It was always my dream to visit Fiji — a dream that went something like white sand beaches, warm sun and breezes and some sort of spiked coconut drink under a palm tree. That wasn't the Fiji we got, although that Fiji is there... if you want to pay for it. Most of the big resorts, on small islands off the main island, offer this version of Fiji.
I did get that coconut drink though...
We had read on TripAdvisor that one should get off of the main island to see the real Fiji, which is why we chose to stay in SavuSavu, on the island of Vanua Levu. Had we stayed in a resort, I wonder how much interaction we would have had with the people of Fiji? There would have been plenty of coconut drinks and sandy beach, but not so much of what became the very best part of our Fijian adventure which was meeting all the people — Fijians and expats — who took the time to speak with us and welcome us into their homes and lives. That was the unexpected part of the visit and a pleasant surprise it was. It gave us a chance to practice right from the outset what it is we wish to focus on, which is simply being. And by doing that, we got to know some fascinating people and got a good glimpse of Fijian life.
Jeff and Susan's property is the Fijian dream without the resort — the charming breezy cottage, private outdoor shower and bure, the long sandy beach with great snorkel spots out front and the pure bliss of the sound of lapping waves and nothing else. I confess that when we first visited their place, I was envious and briefly disappointed with our small cottage across the bay. Why didn't we stay here, I thought? It was as close to my Fijian dream as anywhere I had seen.
And yet, returning back to our cottage that evening, to the laughter of the neighbours out on their verandah, the yapping dogs, people passing and saying hello, I realized that the solitude and comforts of Susan and Jeff's tropic splendor meant missing all this — Fijian life up close and personal.
The best part was that Susan and Jeff invited us back to spend the day on their beach and in their bure, which gave us a taste of that experience. We truly had the best of both worlds.
Other thoughts:
• Fijians are very friendly and seem to have time for everyone to chat and socialize. The smiles are true — wide, white and welcoming. They are so genuine, smiling heartily with their eyes and hearts. Although our visit was briefly soured at the end by the theft of my water shoes and the attempted entry into our locked cottage, we felt very safe there and encountered such sweet people. No one seemed in a rush and everyone had time to speak with us and share stories. This became a huge part of our day and lead to so many new adventures. Contrast this with arriving in Auckland where everyone seems to be consumed and highly focussed with no time to stop and chat. In the first few days of being in Fiji, we met three times the amount of people we've met so far in Auckland. Jenn and I were musing if this has something to do with the unhurried pace of life in Fiji? No one seems focussed too much on anything. Here in Auckland, and in any large city, people seem to be so intent on getting things done and getting through the week, that when they finally do have down time, they just want to decompress — thoughts of socializing with people are a long way off. In Fiji, it's ALL downtime, no need to seek out decompression time. No one ever gets compressed! And therefore, they always have time for other people, whether to chat or to share a meal.
• As Jenn said, "I liked Fiji, but my body didn't. I was constantly water logged, developing heat rash and bumpy and pruney skin."
January in Fiji is not the best time and if you're planning on visiting, try to avoid the summer months. It is indeed the rainy season and although the days can be, and are sunny, it's darn hot and you can barely cut the humidity with a machete. You never feel dry — damp clothes, damp sheets, damp skin. Both of us came away with rashes on various parts of our bodies (don't ask) due to the dampness and humidity. Rakesh, our new golf pro pal who we met in Nadi, says the best time to come to Fiji is in June and July when temps are around 16 or 17 degrees C, there is no rain, plenty of breeze and no humidity. Personally, I'd take it a little warmer than that which means visiting later in the year. But January and February? — Reconsider.
• Despite the humidity, both of us felt very comfortable in Fiji. With warm (did we say warm?) water and coral reefs all around and some rugged terrain, there's plenty to do. Great kayaking, hiking, snorkeling. And lots of people to meet with. Ten days was WAAY to short — just the tip of the kava root you might say The more we were there, the more people we met and the more opportunities that arose for us. We would like to go back — yes we would!
• The fruit and vegetable options in Fiji are incredible. Terrific produce, great variety - a locavores dream! The pineapples we ate were the juiciest and sweetest we've ever had (even beating out Dominica's). The papaya (pawpaw) tasted phenomenal when squeezed over with a wedge of fresh lime. The bananas were sweet (yet somehow simultaneously tart!). The spinach, although different in leaf shape and taste (when raw) cooked up beautifully. The corn was course and very grainy, yet highly addicting. And the coriander....oh the coriander...different leaf shape entirely and a smell more potent than the Canadian version. When Jenn added some fresh to her fish curry, I had to banish her to the other side of the table. Not my favourite coriander. The taste however (so I'm told at least) is softer and more subtle.
We are still figuring out how best to post photos to our gallery. Check the Gallery link on the side bar of our blog over the next few days and hopefully we'll get posted some more photos from our Fiji adventures.
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