Honeymoon time!!!
3 hours later we arrived in Nadi airport on Fiji time – 7pm. We had one little blip – we’d paid 22$ for the surfboard to be looked after and when we arrived to “excess luggage collection point” there was no desk, no one collecting tickets…it was just left there unattended in the middle of the airport floor! I went nuts…couldn’t believe it! Got through passport control and were greeted by Fijian men playing guitar and they were singing – it was so lush, me and grant couldn’t stop smiling! We met our taxi driver and were taken to the Hexagon Hotel where we had to stay for one night. It wasn’t the best – we literately just slept there.

The next morning we came across a few more problems – when the minivan turned up for our pick up to go to the harbor the driver said that the surfboard wasn’t allowed to go in his vehicle, so he sent for another taxi. He told us we’d have to travel separately – I wasn’t happy at all, I wanted to travel to the harbor with grant as it was our 1st day in Fiji and plus anything could have happened. But off I went in the minivan – alone, leaving grant for the 1st time whilst travelling, it was horrible. We didn’t have any travel vouchers with us, when we arrived to get boarding passes for the boat – it was embarrassing. Also, we ended up having to pay 30$ for the board to go on the boat – which we were told we wouldn’t have to pay. As we all boarded the boat grant cuts his foot but was nothing serious. 30 minutes later we arrived at Plantation Island – we were greeted on the jetty by a group of Fijian men and women singing, playing the guitar and clapping their hands, they also gave us shell necklaces – it was so cute! The island and the people are so lovely; everyone says “Bula” as they walk passed.

We checked into our beach front room – we were in heaven. We were straight out playing putt putt then went snorkeling. We had lunch and then went to check out our 3 pools – they were all fab. Later on that evening we sat down for our evening meal – candle lit dinner out on the beach with Fijian men playing their guitar and singing. It was so romantic. I did try & surprise grant by being romantic & getting the Fijians to come over playing and singing & to present him with a bottle of bubbly. But grant got bored after we’d finished dessert and after the guys finished their set, I had to break the news & explain what I’d been stalling for. 10 minutes later we were still waiting but they never came – so we left lol. It was the thought that counts?!!

BULA – OUR 1ST FULL DAY ON THE ISLAND!
Woke up and were excited for our first meal of the day but we were late and they were packing things away and most of the food had been eaten. That taught us a lesson. We spent the morning playing lawn bowls and chilling in the pool and sunbathed. Got some putters and played 2 games of putt putt. Then we spent most of the afternoon snorkeling, diving down to see the fish and jumping of the pontoon. We had so much fun, saw tons of zebra fish and long blue ones. Under the pontoon we saw a huge fish with an unusual face. Then we sat on the pontoon and saw 2 really big fish, they were unbelievable. In the evening we had a Mongolian barbeque, it was so fab – we chose a load of raw meat, noodles and veg then we gave it to the chefs and they cooked it right there in front of you, it was amazing. After 2 plate fulls and desserts we happened to walk past wales v nz on tv so grabbed a seat and sat there with about 50 kiwis – it turned out to be embarrassing. After the match we watched Fijian dancers. I was beaming, seeing real Fijian dancers with their grass skirts on and their flowers in their hair. The music was fun too – we watched men do the mauri dance then they all done fire dancing. We had a real fun night.

After our eventful night we got to bed and the next morning we actually got a full breakfast. We got some snorkeling gear & swam out to the pontoon again but this time the visability was so good. We saw so much - 3 huge fish, 4 eales, dory and a cute tiny yellow fish swam up to grants face, it was histerical - it loved his back for some reason and everytime Grant turned around to try and see it it would swim around staying behind his back. We saw tons of zebra fish & blue baby fish. Grant then decides he wants to kayake around the island and silly me agreed to it - not really thinking about what i had let myself in for. it was out of this world, all the little beaches & the water was crystal clear. We could see all the rocks and coral in the really deep areas. We saw tons of fish & even caught a couple of glimpses of long fish skimming the water! it was so much fun. Everytime we turned around a corner another one would appear that were really far, so we paddled, not giving up - had a couple of breaks where we'd jump in to cool ourselves off. It must have been an hour into our trip and we were beginning to get really burnt, hungry, thirsty, dehydrated and then it became painful to carry on paddling. My back was that numb and I started to cry, I literally felt as though I couldnt go on, but did & then in our sight was the resort! WE MADE IT!!! We were both so weak, when I got out of my kayake a lady was waiting to take one out so asked me for mine. She asked if we'd had fun - I explained what we had just achieved and said I cried for most of it. She said you don't want to be doing that sort of thing on your holiday - I replied with - I'm on my honeymoon! She was shocked and said, thats even worse. even though it was painful it was worth it as the scenery was just beautiful. After getting some lunch we slept for most of the afternoon then woke up just in time for dinner. When we were showed to our table we sat down and the couple next to us asked what we had done for the day - so we explained that we'd kayaked around the island - and she asked...are you the girl who cried all the way around?!?!? In shock I asked her where she's heard that information from...thinking that news travels fast on this island lol, but it was her sister who had taken the kayake from me when I was finished with it. They told us that the island was roughly 100 acres which meant we kayaked 10k!!!

