Back on the Mainland

Bula once again from beautiful, yet rainy Fiji!!! Returned from our awesome island hopping experience. We had an amazing time, even with the last couple days of rain.



To add to the last email that I sent, I forgot to mention that when we were in the restaurant at Nadi Bay CNN was on the TV and they showed the NYC new years count down live. So, that was pretty cool, considering it was about 6:00pm on January 1st for us. Well, lo and behold, what do they flip to afterwards....a live Guitar drop from downtown Nashville, so at 7:00 pm on January 1st, we saw on live TV, Nashville ring in New Years. Laughing at the guitar not going all the way down though, but thought it was pretty cool that we got to celebrate with everyone back home, even though I was in a sun dress and everyone on TV was bundled up!!!



On Monday, 1/3/11 we boarded the Yasawa Flyer for a 4 and a half hour boat ride to our first island resort of Nabua Lodge (I saw resort, but we stayed in the dorms). It was a nice boat ride....got to sit on the top deck and soak up some sun...a little too much on my chest, but it's all good! We arrived and were taken to our dorm, which was actually a hut...grass roof and all. It was amazining. We were the only people in that dorm...there were only 13 guest at the resort. It looked as if they just built on a bathroom out of metal tin, which was the shower and toilet. It had some windows for light. