Blogs from the past- The South Pacific- Part Quatre.

Wednesday, August 09, 2006
Country 3 of 3- Fiji- Yes Naomi I am alive, kinda
Fiji and a little closing on Sydney

I finished out my time in Sydney by going to the opera at the Sydney Opera House. It was "Turandot" by Puccini. It was pretty much the only opera I have ever heard of. It was kinda of a romantic plot after the first couple of guys got killed off. I would recommend it. I can't really remember what else I did in Sydney so I think I will just go onto Fiji.

"Bula" (That means hello in Fijian, yep I am almost fluent)
So I arrived in Fiji and at the airport there were a bunch of Fijian's singing and welcoming. I loved it already. Random people ushering you through the airport to the shuttle for the hostel, confusion arose but I went with it. Then the guy turns on the blaring Fiji music while telling us where "not" to go after 10 pm. It was like a tour through the ghetto. After we got to the hostel they just took down our name and ushered us off to a room with a guy in a security guard outfit leading each of us to our room. It was the weirdest thing.
A thing I came to learn about Fiji was that it was it's own little world and in that world they had their own time frame and their own rules. So when I went to dinner for the first time I was slightly confused. I learned that you sit their and wait for 20 minutes for them to bring you a menu where they immediately ask if you if you know what you want? Which of course you don't because you haven't read the menu so you frantically pick something. Then it takes a good 20 more minutes to actually get your food which will not at all be hot or even warm. Then you have to chase the waitress down for the bill which will take another good 10 minutes. Its what they call "Fiji time." You can't do anything in a hurry there. But I got used to it.
The first day I was there I went into town (Nadi) and wow was that a culture shock. So there were Indians and Fijians and then everyone who was white was obviously a tourist. I had never felt like a minority before that time. But on the drive back to the hotel I drove by what you would likely find in a rather undeveloped country; a McDonald's. I even took a picture.
Well my days in Fiji pretty much consisted of me waking up at about 10am, sitting by the pool and occasionally eating. And then the sun would eventually set and then I would eat something else and watch the nightly movie which were always the weirdest American movies they could find to bring into the country via counterfiting in Thailand. Then I would get up the next day and do it all over again. I have never done so little so many days continuosly. It was awesome. On the last day I went out to one of the islands called "Treasure Island." I picked that one because it sounded the most piratey. My activities were quite similar to my time at the resort but just on the beach instead of the pool. I went snorkeling though. It was awesome. Maybe 5 feet off the beach there were reefs and there were tons of cool fish. It was slightly better than snorkeling at the GB Reef because it was warm and you could see everything so clearly. After about 20 minutes I saw a reef shark and then I got the hell out of the water. My flight was at 10pm that night and I headed back to the good ole US of A. I ended up with a 5 hour lay over in LAX which was lovely to say the least (You got the sarcasm on that one right?). No celebrities this time though which was slightly disappointing. And my flight was only delayed by 30 minutes and I made it home alive.
All in all it was a good time although I caught what I am refering to as the "Fiji Flu" and I also had a little mishap and fell on my knee so with the cough and the bum leg I really felt like a pirate afterwards. It was a good time and I am glad that I went. I will post some pictures soon which will show my journeys. Until another trip. Farewell.