Day 5 - Fiji (Robinson Crusoe Island)

Bula!

Today we had another day trip - this time to Robinson Crusoe Island, We did this trip back in November 2008 and the snorkelling was so magical I just had to do it again... but unfortunately, today's waters were a little murky and even though we did see some brightly colour fish in the depths of the water, it was literally nothing like the natural aquarium we saw back in 2008. A little disappointing, but the Fijian hospitality was perfect as usual!

For those who've never done it, we were picked up in a tour bus from our hotel to take us to a floating tin can of a boat on the river. The river was full of mangroves and felt like you're in an episode of Survivor making your way to the unknown.

We get to the river mouth and see the island paradise we will spend time on for the day. The picture is perfect! We are greeted by the 'Welcome Song' by the local Fijians and walk up to the area of festivities from the beach (looks amazing doesn't it! And I haven't adjusted ANY of these photos!)

We get told the order of the day before we go on a walking tour with the Medicine Man of the island medicine. There are the Vau tree, Dilo and another tree that I can't remember what it was, but the Fijians are having it tested to help cure cancer and even HIV/AIDs. Who knows? They may actually be a trillion dollar industry in pharmaceuticals in the next few years!

They then had a couple of Fijians climb the coconut trees and chop down enough coconuts for us to drink and eat their flesh. Amazing how carbonated the fresh coconut water is. Absolutely sublime!

 

We then went to see how lunch was doing, as it was being cooked in a Lovo - an underground oven of hot rocks and palm leaves, and some of the locals braved their feet to do some fire walking once lunch was removed!

Lunch was a lovely spread of pasta salad, rice salad, coleslaw, green salad, lovo cooked potatoes and sweet potatoes, and logo cooked fish, chicken and ham with some home-made bread rolls.

After lunch, they gave us a Fijian dancing show, followed by some fire-dancing!

After the show, we went snorkelling out on the reef, which as I said was disappointing... but I guess that's just natural. It became a little overcast, so I guess that didn't help with the clarity in the water.

We then had a special crab race and a little goodbye ceremony. The day was quite fun as the Fijians called the guests by their country - we had an assortment of Aussies, New Zealanders, Americans, Chinese and even Kenyans... these two beautiful women were so scared of something falling from a tree or being picked on, but they were good sports and so friendly.

And of course, I found my boys, more often than not on the swing hammocks!

All in all, a good day. But now I'm on a mission to find some more amazing places in this world to snorkel. I hear the Red Sea is possibly a good place!

Day 2 - Fiji

Bula all,
Having a fabulous time, getting some nice sun and doing all the things we wish we could do at home. As you can see, the boys are a little red from yesterday from the sun, as they refused to put sunscreen on, but today they learnt their lesson!

After our buffet breakfast (which someone had said to me the day before that it was the best buffet breakfast he's ever had... I can say, I've had better!), I took the boys to the kids club for some coconut boat racing, fish feeding and palm leaf sculpting/plaiting/crafting, so that I could indulge in a 2 hour massage at the Chi Spa Village.

This was the view I was able to wake up to after my aromatherapy massage! Definitely not complaining, really!

I then went to pick up the boys, who I was worried would be bored, but actually had a wonderful time at the kids club. We then got ready to go to the pool, but I told the boys that I wanted to check something out first. Of course, they whinged and whined as they were desperate to get into the pool, but I told them they have to wait and see if they can do what I had in mind. We went up to the outdoor sports bure (hut) and asked if they were big enough to do para-sailing. And they were... so in a little over an hour, we were able to go up and see the world. I went first as we drifted across the beach of the resort out into the ocean, and the boys went in a tandem ride on the trip back.

We all had a ball floating over the peaceful azure blue waters in a beautiful paradise. As the boys were up, I spoke with Koko about his life - his 7 kids and the fact that he's never left Fiji, but really, why would he? But it does make you grateful that you have the ability to see the world first hand.

After parasailing, we went snorkelling on the side of the resort's beach. We found some clown fish, sting rays as well as other fish... it wasn't as exciting as some of the ocean snorkelling we've done, but still peaceful drifting in the water with the sun on our backs and the water so warm.

The boys went back to the pool and I just relaxed on a banana lounge watching the sun slowly lower in the sky over the water under my palm tree canopy. Bliss!

Off to dinner now and some nightly entertainment! I wonder what's in store for tomorrow!