All right...this blog is going to be short and sweet due to the fact I had to buy an internet card and have limited time.
My last few days in Fiji have been awesome and wildly crazy. Day time is usually pretty chill but night time is a completely different story...I do not know how my body was able to handle it ...actually it gave up on my the other night. We started drinking lightly and then two decks of cards and Bounty rum came out and it was over from there we ended up getting everyone skinny dipping in the pool at who knows what time. I lost my clothes of course and then spent half the night puking in the toilet lol. I felt horrible. Thank god travellers look out for eachother because everyone kept checking on me. One of the English guys was like "Emmie I found your pants and shirt" oh boy...can't wait for those pictures haha.
Yesterday a bunch of us packed up and moved closer to the airport. Smugglers Cove, definately not Beachouse. We were so spoiled over there. Its almost like a big resort with an ugly beach view and not overly great service, but, Matt and I ended up in a private room which was awesome because I literally unpacked everything and organized all my stuff including sewing my first patch on my backpack! Some of the girls are heading over to Mana today and convinced me to change my flight and stay in Fiji an extra $5 days. Was all over it but changing my flight was pricey and then I would've had to change my Aussie flight as well and just decided to go forward to New Zealand.
Paige is here (Canadian from flight I met on the way here) we have the same flight out today and it's her BDay so we are gonna have a few on the plane and then go out in Auckland tonight. I can't believe I am flying to a new country today...New Zealand...I am really excited. Its to say "oh ya I am just heading to NZ today" lol what a life.
I do have to mention something that Simona asked me to write about. The day we went jungle treking we were heading back and all I here is something that sounded like "foreskin sandwchich:" "Foreskin sandwhich? is that some sort of wierd english saying or snack I don't know about?" we laughed so hard, she had said flaskin sandwhich - I still don't know what that is.
Fiji has been amazing!!! I am so glad I came here...I feel a little homesick from the Beachouse...we had a really great group of people staying there but it is time to move on...i really was getting tired of doing nothing lol. The sky here is beautiful...a completely different sky then at home...I couldn't find anything familiar in it. It really does make you feel like you are in a different world...and I saw quite a lot of shooting starts when I sat star gazing one night.
Anyways I must check out and try and get my papers printed or I can't get on my flight. Next time we speak I will be in New Zealand.
Talk soon
Wednesday, March 9, 2011
Sunday, March 6, 2011
BULA and Welcome to Paradise!
Bula and welcome to Paradise...and Paradise is exactly what it is here. It's so green with sky's of the bluest blue with perfectly white fluffy clouds. I'm so relaxed and at home here...I'm actually so relaxed that writing this blog is an effort also taking into cinsideration I just had an hour massage lol...everything is on Fiji time, no one wears a watch and has no concept of time. The smallest thing takes effort because everyone is just so relaxed and worries about nothing. I guess I should start off with getting here and mmy adventures and then get to the laziness.
My adventure in was fun...long but fun. I arrived at LAX with a 9 hour layover and I couldn't check in till 430 so I basically waited around, ate some Mackers and red my book. I counted down the minutes till I could wait in line to check in. I ended up meeting this Aussie - Luke - who was just on his way home from about a six week travel and had been to Fiji and was giving me the scoop. We sat in the terminal together and ended up meeting Paige (a Canadian) who was travelling for her first time and starting her journey in Fiji. Then we met Craig who was another Aussie on his way home as well. It was about a four hour wait till we board the plane so it was really nice to pass the time shooting the shit with people. Finally we could board the plane. This thing was massive it went on forever and it was two levels with beach music playing. I was really nervous about this thing even being able to take off lol. Take off!!! So usually on planes the seatbelt sign doesn't go off until the plane has leveled...apparantly not with Pacific Air. The plane is still climbing and the sign goes "bing" and goes out and without wasting anytime everyone is up and out of there seats with the plane on an angle I couldn't believe it, but no one got in trouble so I got up and walked over to Luke we were trying to find 4 seats together so the 4 of us could chat for the long 11 hours we had ahead of us. Craig came over and said he found 4 seats close to the front in the first row. Perfect! So we grabbed Paige and headed to our new seats.
