Two weeks in the paradise of Fiji – 2010-02-11 to 2010-02-26
After a long flight of almost 12 hours (of which I slept 5 hours) from Los Angeles and minus one day, gone with the wind over the Pacific Ocean, I landed in Nadi on the 11th of February 2010. Was picked up by Noah, Paul´s cousin, where I stayed for one day, couch surfing for the first time … everything went good and Paul and Diane took good care of me. Noah helped me to book the accommodation on Mana Island since he is working in a travel agency by the airport.
On my first day in Fiji I went in to the big “city” Leuteka by buss with Diane and did some shopping before I took of to Mana Island with the Mana Flyer on the 12th February.
I stayed on Mana Island, which is about 1 hour by boat from the main island, Viti Levu, my first 10 nights in Mana Lagoon and 3 nights at Ratu Kini on Mana. Both places are for backpacker so I met new people every day and was not alone many hours. Met people from US, Holland, Sweden, Norway, Germany, England, Australia, Japan, Indonesia etc. Meals were included in both places, breakfast, lunch and dinner, all on time, which meant that I had to be there to get food. The food was good and after a few days I got used to the basic food (rice/potatoes/fish/pancakes… The only thing with Mana Lagoon was the showers which didn´t work properly and the same for the bathrooms/restrooms … I found a shower outside, where the local people went for a cold shower, I used it without complaining to Mana Lagoon. Funny comment from a local guy; Where are you going miss? – I´m off to the beach for a shower! J
On Sunday, my first week, I went to the local church, the mass was in Fijian and English, the priest thanked me for coming and gave me a blessing. I loved the singing, so beautiful and the people were so kind to me. They gave me a book so I could sing along in Fijian J
After a few days of doing not much, I got tired off my laziness and went to the local school on Mana with the American/Mexican couple who were volunteer teaching in the Mana Adventist School. I introduced myself to the principal and said that I could help out with the kids. He was pleased and happy that I came, he put me to help in the class of 1, 2 and 3 graders, the kids were between 7-9 years old. I was helping Madame K…., with English and Math. In the beginning I was her assistant and by the end when I was used to the teaching I took more room and taught by the board in front of the kids. I had so much fun teaching and helping the children … they are so behind everything, some kids couldn´t write or read and they were in the 3rd grade. I got in the routine of going to school in the morning for teaching and was free for a couple of hours in the afternoon, where I went for snorkeling and reading on the beach. So my time on Mana was a short one!
During my stay on Mana I was away from the island twice, went to the Cast Away island, where the movie was recorded (or Mouriki Island for the locals), nothing special to see but when we did some snorkeling on the way back to Mana I saw my fist big reef shark – quite close and the shark was about 2 meters long. I always thought that I would get scared of a shark in the water, but I didn´t, looked at the shark and turned away and snorkeled on …
My second encounter with a shark was by Mana island when I was snorkeling with some guys from Ratu Kini, Seth, Danny and Kim, I was the only one who saw the shark, by a large coral full of small yellow fishes, the shark came in front of me, close and was more interested in the fishes than in me haha. I have now learned the shark sign so I can show it under water next time (just put your right or left hand to your fore head with the fingers pointing forwards).
After my days on Mana, 13 nights to be precise, I took the Mana Flyer boat back to Port Denarau, on the main island. Stayed at Diane and Paul place for one night, got a delicious dinner with lots of vegetables and potatoes, drank some bier with Paul and slept for a few hours before I took the flight to Sydney in the morning. I loved Fiji and the people and kids of Fiji, if I have the opportunity to go back I´ll definitely go back to Fiji and Mana Island!
Next adventure - Australia here I come!
Fiji pictures here:
http://picasaweb.google.com/ingrideftodi/AroundTheWorld2010Fiji#
