Fiji :Travel Wankers

After living a nomadic lifestyle for the past 3 weeks we were so grateful to offered a lifeline from Sophie, a dear friend of Susie's from her first visit to Fiji, who offered us a place to stay for the remainder of our visit and a level of hospitality that far surpassed our expectations. It was like Susie had never left and the three years apart melted in to nothingness when the two girls reunited. Sophie had been working away in Samoa at the beginning of our trip and unfortunately spent most of her time bed bound on her first week back in Fiji.

During this week we took on the opportunity to do some island hopping, we jumped on board the commercial cruisers along with hoards of other tourists, we longed to return to the remote shores of the North Islands. We travelled to Octopus Island in the Yasawas, a beautiful and relaxing retreat which is also the location for the filming the Fijian version of Survivor! Here we were welcomed with fruit cocktails and flowers for our hair. We spent our time read books and walking the shores of this peaceful resort, a far cry from our authentic experience in Taveuni. Flowing our short day trip and sunning here, we were off to Mana, a notorious party island.

 

We jumped aboard the mini van the morning of our departure to Mana island and picked up a couple of (what we believed to be) total 'Travel Wankers.' From afar we had hedged our bets that these over tanned youths in second hard floral print shirts were of German origin. However, they unfortunately turned out to be British, and actually very nice.
 

Mana held in store for us yet more sunning, sea kayaking at sunset and snorkelling. We stayed overnight on the island where we had a traditional Fijian dinner and watched the local dancers perform. Young Dave came down with a horrendous bout of tonsellitis and we took him back to the mainland with us to recuperate the following day. Dave an Jimmy were like a bad habit we just couldn't shake off. We spent the next few days making coconut jewllery, drinking, and playing Irish snap (courtesy of Sam Webester, a 'Gaap Yaaar' teen who was kind engough to teach us how to play.). Coining the term 'Travel Wanker' seemed to catch like wild fire and before we even had chance to notice we were reunited with Louise, Nat and Karina to be Travel Wankers together!

Our friends were coming to the end of thee journey's and we sadly ha to day goodbye, it was emotional. We've no doubt that there will be reunions in the future!

So to lift our spirits we decided to learn a new skill and do our Open Water Diving course... Which brings us on to the next part of our Fiji time...

Peace and love,

Jan and Sooz.