BULA!! So Fiji was fun. Not really intended as part of my world trip it was just a detour that didn't cost any extra to go so I thought why not. After doing as much as possible in New Zealand in only 3 and a half weeks I needed some chill time to prepare me for America, so lounging around in a hammock for a week was quite appealing. Fiji is made up of hundreds of islands, over 300 in fact. In other words plenty of opportunity for escape. I found mine on the island of Nananu just a 20 min boat ride from the main land (I'm not great in boats so was much more welcoming than the 2hr ride to some of the Yasawa's..!). It had some beautiful beaches and walking routes and a great spot from which to watch the sun set. The staff were relaxed and welcoming, well who wouldn't be if you got to work all day on a tropical island! I had intended to spend most of my time alone curled up with a good book but without really trying I met some lovely people who turned out to be fantastic company. Evenings were spent mainly chatting, playing cards or playing drinking games with rum, as of course we were pirates for the duration of our island stay. No we didn't go quite as far as eye patches or wooden legs, but there was no shortage of ow-arrrs. The day before I visited a traditional village. This was a great opportunity to see some of the beautiful countryside and culture of the people of Fiji. We had a traditional welcome and then participated in a kava ceremony. Kava is very important in Fiji. It's a drink that's made from the root of the kava plant that has been dried and pounded till it's a fine powder. It's then put in a bag, which acts much like a teabag, and water is added for the desired strength. When drunk (it tastes like dirty water!) it has a numbing effect and in small quantities you can feel your lips and tongue tingle. In higher quantities it can make the whole body numb and the individual very relaxed. It's used in all sorts of important events such as weddings, official meetings and greetings etc. Not a bad custom really! The members of the village were descendants of a Mr Danford, a Londoner who was the first European to live as opposed to being eaten on the main land. He was accepted by one of the high chiefs, the one who eventually signed the declaration that made Fiji a British colony. We enjoyed a meal that had been cooked underground and then had a ride on a bamboo raft along the river that was used for the filming of Anaconda. We were lucky enough to visit during the school holidays, which meant the children of the village performed some traditional dances for us. It was one of the few times that I was happy to be a tourist as the tours around the village not only provides the inhabitants with a reliable income but it also allows the children to stay in the village as opposed to moving to the cities for work, allowing the old customs to stay alive and strong rather than being forgotten.