Around the world, around the world.....

Day 39

We awoke feeling slightly fragile from the night before, however there was no time for laziness as we were set to board the ferry to the south island in a few hours time. We took a steep drive up to Mount Victoria to observe the magnificent views of the island. Despite the camper van’s creaking objections, and a slightly crazy pensioner hanging on to me for dear life at the top, it was worth the visit.

We found the ferry terminal without any trouble and not needing our “getting lost time” we had an hour to kill. We took a walk to see the nearby Beehive and Parliamentary buildings which looked very grand from a distance; however they became less impressive the closer we got to them. It was soon time to return to our trusty camper, we boarded the ferry without any problems and managed to find some free seats. However just as we had made ourselves comfortable we were warned by a teacher that it would probably get noisy because he was with some kids on a school trip. We decided to move a bit further away where it was a bit quieter and it wasn’t long before I was snoozing. When I awoke, Alan was chatting to a friendly local who gave us some much needed advice about good places to visit. We had originally planned to start at Kaikoura, famously known for its whale watching; however we had to rethink this after seeing the dark rain clouds looming over this area in his newspaper’s weather forecast.
We got off the ferry at Picton and started driving, unsure of where to go next, so we headed for the Tourist Information Centre for some advice and inspiration. Alan had heard about an exciting scuba dive that could be done from Picton, however, when we asked about this for various reasons it turned out to be impossible to do. In the end we decided to head to Blenheim and following the advice of the friendly local, we checked into the Top Ten Holiday Park. We were glad that we had trusted him as this was one of the nicest campsites we had stayed at. We chose a secluded stretch of grass by a pond which was full of ducks. Our first impressions were that they were very cute and we welcomed them when they cautiously approached our camper in search for food. However it didn’t take us long to realise the obvious downside of being surrounded by our feathery friends…duck poo! I was the first to step in the bright green excrement and spent the next 20 minutes trying to wipe it off my shoe (not nice).

We made our way to the office (dodging more poo along the way) and the friendly staff booked us onto a wine tasting tour for the following day. The rest of the afternoon was pretty lazy; we ate the remaining of Alan’s birthday cake and took a walk into town to the cinema, where we watched Guy Ritchie’s new film “Rock and Rolla”. When the film had ended it was dark outside and the streets were deathly quiet. Well, this was until a banged out looking Hearse playing loud, annoying music decided to try to scare us by stopping and starting in line with our walking and occasionally throwing glass bottles out of the windows. I started to wonder if I might be in a horror film and got a bit scared but Alan remained calm. Luckily a few minutes later they seemed to get bored and drove off and we returned to our camp site unscathed.

Day 40

We were picked up for the wine tour at 11.30am by a lady driving a small minibus who introduced herself as Colleen. She was friendly, bubbly and definitely a little crazy, making her instantly likeable. She gave us a long list of all the possible wineries we could visit in the area. Not wanting to be revealed so soon as a novice, Alan (remembering an article he had read on the ferry) asked if she knew what winery the award winning Pinot Noir came from, however Colleen was unsure and it soon became apparent that she probably didn’t know that much more than us about wine!

We picked up two more couples, one of whom had already done the wine tour the previous day but they had enjoyed it so much they had decided to go again. Following their advice, the first stop was at Villa Maria. We tasted about eight wines in total, all of which were really nice but a bit out of our price range so we didn’t buy any. A few people in our group admitted to feeling slightly tipsy at this point (luckily it wasn’t just us!) so it was decided that it would be a good time to stop for lunch. We visited the restaurant at the Alan Scott winery and whilst waiting for our meals to arrive, we tasted more wine, eventually choosing our favourite to accompany our meal, a glass of white Pinot Gris.

We enjoyed a tasty and reasonably priced meal whilst getting to know our fellow wine tasters. Hayden and Durla (from London and Ireland) were a couple a similar age to us and they were also doing a round the world trip. They were very friendly and we exchanged various travelling tips and experiences. The other couple whose names we can’t remember and have decide to call them Betty and Bill, were married, roughly in their early 40’s and from New Zealand. Bill was a large, overbearing man who had lots of opinions that he did not hesitate to share with us and he definitely thought himself to be a food and wine connoisseur. He told us over lunch that he didn’t see the point in New Zealand taking such an interest in protecting the environment when other countries were continuing to pollute the earth. He also talked about how outraged he felt if he found himself having to pour his own wine in a restaurant! Despite our best efforts, most of the conversation was dominated by him. His wife Betty was very quiet and she seemed to hide in his shadow, therefore it was hard to get to know her. We wondered if maybe he had talked at her so much that she had given up?!

After lunch we were invited to taste some of the beers produced at the winery, most of which turned out to be really nice. Betty declined to join us and ordered a dessert instead. We wondered whether this was her way of escaping her husband for a while? After sampling a few more beers, me and Alan decided to have a break from drinking and got back in the minibus. Colleen seemed keen to get on with the tour and set off leaving two people behind! We had to shout to get her to stop the bus which everyone found amusing. We had to question whether she had being secretly tasting wine over lunch as she seemed to get increasingly dizzy as the day went on. This came to a head when she decided that instead of following the well established road into the next winery, she would take an alternative route that involved weaving in and out of large trees, whose branches smacked against our windows until we safely reached the car park. Colleen tried to apologise but it wasn’t taken seriously as she laughed along with us. This winery was called Wairou River and it immediately lacked the class of Villa Maria, mainly because the waitress was rude and reluctant to offer wine tastings. We then took the short walk to the next winery- Nautilus, which offered much better service and wines. The last winery we visited was Fromm, which offered boutique wines. It was very nice but too expensive for our backpacker budget. We finished the day with a stop at Malitra Chocolatiers, where we watched handmade chocolates being made. The smell was dangerously inviting and after a few samples we couldn’t resist making a few purchases. After saying goodbye to the other couples, Colleen dropped us off at the New World supermarket, where we did a big shop to stock up our camper van. After having such an eventful day we were happy to have a quiet night at the campsite- a tuna based meal washed down with a couple of glasses of wine, perfect.

Day 32

An early start, an airport with no air-con and a ridiculously confusing layout - none of these helped us find our departure gate. Nonetheless we managed and after a short uneventful flight we landed in Auckland. One broken down bus later we arrived at the busy Fusion hostel. Dropping off our bags we walked down the main street through Auckland, a stroll through the streets was uninspiring, the Auckland tower dominating the skyline and busy streets and roads- this was not the NZ of holiday brochures. Having only 3 weeks in NZ, acquiring a campervan was a number one priority as we were eager to explore both islands in the limited time we had. The afternoon was spent firing off e-mails and making calls to various companies and it seemed like a few days in Auckland was on the cards. Although landing somewhere with only a sense of adventure and a brief idea of plans is fun, sometimes a little planning goes a long way.