Now let me tell you about international flying...it's so much better then domestic. 2 meals, blankets, pillows, 2 meals and FREE beer and wine, yup FREE! So our plan was to get pretty wasted on the flight. One glass of red wine and two beers later I am out like a light- first one to fall asleep as usual. I ended up sleeping for about 6 hours. When I woke up I had no idea what time it was because I hadn't changed my watch and it was still dark out, but they were serving breakfast :) so we got some rubbery dried out eggs in us and chatted the last two hours.
We landed in Fiji at about 5am. When you get off the plane and walk into the airport there is a Fiji Band in Bula (Hawaiin) Shirts playing a Fiji welcome song!!! Loved it. We said goodbye to the guys (my first 24hour friends of my travels) and went to go pick up our bags. It took about an hour and then we went through customs which was easy..."How long are you here?" - "A week" - "Welcome to Paradise". I was so excited!!! We walk outside and it was sooooooooooo hot it took less then 1 minute for me to start sweating in jeans and a tshirt. Paige had to go check a locker for her snowboard so I went to go change into leggings, flip flops and a tank top which still was to hot lol. Paige and I parted ways and are meeting up again when we leave because we have the same flight into Auckland and it's her 20th Bday so we may have a few drinks lol.
I had to catch the bus to the Coral Coast to where I was staying. So after about 20 minutes the bus arrived and I wass on my way with a very interesting yet beautiful bus ride. The bus was old and made really wierd and scary banging noises. The seats were all brown leather and the stick shift was the size of an oversized dildo covered in big brown leather tassles that went crazy and danced like one of the girls from the 20's everytime we hit a bump. There are people and children just randomly walking the streets...I dont know how they know where to stand and wait for the bus because some would just stand literally at the side and wave their hands for the bus to stop. Then a guy would tell them their fare - depending on where they were going - give them a ticket and then off we went - they never even closed the door to the bus. I couldn't take my eyes of the scenery, I had never seen anything like it, I didn't even take pictures because I was to busy taking it all in. I couldn't get over how green it was and the foliage that literally covers the landscape. Every tree you could think of all mixed together covered by green hanging ivy and palm trees poking there head through the jungle that literally is everywhere. There are cows wandering free grazing off to the side of the road and drinking out of ditches, men riding horses and horses tied up outside a village. The villages here are so interesting they are little and their houses or more like huts which are literally just put up where there is a spot and they are all built differently...clay, bamboo, corrugated metal. There are people selling fresh fruit, three year olds walking miles along the only road that goes from one town to the next and some bus stops are made just out of logs with a roof. It was such a culture shock and...they also drive on the left side of the road here which I find really uncomfortable because everytime I see a car going the other way I thnk we are in the wrong lane and they drive pretty fast so I wasn't sure if I was even going to make it to the hostel in one piece. About an hour into the bus ride we stopped in a town called Singatoka at the market. The bus driver gets up and looks right at my boobs...I completely forgot my tank top was mesh, I was so tired and hot when I got to the airport and didn't put my bando under it...and then a younger bus driver gets on and he checked them out too and then everyone gets off the bus and it's only me. So now my anxiety kicks in. I'm hungry but refuse to get off the bus and I really have to pee, I here the back of the bus thumping and now start thinking they have run off with my backpack, I then think "OMG what if they completely past my stop and kidnap me...no one will know I didn't arrive...I have paid for my stay they have my money it won't make a difference. WHAT THE HELL DID I GET MYSELF INTO! WHO'S BRIGHT IDEA WAS IT FOR ME TO DO THIS, WHAT THE FUCK AM I DOING! I really was panicking plus I am culture shocked, exhausted and overwhelmed. as these thoughts went through my head I was watching the people in the market. A woman came on and handed the driver some water and put some bags down at the front. A woman got on the bus and started talking to the driver like she knew him and then looked at me and said "Bula are you going to Suva or a resort" then everyone starts getting back on the bus the woman who brought the water to the driver picked up the bags from the front and found a seat and then the original driver got back on and the new one got off. It was literally a pit stop for everyone and then we were on our way. The gentleman taking everyones fair checked my ticket and said don't worry we will get you to the Beachouse. When the woman infront of me got to her stop she turned to look at me and said "have a wonderful time" - I was kind of relieved because the soap they use here has a wierd sweat smell to it and I could tell she had just showered and it was all I could smell. At this point my anxiety was dissolving and I felt better though I was still worried my backpack wasn't going to be arriving with me. All in all it was a really interesting ride, anxiety and all, I was really intrigued about how nice everyone was to me and to eachother like everyone was family and they all seemed really happy.