The following day we paid to go out on a boat for Grant to surf at desperation reef. There were 7 of us plus the guy on the boat, it was tiny and we got taken out to the middle of nowhere. Someone spotted a load of dolphins, it was spectacular. They were showing off jumping up out of the water showing their bellys. Then the guy says "wait a minute, thats not a dolphin fin...thats a shark fin!!!" We were all amazed and were trying to spot this odd fin - we were all wondering why a shark would be handing out with a load of dolphins. As the driver of the boat pulled up closer - we could see this massive body under the water and it its tail fin sticking out of the water. IT WAS HUGE!!! I started video recording when 2 of the ozzy guys jumped in with it!!! Then who goes and follows them...GRANT JUMPS IN!!! On with their snorkelling masks and they were up front & personal, just inches away from this gigantic sea creature. it was insane. they even stuck around taking photos of it under the water too. back out of the water they came and there's me gobsmacked. but the one lad explained how that type of shark was so calm you could touch its fin and it wouldnt budge.We were all buzzing after seeing it and didnt stop talking about it for the rest of our trip.We moved on heading out a little more where the guys then got off for their surf. The waves looked massive, I wouldnt have wanted to have surfed those! The boat was behind the waves so i couldnt get any pictures of grant when he caught his waves. Got a few of him and the other paddling out though, it wasnt long until grant started paddling back to the boat as he was sea sick, so he led down for the rest of the trip.

After the trip we sleeped all afternoon, we went out for food and sat on the other side of the restaurant but the music from the kids disco was too loud so we moved. On our way back to the room we walked along the beach and bumped into the couple who we'd always talk to and chatted about new zealand. They were planning on watching the entertainment for the evening - Mr Plantation, so we walked over and Grant knowing what type of show it was left quite rapidly. The guy was walking around picking out lads to enter into the competition - there was no sign of grant bless him. It was histerical - they got the lads to dance infront of judges and to strike poses and the best one won. That night Grant sat outside on our porch and cut the husk off a coconut. The following day we took out snorkels and Grant took advantage of a glass bottom kayake that should have been paid for but it was just sat on the side and no one noticed him using it. Later on that evening we had out meal and stuck around for the entertainment - crab racing!!! It was quite an annoying start to the evening as everyone was bidding loads of money for each crab, one guy spent 90 fijian dollars on one crab!!! The race finally began - they were placed in the middle of a square and raced towards the outer square. It was all over within 3 minutes!

Coral Coast.
We were on the 12.15 ship "malolo cat"going back to the main island. When we got to the harbour we met our taxi driver but he only had a car that couldnt fit the surfboard in. He called for another vehicle to come and get us but their minivan wasnt available for another 2 hours so we had to wait it out. Looked around a couple of shops and baught 2 wooden bowls, 2 hours of waiting about and our van arrives - it took us 1 hour and 20 minutes down to the coral coast. We took one glimps at our resort and it was worth the wait. It's been a couple of days into our holiday at Rydges Hideaway, we've befriended a couple from L.A (Manning and susan) and a guy from New Zealand. We've had a real relaxing time! Haven't done much apart from going in the pool, eating 3 course meals and drinking - of course. We took some snorkelling gear out and went out with manning and susan to the reef right outside the resort - it was amazing. The coral was spread out around a huge rock and there were thousands of different fish. Grant found a bed of coral that had been growing with literally a hundred neon blue fish swarming it. We were in our oils. One night Grant took full advantage of the all inclusive package and and was literally necking back rum and cokes all night. After a very delicious 3 course meal Grant was very much drunk. Played a little drunken ping pong at which I thought I had chance of beating him but Grants not a loser - even when wasted. That night wasn't a pleasant one with Grant being ill plus the next day when he was hungover.

