Fiji

8 am Sunday morning. On a whim, we decide to pack our day bags (very light mind you) and head out to Robinson Crusoe island.

This is all the bags we brought between the 3 of us for 4 days! (Also, included here is 3 sleeping bags and pillows!)

The beautiful yacht on the brochure initially sold us, but when we arrived to a muddy river with a tin boat that should probably only hold 10 people, and saw that 20 of us were going to squish into it, we started to get a bit concerned. A 20 minute ride through the lovely brown river brought us to our new home for the next 3 nights. To say we were unimpressed would be the overstatement of the century. Not only was it overcast and kind of cold, but a short trek around the island brought an even better view of a lovely marsh/swamp/mosquito infested nastiness.

The lovely mud river that led to the island

What a beautiful view from the back of our island

The only shining point for the first day was the obscene amount of food we consumed in one meal. We each easily ate 4 servings (no wonder Americans are fat, which, our friend Herman the Austrian constantly reminded us ... also how horrible we and our political system is, as though we have say or part in it right?).

Can you see the anticipation in our eyes? Talk about a feast.

Check the teeth on that fish!

Now a bit about the accommodation's, this was no Motel 6. We're talking primitive island running on a generator that shuts off at 12 midnight. No lights, no electricity, no flushing toilets. But don't worry if you want to take a shower at 1 am, it's ok, as you just fill the bucket and pour freezing cold water on yourself, through the semi clogged spout.

Shower bucket you fill and pour into a shower bucket.

The one plus to having the generator turn off at 12 was the fact that the "Pirate Night Club" (read: stage with skull and cross bones painted on side wall, with surprisingly loud sound system) shut down as well, and we were no longer force serenaded with such ditties as "In the Jungle" and 5 year old rap and hip hop that was not even good the first time around.

Top all of this off with the fact that we wanted to pack light so we didn't bring hardly any clothes (one shirt, one pair of pants... 3 nights, 4 days, one word...dirty). The best part for the first night though was definitely the mozzie (mosquito) nets the put around our bunks. A fabulous netting hung in the air, 2 inches above your face, hope you're not claustrophobic eh?

Top bunks with the mosquito nets super close to your face

Even with all the crappiness on the first night (and I am not even going to get started about the VERY drunk Swede who was talking to himself, loudly, in the bunk below us for very near an hour), the next morning Brooke and I decided to tough it out and stay one more night. Bree on the other hand was over it. She tried to get a boat off the island, but as no one was coming ... or going until the next day she was stranded with the rest of us. Luckily the remainder of our stay at Robinson Crusoe was great. The weather fortunately took a turn for the better and all was well. All in all we saw fire dancing, knife throwing/dancing, bon fires, kayaking, snorkeling, handline fishing, good food, good company, ... everything turned out to be a good time. I however prove to still have the sweetest blood ever, as I was harvested by the mosquitoes. See the album for more pics...

Tomorrow Australia...

Look at Brooke blow fire, she got REALLY tan!

... it can be pretty

More pictures from Fiji!

So after a fabulous 13 hour flight from LA, we finally arrived in Nadi, Fiji. First things first, customs, where I was rudely forced to give up my beef jerky (tear*) ... something about it being forbidden in Fiji or something.

Jerky confiscation

Once vegified, we found our driver and rode out to our hostel. Once we dropped our things we immediately set out to explore the beach around our hostel. We found a great peir with tons of little crabs and jumping fish, and were informed by a local that if we return tomorrow we can see the large crab he is going to catch this evening.

After bumming a ride into Nadi town (pronounced NaNdi, apparently there is an N pronounced before every D in Fijian) we spent most of the afternoon walking around Nadi, parousing shops, and mostly acclamating to Fiji. Nadi is a pretty dirty city, sort of like China Town in NYC, everyone has something to sell. After wandering around town, and escaping with only a towel and food purchases, we began the trek home to our hostel as the buses were obviously not running because it was a national holiday (Youth day apparently). On our walk we met some Fijian kids, rope swinging into the beautiful brown, eel infested Nadi river.

Proud display of the afternoon catch

These seemingly harmless children, were showing us how they were killing the eels by squeezing them, and also beating them against the rocks. Supposedly they were taking the eels home for dinner... we were a bit skeptical, but this is Fiji right?

Kids playing in the mud river at Nadi

After playing with the kids, we began the long and hot trek back to our hostel (of course we were too cheap to get a taxi, and really what else were we going to do). Let me tell you, walking in Fiji is a boost to self esteem as everyone, men, women, children are so friendly and call out 'Bula!', fijian for hello.

Bree and I trekking home from Nadi town

So far, Fiji is fabulous, hot and humid, and we are planning on getting very burnt during the next few days! more later, until then...

Reading at sunset... I DO read.