Bula from Fiji! 5 months away from home yesterday! We hope you've not forgotten us :D. As we have found out with travelling so far some things don't always go as planned. It's been an important step for us to learn to deal with problems thrown our way.

So our next stop after Fiji is China. Unfortunately, we had a slight mishap with our China visa application and left it all a bit last minute. We had aimed to get our visa in NZ but it seemed that everything was against us. We obtained our letter of invitation from the Chinese government and got to the Chinese Embassy on time to apply for our visa on Thursday, but it was shut. The next day we turned up bright and early to find out it takes 24 hours minimum for the visa and the embassy is shut at the weekend, oh and it's a bank holiday on Monday. Damn!

So plan B then. After landing in Nadi, Fiji we immediately jumped on a local bus to Suva, the capital. Steph tried giving the bus conductor $120 Fijian dollars as she thought he said it was $60 each. After looking at her strangely he said that it only comes to $32 (just over £5 each for a 4 hour journey, and it had air-con - whoop!). When we got off the bus in Suva we really felt like locals. Suva holds around half of Fiji's population and it's not a popular tourist destination, so throughout our time there we only saw a handful of western people. We tracked down the Chinese Embassy the next day to finally submit our visa application. Even better news was that we could collect our visa that afternoon. With that in mind we headed to an Internet cafe (not much wifi available in Fiji) to look at where to head to next.

While Steph searched away Max spotted a Barbers shop next door. Time to experience a Fijian haircut - and it certainly was an experience! There were 3 guys fussing around Max making sure they did a good job. Apparently he was the first English guy's hair they had ever cut. After they took a few selfies with Max for evidence, it was all done. Probably the cheapest haircut ever, only FJ$5 - £1.60!

We managed to find a great deal on a 4* resort in Pacific Harbour. Not really backpacker style but we thought a few months in campervans meant we could treat ourselves. The Pearl Resort was very swish; 2 restaurants, swimming pool, private beach and a sea view. We spent 3 nights relaxing and enjoying the Fijian hospitality. We've learnt that it's essential whilst travelling to stop for a few days, take a breath and give yourself time to absorb everything.

On our last day in Pacific Harbour we headed to a small island 15km off the shore called Yanuca. We snorkelled on the reef just off the island in the crystal clear water and saw some Nemo fish and giant clams opening and closing.

In the afternoon we got to experience some real Fijian culture by attending a Kava ceremony. Kava is a sacred drink made from a plant root ground up into a powder, put inside a cloth and lowered into a big bowl of water. The powder inside the cloth is slowly drained and turns the water into a brown coffee colour. There is a special ritual to complete when you drink it. You clap once and shout a big "BULA" (hello in Fijian), down the Kava out of a coconut cup (no sipping allowed), clap 3 more times and shout "VINAKA" (thank you in Fijian). The Kava has a very unusual taste, quite peppery. It numbs your tongue and mouth. The desired effect from drinking Kava is happiness and relaxation - the Fijian's say it numbs the mind into a happy state and they use it when there are any disputes. After the Kava ceremony we enjoyed a traditional Fijian lunch cooked in a Lovo - a fire pit with hot rocks covered over with leaves. After a little afternoon volleyball and a mess around on a paddle board (our first time) we headed back to our resort.

Once back, it was time to head to Nadi for an overnight stay before catching an early flight. We waited with our backpacks on the main road in Pacific Harbour for the local bus. It was amusing walking out of the long driveway from our 4* resort with backpacks when all the other guests appear to get private transfers. You don't purchase bus tickets beforehand and there are no bus stops so it was a strange experience. We were the only white people around and many locals were along the road heading home from work. We watched them flag down cars, vans, and pick up trucks to hitch hike, apparently a very popular way of getting around. Those unable to hitch a lift jumped on windowless buses.

Just before our bus was due to arrive a guy pulled up in a pick up and asked if we wanted a lift - he was heading to Nadi. With a little hesitation, we trusted our instincts and decided to give hitch hiking a try. The guy's name was Momo and he's originally from Israel. He was heading to Nadi to surprise his family as they didn't know he had time off. We had a great journey listening to the most travelled person we have met so far. He had so many stories of visiting and living in different countries with hints and tips thrown in for good measure. He even stopped at a petrol station and bought us all a drink as it was a 3 hour journey. We arrived safely at our hotel a lot quicker than by bus, it cost us nothing and we made a friend along the way.

We are currently aboard a 10 hour flight to Hong Kong.

Max and Steph x