At about 10am the bus pulls over and said it was my stop so I get off and the ticket guy grabs my backpack..woohoo it made it to the beachouse. I cross the road and walk down a long ass driveway surrounded by coconut trees to a small little building that claims to be the reception. I walk in, everything is set to go and I am taken to my room. I walk in waking up a guy sleeping in the one of the bunks. He had just arrived at midnight and was trying to catch some sleep. We introduced our selves and then I left to check out the grounds. Talk about fucking paradise, it's so beautiful here. A fresh water pool that looks out on to the ocean everything here is surrounded by coconut trees...there is a bar and a pool table, coconut jewelery making, a cafe, beach volleyball court and everying is open concept with benches and big dining tables, couches, hammocks that hang from coconut trees on the beach and everything here that is offered I mean everything down to a chair, every inch of this place gets used nothing is wasted it's amazing. There is always someone somewhere. As I walk down to the beach I see (Matthew) my roommate and we decide to hit the pool. As we are walking to our dorms - which are so spacious, clean and all done with fresh white sheets - I mention I had a bottle of rum and don't want to drink it on my own, but it has to be at noon because I dont want to look too much like an alcoholic. That was the end of it! 8 hours later the bottle was done and we were wasted and sunburned and started getting drinks from the bar then there ended up being a bit of a party that night so i ended up meeting a few more people. Matthew decided to tell everyone we were marriedd and started calling me wifey, to funny.
The next day we did a jungle trek. It was really beautiful and reallly a jungle though next time I am not going to wear flip flops. It was about four hours of hard treking and a lot of mud but the treasure was getting to swim at the Navola Waterfall at the end. We saw huge bamboo trees, and a house made out of bamboo leaves that a famly was building for themselves. Another family lived up on a hill in the jungle and when we walked by the would yell down "BULA" and wave at us. The Fiji people live off the land, they grow their food and build their own houses and love eachother they are so amazingly friendly. I have never met anyone like them, nothing seems an inconvenience to them if you need something. We even stopped outside a local school and two young boys saw us and came over to shake our hands and sit with us. Their culture and personalities are so beautiful. Our guide Juta said they dont have much and live simple but they are rich in life. It really made me realize we really dont need much in life.
The next day I went on a trip to the capital Suva. We got dropped off for an hour. I literally wanted to turn around and go back to the hostel. It was dirty and there was a mall and it was like being back in civilization it really took away from the culture of Fiji. We then got dropped off at a rugby tournament and it rained and after the rain it got so hot. Plus I was wearing a sweater because the first day drinking with Matthew I had gotten a bad burn so I was really happy when we got picked up 3 hours later.
The last few days I haven't really done anything but enjoy Bounty rum - which is 58% - and relax. I have met some really amazing people. My roommate changed his flight and is flying into Auckland on Thursday as well and staying at the same hostel as me which will be nice. Simona from Bristol. Dave and Stacey a really awesome couple who I will be meeting up with to go to India and so many others. There are about 15 of us that have been hanging out and have become the Beachouse family. No one wants to leave here Dave and Stacey forgot when they were leaving because they have lost track of time lol. I have met a ton of english people and quite a few Canadians, I can pick out there accents its so wierd and the English tell me I have a strong accent, Simona says she wishes she had an accent haha and she has a beautiful English accent its so wierd how we hear eachother.
I have made coconut jewellery and a crazy ass game of beach volleyball. It was a mixed game but then these for young English guys joined, the girls jumped out and i was left making the teams equal. The English guys were really good and the dynamic of the game completely changed with me trying not to get hit in the face and look a little bit athletic.
