16/01/2023 From Hawaii to Fiji
Back to the future
Since the flight from Hawaii to Fiji was a night flight, we were running on only 3 hours of sleep. Instead of being “behind” everyone else in the world in Hawaii, we now overtook everyone and missed an entire day! So Sunday, the 15th of January, never existed for us! That’s definitely a first.
What to expect
Fiji
A unique welcoming
At the airport in Fiji three Fijian welcomed us by playing the guitar and singing at the same time. It was so sweet!
Furthermore, they gave out Fiji water for free at the airport. I’m talking about the expensive bottles that only celebrities drink 😉.
The kindest locals
It quickly became obvious to us how kind-hearted, friendly and welcoming all the Fijians were! From the airport staff, over to the taxi driver, to the hotel staff – everyone welcomed us with a warm “Bula” (= “welcome/ hello” in Fiji).
Eat a typical Fijian kokoda
After checking in at our hostel “Bluewater Lodge”, we walked to the beach to have lunch. We found a great restaurant called “Sailor’s Beach”, which was located right at the beach. I ordered a typical fish kokoda with cassava.
Kokoda, Fiji’s national dish, is a kind of ceviche made using just-caught, local fish, marinated in lime juice and served with a zingy salad. The key to making good kokoda is the miti — a kind of coconut milk-mix which balances the acidity of the lime with the sweetness of the coconut.”
comohotels.com/stories/cuisine/cooking-with-coconuts
Even though it was a little too spicy for me, it still tasted great (and with the view and the mojito even better 😉).
Watch sunset
After sorting out the next few days in Fiji, we walked back to “Sailor’s Beach” for banana-peanut butter smoothies and for sunset. On the one side we saw a beautiful sunset, while a huge rainbow appeared on the other side. What a great first day in Fiji!
Drink kava
While watching sunset, we started talking to a local, who was drinking something out of a big bowl with a small coconut cup. Our guesses were right: it was kava!
Kava is a depressant drug, which means it slows down the messages travelling between the brain and the body. Kava is made from the root or stump of the kava shrub.”
adf.org
After he explained to us what it is and how it’s made, he offered us a drink too. Since covid doesn’t really “exist” on this trip, we were happy to share a coconut cup with him in order to try this famous drink. To be honest, it tasted and looked like dirty water and was pretty disgusting! But it’s all about the experience. We will probably drink it again in a “kava ceremony” on one of the islands in the next few days.
17/01/2023 Fiji
Spend a day at Malamala Beach Club
Today it was time for us being flashpackers again, since we were spending one day on a small island which consists of only one resort called Malamala Beach Club.
The tiny island is just a 35-minute-boat ride away from the main port Denarau.
When we arrived, we couldn’t believe it! There were hammocks and sunbeds everywhere! The resort had its own restaurant and bar and an infinity pool right by the ocean! We walked around the whole island in 20 minutes. (It would have taken us only five minutes without all the photo stops.)
Drink lots of fresh coconuts
We found a deserted place on the island, grabbed two beanbags (maybe not that deserted after all) and relaxed in the shade with Fiji water and a fresh coconut.
A dip in the infinity pool
After some relaxation and a quick bath in the ocean, we went into the infinity pool – for some more relaxation. Island life can be tough 😉.
Go stand-up paddling
Before our boat picked us up to go back to the main island in the afternoon, we went stand-up paddling. All the non-motorized sports, like snorkeling, kayaking and stand-up paddling were included in the price (around 60€ incl. the shuttle to the port and the boat to the island).
On the SUBs the current seemed quite strong. So going back to the shore took us a bit longer and gave us just enough time to pay our tab and catch the boat in time. Our “great” time management is a reoccurring theme.
Eat Indian food
After catching sunset at our beach near our hostel just in time, we went out for dinner at an Indian restaurant, called “Sitar Indian and Thai Restaurant”. This restaurant got recommended to us by our taxi driver who called himself “Dan, the man” (who again was so friendly, like everyone here so far). Having Indian food in Fiji sounds weird at first. But the Fijian cuisine has been heavily influenced by being part of the British Empire. The British system then brought many Indians to the islands, greatly contributing to the modern cuisines.
Indo-Fijians also known as Indian Fijians are Fijian citizens of South Asian descent, and include people who trace their ancestry to various regions of India. […] Indians in Fiji speak Fiji Hindi.”
wikipedia.org
The staff at this restaurant was so friendly and the food was really tasty, which only fitted to the rest of this day! Fiji is starting off VERY strong!
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Well written. Enjoyed the photos. Was never on my radar to visit but now…. Seems like the perfect place for a very relaxing holiday! 😃❤️
Yes, it was indeed very relaxing! We can highly recommend it :-)!!