NADI/BEACHCOMBER

BULA!

Sorry it's taken me so long to write an update, I've been living on desert islands where there was no phone reception let alone Wi-Fi but I wouldn't have had it any other way! I apologize in advance if this turns into a dissertation, have a lot to catch up on!

So I left my hostel bright and early in Hawaii and headed to the airport for my 12pm flight to Nadi in Fiji. Upon arriving at check in we were notified that the flight was now leaving at 3:50pm, but as it was no longer making a stop at Christmas Island it wouldn't affect our arrival time too much. So I sat and read my book (thanks work guys, kindle is a GOD SEND… read 3 books already!!) to then see the flight was delayed to 6pm… I befriended a guy from NZ who was in the check in queue with me and we decided there was no choice but to hit the bar. 6:00 came and went, and it was near 8pm when we actually got on the plane. 10 hours in Honolulu airport is a bit trying! They had no movies but I had 3 seats to myself so slept the whole flight (yes I can now sleep on planes!)

I didn't get into Nadi till near 1am 2 days after I left Hawaii. I lost a whole Wednesday somewhere….. Of course the lift the hostel promised me wasn't there so I got a taxi, even though I had to leave just after 6am to get my bus to the Islands so was only there for about 5 hours!

The bus took us to Port Denerau where the ferry to the Islands leaves, you check in your bags and they get tagged with the Island you are heading to. Jenni (a girl I met at the hostel) got our seats on the boat and we headed off. My first stop was Beachcomber Island, a tiny Island where there is one resort and was well known for its sociable side… My Island was called and I got up to identify my bag, yet I couldn't see it in the Beachcomber pile… I looked in all the luggage racks and couldn't see it there either. Panic started to set in and they told me not to worry and head to the Island anyway. So off I went minus all my possessions, with London rage creeping up on me.. I got to check in and explained my bag wasn't on the boat and I kept getting told 'Bula! Don't worry!' and in the end they we're right as it arrived on the next ferry. Phew! I was in a dorm that slept 120 people, and had only 2 walls! Crazily though there was only four of us in there so was very bizarre.

Once my bag had arrived I could relax and a girl called Cassie from my dorm and I decided to explore the Island. This took 10 mins. We decided to lie on the beach for a while until the clouds came in and there was only one thing for it, the bar. This turned into the theme for the rest of the evening, meeting lots of new people including some crazy English boys. At one point I saw a guy sitting on his own in the dining area with a beer in the dark. I felt compelled to go and see if he was ok, and could never have foreseen his story.

He had been travelling with his girlfriend earlier in the year around Asia and they were mugged when in Bali, and she was stabbed to death in front of him and died in his arms. When he returned to Aus he found out she had booked them a trip to Fiji a s a surprise, and her family convinced him he should go anyway which is why he was there. That night also marked the 5 month anniversary of her death which is why he wasn't in a big party mood. I asked if he wanted to be left alone but he said he appreciated the company, so for the rest of the night Daniel and I drank a lot of cocktails and had some very deep drunk conversations. I was glad I went over to talk to him, I would have much rather kept him company then spend the evening with drunk lairy English boys.

The next morning I just missed breakfast, but with a flutter of my eyelashes the chef kindly made me some pancakes! The food was ridiculous here, all you can eat buffet for breakfast, lunch and dinner. Fear for my waist line!

I was feeling really tired, I think the aftermath of little sleep the night I arrived and cocktails so went back to the dorm for a nap only to wake up and have nearly missed lunch hour! Luckily I made it in time and then took myself to the beach where I found a secluded bit and didn't see anyone for hours was amazing.

That night was a bit quieter, there was a new group of people in though who were all fun and we had a few beers and good chats and perhaps a few dances on the sand dance floor. (Rihanna is everywhere out here!)

The next morning the sun was out in all its glory and we sat and ate breakfast whilst watching the opening ceremony which was really bizarre, but from what I saw I enjoyed it! Boat call came and it was off to my next Island adventure….