The weekend was semi decent, which means it allowed us to be out during the day with clouds but no rain...yet. After we enjoyed a late snooze, we stumbled on over to Smugglers Cove, a nearby hostel right on the beach. Both our hostel, Horizon Backpackers, and Smugglers Cove are owned by the same company so we were able to use all of their facilities which was great! We decided to leave the hostel in the early afternoon and head into town on the city bus. It was only 70 cents and it dropped us off right in the center of Nadi, one of the largest cities on the island Vitu Levu, where we were staying for the week. The bus itself was an adventure...no windows, old as the hills, but we were surrounded by friendly people :) doesn't get much better than that. We shopped around and ended up in the open air markets. We were led there by a fellow Fijian, he wanted us to see his work from his village, Navala. We were asked to sit next to another couple that had already been welcomed to Fiji "native style." They performed a Yaqona ceremony for us, it is where they prepare a native drink called "cava." We read articles about it while we were drinking it and it is supposedly the cure for some types of cancer and is very good for the immune system. It is made from the roots of a pepper plant and it is just mixed with water using a type of cloth and it is mixed inside a coconut shell. You say "bula" which means welcome in Fiji, and then you clap three times and respond with "vinaka," which is thank you. It was a very neat experience that gave us great insight into their culture. We got to look around a bit at their wood carvings and jewelry and they even gave us a free necklace for visiting!
We headed back to the hostel after a quick grocery shop for some beer, water, and peanut butter and jelly. The bus is definitely on "Fiji time"...it comes whenever it wants. We mosied on back to the room after some dinner and watched a movie and crashed.
Sunday was pretty uneventful seeing as no buses or anything run on Sundays. We decided to just take a taxi into Port Denara
u, which is the main cruise ship port on the island. It was basically filled with touristy shops and we definitely visited the Hard Rock so I could pick up a signature shirt! There was too much commotion there so we headed down the street to find a beach since the sun decided to greet us for an hour, TOPS! Since there was really no one around, we just walked through the Hilton Resort lobby and used their beach :) Hope they didn't mind. Sure enough, the clouds rolled in and we were forced back to the hostel. We were able to catch a free Samoan Fire Dance at Smugglers Cove after dinner at sunset. It was a beautiful night for such a show. We had front row seats and the dances were incredible along with the music. There were girls doing the hula from all different countries and then men tossing up batons covered in fire! It was really something to see! We ended the night with a walk on the beach and a comedy.
Since the weather channel called for rain everyday, we just decided to have faith and plan a day trip to one of the nearby islands, South Sea, part of the Mamanuca chain. We were so excited to dive and lay on the beach with unlimited drinks and a buffet lunch! We left really early in the morning and we got there around 10 am. We did a wreck dive as soon as we got there an
d then had the best lunch ever! There was every kind of meat imaginable...chicken, beef, swordfish, steak, and then there was coleslaw, noodles, fruit, rolls, and the list goes on! Once we had stuffed our faces, we toured around the tiny island and caught some rays while they were available. Once 2 pm came around, we were suited up and ready for another dive! This dive was called Fish Village and that is really a good name for it. We saw tons of marine life there along with a friendly green sea turtle! When we ascended, we could see the dark clouds rolling in, and shortly after, the rain came pouring down. We had to board the boat soon anyway, so we just took advantage of the open bar...free beer.
We were beat after the days adventures so we just came back and relaxed. The rain continued through the night and the entire next day! I though it was time for my massage. It was the best decision I ever made. We pretty much just sat around all day and took advantage of the gorgeous weather...NOT! We hoped Wednesday would be brighter skies, and it was!
Our last day was very pleasant, but we had to check out at 10 am and our flight wasn't until 11 pm that night so we pretty much had to cool our heals all day
. We couldn't get our stuff wet because we wouldn't be able to pack it, so we just decided to lay on the beach for the entire day since it was so nice out. While we were at the beach, there were Fijians that were doing coconut demos. I got to husk, chop, and shave a coconut...weird, right? It was a great time, and then after we got to taste it. It was yummy, of course. Wes and I also bought our own green coconut to drink with a straw :) It was a fun last day. We took a quick nap by the pool, showered, and then got in a taxi with all of our belongings to head back to the United States. Sad day!I am so glad I got to visit Fiji, it has always been a sought after destination for me, and to say I dove there is beyond my wildest dreams! This is just one experience among the many that I get to bring back with me to share with family and friends. I hope somehow I can share with you the different aspects of these cultures, so maybe one day we can have our own "Fiji time."
**BULA**
I'm coming home!!
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