Fiji!

I feel bad for Fiji because it kinda got lost between trek and the anticipation of New Zealand. So I think that it should get its very own blog. It was actually really lovely. We were both taken aback by how much we liked it. We arrived early in the morning, just before dawn and got through customs in an instant. As our driver took us to our hotel, telling us a little about landmarks and Fijian culture the dawn broke over the mountains to reveal a stunning and dramatic landscape that neither of us expected. We never even looked into what Fiji would be like. It was always a sort of stepping stone between America and Australasia… the half way point of the whole trip really. The people of Fiji have been the kindest and most sincere that we have ever encountered. Everyone was friendly and interested in what we had to say and really willing to tell you about their traditional customs and belief. As we drove, the island came to life with sugar cane workers and ox drawn ploughs tending the fields. People hitch-hiking to work, goats crossing the road, horses grazing along under the coconut trees. Like nothing you could ever have expected.

Our hotel was great; all the staff had learnt our names within a day and always greeted you on your way to and fro. We had a sea view or the coral coast which was perfect for snorkelling. We saw loads of shoals of pretty coloured fish and some ominous looking sea worm things. They looked like under water snakes but were harmless. It was reallllllly warm too. Like a bath almost cause it was so shallow. All round it was a great place to recover from having lost a whole day on route from the USA. In fact we pretty much slept and cotched for 4 days. But we did break up the sleeping and eating with one day trip to a traditional Fijian village… by river canoe and bamboo raft of course!

So after an hour or so of canoeing we reached the village where they greeted us with a Kava ceremony. A drinking ritual of a root tea to welcome important visitors to the homestead. The whole village (minus the chief) were there to welcome us, dance, cook and show us their way of life. They unearthed our meal… literally and served us lunch. Then we saw the school kids who sang for us. To wear of the food we all danced with the ladies as the men played guitar and sang. Great fun! Our guide was really informative and generally lovely (as almost all Fijians seemed to be). We left and he took us further up river to some hidden waterfalls. The landscape was just like in the Jurrasic Park films… so I was happy. We had to hike to the big waterfall through the river which was kinda novel, then we got to swim at the base of it and play. Just like you imagine a South Pacific paradise to be.

All in all, it was incredible and I recommend that you all by-pass the Caribbean for your island dream trip and head straight to Micronesia.

Adams Note –
So as im sure you have noticed, we have been missing from your everyday lives for over 6 months now (please, no tears). How is it to travel for so long? Well, I hate all my clothes (mostly my ‘dyslexics untied’ due to the two types of morons who approach me when I wear it – first the wow what a brilliant idea, im dyslexic too! Were basically best friends! And the idiot who decides to tell me who long they were staring at my chest to work out the joke. Do I look like someone who wants a stranger talking to him?) plus they always smell, after 6 months BO is so ingrained into the fabric there is no getting it out., also none of it fits which brings me onto my next point, my weight has never yoyo-ed so much in all my life. One place I losing (mostly in liquid form from one orifice or the other) it so fast I can climb in and out my trousers without undoing the buttons, next its storing its self in huge great tyres across my waist (thank you USA), only to be walked off (thank you half dome). I dislike the reliance that I have on battery power, its not until you cant charge everything up in an instant you realise this, there is (and this is a fact) nothing more disappointing than your ipod running out of juice 7mins into a 10hr drive. I dislike The French , they are everywhere (like a bad rash) whats worse is you can normally tell that’s they are French before they open there mouth and insult you. Brilliant example, to write this blog in a wifi café we had to plug the laptop in, but a lovely young French couple had plugged their inerpopiatly large adapter into the center socket so noone else could plug in the sides ones. And then they had placed bags and assorted crap around the plug so there was no way of getting to it anyway. They could oviosly see that I wanted to plug this in, would they move? hellll no. (in the end tess went in all guns blazing and we are now plugged in, yah!)

So tess is looking at me in disappointed way, she thinks that I have ruined the perfectly pleasant post with my complaints so now for the things I do like.

The term European and how it can be applied to anything and make it posh, its not caburys dairy milk, its a rich European chocolate. Its not just pasta with tomatoe sauce, its European, italian pasta, its not a slutty mini skirt, its European fashion. Therefore I am not a dirty English man, im a stylish European traveler.

 I like the freedom of just getting in the car and driving, seeing new cultures and mocking them cos its just not like England (look at these silly fools,on the wrong side of the road!). I like the queen, and the fact she is still on the money here. (in fact i have become positivly patriotic), if anyone asks we we know/met etc the queen i reply, 'who? oh her britannic majesty? everyone knows her!' I like the fact you can tell an American you are 21^st in line to the throne and they will belive you and that by law you have to send her a birthday card on at least one of her b'days.

. I like the fact people look forward to going to London and seeing the white cliffs of dover (hehe poor buggers) Most of all I like all the people we have met, who have shown us uncommon friendship in times of need, helped us and truly gone out of their way to help make this one of the best experiences ever.

 As that last comment is a bit gay, the one thing I love the most more than anything else. My darling, my love  my Nikon D80 with her 50mm lens.

adam