BULA FROM FIJI! Been a wee while since I wrote, as we have been very busy the last 3 weeks island hoping around the south pacific islands of Fiji! So il start at the begining...
Ok so we left Auckland around 3 weeks ago, and arrived in Nadi (which is Fiji's 3rd biggest city) which is nothing more than a transport hub either to the island group of the yasawas or onto the other parts of the main island. We arrive around 6pm, and got issued with our welcome shell necklaces and greeted with a group of 4 men with a guitar singing loudly to welcome us to Fiji. We waited for our pick up to take us to 'Mama's Tropic Of Capricorn' hostel which was located on new beach, just north of Nadi city centre. Once we arrived, we were guided up to our room, which has a great view out onto the Nadi beach and over the pool as well, which was really cool. The room was very nice, and the hostel had a really nice chilled out atmosphere, as you would expect in Fiji i guess! So for 3 days we chilled out by the pool, sunbathed on the beach and played bat and ball a few times. One of the 3 days we actually decided to venture into the city centre, which was a mistake, as it felt like being back in Thailand. As soon as we steped out of the taxi, we were mobbed by people trying to get us to look in their shop, or their friends shop, and all i wanted was a snorkel!!! After being led around 5shops all asking for stupid prices, and me not being in the mood to haggle with them, we went back to the hostel and decided that i would just rent my snorkel on the islands.

Ok, so on the monday (i think) we got picked up by a coach, and headed down to the docks of Denarau Marina, which is a small island off of Nadi, where all the up market resorts are. So after making us insanely jelous by stopping at several of the most expensive resorts, we got to the docks and checked into the big yellow Yasawa Flyer, which was going to be our transport for the next 12 days around 6 different islands.
It was raining when we left, but 45 minutes into our trip, the weather picked up and by the time we arrive at Bounty Island (where 'Celebrity Love Island' was filmed) the sun decides to come out and play for the rest of the day. So after arriving, we were taken to our Bure (which ranges from a modern chalet, to a stick hut it seems) which was to our amazement, very nice. Right on the beach, with a nice hamock out the front door, and even an en suit and fridge, we were very pleased.
The first thing we do is grab some free snorkelling gear and check out the marine life. Which was awesome, loads and loads of fish, and we even saw a huge school of parrot fish (and various others) feeding off the reef, which was really impressive. The food on the island was also better than we expected, and were treated to some really good grub buffet style, and celebrated our first night of our trip with a couple of Fiji Bitters.
The second day... It rained... all day, and night and then all the following morning. But not ot be put off, i went out and snorkelled in the big waves, which was still very good, just a little too much hard work. So we decided to lounge in the pool for the rest of the day, and have a couple of cocktails in the evening.

Okay so after our 2nd night at Bounty, it was time to move on, and it was also still raining. At this point Flash flood warning were issued on the main land, and we were getting ver worried as to when it was going to stop. Just to make things worse, our taxi boat which took us to the big yellow boat wouldnt start, so we were very slowly towed by and eve smalled boat, getting very very wet in the process! Finally we made it onto the boat, only for me to get very sea sick from the bad weather, we were both wondering what was in store for the next 9days....
So we arrive at our next Island which was Kuata, which is just off the island Waya LeiLei, and Waya (literally within swimming distance). The sun came out again as we walked along the beach and was greeted by some big Fijian women singing the Fijian welcome song. The island looked really beautiful, but the bures on the other hand, were shocking. We were taken to our bure, which looked like a shed, with a smaller shed attached to the side for an en suit.It came with all the holes and grotiness that you get in a shed too. The bathroom was dark, and bits of wood falling off of it, and also holes everywhere. The shower barely worked, and Zoe even resorted to filling a bottle up and tipping it over her head to wash her hair. The room itself was just a bed with a mozzi net over it, which we were thankful to have as it looked like anything could be living in the room with us. Other than she room, the island was perhaps my favourite. the beach was perfect and when the tide was high you could swim quite far out to some decent snorkeling. The food was also good, and they had alot of fun at night, introducing us all to 'The Bula Dance' which is pretty much a strange version of the macarina, we also played statues and the guys did a whole bunch of traditional dances for us, which was really cool. So after 2 night with not alot of sleep as we were both on big watch, we headed off to our 3rd island which was Nativy, where we stayed at a place called Korovou Eco Restort. This place was great. The bures were big and modern, and very decrative. The evening entertainment included fire dancing and some more tradtional dances, plus the normal bula and statue dances. The food way ok, nothing special, but filling. The only bad point was the beach was none existant, but the pool was lovely. Luckiely we had our bible (the lonely planey guide) which told us about a beach on the other side of the island, which we decided to check out on our second day. After a 10minute uphill trek, we made a $2 donation to the village which the beach belonged to. 'Honeymoon Beach' was well worth the money and the walk, as it had pefectly clear waters, and a clean, and secluded beach, with only a handful of people on it, as it seems not many people had the bible. unfortunity, i had got the common Fijian Coral Ear, or in other words an ear infection, so no snorkelling for me, however i did venture into the water, which made me even more unhappy as it was perfect. Another cool thing is that we litrally bumped into the couplf we spent New years with from brisbane, so we had a good catch up with them and consumed the bottle of Bounty Rum what we brought with us from the main land.