It really is amazing here, I have never seen anything like it, I am beyond relaxed and am going to have a hard time leaving and am hoping to come back at some point during my trip. I really tried to make this blog interesting but its such an effort to do anything here. Someone said today "I am to lazy to even go sit on the beach" lol hard to fathom but its so true. I feel like I have been here forever, when people ask me how long I have been here it really takes me a long time to figure it out because I don't usually know time it is. When afternoon tea and scones are served its 330, when everyone drinks its happy hour meaning its between 5-7, and when they bang the drums that means dinner is ready so its between 7 and 8 and when it gets dark the party starts lol...
The days here are really chilled out, people go snorkeling or on treks or lie on the beach and night time is when everyone gets together and enjoys pints of beer and bounty and coke. The gekos sing at night. I had about six in my room the other night, they are really chatty little things and then I kept hearing banging noises like something fell. It was the coconuts falling from the trees. Simona and I bought one down the street. I was so excited for my very own coconut but was so disappointed when we opened it, the milk was yucky and the meat didn't taste good, they definatly don't taste like I thought they would, I was really disappointed :( Oh well
Well not sure what I am going to do for the rest of my day we have just sat through a tropical storm for the past hour but I think the sun is about to shine its hot rays again. I will get pictures up soon just having a bit of a problem getting them on my computer :)
Take care and i will try and get one more Fiji post going before I head to Auckland.
My adventure in was fun...long but fun. I arrived at LAX with a 9 hour layover and I couldn't check in till 430 so I basically waited around, ate some Mackers and red my book. I counted down the minutes till I could wait in line to check in. I ended up meeting this Aussie - Luke - who was just on his way home from about a six week travel and had been to Fiji and was giving me the scoop. We sat in the terminal together and ended up meeting Paige (a Canadian) who was travelling for her first time and starting her journey in Fiji. Then we met Craig who was another Aussie on his way home as well. It was about a four hour wait till we board the plane so it was really nice to pass the time shooting the shit with people. Finally we could board the plane. This thing was massive it went on forever and it was two levels with beach music playing. I was really nervous about this thing even being able to take off lol. Take off!!! So usually on planes the seatbelt sign doesn't go off until the plane has leveled...apparantly not with Pacific Air. The plane is still climbing and the sign goes "bing" and goes out and without wasting anytime everyone is up and out of there seats with the plane on an angle I couldn't believe it, but no one got in trouble so I got up and walked over to Luke we were trying to find 4 seats together so the 4 of us could chat for the long 11 hours we had ahead of us. Craig came over and said he found 4 seats close to the front in the first row. Perfect! So we grabbed Paige and headed to our new seats.
Now let me tell you about international flying...it's so much better then domestic. 2 meals, blankets, pillows, 2 meals and FREE beer and wine, yup FREE! So our plan was to get pretty wasted on the flight. One glass of red wine and two beers later I am out like a light- first one to fall asleep as usual. I ended up sleeping for about 6 hours. When I woke up I had no idea what time it was because I hadn't changed my watch and it was still dark out, but they were serving breakfast :) so we got some rubbery dried out eggs in us and chatted the last two hours.
We landed in Fiji at about 5am. When you get off the plane and walk into the airport there is a Fiji Band in Bula (Hawaiin) Shirts playing a Fiji welcome song!!! Loved it. We said goodbye to the guys (my first 24hour friends of my travels) and went to go pick up our bags. It took about an hour and then we went through customs which was easy..."How long are you here?" - "A week" - "Welcome to Paradise". I was so excited!!! We walk outside and it was sooooooooooo hot it took less then 1 minute for me to start sweating in jeans and a tshirt. Paige had to go check a locker for her snowboard so I went to go change into leggings, flip flops and a tank top which still was to hot lol. Paige and I parted ways and are meeting up again when we leave because we have the same flight into Auckland and it's her 20th Bday so we may have a few drinks lol.
