Vunitogotogo Creek

Tu, 07.02. Beauty Point - Launceston
On that day we drove back to Launceston. We went again to Cataract Gorge (good hot showers), to the laundry etc before I had to say goodbye to Elisa and Cloclo and flew back to Sydney in the evening.

We, 08.02. Flight Sydney, AUS - Nadi, Fiji; Homestay
After a night at Sydney's Airport I took a 4h flight to Fiji in the morning.
We already faced some turbulences during the flight but during landing at the latest I had to realize: once again I am travelling in low season, it is cyclon/wet season and it has already been raining including heavy thunderstorms on the islands for the last 4 days; Trouble in the Paradise :P
Based on Fiji time and the weather the flight was delayed by 1h, we were greeted with typical music by local singers during immigration and I had to wait at the airport for almost 2,5h because the roads were completely flooded which made a passing almost impossible - well there is nothing you can do about the weather and after all, I am on vacation so no worries ;)
I was then already in BULA mood and spent my first night at a homestay with the locals Api, Fi (both in their late 50s), their 8 year old daughter Kalesi, the 6 months old neighbour's baby Api jr as well as dogs, cats and chicken in their village called Viseisei, approx. half an hour north of Nadi. The people are all really nice and after playing with the kids and animals for a while we had dinner: rice, noodles, vegetables and lamb sausage - traditionally eaten on the floor and with hands. They also speak 3-4 languages here: English, Fijian, Hindu and tribe or dialect. Api was then playing a bit on the guitar - a skill I should definitively learn at some point ;)

Th, 09.02. - Sa, 12.02. Mana Island
I woke up very early around 6am the next morning as Kalesi was loudly singing and getting excited to go to school which finally opened again after 3 days. The weather also looked more promising that day or at least there was no rain :)
Fi then drove me to Nadi's Beach where I took a boat to the Mamanucas or, to be more precise, to Mana Island. Again, you better get used to the famous Fiji time = take it easy, the boat was 1,5-2h delayed :P For me as traveller that's not a problem anymore, German punctuality is of no importance in these countries and I was in a chilled vacation mood anyway ;)
With my 10+5kg and an additional 6kg of water (on the islands everything is 5 times more expensive) I then had a 1h boat ride to Mana - with 70% German, 20% British and 10% Asian; we German are just everywhere :D
The Mana Lagoon Backpackers is directly located on the beach and has a very relaxed, friendly atmosphere, the friendliest people and all meals included.

By the way: the film 'Cast Away' featuring Tom Hanks was shot here and that time there were some preparations for the shooting of the second film of 'Survivor'; the crew was building the set not far away from us.

The next 3 days were then all about:
ISLAND LIFE - doing absolutely nothing, relaxing and thinking about me, my life and my trip.
Especially when travelling longer and also after all the hikes in Tassie you/ I just need a break and that literally means:
Sleeping in, eating, sunbathing, swimming, reading, snorkelling, walking along the beach or just doing nothing :)

Thursday evening we enjoyed the traditional Fiji and Bula dance as well as a fire show and I tasted Kava, the national drink made out of roots which is said to have medical functions - available in the sizes low tide, high tide and tsunami. Lovo is the traditional dish, prepared in the ground with sweet potatoes and meat. However and based on the Indian influence curry or fish meals are also quite common.

Friday was pretty relaxed: I slept until 8, had breakfast, walked along the beach inclusive free shower thanks to a sudden heavy rain, reading, relaxing etc.
In the evening we then enjoyed a very delicious fish meal served with potatoes and spinach before the boys dressed up as girls and vice versa so that we had a phenomenal and pretty funny fashion show. The sunset was spectacular and so beautiful despite or maybe even due to the clouds :)

Saturday was also very relaxing: I slept until 8, had breakfast, walked along the beach and then waited with the usual patience for the boat - based on Fiji time it was also only 1,5h later :P
In accordance with my adventure thrill the weather on the ocean and particularly on the mainland was a lot worse than on the islands so that we headed straight into the storm which basically meant:
The boat ride was with 1,5h almost twice as long, we had a lot of waves and water coming into the boat, rollercoaster feelings and free of charge salt showers as well as a different port of arrival. As usual in Fiji I was one of the few girls, there were only boys on the boat and similar to Australia and New Zealand you also only meet German :O
Nadi itself was again super flooded so that it also took an hour to get from the port to the bus station. Having arrived there you could see the strong Indian influence with a lot of Indian shops, takeaways and of course the people - in the bus and during the 1,5h ride back to Viseisei village I was again one of the few women and definitively the only white person and backpacker, see how integrated I am :P

Having arrived and with the heavy rain I caught up with the outside world after 3 days without WiFi and relaxed a bit before trying some local pancakes in the afternoon and having a really late British-Indian rice with chicken meal for dinner.

Su, 12.02. Homestay; Flight Nadi - Sydney
Unfortunately, it was impossible to sleep in that morning thanks to a neighbour's rooster and a neighbour's baby being wide awake and noisy at 6 and 6:30am ;)
After a nice breakfast we then went to church, traditionally in Fijian Sunday clothing - the majority of the population is Catholic but Fi's family and village methodistic, similar to the Anglo-American church. That was a very special experience for me for which I am very grateful.
After that we enjoyed a very traditional meal cooked in coconut milk with a whole fish (that is with eyes etc), eggplants and yellow and purple soil vegetables similar to potatoes (unfortunately I did not write down the name this time) before I had to say goodbye and had Api drive me to the airport.

After all and despite the cyclon rains and not ideal weather conditions Fiji was a nice experience for me, mainly also thanks to my 3 days/2 nights stay with locals in a typical village.
Apart from the mainland and Nadi I also saw Mana Island which was a perfect treat for me inbetween the many hikes, unpredictable weather and camping in Tasmania and shortly before the next big step heading to South America ;)

In total, I spent 347,80 FJD = approx. 160€ (accommodation, meals, transport, boat trip, others etc) and am thus with 32€/d slightly below budget ;)

Mo, 13.02. Sydney
Sydney was only a short layover stop this time with being a good airport to fly to Santiago in Chile; I have already spent a week in this city anyway.
So it was rather a short catch-up with friends but especially a lot of organisation and happy preparation for South America ;)Read more