Tanoa International Hotel at Nadi, Fiji

I landed around 4 pm and felt so happy to be here in Fiji. The energy is warm and welcoming. The native people at the airport were greeting the passengers with a big smile and “bula bula,” and there were musicians playing traditional Fiji music near customs. Customs itself was a breeze.

I found out I’m on the 10:45 am flight to Savusavu tomorrow. I exchanged currency, took the shuttle to the hotel, and realized a good chunk of the conference crew is already here. We’re guessing there are about 25–30 people at the hotel tonight, and I’ve met most of them already.

The conference is small overall, only 110 attendees, and it officially kicked off tonight with a welcome dinner… which we missed. 🤷‍♀️

Still, about eight of us ended up having a really nice dinner together at the pool bar. I ordered the fish tandoori, and it was excellent. 🐟✨
The weather keeps shifting between cloudy and drizzly, then suddenly sunny again. It’s definitely warm, and somehow even more humid than Florida. This is their summer, and it’s monsoon season. ☁️🌦️🌞

A few Fiji facts I’m filing away: there are 14 provinces and 14 different dialects. Nadi is on Viti Levu, the largest island in Fiji. Savusavu, where I’m headed tomorrow, is a town on Vanua Levu, Fiji’s second-largest island.

It’s lovely here, and I’m ready for bed. Back home it’s after 5 am, and I’ve got an early morning to get to the airport. Goodnight from the other side of the world.Read more