Fiji

So I arrived in Fiji on the 31st October 2008 in Nandi. After a 16 hour shambles of flights and waiting around the airport I didn't care much about much exept having a shower and brushing my teeth. I booked into Aquiries backpackers and they sent a driver over to pick me up. Aquiries was a fine place to stay but they were booked out the following day so I moved next door to Smugglers Cove backpackers. Smugglers was nice. $28 a night and about 30 other people in a room but the bunks were very private and had individual lamps so the amount of people was not a problem. I did a few trips to the town of Nandi and didn't like it. Touts everywhere. I just wanted toothpaste! I really wanted to get away from the whole resort life so I booked a transfer by minivan to Pacific Harbour and booked ahead at a backpackers called Uprising. One thing I did enjoy in Nandi was a horse ride along the beach for $25. The guy that owns the horse is just out the back of Smugglers Cove most days.

So after a 3 hour drive to Pacific Harbour I stayed at Uprising which was pretty flash for a backpackers. It has an activity centre but I had already decided to head to Suva the next day so I didn't explore much. Pacific Harbour was very clean and very tourist. It was also blink and you will miss it. If I had the time I would have done a thing called Zipgliding which is a series of gigantic flying foxes but alas I had to move on.

I caught the local bus to Suva -$3 and spent the day wandering around the streets. Suva was not to bad, just another city but there were hardly any touts so I was in heaven. I did find it a bit dodgy - some of the people has
"Mugger" written all over them but I never felt in any danger. I booked a ferry( The Sullivan) to another island and a town called Suvasuva. It was supposed to leave that afternoon but broke down and didn't go anywhere. I booked a bunk bed which was a small mattress with curtains to pull accross and as the boat was not moving spent the night on board. The next day I headed back to the office, got a refund and booked on The Sophie instead. I liked the Sophie a lot better. Not only did it move but for the same price as a bunk on the Sulliven I got a whole cabin to myself. First class was a lot better as well and the showers (not flash by any standard) at least existed.

12 hours later I was in Suvaauva. I was couchsurfing (www.couchsurfing.com) with a couple from New Zealand who had retired in Fiji. They were lovely people and during my four days with them took me snorkerling twice, to a local village and to a local school. It was a fantastic four days but my family was about to arrive from Aus so back on the Sophie I went. Returning to Suva I caught a bus back to Nandi and then a taxi to Denaru Island where my family was booked into the Hilton. I spent four days there and the Hilton really lived up to expectations. The thing was, other then the staff being Fijian you cound'nt tell you were in another country. Denaru was full of rich resorts and for 4 days it was nice but I was over it by the time it came to catch my plane back to Aus.

Anyway I found the people to be very friendly and could have spent another week there easy. I really wanted to see a place called Labasa but didn't find the time. If I ever go again I will do the ZipGliding, a four day tour called Feejee Experience which has got rave reviews from everyone I spoke to and kick back in Labasa for the rest of it. I think with 1 month, I would have seen everything I wanted and have been ready to come home.