After splashing out on a superb tapas meal from Mezze earlier, we were looking forward to saving some money and eating our "free evening meal" provided by our hostel- fish and chips (or fush and chups). Unfortunately the "free" meal was half a fish and a small portion of peas; you had to pay for the other half and any chips. Eating only the free meal we decided to spend the saved money on a few evening drinks. Heading to the road where many of the bars are meant to be found we were disappointed to find them both short on numbers and in style. After drinks in a couple of odd bars we decided that maybe we were at the wrong end of the road. However, exhausted by the travel we decided to retire, stopping only at Queen Street Kebabs on the way home.

Day 33

After spending some time on the toilet, excreting the last of the previous night's kebab, me and Lesley hurried to the internet cafe, hopeful our last carpet bombing of e-mails had been successful. Thankfully amongst the huge number of rejections shone one solitary confirmation. We fired an e-mail back and our 'Go Birdz' camper complete with a kayak strapped to the roof was sorted. With a scheduled 2pm collection we set off to explore Auckland in more depth than the previous day. Our first stop was the Auckland tower, a sky breaching column with a cafe at its top and a number of activities, such as walking around it or jumping off it possible. Deciding there was plenty of time for jumping off things; we merely looked at it and set off for the infinitely more interesting Auckland museum. The grand museum sat atop a hill housed a diverse collection of exhibits. Ranging from a vast collection of exquisitely carved Maori artifacts (some of them as big as a house) through to stuffed animals, wartime memorabilia and volcanic displays; it warranted more than the 90 minutes we devoted to it.

A short taxi ride from here and we found ourselves on the industrial estate, searching for the place we’d call home for the next few weeks. We rounded a corner and were greeted with the unmistakable white camper van, with huge green parrot adorning its side and bright orange kayak strapped to its roof. As we approached, two of the most peculiar characters greeted us. One walked with a limp, one had a lopsided face and both dribbled slightly as they talked. Despite their oddness, they both seemed friendly enough and whilst showing us round the van, seemed to miss the irony when warning us of being careful and watching out for ‘weirdos’. Excited by the prospect of the freedom the van afforded us, we set off, map in hand to the New World supermarket. Forgetting the dimensions of the van nearly proved costly and only horrified stares from onlookers when entering the car park prevented us from decapitating the van and taking the kayak off the roof. After our first big shop of our travels, we left Auckland in a hurry, hoping to reach the scenic Bay of Islands by nightfall. The combination of a slow campervan and narrow, winding roads meant our hopes were soon dashed and halfway there we pulled into a campsite for the night.

Day 34

We awoke, our limbs aching from an uncomfortable night’s sleep in the camper van. After a few stretches and creaking bones, we hit the road again, hoping to reach the Bay of Islands as soon as possible as we only gave ourselves a day to see the area. We reached the small town of Pahia, and were greeted with many islands looking inviting in the distance. Unfortunately because of a lack of time we decided against a boat tour and continued on through the town. On the other side of town we decided to undertake a walk to the Haruru falls. We set off on what turned out to be quite a steep and tiring hike and after about 20 minutes we saw an old couple, who had started the walk about 10 minutes before, passing us, returning, looking exhausted. As we saw the 1km marker, we realized why they had given up so soon, the walk was more difficult and took much longer than we anticipated. The highlight of the walk was a small wooden bridge, which crossed the river and led into mangroves, the water only inches below our feet. After 6km we finally reached the waterfall, which wasn’t as magnificent as we had hoped. We rested for a while, watching a boat heading up the river, they people aboard looked relaxed and happy, as they sipped wine and beer whilst taking photos of the falls. Fighting the urge to jump in and join them, we picked ourselves up and headed back on the long walk to our campervan. By the time we had made it back, it was getting quite late, so after stopping for a quick drink we drove back on the road we entered on, hoping to get as far as possible.

On the way we passed Auckland, which looked more spectacular from a distance. Just before darkness fell we pulled into a picnic area to attempt to make a coffee using our camp stove. This started well, however it was not to be as the wind kept blowing out the flame and the stove’s table was ridiculously rickety, and so the idea was reluctantly abandoned. We finally pulled in for the night at a spooky holiday park in Hamilton. There was no-one around at all and the toilets and kitchen were full of spider webs, moths and flies. We made a quick and easy meal of tuna pasta and retreated to the safety of our camper van.

Day 35

The next morning we awoke to rain which got heavier and heavier as we drove towards Raglan, a small beach town famous for its surf and the location of the film Endless Summer. The rain refused to stop therefore we reluctantly abandoned the idea of the beach and instead pulled in at Otorohanga to visit the Kiwi house. Never having seen these rare birds before, we thought this was a must do whilst visiting New Zealand. After paying an expensive entrance fee, we entered a dark room where the kiwis were housed and after a few minutes of searching we managed to locate two birds. They were very cute and we enjoyed watching them for a while, however we felt a bit disappointed that there were so few and we left the room, hoping to see more elsewhere. The rest of the aviaries were outside where it was still raining heavily. We assumed that the birds must have been hiding from the rain as we only managed to see a few different types of ducks. We left, feeling tempted to advise the staff that the place should be renamed something more fitting such as “duck house”.

Next we set off towards Waitomo, planning to explore its famous glow worm caves. Feeling a little apprehensive, I agreed to do the “Black Abyss” which consisted of water rafting through underground caves. We had a bit of time to kill before this started so we looked in our trusty Lonely Planet guide for inspiration. Much to my delight, I noticed that there was a nearby Angora rabbit shearing house, open to the public to view their shearing. We arrived just before the shearing was to commence and being the only ones there we got a good viewing point at the front. However, unexpectedly, a few minutes later, a lady working there announced that “a coach full of Indians had just arrived”. At this point we couldn’t help but imagine a stereotypical tribe of “red Indians” to enter, complete with buckskin, feather headdresses etc……however they were simply tourists who came from India. Still, she was right about there being a “coach load” as about 30 people piled into the room, all pushing past us to get a place at the front. Undeterred by the randomness of the situation, I retained my position, determined to see the show. A young male rabbit was brought out, looking overly fluffy and cute; however slight fear could be seen in his eyes as his paws were tied to the apparatus to keep him still. We felt a bit uncomfortable as he started to struggle, however the lady told us that the rabbit’s fur would otherwise grow so long that it could cause suffocation. After watching the shearing we were able to stroke the rabbits who were indeed as fluffy as they looked and before we knew it, it was time to head back for the black water rafting.

