Bula - Hello (Nadi and South Sea Island)

Bula is a universal greeting that can also be used in place of please and thankyou. After only a few hours its very sound sent a feeling of well being coursing through my body.

Views like this also made me somewhat happy...

My first night in Fiji was spent in Nadi on the mainland. I landed at about 3:00pm and made my way to my backpackers - Aquaris Pacific. It was funny though, when I landed in Vietnam last year I was offered help, and then forced to pay exuberant prices, and I expected the same in Fiji. However this was not the case. Everyone was super super friendly.

I spent two weeks at places just like this!

I arrived at my accomodation and immediately bought myself a colourful cocktail, which I drank whilst watching the sun set over the ocean. Throughout the eveining/night I invested in a full body massage, worked on my midterm report, met the staff, drank lots of beer and visited another backpackers/bar to see some AFL and firedancers. The next day I was up early to start my adventures through the Yasawa Islands.

This is South Sea Island. It was tiny in size by huge in fijiness

I was herded onto a catamaran called the Yasawa Flyer, and it took me to my first destination - South Sea Island. This was the nicest island I visited - about 400m in circumference, it was all sand, coconut trees and hammocks. My entire day was filled with sipping beer, reading my book, practising my songs for the musical, some beach volleyball with the staff, and sleeping. The biggest decision I had to make was which hammock to lie down in. That at night at dinner I met two english girls (Helen and Katie) who will make regular appearances throughout these blog entries. They were doing the same tour I was, except one day ahead. After dinner we played some organised games (crab races and dancing) where I met another two british ladies who were sailing with me the next day. Everyone went to bed early, so I stayed up drinking with the cute Aussie Dive instructor Mattie and one of the activity organisers.

My second Day on South Sea saw me boarding the seaspray for a 'sailing adventure'.

The Seaspray

We visited the island from the movie Castaway shown below









The island from the movie Castaway
(ironically Castaway Island is adifferent island) and snorkelled. Next we visited a Fijian village and met the elders. We then took part in a cava ceremony which involved a lot of clapping and Bula's. Finally I returned to South Sea and I said goodbye to my new friends, never to see them again (or remember their names).









Fijian village
Once again I found my Fijian friend and he invited me to join the rest of the staff for more Cava. Cava basically tastes like dirty water and its supposed to make your face go numb. I was suitably toasted so not to notice any more effects. It was this night that I met Tom, a Swiss bloke who was also doing my tour. He was a day behind me and will feature in most of my inebriated stories.

One of the lovely English ladies from South Sea;
I was sad when they left, but in Fiji there are always
friends to be found.