become, so we were prepared for it. Our beds were in a concrete hut in drapes of mosquito nets.
I welcomed the rugged-ness of the place and was willing to get involved with the culture of Fiji, but we got much more than we had expected?!
It had the feeling of living in a
village with the Fijians. The people working there were not as friendly as those at RCI (Robinson Crusoe Island), nor as built and much more un-civilised. I fell asleep as soon as I arrived, not too sure why but when I woke up I was having strange hollusonations, was very strange (no Mum I hadn' had any strange drinks or drugs!). Needless to say I was fine when I woke up.
Sadly the beach was not as nice as the other side and it was very windy there.
I played volleyball for a while joining up with Chris and Matt after their trip to the local Tea Shop that they went to with the slightly camp Vassou who Matt said was very touchy/feely when he talked to him.
The volleyball was a football and the court was very gritty and stoney, but was enjoyable none-the-less.
We were all called for dinnerwhich was quite nice but nothing on the treats we had at RCI. After some crab-racing and a beer ot two I went to bed, after Vassou chatted to us for while when Chris and I were lay on the hammocks. He was quite a strange person but seemed
very knowledgable about Fijian history and had some interesting stories. His strange-ness got the better of us so we left to bed.
After breakfast the standard pancaes/toast we did a bit of sun bathing after hearing Matt tell us about a weird night he'd had where Vassou had dressed him in a sarong, like all the Fijian men wear, same as on RCI. Matt thought this was pretty cool until Vassou had asked him to remove his shorts like how the Fijians do, at that point Matt left?!
Keeping an open mind we decided to give him the benefit of the doubt and agreed that he was just being friendly and was introducing us to Fijian culture, as we wanted from this far away island.
Matt had told me he had lots of good stories about Fiji which he told at the Tea House so I was keen to get these stories on film as I have with people all over the world. It was very windy on the island so I asked Vassou if he could tell me some stories on tape but somewhere less windy for the sound quality. He lead me around the corner of the beach
where the wind was a lot less but there were very few people, if any. In my mind I began to panic thinking of horror stories of people dissappearing in such places, so I looked of ways I could defend myself, with rocks of my tripod or anything. Isn't it great having to the British mentality of not trusting anyone?!?!
He sat down and began reeling off stories of Fiji, it was really good and he knew a lot. He then showed me with leaves and twigs and twine what the Fijian people used to wear. With the camera still rolling I was dressed, over my boardies in twine and leaves like a warrior. I thought it was pretty cool until he said "for the photo you should not have your shorts on"
"erm... No, I think it'll be fine"
I got the footage of both of us dressed as warriors and did a war chant of some sort on the beach, pretty cool and funny stuff. Things got much weirder when he asked me if he could massage me with coconut milk? ...Er... Chris can I here you shouting for me? I thought.
"I have to go now Vassou
A bure.
Bure = a hut or room for two at the resort.I need to go and chat with Chris and Matt"
So we then headed back to the resort, on the way he said, on camera, "have you ever stripped naked?"
I was now 100% warey of theis weirdo and recited my story to the lads to the baffled and confused Chris and Matt, eek!
In the afternoon a group of us walked over to the Blue Lagoon where the film 'Blue Lagoon' was actually filmed, the one starring Broke Shields (I've never seen it thought?!). 'Swiss Family Robinson' was also shot somewhere on the island. It was paradise. Clear blue waters of all shades, palm trees meeting the beach growing wildy at all directions along the soft white sand and coconuts had fallen as if they'd been placed there for a photo shoot on the shore line... STUNNING!!!
Armed with snorkle and mask Matt and I ventured into the deep blue yonderto enjoy the coral and fish. We once again saw more 'Nemo' fish and lots of other lovelies. After a day of sunning and swimming we headed back to the resort and to the Tea Shop; A little hut with arts and crafts lined along the left wall for
sale and a kitchen housing a large black Fijian lady serving tea/coffee and very tastey cake, it was all very cool, there was another Fijian lady lacing shells onto fishing line, making necklaces and braclets sat at the end of the bech where we enjoyed our brews.
The night entertainment was extremely weird. A male islander dressed as a drag queen myming to Britney Spears and then a camp older man dancing his boots of to #Get out of my car#... Very strange!!!