We'd got internet so spent the entire day in our room watching movies. The weather wasnt the best so we didnt miss out on much. Had another scumptious meal that night - I had my 1st yorkshire pudding since the day we left home. We've been uploading our videos onto you tube and applying for jobs for when we get to New Zealand. Played bouls on the beach and also booked a dive as my dad said he'd pay for it as a honeymoon gift - he'd tried ordering champagne to be sent to our room but that didnt go to plan. After the whale shark experience I wasn't that keen on doing a dive but we ended up talking to the dive team and booked 2 dives?!?! We came across and album they'd put together of the sealife they see at their dive points, they had turtles which got us really excited - they told us we more than likely wouldnt get to see one so that knocked the excitement out of us. Then to my horror there were photos of sharks!!!

I didn't think anything of it but when morning came I was on the phone to the dive department attempting to cancel but they told us their cancellation policy was 50% so we went ahead with it. I was petrified, I was cried all morning, I moped around and knew in the back of my head that I'd be coming back from the trip saying how awesome it was - but just the thought of seeing a shark just shook me right up. When we got down to the desk Claire asked if it was my little voice on the phone this morning that she spoke to - I explained it was because I was terrified of big things in the sea - she reasured me & I became more relaxed. We took a 2 minute car drive to where the boat picked us up and a 30 second trip out on the boat to our dive point. We both fell backwards off the side of the boat into the sea and within seconds we were descending. The reef was unbelievably huge, it was called 'the edge' (it was like a cliff and we were swimming along the side of it). Te - our dive master picked a flat worm off the coral and as it floated back down it done what they call 'the spanish dance.' it was black with orange around the edge and it actually looked like a spanish dancers skirt flouncing around. A little further along & Te points down below us & in the distance we could see something moving and as it got closer and after my mind stopped imagining the worst - the dark shadow became A HUGE TURTLE!!! It swam around in a circle so we hovered for a little while in shock, we couldnt believe what we were seeing. Its fins and head were huge & its shell was massive; a dark browny and green scale. It was unreal. There and then we both could say that was our number 1 dive. On our 2nd dive we dived at 'the stingray.' I didn't knwo what we were in for. It started off quite shallow and then got deeper. That's all I could think about was getting to the end of the dive without seeing anything - but it was the total opposite...Grant poked me and pointed & there it was - A f***ING SHARK!(sorry for my french dad but there's no better way to explain my reaction). It was right there, literally right there infront of us, I gripped grants arm and must have cut off his cerculation! It swam around, Grant stuck around to watch but I was not willing to stick around so swam off to get beside Te. Not so far we then came across a porkepine fish - it was light grey, it swam away too fast for us to see it for long. We then came across yet another shark. I couldnt believe it. I didnt want to see one let alone 2 of the sods!!! I knew Grant was in heaven - he was loving every second of it. After nearly having a heart attack Te showed us some sort of sea creature living inside a huge shell, it was impressive. Then a bit further on Te grabbed me to go and see something and as I didnt know what he wanted me to do - I was bricking it! He grabbed my hand and I pulled it away. He then touched this peice of coral & it turned from orange to white; it was unreal. Grant describes it as though we turned it into stone like in films. Its called flash coral. We finished the dive at 'Nemos.' There were hundreds of them. I had the biggest smile on my face ever.

When we were at the surface waiting for the boat to come to pick us up Te told me not to look under the water as there was a shark swimming below us! I floated on the surface and did not move an inch, the look on my face was a picture! I have never been so scared in all my life. Te toldd Grant to look under as he knew Grant was interested...but when Grant looked he said he couldnt see anything...Te then laughed at us & we realised he was having us on. I couldnt believe he had us both - ecspecially Grant! We laughed all the way back to our resort. I couldnt believe I was actually telling Claire that we saw 2 sharks and a turtle! She was so jealous as she explained she hadnt seen such things until her 600th dive and theres us - only a couple of open water dives since we'd passed our test and we're experiencing all this in one morning.

On our last day we sorted out our visa applications for New Zealand and arranged over the internet to view a car when we arrived in Auckland. We sorted 2 jobs for the upcoming month which we were well chuffed about. In the evening we attempted to pack but had a quick dip in our outside pool/bath. It was right outside our bathroom door, an enclosed tub with an open top so we could see the stars - it was thee most romantic night. We sat there gazing up...not long after we were out of the tub and all packed!