We started the rafting by getting dressed into a wet suit, which sounds simple enough however it took me twice as long as everyone else due to spending the first 10 minutes trying to put the thing on inside out…..doh! After a short drive in a minibus we were taken to an embankment where our tour leader told us that the first task was to jump backwards from a very high drop into the water below, backwards with our tube. Alan was undeterred by this, however when I saw how steep the fall was my anxiety shot up immediately. Luckily after a couple of minutes she confessed that we only needed to do a much lower jump and I started to feel better. After we had all completed this she told us that this was the highest jump we would do, however we would be expected to make smaller backwards leaps over waterfalls whilst inside the caves. Feeling apprehensive, we followed her into the cave and crawled through the rushing water, clutching onto the limestone sides for support. After a while we stopped and turned our head lights off to admire the glow worms above our heads. They looked very pretty and colourful in the dark, however we were surprised and slightly disgusted to find that in the light they look a bit like giant maggots! A further bit of information to change our naïve image of the glow worm was finding out why they are colourful…apparently as they are unable to excrete waste in the usual way they have to burn it away, hence the colour….lovely!

After this short break we were back to leaping backwards off waterfalls and alternating between climbing and floating through the caves on our tubes. Although it was quite tricky and difficult at times, it was exciting and I found myself enjoying it despite my previous nerves. The trip ended by our guide telling us that we had to find our own way out of the caves with our headlights switched off and the only light we had to guide us was that of the many glow worms which shone brightly above. We followed their glow and eventually managed to find the exit, blindly bumping into one another on the way. Feeling wetter and colder than we ever had in our lives, the shower afterwards was amazing and we didn’t want to get out. Feeling much warmer, we dressed and were treated to hot soup and bagels, which definitely felt well deserved.

After buying a DVD of the photos, we were back on the road again, this time heading for Rotorura. As we got closer, the scenery became even more spectacular and it suddenly felt like we were living in a postcard. As it became dark, we checked in at the Cosy Cottage International holiday park where the first thing that struck us as we got out of the camper van was the ridiculously high number of flies. They circled around us in swarms, seemingly aiming for our mouths which made talking impossible. However, we soon found out that these were harmless lake flies, attracted to the thermally heated land that the campsite was built upon. Except for the strong smells of sulphur, the campsite turned out to be really nice, it backed onto a beach and had thermally heated spas, free for guests to use. We cooked a quick and easy meal and went to bed early, feeling tired after such a busy day.

Day 36

A day of stark contrast. The morning was spent wandering the halls of the Rotorua Museum. Formerly a spa for the rich and famous, all sorts of weird and wonderful treatments for various ailments were prescribed here. We took the guided tour as we had always seen tours edging by and thought maybe they offered a deeper insight into the attraction. In this case it appeared we were wrong and we soon grew tired of waiting for others and set off to explore the museum alone. Apart from the spa history the museum detailed its Maori heritage and importance as a thermal centre. The museum as a whole was quite good but didn’t match up to the magnificence of its Auckland counterpart.

If the morning was filled with culture, the afternoon was filled with excitement, well for me at least. Picked up at 1pm and thrust into the back of a battered 4X4 I was about to embark on white water rafting on the Kaituna river, a grade 5 (toughest) trip along a river with the highlight being a 21 ft drop off the highest commercially rafted waterfall in the world. After a safety briefing we carried the raft to the river. A few smaller drops started the adventure, with water spilling over the side and soaking us even on these. Lesley watched from the side as our instructor barked instructions at us to paddle, keeping the raft where it was or flying down the river at its whim. As we neared the big drop our instructor re-iterated his safety instructions and gave us all the option to get out at the bank. Bravely we all decided to go ahead and the river took us at its mercy. We plummeted down the waterfall, its foamy liquid consuming my every sense, filling my every thought. A few seconds of confusion passed and then only stared of amazement, we looked around the raft and everyone had made it, we were almost home and dry.

With only one big drop to go and the confidence of conquering the previous one we shot forwards to another. Unfortunately the confidence was misplaced for one Chinese girl and as we hit the water at the bottom, she bounced from the raft and was taken by the current. Panic was etched in the faces of the instructors as with no mercy the river pulled her under, her face bobbing out from the water intermittently with only her life jacket keeping her afloat. The raft followed and the instructors desperately grasped at the girl, succeeding in pulling her aboard only moments before the raft smashed into rocks in the space she had occupied. From here the drops mellowed and as we neared the final one we all stood in the raft and surfed over. Thinking I hadn’t quite got wet enough I dived over the side and soon realized the power of the river as even this small fall buffeted me about until I scrambled back to the raft. Safely we returned to shore and although we laughed and joked about the Chinese girl falling out, from the look in the instructors’ eyes at the time, I knew it had been close to disaster.

After all the excitement, some relaxation was called for and we spent the afternoon lazing in the beautifully hot thermal pools at our campsite. A few hours later we emerged wrinkled but thoroughly relaxed and decided to wander into town for a meal. We knew things closed early in NZ but were surprised to find the streets deserted and the only restaurants in town closed. Undeterred we continued our search and luckily found the Star Indian. Not adverse to the odd curry we found the Maharajah banquet at only $28, far too much food to finish, but far too tasty to leave. After the meal and one too many glasses of wine we stumbled back to the camper van and fell into a deep sleep, dreaming of the adventures to come.

Day 37

With adrenaline still surging through my veins from the previous day, more activities were planned and this time Lesley was coming along too. A short drive out of town and we were at Ngongotaha and ready to Zorb!

Zorbing involves strapping yourself into a massive hamster ball and rolling down a huge hill. As a child I used to climb into tractor tyres and roll down hills, so this had a strangely nostalgic feel. Lesley as usual was scared, but after an inspirational pep talk she was ready to go. I went first and was soon hurtling down the hill, disorientated with my vision, swapping between grass and sky at an alarming rate. Lesley followed and after looking worried whilst going to the top of the hill, emerged with a smile on her face.

After regaining our balance we set off for Lake Taupo but had two stops to make on the way. The first was the hidden valley of Orakei Korako, a thermal area reported to be oneof the best in the world. A short ride across got us to the valley, an interesting array of silica terraces, thermal mud pools and thermal caves. Apparently geysers shoot up from here frequently, but unfortunately we didn’t witness this. Nonetheless it was a very interesting walk, the terraces looking surreal with their blended colours of yellows and pinks in contrast to the bubbling crystal clear waters they surrounded. He second was Huka falls, which although impressive was not the foce of nature we were expecting.

Again we climbed aboard our camper, this time to Lake Taupo airport for an activity that Lesley definitely wouldn’t be attempting. I had previously skydived in England, an experience which although amazing had left me feeling somewhat disappointed. Cloud tarnished the sky that day and with no floor rushing up at you, the feeling of falling is diminished. It was due to this that I was determined to do it again, this time at one of the best places in the world and even better, Lesley had paid for it for my birthday! This time it lived up to everything I thought it would be. Last time I hadn’t been nervous and even whilst hanging out of the door, the fact I couldn’t see the ground kind of took something away. This time there was no doubt to how high we were, Oxygen masks strapped on at 10,000 feet, cranking up the tension. 15,000 feet arrived and I dangled my legs over the side of the plane, the skies clear, the views amazing, my heart beating hard in my chest. There was no going back, the signal was given and I was launched from the plane, the ground flying at me 120 miles an hour. The feeling is intense, 60 seconds freefall goes
slowly and quickly all at the same time, objects on the ground becoming clearer as I hurtled towards the ground at terminal velocity. With only 30 seconds of freefall left the rope was pulled and I was jerked hard as the chute opened above. I was handed the controls and steered the canopy down to the ground.