After some drinking games with the other backpackers, including a good and funny lad called nIck from Birmingham and his Canadian girlfriend both of which we got on very well with, introducing us to his catchphrase "don't mind if I do" before each sip of his drink.
I went to the toilet in the hut outside the dining area where we were all sat to find Vassou waiting for me when I opened the toilet door. The doors are only locked by a bent nail that you turn over the gap, rugged! He said he had a surprise for me and to wait there in the pitch black. So as he walked off I ran back to
the dining room in fear and explained ot most of the group what had happened. We all went to bed, lying in our beds worried after locking the door and shutters, discussing weird this Vassou chap was.
The incident! We heard some shouting and knocking on our door form a couple of canadian girls saying there's been an incident with the barman; Vassou, with the Irish guy (not Matt!).
We'd been playing drinking games with him and his girlfriend, but they went to bed earlier than us. We threw on our boardies and bolted out of the room, knowing in our heads and fearing the worst.
He'll remain nameless so I'll call him X.
X's girlfriend then said "X has just been sexually assulted by Vassou!".
X was stoud at the reception door looking very flustered and angry.
Vassou had seen X on his own on his way to the bathroom and said he had a present for him and his girlfriend. X was about 30 and been travelling for ages so wasn't naive and up for pretty much everything. Vassou had taken him to the beach and began to dress him in a sarong. He asked X to
take off his shorts so he could wear it the Fijian way. Un-shy X went along with this. Vassou then asked him to close his eyes. When X opened his eyes in shock Vassou was knelt down in front of him. From there I don't want to say anymore. X pushed him away and told him to F&*$ off!! and he ran away.
X was adament he wanted the police there straight away, but the police were on the mainland in Nadi 4 hours away by boat. They'd never called the police before.
We all stoud around in shock, helpless comforting X and his girlfriend who we invited to sleep in our dorm for security, stick together we thought was the best way.
We lay in bed thinking the worst, that this could ruin the resorts name and the best way for them to solve the problem would be to get rid of us all, it wasn't the best nights sleep, every noise was scary.
Luckily we all had a safe and sound nights sleep and were glad to be nce again at the blue lagoon the following morning waiting to leave the island. Our complaints had to go
to AWESOME ADVENTURES on the mainland in Nadi.
NAVITI; Korovou resort. We caught our boat south to the Korovou resort. 2 hours on the boat and we arrived at Naviti in the middle of the Yasawa's. we were greeted by guitar music and singing and of course a big "BULA" and then lot of introductions and hand shakes to a very nice resort, that was much more developed than Sunriseand there wasn't a camp barman in sight!
They even had a fresh water swimming pool, this is more like it I thought to myself.
We chilled by the pool before being drummed to dinner, which was amazing; lamb burgers, mint sauce, salad, potatoes, everything - wow! and as much as we could eat!
We'd been told that "you haven;t been to Fijji unless you see a real Fijian village" so the next morning we booked ourselves onto a trip to a village and a school for $25.
An amazing and humbling experience!! In a little motorboat 15 minutes around the head of the island we arrived to a beautiful beach cove and were lead to sit with the Chief and enjoy another
Kava ceremony and a bowl of kava.
I thought Sunrise lodge was rugged, but this viallge was the real deal. It was amazing. Women washed their clothes in big tubs and a washboard, cooking in large pots on small coal fires, sitting on the ground on potato sacks, huts that were only just standing thanks to a whole load of random bits of wood and metal, this really was the 'real' Fiji.
We walked around a little area ofilled with handicrafts and gifts and women welcoming us to have a look at their selection of items on their mat's. They were all SO friendly, with 'buula's' being bounded about all over the place. Then I saw Chris entertaining some little children spinning them around in the air to shreeks of laughter and enjoyment and excitement. Teh kids were amazing, patting us and smiling and giggling enjoying the foreigners on their land.
After a while of messing around we were lead to the School. Alng the way the men and women welcomed us with more 'Bula's'.
