Fiji Time

 

We flew through the night as Japanese time turned into Fiji time at some point, probably as I fell into a slumber around 3 hours into the flight from Tokyo, and did not want to wake up. Already the pace was changing.  Fiji Airways a little more disorganised as an airline than BA but they got there eventually with their service, and it was done with good humour and kindness.  A bit of serious turbulence probably also put me off turning the flight into anything other than a functional experience.  Subsequent research shows Japan and crossing the equator two of the big turbulence hotspots so was a double whammy today.  Loved the touch as we pulled into Nadi airport as the final words of the Steward were ' Welcome to our Home'.  Not that far from Australia, somewhere I still feel a spiritual second home after my year backpacking out there and subsequent return visits.  Would have been nice to have worked that in to this trip as many friends and family in that area point out how close we are.  Well there are other Pacific Islands so who knows what the future might hold ...

The airport disembarkment was a mellow affair with that theme of being welcomed  a constant; our driver took the same approach with a welcome to his country, and pointed out many of the things he was proud of in the 1hr 40 minute drive to our accommodation on the Coral Coast. Sugar Canes, roadworks, and plenty of strangers greeting us with Bula from their homes or the road side.  Not a rich place, the villages definitely working off the breadline, but happiness and smiles abounded.

Our driver kindly earned his tip by insisting we stopped off and got a few provisions in the local supermarket whilst he waited.  Everyone seems to know everyone or greet each other like they do!  Journey finished at the Beach House on the Coral Coast.  The view and the activity area (including bar) is what makes this place what it is.  The rooms as we knew are very basic, a bed and outside toilet/shower, that's pretty much it. I might have considered these at the top end of the budget back in my backpacker days, and need to remind myself of that now should I start to miss mod cons and comforts. We are here for a very different experience than would normally be the case, and even this doesn't exactly take us into 'Lost' or 'Lord of the Flies' territory. Don't think I have to build my own shelter just yet ... will get round the room pics maybe, but for now will dwell on the more activity oriented use of the space.

The vibe was pretty relaxed as the sun began to set and Happy Hour meant a cocktail and a glass or 2 of wine to continue the immersion into the lifestyle here.  Hammock and Pacific Ocean view, can't be bad.

The sun began to set slowly, even that has a more languid personality out here.  Went all vegetarian tonight with the choices on offer at our backpackers. A thick pea soup which I used as a starter and then get stuck into crispy egg plant and wedges for main. Not bad at all, but can barely keep my eyes open now!

(Carys)

So we got onto our flight, which all was very lovely, with Fijian music playing as we got ready to take off, and a warm welcome from the kind cabin crew. The flight itself wasn't ideal for me, with yet again limited sleep, but more success with the food - breakfast wasn't for me, but dinner was good, a lentil pasta.

Nonetheless, soon enough the flight was over and luckily this time, I did not feel too unwell for the rest of the day. We were greeted by a small band of Fijian singers with guitars which was very special, and then went on to meet our driver.    

Still sleepy in the car, the motion had me drifting off a little, but in between shutting my eyes I was able to enjoy the beautiful countryside of Fiji. It had plenty of roaming cattle, sheep, goats, cows and horses, tied up or freely walking along the roadsides. The palm trees are a particular delight, as even though one of our street neighbours at home has one in their front garden, the authenticity of the wildlife here makes it even better. On that note, the flowers and remaining greenery are also gorgeous to look at, and make me feel very peaceful. 

It took a little while to get to The Beachouse, via a stop at the supermarket and bakery in 'rugby Town' for some goods. We all enjoy an international supermarket sweep, and I was happy to see a nice range of tatsy looking snacks, many of which we chose for our lunch. When we arrived at The Beachouse, I was very quickly happy with the entirety of it. Since we couldn't check in for a little while we sat in front of the bar and enjoyed the views of the pool and beach. 

I appreciate how many people seem to be here, as it's enough to create a fun atmosphere, but not too many that it feels overcrowded or busy. Once checked in to our rooms which slightly inconveniently are in different buildings, but still not really an issue, we all sorted ourselves and came back to the beach front to relax for a while. Everything is in such close vicinity that it feels cosy, but it's also very roomy. I'm excited to enjoy what on-site offers as well as what we can do elsewhere over the next few days. The beach has some charming hammocks, both for lying down and sitting, a swing, and a deck, as long as the grass area above containing several comfy seating areas. I'm sure we''ll test out all the places to sit to find some good spots. One of my favourite parts about it here is the 4 resident dogs who are very friendly and have been extremely welcoming. One in particular, whose name I'm hoping to find out, has enjoyed sitting close to us, which does make me very happy. 

As the sun set, which happens surprisingly early - but also means it rises late so am hoping to catch that one day - we headed to the bar to order some food. We watched the beautiful scenery whilst waiting, Food was also incredible, great quality and really good options. 3/4 of us went for tempura eggplant with cassava potatoes, an equivalent to fish and chips, whicb Bryn went for, and I had a taster of the pea soup. We're very satisfied with the vegetarian options and hope this continues for more tasty dinners this week. Now to just enjoy the rest of our first night, before figuring out how we want to fill our time here - for me I'm hoping to read a lot of books, alongside some fun activities.