After waiting for the adrenaline rush to calm, we hopped back in the van with the intent of
making it down to Wellington before nightfall. The van shuddered, rattled and squeaked as we pushed it to limits it didn’t know it had, flying past Tongariro National Park (Mount Doom in the Lord of the Rings). Unfortunately our efforts were not enough and as darkness fell we pulled into a town called Bulls for the night.

Day 38

Happy birthday to me! Having a birthday away form home is a strange one. Although Lesley went to a big effort, it still didn't feel like my birthday. Getting back from the shower I had bacon and beans on toast waiting for me and the campervan was adorned with Happy Birthday banners. Surprisingly Lesley had also managed to sneak off and buy a birthday cake, complete with candles, it was beginning to feel more like my birthday every minute. We lit the candles but no matter how hard I blew, they just kept sparkling and crackling before relighting. This soon turned from fun to a potential fire hazzard and the candles were hastily thrown into the sink to avoid a campervan blaze.

We were soon risking life and limb again as we hurried on to Wellington, determined to spend as little time on the road as necessary. We parked at a campsite on the outskirts of town and were soon having lunch at Macs Brewery. Lesley ordered a beef salad but upon seeing how rare the beef was, decided on swapping it for my lamb burger (the only time I have ever seen Lesley eat those cute baby sheep!).

Deciding to go to the museum proved one too many and although the displays were impressive and the scale huge, we soon found ourselves in a trance like state known as "museumed out." We spent the rest of the day wandering around Wellington with the occasional stop in a bar in aid of research for the night. Catching a bus back to the campsite proved to be a bit of a problem as we had completely forgot where we alighted earlier. Seeing a bus with a similar number to ours, I proceeded to bang on the door. The driver ignored me, but not one to be defeated, I stood in front of the bus trying to gesture "72" in hand symbols. He was having none of it, merely shaking his head and although I gained no help, I left feeling glad that it wasn't just bus drivers in England with attitude problems. The bus stop we eventually found.

Later that evening we arrived in the town and proceeded to get lost again looking for a restaurant in the Lonely Planet. After 15 minutes of looking we flagged a taxi only to be taken to the place we had been dropped off. New Zealand's early hours also were in full effect in Wellington, as we arrived the restaurant was closing. Thankfully they allowed us to eat and we had a delicious Malaysian Randang. We then hit the town and in a blurry mix of bars and pubs Lesley also had the good fortune of having a bar man knock a full pint over her, securing us two free drinks each and although she spent the last hour reeking of stale lager, it made for a cheaper night out for her.

Day 25

We awoke feeling slightly sad that this was to be our last day at Gold Coast, therefore we decided to make the most of the time left. After another juicy breakfast of pancakes and fruit we made our way down to the beach. The first thing we noticed was that the sea seemed to be much rougher than usual and we started to feel slightly apprehensive about getting on the tiny boat in a few hours to meet the Yasawa flyer.

The morning flew by at an incredible pace and soon it was time for our last lunch, which again was very tasty and filling. We thanked Filo for her hospitality and gave her some money to replace the broken lantern. It was a genuinely sad farewell. After this we made our way down to the beach until it was time to leave. Herman and Janette came to say goodbye, which was nice, but again slightly awkward and we made pleasant small talk until Filo's husband called that it was time to go. My sadness about leaving quickly turned to genuine fear for my life as we boarded the boat and headed out into the rough sea. Alan tried to reassure me that Filo's husband must know what he was doing and thankfully he did as he explained that we would be taking a safer route. We sailed the other way around the island which took us over the blue lagoon. The water was crystal clear blue and perfectly still and we felt lucky to have been given the opportunity to see such beautiful scenery. We waited for a while at a perfect beach until the Yasawa flyer arrived and then we boarded, along with Filo's husband who we assumed must be going to the mainland (possibly to replace the lantern?)

The journey to our next destination, Kuata, was uneventful except for me learning for the first time that I am prone to feeling sick in rough sea! However, I was distracted from this when I heard a loud "crack" and "argh!" Recognising the voice I looked up to discover that Alan had whacked his head on the large TV screen at the front of the boat. There were gasps from the other passengers and a few people asked if he was OK. Alan sheepishly returned to his seat next to me and tried to forget about it. One passenger seemed particularly concerned and kept turning around in his seat to look at Alan, almost as if he couldn't believe that he had not seriously hurt himself!
Luckily it had sounded much worse than it actually was. After a while it was time to leave the flyer as we approached Kuata. Just as we were leaving, Filo's husband approached us and thanked us for staying at Gold Coast. We felt touched by this gesture and assumed that he must have forgiven Alan for smashing his lantern after all.

We were welcomed onto Kuata Island by the resort staff singing and playing guitar. It was nice but not a patch on the warm welcome we had received at Gold Coast. The accommodation here, however, was much better and we were given one of the newer built bures, made out of bricks and with an ensuite bathroom, luxury! By the time we had got settled in sunset was approaching so we headed onto the beach to watch it and to explore the island. It was very different to the other sandy islands we had visited as it was made up of large volcanic rock formations, making the beach small and stony. We explored a cave and rock pools and found small fish, sea cucumbers and tiny crabs, scuttling about. We agreed it was a beautiful island.

When it was time we went for our evening meal, hoping it would be as tasty as the previous two nights. Unfortunately we were served a few bits of different food that didn't compliment each other at all. There were no seconds available, which left us feeling hungry and disappointed. Immediately after we had eaten the entertainment began and we prepared ourselves for the Bula dance. Amazingly it actually turned out to be a game far more cheesy and embarrassing than the Bula dance- a coconut race. This may sound innocent enough, however it consisted of tying a coconut to your waist and using pelvic thrusts to make the coconut in front of you move forwards. After this was demonstrated by the event organiser we decided that we were not going to participate, however the man was not going to take no for an answer. When we told him that we just wanted to watch he ushered us to stand with the other guests from the UK to form a team. Feeling irritated by this and determined not to participate, we quietly sneaked out of the dining area and escaped back to our bure. Here we waited for a while until we felt it was safe to return. Luckily the game had finished and most people were sat together having a kava ceremony. We thought about joining the group, however we worried that we would not be welcomed after our escape from the coconut race. We got a drink from the bar and got talking to another couple who had also decided not to get involved. They were both called Laura and we immediately got on well and shared various traveling experiences. We found out that they were going to the same island as us next- Manta Ray, however they were staying one more night at Kuata first. We had an early night and went to bed looking forward to our next destination.

