Nisa Bula - welcome to Fiji!! Today I returned from my two week adventure around the Fiji Islands. It was two weeks watching the most beautiful sun rises every morning, lazing on the beach, swimming in the sea and then watching perfect sunsets. I took a twelve day island package which took me to five islands and a cruise boat and where I met some really great people to enjoy my time with. The first island was South Sea - approx 100 metres across and about half as wide. You could walk around the whole island in under three minutes! It was entirely made up of white sandy beach with a bunk house for up to thirty guests a night. In the day we sat out on sun loungers or swam in the crystal clear sea and at night we drank cocktails until the electricity went out around midnight. The next couple of islands were called Kuata and Sanawai which if possible were even more stunning than South Sea. Here we decided to do something other than lay in the sun all day and so we took out Kayaks and snorkelling gear and spent out days exploring the reefs around the islands. We also learnt how to weave and how to do the Bula dance! Our third Island was Nanuya Lai Lai which is better known as the Blue Lagoon where they filmed the Brooke Shields film. The Lagoon itself was on the other side of the island to where we were staying but it didn't take long to get over and we spent our days lazing in the sun (as usual!!) We then had a couple of nights break from the islands and spent two nights on the Wanna Taki cruise ship. The boat cruised round two or three islands, stopping for a couple of hours in bays so we could go swimming and snorkeling. The water was always clear and the coral was amazing, my only regret was that I didn't take an underwater camera. Our final (and best) island was Manta Ray. The resort is named as such because for six months of the year Manta Rays can be seen in the bay around the side of the island. We were disappointed on our first two days as none were spotted, but just as we were checking out on our last day the drum sounded to indicate the Rays had been seen. Everything stopped and a group of us jumped into the boats to be taken out to the location. We grabbed our snorkel gear and jumped over board to see directly below us two Manta Rays gliding along the bottom of the sea bed. It was the highlight of my time in Fiji. We followed them for about half an hour and watched as two more joined the first two. One Ray was a show off and continuously did 360 degree spins so we were able to see the markings on their underside. Eventually we lost them to the deep water and started to head back to shore, but the show wasn't over. Two more massive rays appeared under our boat and for a while we followed them until they to were lost to the deep sea. It was an incredible feeling swimming with these creatures and one that I'll never forget. So tmrw I fly to San Francisco - I cross the International Date Line and actually arrive before I have left -I get to have September 12th twice! Confused? I know I will be!! Thats all for now folks, will catch up more from SF. Love Saz xx