I had to catch the bus to the Coral Coast to where I was staying. So after about 20 minutes the bus arrived and I wass on my way with a very interesting yet beautiful bus ride. The bus was old and made really wierd and scary banging noises. The seats were all brown leather and the stick shift was the size of an oversized dildo covered in big brown leather tassles that went crazy and danced like one of the girls from the 20's everytime we hit a bump. There are people and children just randomly walking the streets...I dont know how they know where to stand and wait for the bus because some would just stand literally at the side and wave their hands for the bus to stop. Then a guy would tell them their fare - depending on where they were going - give them a ticket and then off we went - they never even closed the door to the bus. I couldn't take my eyes of the scenery, I had never seen anything like it, I didn't even take pictures because I was to busy taking it all in. I couldn't get over how green it was and the foliage that literally covers the landscape. Every tree you could think of all mixed together covered by green hanging ivy and palm trees poking there head through the jungle that literally is everywhere. There are cows wandering free grazing off to the side of the road and drinking out of ditches, men riding horses and horses tied up outside a village. The villages here are so interesting they are little and their houses or more like huts which are literally just put up where there is a spot and they are all built differently...clay, bamboo, corrugated metal. There are people selling fresh fruit, three year olds walking miles along the only road that goes from one town to the next and some bus stops are made just out of logs with a roof. It was such a culture shock and...they also drive on the left side of the road here which I find really uncomfortable because everytime I see a car going the other way I thnk we are in the wrong lane and they drive pretty fast so I wasn't sure if I was even going to make it to the hostel in one piece. About an hour into the bus ride we stopped in a town called Singatoka at the market. The bus driver gets up and looks right at my boobs...I completely forgot my tank top was mesh, I was so tired and hot when I got to the airport and didn't put my bando under it...and then a younger bus driver gets on and he checked them out too and then everyone gets off the bus and it's only me. So now my anxiety kicks in. I'm hungry but refuse to get off the bus and I really have to pee, I here the back of the bus thumping and now start thinking they have run off with my backpack, I then think "OMG what if they completely past my stop and kidnap me...no one will know I didn't arrive...I have paid for my stay they have my money it won't make a difference. WHAT THE HELL DID I GET MYSELF INTO! WHO'S BRIGHT IDEA WAS IT FOR ME TO DO THIS, WHAT THE FUCK AM I DOING! I really was panicking plus I am culture shocked, exhausted and overwhelmed. as these thoughts went through my head I was watching the people in the market. A woman came on and handed the driver some water and put some bags down at the front. A woman got on the bus and started talking to the driver like she knew him and then looked at me and said "Bula are you going to Suva or a resort" then everyone starts getting back on the bus the woman who brought the water to the driver picked up the bags from the front and found a seat and then the original driver got back on and the new one got off. It was literally a pit stop for everyone and then we were on our way. The gentleman taking everyones fair checked my ticket and said don't worry we will get you to the Beachouse. When the woman infront of me got to her stop she turned to look at me and said "have a wonderful time" - I was kind of relieved because the soap they use here has a wierd sweat smell to it and I could tell she had just showered and it was all I could smell. At this point my anxiety was dissolving and I felt better though I was still worried my backpack wasn't going to be arriving with me. All in all it was a really interesting ride, anxiety and all, I was really intrigued about how nice everyone was to me and to eachother like everyone was family and they all seemed really happy.
At about 10am the bus pulls over and said it was my stop so I get off and the ticket guy grabs my backpack..woohoo it made it to the beachouse. I cross the road and walk down a long ass driveway surrounded by coconut trees to a small little building that claims to be the reception. I walk in, everything is set to go and I am taken to my room. I walk in waking up a guy sleeping in the one of the bunks. He had just arrived at midnight and was trying to catch some sleep. We introduced our selves and then I left to check out the grounds. Talk about fucking paradise, it's so beautiful here. A fresh water pool that looks out on to the ocean everything here is surrounded by coconut trees...there is a bar and a pool table, coconut jewelery making, a cafe, beach volleyball court and everying is open concept with benches and big dining tables, couches, hammocks that hang from coconut trees on the beach and everything here that is offered I mean everything down to a chair, every inch of this place gets used nothing is wasted it's amazing. There is always someone somewhere. As I walk down to the beach I see (Matthew) my roommate and we decide to hit the pool. As we are walking to our dorms - which are so spacious, clean and all done with fresh white sheets - I mention I had a bottle of rum and don't want to drink it on my own, but it has to be at noon because I dont want to look too much like an alcoholic. That was the end of it! 8 hours later the bottle was done and we were wasted and sunburned and started getting drinks from the bar then there ended up being a bit of a party that night so i ended up meeting a few more people. Matthew decided to tell everyone we were marriedd and started calling me wifey, to funny.