Day 26

After hearing good things about Manta Ray we were eager to get there and after another lazy morning in the hammocks we were on our way. The usual Fijian chorus greeted us and after a welcome drink and a delicious buffet lunch we headed to our bure, which was much cleaner than we were used to, the only down side being the communal showers.

Another reason we were looking forward to the island was to do my SSI scuba course, and after a brief talk from Simon, the instructor I couldn’t wait. After only a couple hours I strapped on my Scuba gear and entered the water for my introductory dive. Often around the island huge Mantarays can be seen, but unfortunately it was out of season. Nevertheless the dive was amazing with literally hundreds of fish swimming within inches of my face. We also spotted a couple of Stingrays gliding effortlessly past, held a Sea Cucumber, Blue Starfish and poked a couple of Clownfish playfully in their anemone homes. Whilst under, I realized it was raining, the surface rippling above. All too soon my air ran out and we had to surface to the poor weather above and on leaving the water it became apparent it was really pissing down. I ran back to the bure to find Lesley barricading the door with towels in an effort to stem the flood. Thankfully the storm passed quickly and by tea, the skies had cleared. The food at the resort was excellent and we were overjoyed with the 3 course meal which made welcome change to the starchy offerings we had grown accustomed to. The night was fun and we spent much of it chatting to a nice couple of teachers called Paul and Katie. Games were held, but in no way were forced and the staff were really friendly throughout, especially Isaac, surely the campest barman in Fiji. We retired happy that we had decided to spend the next 3 nights at the resort.

Day 27

The next day passes in a much similar way to the previous, Lesley sunbathed her way ahead in the tan-off and I undertook my second and third dives. These were harder work than the first and taught skills I may need including clearing my mask of water and locating my regulator (the bit you breathe through). After this I joined Lesley for a bit of sun, jealous of the golden colour she was turning while I spent my time underwater.

We got ready and the sound of a beating drum in the distance signaled teatime. The Lauras had arrived at the island earlier that day and we sat chatting to them, Paul and Katie and two crazy loudmouthed yanks, who sent food back and asked the barman the get them bread…at a buffet! After another delicious meal (despite what the yanks thought) the games began again and after a few shandys I decided to try my luck as free cocktails were on offer. The first game in which 2 people had to get a pack of cards as far past a chalk line without either crossing the line, me and Paul came second, only beaten by the host and another guest. The second game was a bit more of a test, breaking a coconut in two with my hands. As Lesley talked to one of the crazy yanks I stepped up eager to prove my masculinity. My first attempt failed and the coconut was sent bouncing across the wooden floor. Not wanting to fail the task and cheered on by the crowd, I stepped up for a second attempt…no coconut was getting the better of me! I raised my hand high above my head and brought it crashing down with all my might. Instantly pain shot up my arm and looked quickly to my wrist which had swelled up massively, I thought the worst and by the look of the guy hosting the event, so did he. I grabbed an ice bucket and spent the rest of the night with my arm buried deep, in the hope the swelling would reduce.

Oh and if you were wondering what happened to the coconut, it did crack and I did get the free cocktail…surely worth a suspected broken wrist?

Day 28

Thankfully by morning the swelling had gone down and my wrist, apart from being purple could have passed for normal. A village trip was organised over breakfast and after rearranging my dives we departed by boat.

Our host around the village was Va, a 19 year old Fijian girl who had the maturity of someone twice her age. The village was relatively new, after splitting from another 14 years ago. We passed the cheif's house, which, compared to the villagers' was a palace and our first stop was the nursery. The children here ranged from 3-6 years and were excited by our arrival. After singing us a couple of songs the children came to greet us. I had about seven climbing on me, whilst a few showed great interest in Lesley's finger nails and jewellery. All too soon it was time to leave which some of the children found upsetting and a few high fives soon lifted their spirits and we walked back across the village to the church. Unfortunately there was no service on, apparently something to behold, filled with joyous singing and dancing, a much more enjoyable affair than our dull services.

Va then showed us to her home, which although basic, was cosy and comfortable. The kindness was extended as she wrote down her address and said that any of us were welcome to stay there anytime. We were then shown to the village hall, where about 10 stalls were set out offering various trinkets and souveniers. We bought a couple of hand made bookmarks and the woman disapeared to get some change. After waiting for her return, we feared she had done a runner but luckily for her, as i was about to go barging down some village doors, she returned with our change. Va began to lead us from the village but on the way we passed one of the bures and a distinct clap follwed by "Bula!" could be heard. A fellow guest enquired and soon we were seated for the impromptu ceremony.

We arrived back at Manta Ray and again I undertook my diving, the skills getting harder over time. I took off all my gear under water, simulated running out of air (not nice) and practiced bougancy control. Lesley continued to perfect the art of lazing in the sun, pausing only to make a shell bracelet. The day passed quickly and later we took a walk to the other side of the island and with the beach almost to ourselves, we watched the sunset. After the previous night's exploits I decided to refrain from any games and avoid further risk of injury and an early night was had.

Day 29

We awoke, feeling slightly sad as this was our last full day at Manta Ray. In the morning Alan went off to do his final two dives whilst I made myself comfortable on the beach. After a couple of hours in the sun I needed a drink so I headed to the bar for some much needed water. On the way I was lucky enough to finally see the much talked about baby goat, which was amazingly cute but very noisy. I returned to my sunbathing position and watched the boat bring new arrivals to the island. I spotted two figures that looked remarkably like the two Lauras but I thought my eyes must be playing tricks on me as they had left the previous day.

After a while Alan returned, a fully qualified scuba diver and he regaled me with tales of crayfish, stingrays and massive parrot faced bumpheads, his final two dives being by far the most exciting. We lazed through the aftrenoon, the only excitement being that the Lauras had returned. They reported having a worse experience than us at Coral View and had therefore decided to return to Manta Ray, along with a Canadian girl they had met there. We spent some time chatting to them until it was time to head over to the other side of the island to watch the sunset. This time there were a lot more people and although the sunset wasn't quite as spectacular, it was an amazing atmosphere, sipping Fiji beer on the beach.

After another tasty 3 course meal, it was announced that the evening's entertainmnet was to take place on the beach and we were to be treated to a performance of Fijian dancing by the people from the nearby village. We made our way down to the beach, bonfires were lit and the dancing began. The atmosphere was good and we didn't mind being pulled up to join in (although our dancing was a bit rubbish!) At the end of some very energetic dancing the people from the village sang the farewell song which was an amazing end to their performance.

We enjoyed the rest of the night, chatting to the Lauras and a few others whilst sampling some of Isaac's cocktails. The only slightly unnerving event was the huge spider that Alan had photographed on his way to the bathroom! Luckily I did not see it. We went to bed, slightly tipsy and reflected about what an amazing night it had been.

