Beachside Resort

When we arrived to Fiji, it was already dark, and we were pretty tired. So when in the airport we were asked, where we are going, we just answered: "To Club Fiji Resort". Before we noticed, we were sitting in a Club Fiji's van. Club Fiji was full, but their van took us to their new neighbour resort, called The Beachside Resort. The Club Fiji man praised the whole journey his own resort, and tried to persuade us to change there after two days, when they had again free bures. The room in Beachside cost F$68, although later we found some brochure of it, advertising room prices beginning from F$49.

Palm beach

The second day we decided to head to the Coral Coast. We first called to couple of backpacker type cheaper resorts, but we ended up reserving ourselves a room in the Coral Village Resort, that our friends had recommended. We took an express bus from Nadi, and it took about two hours to the Coral Village junction. In the junction Tony was waiting us with his old Hyundai, whose bottom scratched the middle ridge of the gravel road all the way to the resort. The place was green, with beautiful sandy beach. Some people say, that this is one of the best beaches along the Coral Coast. One can swim here also during low tide.

Namaqumaqua children playing

We were told, that we could freely walk along the beach. Also we could go to the nearby native village Namaqumaqua's beach. So we walked through the beach, where some local children were playing. The local tradition around New Year's, is to throw water on other people. This is a symbolic act to rinse the old year away. When we passed the children, we guessed, that they're going to splash the water on us. However we didn't expect, that they had also buckets in the sea. Along with the "Happy New Year" -wishes we got wet.

Crusoe's Retreat bures

We went to the neighbour resort. They had put lots of effort to the looks of the place. However the place was still somehow sterile, so we were happy to stay in the Coral Village instead of this. To get out of the Crusoe's Retreat, we shold have gone through the main building. We didn't find that way, so we returned also through the beach. It's not so hard to guess, that the kids had found more buckets somewhere.

A colourful fish

Our typical luck was that during our stay in Fiji, there were three cyclones in the Pacific just north of Fiji Islands. It took care, that it was raining five days out of seven. Luckily we had also a couple of sunny days, so we could swim and snorkle on the reefs. We also bought a disposable underwater camera, and managed to take some pictures of tropical fish, and some other sea animals.

Roadsigns

The Coral Village Resort was located just side by side to one native village, called Namaqumaqua. The resort managers, Tony and Maggie had very good relationship with the village people. The people staying at the resort could freely walk around the village. Also the resort offered a job to some villagers. The jobs included cleaning, cooking, gardening, and all kind of stuff. One man arranged bushwalks for the tourists. Tony also hired some locals to help him if e.g. something broke down, or the road got too bad.

Alamo's grandchildren

We wanted to take part to a bushwalk, that were held by a man called Alamo (or that was what it sounded...). On such bushwalk he tells stories, tells about plants, which are used as drugs and food, and which are used for making things. The rain had made the forest tracks very slippery, so we couldn't have any bushwalk. Maggie, however, arranged so, that we could go to Alamo's house, and he told some stories about the village history, and the plants and everything. This was our first visit to a Fijian village.

Sigatoka bus station

One morning we woke up very early, and left with one Fiji Indian old man to a town nearby called Sigatoka. That man did every morning shoppings for both the village shop and the resort. He also sometimes carried passengers. This time there were two villagers with us. Sigatoka was said to be a good place for souvenir shopping. Later we found, that the prices in Sigatoka were higher than in Nadi, but the atmosphere was better.

Kava and baby powder

One day we hinted Tony, that we hadn't yet tasted the Fijian cult drink, Kava (Yaqona in Fijian). It's made of ground root of a tree related to pepper. The powder is then put inside a cloth, and soaked in a water like a tea bag. Despite of the filtering cloth, a lot of powder is mixed into the water giving it a look and taste of muddy water. The same evening Tony took us to one house in the village where they were having New Year's party. Fijians celebrate New Year for two weeks. According to Tony's advice, we bought some Kava powder from the village shop, and took that to our host. The villagers looked pale, but it wasn't because of the Kava, it was because of they had baby talc all over their hairs and faces. We also got our share of this hospitality. When we tried to ask, what the talc is for, they answered something, like: "We put baby powder, when we have a party." The first impression of Kava was strange. It made your tongue and throat totally numb; like at the dentist's. The locals drank it, so it cannot kill you, so we drank it also. Some scientists have done research on Kava and it's effective elements, and they have come into an conclusion, that Kava contains relaxing, traquilising, and numb making elements. The feeling after Kava was like after very mild tranquilizer: As long, as you moved, and were active, you didn't actually notice anything, but if you sat down, and were passive, you started to get sleepy.

Restaurant

Our restaurant advertised full licences on alcohol, and different local foods. Actually this meant that in the cupboard there were vodka , whisky, and rum. The menu consisted of buffet for dinner, toasted filled sandwich for lunch, and toast, coffee and fruit platter for breakfast. The buffet dinner with local specialities proved, what Maggie had said to us: no matter which vegetables they use, or how they make them, they all taste like spinach.

Elina and Treasure Island

On the second last day we took a day cruise to Beachcomber Island. Because of the cyclones, the weather was so windy, that almost all activity in the island were cancelled. There should have been a snorkelling trip to a reef, fish-feeding with a glass-bottomed boat etc. All inclusive to the price, but all cancelled. Forunately they couldn't cancel the scenery...

Beachcomber main building

Beachomber is a paradise for singles. It is famous of its huge dormitory, that is actually a kid of shelter, where there are lots of bunk beds. The main building is a party place, with sandy dancing floor, a stage for band, and a bar with happy hour twice a day. They had really put a lot of effort to the looks of the place. The buildings of the island were totally renovated three years ago, when a vigorous cyclone tore the whole place apart.

The American Embassy

On our last day, we went to the central Nadi to spend the rest of our Fijian dollars. We bought some T-shirts, and local wrapped skirtlike cloths, Sulus. Even in such distant Pacific paradise island you cannot avoid Mr McDonalds' cafe... Earlier, when we passed it with the beachcomber bus, some passenger said "look, American Embassy." Could you say it better...

A house in Nadi

While walking back to the hotel from the central Nadi, we saw this clay house by the road. In Nadi most buildings were concrete, but occasionally one could spot also more traditional style house.

All in all Fiji left a very pleasant memory for both of us. It is a place one could come another time also. Of course there could have been more sunny days, but this way the pale Finnish people didn't sunburn themselves. The worst sunburns we got while snorkelling on a rainy day. The weather wasn't so big issue anyway, since our main target was the New Zealand, and Fiji only an exotic additional stop. If we had come all the way from Finland just to see Fiji, and the weather had been like this, it would have been totally different issue.