The reason for no 'It's Friday!' post last week was that we were here...
...in Fiji!
We stayed on the beautiful island of Tavueni, the third largest island in Fiji. A 'short' four hour flight to Nadi from Sydney (the last time we were there, it had been a thirteen hour overnight flight from LA), and then a 75 minute flight from Nadi to Matei airport, Tavenui, and we were basking in the glorious sunshine.
Yes, we are very fortunate that it wasn't our first time in Fiji - we came to the island 8 years ago, on my first long haul flight, our major Around The World trip - the holiday which changed everything, as on returning to England, we realized we wanted to sample life outside of the country and five months later we were in Germany.
All that time ago, the owner of the place we stayed in Tavenui remarked she thought we would marry one day - and we did, 3 years later. so it seemed fitting to spend our fifth wedding anniversary there.
All that time ago, the owner of the place we stayed in Tavenui remarked she thought we would marry one day - and we did, 3 years later. so it seemed fitting to spend our fifth wedding anniversary there.
The pace in Fiji is laid back - as far from the bustling city as you can get - and was just what we needed. We usually spend our holidays cramming lots of sight seeing in, or meeting up with people, but we decided we needed one where we didn't do much at all. This was the place to do just that: we read in the guest pack provided in our bure (hut) that if you pass a Fijian you are going too quickly.
We mostly ate in the restaurant on site or had take aways delivered to our bure, or watched the sun set at the bar across the road. But we did walk to a restaurant twenty minutes away (at a brisk pace - no Fijian stride there!). For our walk in the dark we had a guide - a local dog who decided to accompany us. Nice of it, but not for our nerves, as every passing vehicle we held our breath, trying to keep the dog from wandering in the middle of the road. Thankfully the majority of the traffic was also going at the Fijian pace, and the dog bid us farewell 50 metres from the restaurant, following a scent off into someone's garden.
On our arrival we were presented with two fresh coconuts to drink, and were encouraged to ask for more whenever we wanted through our stay. On request, one of the boys would climb up the tree and pick us some.
Those trees are tall!
We were also reminded: Beware of falling coconuts.
We were sat having breakfast when there was this loud thud just outside. We peered cautiously to see what had happened, when there was a chuckle behind us, "It was just a coconut" Lucy, our lovely cook/housekeeper/general all round star smiled. "Beware of the coconuts."
Those trees are tall!
We were also reminded: Beware of falling coconuts.
We were sat having breakfast when there was this loud thud just outside. We peered cautiously to see what had happened, when there was a chuckle behind us, "It was just a coconut" Lucy, our lovely cook/housekeeper/general all round star smiled. "Beware of the coconuts."
The views are amazing, the sealife mesmerizing, but what makes Taveuni is the people. The biggest smiles, they make you feel as though you are part of the family. Being returnees, we were greeted with hugs, and chatted to as though we were returning home, not holiday makers who visit every eight years.
It was certainly warm when we were there, high twenties to low thirty degrees all week. The wet season, their summer, runs from November to April. We were lucky as apparently the week before we arrived, the rain had been torrential. As it was, it only rained for one day whilst we were there.
On both our arrival we were greeted by traditional Fijian song, and on our departure we were bid farewell with traditional song. On both occasions this human verse was accompanied by barking from the resident dog, who we remembered from last time, but was looking quite a bit older (no doubt we were too!). Before we climbed in the car to get to the airport, we were presented with a beautiful Fijian flower necklace, called a Salusalus:
Hopefully it will be much sooner than another eight years before we return to Fiji's beautiful 'Garden Island'.