Children were playing in the school rugby field dressed in white shirts and purple sarong's as we walked towards the school across the field. More
'Bula's' were shouted to us, usually followed by groups of little girls giggling. They were fascintaed by my video camera as they came over to say hello. THe school was a long white building with purple window frames where we were ushered into a classroom to sit on white patio chairs in a line facing a class of 7-8 year olds sat on the floor smiling and excited at the visitors. They were instructed by their teacher and they all stood up and began to sing #the wheels on the bus go round and round...#
I couldn't help but sit there with a huge smile on my face. They continued to sing a couple of Fijian songs, finishing with the main event; which was like a Fijian Haka, that their rugby team does. It was AWESOME and my smile beamed even bigger from deep inside.
As we were leaving I asked the teacher if they'd be able to do it again for my video camera. The leader of the class stoud in front of my camera and the others sang their parts sat down behind him. It was absolutely amazing, he was so confident and the shouting of the rest
A fantastic spread of food
Beats the cheese sandwiches when we were in the van! of the class was incredible. After high-fives and hand-shakes all round, I played back the footage as they all crowded around my tiny 2.5" screen. They loved watching themselves. I can't imagine that they get the chance to see themselves on camera too often so I was glad to give something back to them after their performance.
As we left the village I'd say it was once again one of the best things I've done on the whole trip, it was just amazing, I felt like crying when they repeated the Fijian war chant, it's priceless footage.
After an afternoon by the pool we were treatd once again to see fire dancing by the resort team, but not quite as good as the boys at RCI.
The next day we had to wait around all day before catching our boat further south to Kuata, leaving to a chorus of the Fijian good-bye and good luck song.
Each transfer consists of jumping in a little motorboat which then takes you to the big yellow awesome adventures boat where your quickly loaded on with your bags and soon off to your next destination, they are very efficient at it.
Fijian sunset.
i thought Aussie sunsets were amazing, but Fiji is even more beautiful! KUATA Arriving at Kuata once again to singing and a big "BULA".
I was almost instantly involved with volleyball in aviators and dog-tags, in true 'Topgun' style.
There was quite a party that night for a swedish girls birthday, so the drinking games began to flow after a bowl of kava and a good night was had by all.
Next day was spent lying on the gorgeous beach, before I was involved with volleyball again, when suddenly I jarred my thumb as the ball landed flat on top of it, which then turned black and swollen.
That night Matt and I joined the islanders (one of which was an absolute spitting image of Mohammed Ali, I mean identical!) and drank a load of kava with them, completely relaxing us after another particularly stressful day??!
It didn't really have that much effect, it just completely chills you out and after 15 bowls we were readly for bed and some very strange dreams. And lay in bed watching a Gekko catch a Moth on the ceiling through my mosquito net, then watched the mice run around on the rafters above me, sleeping rugged.
Whilst I was sat with the
locals I chatted to the massuse girl about the differences between my life at home and their life here, i.e. I have 5 TV's in my house, they have one on the whole island. Some things surprsed me like her knowledge of films and music. I was also interested to find out what she thought about the increasing number of tourists coming to Fiji and westernising their beautiful country. She told me that Kuata was an un-inhabitted island before tourism was big in Fiji, so Fijian's built the resort and with that have created jobs for local people and all the money goes to villages and most importantly the local schools. So the more tourists the better was her conculsion as we bring with us a plethora of benefits to the Fijian people.
BEACHCOMBER The much talked about beachcomber has been given the name - the party island as it is by far the most built up and westernised of the resorts and has obviously had a lot of money spent on it, probably by a fat american millionaire, haha! I learnt that not much money made here goes back to Fiji either which is terrible considering
Kava with the chief
our welcoming ceremony to the village where we are then treated as islander's. it's the most expensive.
We really didn't do much at Beachcomber other than drink, party, sleep and sun-bath. One night we were taught the bula dance which is very funny and one we'll definately pull out somewhere later in our trip, probably in a swanky club in LA!
It was all very good fun. The food was awesome too; a buffet with lots of choice and as much as you can eat, yum!
On our last night in Beachcomber the dirnking games were once again in full flow and went through to sunrise leaving me with 20 minutes sleep before leaving for Nadi and our flight to Rarotonga.
Fiji was absolutely beautiful and brilliant, from the scenary to the amazingly friendly people. I fell in love with the place and will undoubtedly return there someday (probably on my way to Australia, haha!)
I miss it already "VINAKA!"
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Stacey doo
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Lord
I'm so jealous i want to cry. It's raining outside. brrr