Day 30

We awoke with a nasty hangover and I went up for breakfast as Lesley decided an extra hour in bed was preferrable. I had breakfast with Simon my dive instructor and he offered me a cut price deal on another dive, how could I refuse? Taking back some morsels of food to lesley to sweeten the news, I again went out on a boat and undertook my most challenging dive so far. Spending much of the time swimming through underwater caverns and only just squeezing through some gaps, it was a real test of my ability. Thankfully I came through unscathed and as I returned Lesley had dragged herself from bed and was packed ready to leave.

We were sad to leave Manta Ray and Fiji as a whole, the Flyer back to the mainland seemed like a reunion and we said goodbye to many of the friends we had met on the trip. Getting back to Skylodge exhausted we settled for burnt pizza for tea and soon were asleep.

Day 31

Just to show that travelling isn't all excitement and glamour, we spent the day washing our clothes and huddled into a sweaty internet cafe trying to sort the next leg of our journey. The highlight of the day was capturing the smallest lizard we'd ever seen and releasing it back into the wild.

Day 20

5.30am, I stumbled sleepily to the bathroom and washed my face, suddenly a shrill scream pervaded the air. As I peered curiously out, I saw Lesley stood on the bed staring directly at the biggest albino cockroach I had ever encountered. I shifted round and grabbed a mug as Lesley and the roach continued their stand off. I slammed the mug down over the verminous critter, cutting its feelers off in the process. After disposing of the unclean being we continued to get ready, and aside from chasing a lizard from our bathroom, getting ready held no more surprises.

We checked out and boarded the Awesome Adventures bus, bound for Denarau Marina, our getaway to the islands. The bus, although better than previous Fijian efforts was still in a state of disrepair, but after a short journey and a little confusion over which boat to get on we boarded a bright yellow catamaran and were on our way to our first destination, Sunset resort on the Waya island. We sailed passed the Mamanuca chain of islands including Castaway Island (where they filmed Castaway...what a coincidence!) and soon we disembarked to a smaller vessel, which ferried us to the beach.

As we sailed up the tide was low, creating a sand walk between Waya and the smaller Waya Lailai, with crystal clear water lapping at both sides. Our arrival was greeted by three Fijians singing and playing guitars and after a short welcome we realised that there was only us and five other guests at the resort, we really had found our own slice of paradise. Unfortunately our idyllic view of the place was short lived as we were introduced to our bure, to say it was basic would be too kind. Not wanting to spend too long in our room we hit the beach. The day passes lazily by as we relaxed in hammocks and took romantic beach walks. Before long I grew tired of relaxing and hired a snorkel to explore the reef and test out my waterproof camera, as Lesley continued to laze in a hammock I swam out, before long I was swimming over coral and with fish swimming within inches of my face I pulled out my camera, eager for a photo. As I looked around, a blue starfish caught my attention - Snap! Pleased with my first underwater shot I looked around and saw a huge fish swimming by. This time the camera did not react so well and the display stayed blank - I'd broken my underwater camera.

After a few more hours the Yasawa Flyer returned and ferried off the five other island guests leaving just me Lesley, a few staff and the friendly resort dogs that had taken to us. This didn't last long and soon two other people were shipped in, the dog ran off to meet them and we cursed its fallibility. A conch shell soon called out, signaling our evening meal, a bizarre chicken dish apparently, strangest damn chicken we've ever tasted anyway. As we precariously worked our way through the meal, the two dog stealing strangers appeared. They turned out to be an English guy and his Polish girlfriend named Foz and Izzy. After tea, we spoke for hours with the two, our conversation broken every so often by toilet trips. As the night progressed these breaks became scarier as darkness fell and we realised the light in our room barely lit the corners and bugs were lying in wait. An empty water bottle was the weapon of choice and it quickly dispatched a number of cockroaches and a massive spider. We said our goodnights and fell asleep, not knowing what prowled our room.

Day 21

We woke to the conch shell playing its merry tune and after breakfast and trying to play the shell, which is much harder than it looks, we went back to our bure for a shower. This was the place were most of the bugs where found the previous night and I dreaded going back to this bug concentration camp. At last count is contained 3 roaches and the spider, but as I drew back the curtain I was surprised, but in no way relieved to find all traces of the previous night's massacre had gone. No roaches, no spider, no way I was getting in that shower. I don't know what had been in the night clearing these away, but something had and that was enough for me. After breaking the news to Lesley, she became reluctant to enter bure, never mind the shower.

I undertook a small, but tiring hike up the hill, which had amazing views of the island and lizards darting from under my feet in every direction. Lesley was really getting some hardcore relaxing done at this point, eager to beat me in the tan-off we had agreed on. I joined her until the flyer picked us up and whisked us to our next destination - Coral View on Tavewa.

The reception here was more elaborate than the last, with drums, guitars, singing and dancing awaiting us on shore. After a small unsatisfying meal of rice and noodles we went to our bure, which was much better than Sunset - 24/7 power, a nice shower and no bugs. However, the place itself lacked character, no beach to speak of and with the number of people lying on sunbeds on the grass it felt like any other resort anywhere in the world. After another average meal, in which we were the only people drinking the band played a selection of traditional Fijian songs. This tradition was short lived and soon everyone was encouraged/forced to stand for the Bula dance. We politely declined and were left being the only ones sat down. Whilst 30+ people danced to the Macarana style dance, we stayed strong and remained the only two people refraining. Whether we would be seen as the cool kids or the outcasts was yet to be seen. This was followed by the classic 'pass the stick' game. Yep, just like pass the parcel, but with a stick instead. We continued to be the only ones drinking throughout; it seemed to numb the pain of what we were witnessing. As the game ended people began to leave, heading where we were unsure and at only 9.30pm we followed and had a bug free night.

Day 22

After a peaceful, cockroach free night's sleep (that we knew of) we decided to go on the short boat trip to the blue lagoon beach on the Nanuya Lai Lai island. Hearing that the sea was crystalline and full of marine life, we decided to hire snorkels to see for ourselves. As the boat touched the shore we admired the clear blue water and realised that the name fitted perfectly. The driver of our boat told us he would pick us up in an hour and a half and with no time to lose, we made our way up the beach to a lovely secluded area.

After sunbathing for a while we headed out to the sea, dressed in snorkel gear. Even at the shoreline, tiny fish were everywhere, encouraging us to explore further. This was the first time I had ever snorkeled, therefore I spent some time in the shallow end, getting used to the equipment. Alan confidentially swam further out, seeing all kinds of exciting fish, colorful coral and more blue starfish. Our time soon passed and it was time to get back on the boat to Coral View. The blue lagoon was paradise and we wished we could've stayed longer.

Back at Coral View, we heard the moo of a cow and initially thought we had water in our ears. However, another guest told us that there was indeed a cow, living on a secret beach on the other side of the island. Feeling intrigued, we went to explore and after a short walk through a wooded area, we found the beach. It didn't turn out to be that nice, however we saw lots of crabs, making the trip more interesting. We headed back after this hoping to spot the mysterious cow, however he did not appear. We did see some roosters which accounted for the "cockadoodle doo's" we had heard that morning.