The next day we did a jungle trek. It was really beautiful and reallly a jungle though next time I am not going to wear flip flops. It was about four hours of hard treking and a lot of mud but the treasure was getting to swim at the Navola Waterfall at the end. We saw huge bamboo trees, and a house made out of bamboo leaves that a famly was building for themselves. Another family lived up on a hill in the jungle and when we walked by the would yell down "BULA" and wave at us. The Fiji people live off the land, they grow their food and build their own houses and love eachother they are so amazingly friendly. I have never met anyone like them, nothing seems an inconvenience to them if you need something. We even stopped outside a local school and two young boys saw us and came over to shake our hands and sit with us. Their culture and personalities are so beautiful. Our guide Juta said they dont have much and live simple but they are rich in life. It really made me realize we really dont need much in life.
The next day I went on a trip to the capital Suva. We got dropped off for an hour. I literally wanted to turn around and go back to the hostel. It was dirty and there was a mall and it was like being back in civilization it really took away from the culture of Fiji. We then got dropped off at a rugby tournament and it rained and after the rain it got so hot. Plus I was wearing a sweater because the first day drinking with Matthew I had gotten a bad burn so I was really happy when we got picked up 3 hours later.
The last few days I haven't really done anything but enjoy Bounty rum - which is 58% - and relax. I have met some really amazing people. My roommate changed his flight and is flying into Auckland on Thursday as well and staying at the same hostel as me which will be nice. Simona from Bristol. Dave and Stacey a really awesome couple who I will be meeting up with to go to India and so many others. There are about 15 of us that have been hanging out and have become the Beachouse family. No one wants to leave here Dave and Stacey forgot when they were leaving because they have lost track of time lol. I have met a ton of english people and quite a few Canadians, I can pick out there accents its so wierd and the English tell me I have a strong accent, Simona says she wishes she had an accent haha and she has a beautiful English accent its so wierd how we hear eachother.
I have made coconut jewellery and a crazy ass game of beach volleyball. It was a mixed game but then these for young English guys joined, the girls jumped out and i was left making the teams equal. The English guys were really good and the dynamic of the game completely changed with me trying not to get hit in the face and look a little bit athletic.
It really is amazing here, I have never seen anything like it, I am beyond relaxed and am going to have a hard time leaving and am hoping to come back at some point during my trip. I really tried to make this blog interesting but its such an effort to do anything here. Someone said today "I am to lazy to even go sit on the beach" lol hard to fathom but its so true. I feel like I have been here forever, when people ask me how long I have been here it really takes me a long time to figure it out because I don't usually know time it is. When afternoon tea and scones are served its 330, when everyone drinks its happy hour meaning its between 5-7, and when they bang the drums that means dinner is ready so its between 7 and 8 and when it gets dark the party starts lol...
The days here are really chilled out, people go snorkeling or on treks or lie on the beach and night time is when everyone gets together and enjoys pints of beer and bounty and coke. The gekos sing at night. I had about six in my room the other night, they are really chatty little things and then I kept hearing banging noises like something fell. It was the coconuts falling from the trees. Simona and I bought one down the street. I was so excited for my very own coconut but was so disappointed when we opened it, the milk was yucky and the meat didn't taste good, they definatly don't taste like I thought they would, I was really disappointed :( Oh well
Well not sure what I am going to do for the rest of my day we have just sat through a tropical storm for the past hour but I think the sun is about to shine its hot rays again. I will get pictures up soon just having a bit of a problem getting them on my computer :)
Take care and i will try and get one more Fiji post going before I head to Auckland.
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