Again after 2 nights of paridise in our bug free bure, we were on the move again, this time to Tavewa, which is in the Blue Lagoon region of the Yasawas. We stayed at a place called Coral View, which again was really really good. A nice Bure with and ensuite and a mozzi net, but very homely. This island was also really nice, but again the ebach was lacking abit, and when we tried to go over to the other side it was high tide and impossible, so we relaxed on the grass and enjoyed the glorious sunshine that had followed us from Navity. The 2nd day we took a trip over to 'The Blue Lagoon' which was where the film 'the Blue Lagoon' was filmed. No sign of Brook Shields, but the beach and water were perfect, and deserted. We took some great photos, and have come to the conclusion that its one of the best beaches we have seen on our travels, maybe not beach, but definatly the water, it was so clear but had an amazing blue glow to it that was so perfect. This was the hardest thing to do with an ear infection, as it was the place we were hoping to dive... i was so gutted, as it would have been perfect, everything was perfect for a dive, including the weather, and we even spoke to someone who said that the diving was brilliant, so we were both very gutted!

Ok, so another 2 nights pass, and again on the move, this time heading south back the way we had come from, this time to a island off of Tavewa called Manta Ray Island. Now Manta Ray resort is one of the newest resort on the yawasa island, so we had high expectations... which wernt met. the room was a hut on legs with broken shutters for windowns and a fan which aired the top of the mozzi net and nothing else. We were early for the manta ray season by a week or so, so no trips were being offered, but my ear was still bad so, another thing to add to the list of fustrations due to my ear. We entertainment at Manta Ray, was very good, lots of dancing, and druming and things. I also seem to attract Gekkos as once again i was a landing spot for one which jumped from the beam above my head and then ran all over me before jumping onto Zoe and then running up another beam. That night was hot and sticky and to top it all off, a huge cockroach flies through the broken shutters, and into the side of the mozzi net as if its trying to attack us... after 5 minutes of us both hiding inside the security of the mozzi net, we decide and hope that it had flown out the other side of the room, so i investigate and couldnt see anything, but another sleepless night on bug watch.

So, we were very happy to leave Manta Ray island the next day, with another singing send off, and this time a tug of war game which the 'rest of the world' cruised to victory! The next stop was 'PARTY ISLAND' or alternativly Beachcomber island. Beachcomber was very cool, a nice beach and we even had a really nice room, even with a mouse living in the bathroom and a dead cockroach under the bed... im being serious it was really nice! The food was good and my ear had even decided to go back to normal, 3 days too late mind you. Beachcomber is well known in Fiji as the party island, which we were kind of looking forward to and kind of not. The resort has a 100 bed dorm, which as you can imagen can hold alot of idiots. Which there was a good few of. But luckily, it wasnt as hard core as we expected and we enjoyed a few beers and chats with some people who wernt there just to get paraletic. Our luck on the weather ran out as on the day we arrived it rained quite abit in the afternoon. In the morning,we even managed to catch the 2nd half of the Chelsea Liverpoo game, (thats not a typo btw), where 3 scousers from norway(if that makes sence) threw cigarett packets, kicked sand and shouted swearwords in my direction(being the only person cheering for chelsea and wearing a chelsea shirt, i guess i was an easy target) as i laughed and laughed and laughed, as drogba headed in chelseas 3rd goal of the night =oD , which in my opinion finished our island trip off a treat. I great 12 days out on the island, and i feel we got a real insight into teh 'real Fiji'. Obviously i have had to miss alot alot of stuff out, but we both seriously recomend fiji.

So after getting back to New Beach in nadi, we head back to Mamas place, where we have had a room booked for when we got back (the same amazing room) Which they tell us is being made up, so we wait 15minutes and then get told we can go up. We decide to pay the bill before we go up, as we already know what we are getting. They they after looking very shady and people passing the buck, tell us that it will be $500 for 5 nights.... when we only payed $50 a night before. After them explaining to us that we only got that room before for that rate is because it was the only room they had and we had already put a deposit down on a room online, so they put us in the 'delux suite' without informing us,a nd then wernt even going to bother to tell us that we were going to be paying double the price for it! CHEEKY! So being very pissed off, we went in search of some where else to stay, and ended up in Horizon next door, which was pretty grotty but ok for the price. We managed to use the hotel across the roads facilities, which was really good as it made us feel like we were having a bit more luxury. Anyways, i have been writing for ages, and want to go to bed. But we all lived happily ever after and got back here to Auckland safe and sound. 8night till we are home, how scary! Miss you all lots xxx