The rest of the afternoon was uneventful and relaxing except for Alan joking that we might be eating the mysteriously disappearing cow that evening. Given the previous night's Bula dance and pass the stick game, we felt apprehensive about the evening's entertainment. Alan tried to joke with the bar man about the Bula dance, however this was not appreciated. We ate our meal, realising that we were definitely more outcasts than cool kids. However, more people had arrived earlier, and with them seemed to bring a slightly better atmosphere. The entertainment started with a game to win a cocktail, which we were happy to take part in, but unfortunately did not win. Next, crab racing was announced and a man who worked at the resort appointed himself as an auctioneer. As he read out the names of contending crabs, guests had to bid on them to win. Myself and Alan settled on Rainbow Runner and Sly Mongoose, feeling that these must be winning names. Everyone gathered expectantly in a circle to watch the event. A bucket full of crabs was emptied into the middle and the race was to see which crab made it to the outer line. The guests cheered on, although half of us didn't even know which crab was ours. The race was exciting but short-lived and unfortunately our crabs hadn't been winners after all. Nevertheless, it was fun and not something we get to be part of very often. When this came to an end, we got talking to a group of lads, and recognizing one of their accents, discovered he was also from Hull. We spent some time chatting to them and also a Swedish guy, feeling relieved that there were other like-minded people and we weren't outcasts after all. As we went to bed we reflected that although this night had been better than the previous, we were happy to be leaving Coral View the next day.

Day 23

With the transfer to the next island not until the afternoon I decided to visit the Sava-I-Lau limestone caves a short boat ride away. Lesley, on the other hand decided to stick to more sunbathing.

The boat ride across was made more interesting as the skipper tried unsuccessfully to catch one of the many skipjack tuna leaping out of the water near our boat. Soon we arrived at the caves and climbed the sea worn staircase into the cave itself. Inside it was dark with only a solitary shaft of light emanating through gaps in the roof. One by one we jumped into the cool pool of water beneath and put on our snorkel masks. The next part was more challenging and the part that put Lesley off from coming, we'd have to swim through an under water chamber into the next cave. This one had no gap above it and with only the torch of our guide for direction we took the plunge.
Inside awaited a pitch black cave and after trading water in there for a while we were ushered back into the first cave.

The trip itself was an experience, if slightly unspectacular and soon we were back at Coral View and awaiting our transfer. With amazing punctuality the Flyer appeared on the horizon and before we knew it we were approaching Nanuya Lailai, to stay at the Gold Coast resort. As we approached we realised that it was the island that we had earlier visited for the Blue Lagoon, albeit a different side. The beach and water however shared the same amazing qualities as its neighbor resort.

We checked in and were astounded to find that we were the only guests there, truly a place to ourselves. The place was owned by Filo and her husband and despite not performing a song and dance, they immediately made us feel welcome. The isolation was strange after Coral View and we didn't really know what to do with ourselves. It felt much more authentic and more like we were staying with a Fijian family than at a resort.

After sunning ourselves a while, we asked about the fishing advertised. Filo and her husband (forgot his name!) fueled the boat and we sailed to Turtle Beach, a resort favoured by celebrities such as Britney Spears, Jennifer Anniston and Brad Pitt (whom Filo said she had met). Once here we set out to catch our bait, crabs living on the beach. This involved putting our hands down holes in the sand and fishing out these crafty crustaceans. Unpracticed in this skill, we struggled at first but soon I caught our first and second crab, both of which were too small and were spared, set free to go about their crab business. I soon spotted one scampering along the rocks but as I closed in he bolted much quicker across the rocks than I could ever be. Unfortunately for the crab, he hadn't factored in my ingenuity and I hurled a huge slab of stone across its path stopping him dead. I scrambled across and armed with my first crab catch we set sail to sea.

The fishing method was primitive, a line and a hook, but within minutes I felt the line tighten and soon I had dragged the first fish aboard, much to the delight of Filo. The afternoon passed and by the end I had caught the first fish, the largest fish and the most fish. Lesley caught one, which she was very proud of.

As the sun set we sailed back and were soon enjoying the freshest fish we had ever tasted, with a side of tapioca and coconut crab. As we finished thunder clapped heavily in the distance and soon lightning illuminated the sky. We hurried back to our bure with only a gas lamp and the occasional flash of lightning to guide our way and braced ourselves for the huge storm heading for the island.

Day 24

We awoke to a warm, sunny morning and to the unfamiliar but inviting sound of waves gently crashing against the shore, just meters away from our bure. As we headed up for breakfast, we noted that the only evidence of last night's storm was slightly damp sand and the cloud free sun in the sky promised another hot day.

Filo was as warm and smiley as the say before and she served us a breakfast of pancakes and juicy mango and pineapple. Feeling satisfied, we made our way down to the beach and alternated between lazing in a hammock and doing some serious sunbathing. Before we knew it, it was time for lunch which was a hearty fish curry served with rice. The meal was lovely and although we had a big plate full, Alan finished his within minutes. This prompted Filo with one of the phrases she used the most during our stay, "Alan, you want more fish?!"

Such a big lunch required further relaxation in the hammock, however after a few hours we decided to explore the island a bit further. We walked along the beach and came across a "shell market." This consisted of a small stall of various jewellery made of shells (surprisingly!). What made it stand out was the number of Fijian people working at the stall. This was another example of working according to "Fiji time" as the women sat around chatting merrily. I bought a bracelet and we continued up the beach until we came across Los Tea House, a quaint little building selling tea, coffee and cakes. We decided upon coffee and chocolate cake which did not disappoint. Although the tea room had a sign saying it was open 24/7 the lady told us that it was closing when we tried to order mango lollies. Feeling satisfied nonetheless, we strolled back to Gold Coast for more lazing in the sun. As it got closer to tea time we headed back to our bure for a shower. On our way back Filo's husband told us that two more guests had arrived. We felt gutted and wondered who had invaded our paradise island?!

Back at the bure we were greeted by a large cockroach climbing the wall. Alan, now well practiced in the art of bug killing, grabbed our trusty weapon (water bottle of course) and smashed it with full force. The creature exploded into a million pieces like nothing we had ever seen before and although it was hilarious it was very disgusting. Feeling slightly dirty we had a shower and as it got darker Filo's husband handed us a lantern to help us find our way up for our evening meal. This time four places were set and we were told that the new guests were German and would be joining us shortly. Filo greeted us in her usual maternal way and asked us if we minded having fish again. Still feeling happy with our catch the previous day we told her that we were more than happy with this. Our meals were served and Filo announced that she had given Alan the huge fish that he had caught, however, it was so big that it had to be cut in half. Feeling proud, Alan hungrily tucked into the fish and I shortly followed him.

