Peace out!
3rd Jan 2007Fun in the sun in Fiji Dudes, this is a late entry...but that should be no suprise to anyone, i`m lame at doing things on time ;0) Let me just say, Fiji was the BEST, we loved every minute of it!!!! So we travelled for what seemed like hours on the shuttle bus to get to Raki Raki (the town where we would do some food shopping to bring to the island), so we picked up some bits and bobs like pasta and the ever fantastic chicken super noodles and then headed to Ellington Wharf where we`d catch the boat to the island. The boat only took 15-20 mins and then we arrived at Nananu Island Lodge - on first impressions it looked cool, so we had to jump off the boat and head to reception to check in. We then noticed Rob and Jo (who we`d met in NZ) who were up at the table eating lunch. So we said hi to them and then were shown to the campsite where we would set up our little home for the next 2 1/2 weeks! The campsite was beautiful, seriously, it wasn`t a let down from the pictures on the internet. It was a huge grassy area (well semi grassy, the wet season was just due to begin) dotted with palm trees all around...a little tent paradise. So we found a nice shady spot under a palm tree and set up camp. The site was perfect really, we were only seperated from the sea by a hedge, but as you lie in the tent you could hear the sea and the swaying of the palm trees up ahead, amazing! So we pretty much soon settled in to island life and we loved it. You just don`t need to really think about anything all day long, ok so you decide whether you want to lie in a hammock or on the sand, whether you want to buy dinner or make your own, if you wanna wash your hair tonight or leave it until tomorrow. After a few days, we started to get to know a lot of other people staying at the resort and the diving staff there. The lodge had a diving shop on site, which was wicked. The resort itself is all centred around a big sandy area that extends in off the beach, and there`s a volleyball that is right in the middle...then the kitchen and the bar and stuff all round the outside. After a while, we made friends with another English couple called B and Mo (that I collectively called MoB) and we ended up hangin out with them for the rest of our time on the island. They are such fantastic people, and we really had a great time. When we initially met them, they had plans to leave the island for a few days but then to come back and spend the rest of their time on Nananu. As soon as they left, it started to piss it down...seriously, it rained for 5 days straight, we were still having a great time, but living in a tent when there are frequent torrential rainstorms isn`t always easy. The bathrooms were in the process of being done up, so the boys and girls all had to share 3 loos and 3 showers (cold ones might I add) and the toilets were quite a way from our tent, so tring t oget there in the pouring rain, having a coold shower, then trying to get back without a coconut falling on your head, and then having to hop and crawl your way into the tent without getting it soaked...was not fun, but it was all part of the experience. We were pretty lucky really because I think every other tent got flooded out during those few days (but they were hired from the lodge) and we had our own tent that stood up to the weather and kept us dry, yippee! So MoB came back and we resumed back into our daily routine. We`d all play volleyball, and then other people would join in, and then the staff and it would turn into a huge game that would go on for hours and hours. At one point, the heavens opened up and the rain came like never before, but we all carried on regardless...drenched like we`d just had a shower but it was great fun (the showers were salt water anyways, so the rain shower did us a favour). So we`d play volleyball, lie on the beach, chill up at the bar area and then make dinner together. Then everyone would head up the hill to the sunset bure (a little tower) and with a beer in hand watch a fantastic sunset...it was great. Andy and B decided that they would do their open water diving course on the island as well, and they both seemed to really enjoy it. It took 4 days of diving and theory work but they both passed with flying colours...meanwhile, I was tanning it up on the bach, so I was happy ;0) A lot of emphasis was placed on diving on Nananu because it has brilliant dive sites around the island, a lot of people go there just to do that. When B did her introductory dive, I joined her...I was pretty nervous, but I hadn`t dived since March in Vietnam, but it was cool. One night we had a Kava ceremony (which we`d heard lots about but hadn`t experienced yet) which was great fun. Kava is a native fijian drink that tastes like crap but the whole ceremony itself is fun. Basically what you have to do is decide a chief, then they start. So the Kava is poured for them, then they clap once to receive it and then say "bula" to everone and down the drink (out of a coconut shell), whilst they are drinking everone claps their hands three times. Then it goes to the next person (clockwise) so the same thing happens but everyone claps twice this time, then the next person gets 3 claps, and the next 2...and it goes on like that. The drink makes your mouth go numb for a while and after about 15 cups of it, you just start to feel really chilled out. Then you have the best night`s sleep ever and you don`t wanna get out of bed in the morning. It`s great fun. The next night we had another Kava ceremony but with most of the guests at the resort, it was 3 or 4 days before xmas and so we all sang Christmas songs too after the ceremony, and the Fiji lady`s (and Sascha) sang Fiji songs on the guitar. Sascha was brilliant, he`s a guy (a big one) that dresses like a lady with a flower behind his ear and make up on - but was just so funny and wicked!!! On Christmas Eve Eve we had a fantastic night, everone got really quite drunk and headed down to the beach (which they usually did) and we all sat round drinking some more and listening to music on someone`s speakers. We tried to play drinking games but everyone was way too wasted by then and couldn`t concentrate. So eventually (and I think I instigated this) we decided to drag people out into the sea fully clothed...it was pretty funny, eventually there were about 15 peeps in the sea - it was such a laugh. On Christmas day it was great - me and Andy went out to do a dive in the morning to a place called Dream Maker, it was brilliant....there was loads of soft and hard coral in loads of beautiful colours, and it was just great. At the end of the dive, Andy`s air ran out though which wasn`t great - but he used the alternate air source of the dive master so it was no big deal and he didn`t panic...I was gettin real low on air as well, so another experienced older diver called jeanie (who was just on holiday) stayed close to me so that just in case I could share her air...who would of thought that we`d ever scuba dive on Xmas day!!! Then we all sunbathed for a while and then went to get ready for Xmas dinner. They put on a really good dinner for us...we had lamb shanks and chicken, and potatoes and salad. We all sta round a table and just had a really nice time. The people we met were great, like Tor who was a Norweigian guy who was totally crazy, he had such a vivid imagination because he was a childrens book author and a producer, then there was Silvain a French Canadian who was gonna be travelling for 2-3 years, and so many other great people like Alex (English girl), Scott (Ozzie Dive Instructor), Brett (Crazy American), and obviously MoB. After Xmas dinner we had a bonfire on the beach and then had a fairly early night. On boxing day MoB left the island to head to New Zealand, it was so sad...so so sad! They had the usual send off by all the other guests at the lodge, so everyone goes down to the beach and waves off the people departing as they zip off on the boat to the mainland. After MoB left it wasn`t quite the same atmosphere but it was still great. We really really miss Nananu, it`s a fantastic place! The poeple there are great, and the atmosphere is wicked. Island life is the best. Having to avoid falling dry coconuts is fun, seeing wildhorses on the beach on the other side of the island was cool, sleeping in a tent and being able to see towering tall palm trees out of the window is fantastic. Oh, I have to mention Rudolf, he`s a totally crazy old hippy from Holland...but gave the island a real atmosphere, he was the best! There are so many other cool things that we experienced, but i`ll tell you all about it when I get home. I`ll update you all on the U S of A as soon as I can. Peace out, A town. Debs xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
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