A few minutes later we were joined by the new arrivals who introduced themselves as Herman (yes, we're not joking, Herman the German!) and Janette. They were nice but the conversation was slightly awkward due to the language barrier. We sat for a while after eating and enjoyed a few cans of Fiji gold, bitter and export (all different beers but no detectable difference between them). The peace was disturbed by a huge flying cockroach which I did my best to run away from without embarrassing myself (didn't happen!) Filo's husband went for the flying beast with a broom and it crashed to the floor. He then proceeded to stand on it with his bare foot and he kicked it carelessly to the side of the room. Unable to hide my disgust I gasped and he chuckled to himself, obviously finding my Western ways amusing.

After a while we decided it was time for bed and Alan went to light the lantern to guide us back to the bure. Still feeling a bit rusty on how to use it he spent a few minutes struggling with it. Those of you who know Alan well will have already guessed what happened next...the glass from the lantern fell to the floor with an almighty smash! A few seconds of silence followed which was broken by Alan's apologies. Filo's husband was not happy and told us that he would have to travel all of the way to the main land to buy a new one. We guiltily helped clear up the glass and after a few more apologies we made our way back to our bure in the dark.

Day 17

Due to crossing the International date line, this day of our lives will be forever gone. It's a bit like time travel, y'know like on Quantum Leap, but it wasn't quite as fun and disappointingly Al didn't turn up telling us the odds we were there - oh well...

Day 18

It took us 10 hours to get to Fiji, but we arrived 2 days later. Nadi airport was very small and it didn't take us long to locate the man who had arranged to drive us from Smugglers Cove Beach Resort. He asked us to take a seat whilst we sat opposite, we continued to wait like this for around 20 minutes, assuming he was waiting for other arrivals to fill his mini-bus. Alan, feeling impatient went to hunt down an ATM as we realised we had no Fijian money. A couple of minutes later, our driver approached me and said we needed to leave. I asked him if we had been waiting for others to arrive but he said no, it was a bit of a mystery why we had sat in the airport for apparently no reason (we later discovered that most people here work according to 'Fiji time').
We got in the minibus and took in the lush green tropical vegetation as we travelled to the resort on the bumpy roads. Unfortunately given our early arrival, our room was not ready so we dumped our bags and went for a free breakfast at the resort. Fighting away flies as we ate, we decided to get a bus into Nadi town. There aren't really words to describe how different this bus was to the ones we are used to back home. From the outside it was a green rusty colour, complete with holes for windows. Inside was even better, with the seats taped up with black masking tape in a failed attempt to stop foam spilling from them. The seats provided no cushioning at all and each bump in the road became increasingly painful as the bus rattled and shook it’s way into town. Feeling relieved to have made it, our priority was to find an ATM as the one in the airport was out of order. We tried one machine, however it didn’t like our card and no money was obtained. On our search for another bank, a local stopped us and offered to show us to one which accepted foreign cards. After hearing how friendly the Fijian people were and having some light hearted banter with the guy we agreed and followed him. On the way he told us of a market which sold traditional Fijian village crafts, and we agreed to check it out. The ‘market’ turned out to be his friends shop but they all seemed friendly enough, as Fijians are said to be and we were invited to join a welcoming Kava ceremony. Feeling intrigued we agreed to this and before we knew it, we were sat crossed legged on the floor. Before we started I had to borrow a sari to cover my legs. We had already read about it being unacceptable for women to show their legs in the Fijian culture and this was not completely unexpected. The Kava was prepared by straining water through a cloth containing Kava (a type of pepper) into a bowl which ended up a murky brown colour. We were guided through the ceremony, managing to clap and say Bula after each cup. Kava apparently has a mild narcotic affect, but the we only experienced was a furry tongue a strange taste in our mouths. After this surreal experience we were each given a ‘free’ necklace for good luck.
Although it had been interesting, we were both tired and eager to leave, but at this point the hard sell began and we were shown around the many souvenirs in the store. We were separated and while I was being coaxed into buying some pou pourri container Alan was almost wrestling the shop owner to the ground to prevent him from carving our name into a wooden statue. Eventually we agreed to buy a sari, knowing that this may be needed again for $40 (about 15gbp). Alan handed over $50 and we waited for the change, but it did not arrive. When we asked about this, the man asked if we really needed it and could we spare a few dollars for the ‘free’ necklaces we had been given. Feeling annoyed and wanting to leave, Alan snatched back the money getting hold of a five. The men made no secret about the amount of money we spent and we were ushered from the shop. We left feeling we had being quite naïve but on reflection realized that we had taken part in a Kava ceremony, got a necklace each (Alan’s being a rather fetching shark tooth), and had got a nice hand made sari all for under fifteen pounds.

We decided to leave town and check into Smuggler’s cove, but not learning our earlier lesson again boarded the bus, which turned out to be even worse than the first! The bus was ridiculously busy but we somehow managed to locate two seats together, right at the very back. We pushed past the locals, who seemed to be observing us like aliens and took our seats for the bumpy cramped return. We got off the bus early, unsure of where it was heading and took a long sweaty walk back to the resort. Although it was cloudy, it was very hot and sticky and the sun burned down unmercifully. We checked in, changed into our cozzies and spent the next 4 hours much more relaxed as we sunbathed and Alan took to the waves in a Kayak. In the afternoon a man approached us and invited us to try fresh coconut milk and feeling the heat we happily accepted. We were each given a large green coconut, complete with straws which was undoubtedly the freshest we had ever tasted, the guy climbing to pluck them from the trees only hours prior. As we drank the man told us he was a masseur and in an effort to persuade us into a massage proceeded to demonstrate his skills on his friend. Feeling slightly awkward at this point, I told him we were poor backpackers and couldn’t afford a massage. His sales tactics stopped at this point and we sat in an uncomfortable silence while we finished our milk.

Feeling slightly roasted after a day in the sun, we retreated to our room to plan the next two weeks in Fiji. After a few minutes indoors, we realized we were in fact very burnt and we knew we would have to avoid the sun the next day. Therefore we decided to spend another day in Nadi, rather than travelling around the islands as we had originally planned. The rest of the day was uneventful as the extent of our sunburn was realized and we spent the day planning to travel around the Yasawas islands with Awesome adventures. After being advised not to go into Nadi at night we ate at the resort and had a restless nights sleep due to sunburn.

Day 19
Ouch! The first word muttered by Alan the next morning, as he realized how burnt he actually was, especially his feet. Still feeling sore we decided to avoid the sun as much as possible, hoping to make a full recovery for our island hopping the next day. We booked a taxi into town (learning from our previous bus exploits) and did some shopping and took a stroll down to the Sri Siva Subramaniya temple. After a nice lunch (apart from fending of armies of flies) we got a taxi to Skylodge, our hostel for the night. The rest of the day passed without event, apart from a lizard poking his head from our coffee jar, making me literally jump out of my skin. Alan reported seeing a lot of frogs in the garden, but they all seemed to be hiding from me. We finished the day with a cheap meal at the resort and went to bed early in anticipation of our 7am bus the next day to begin our island adventures.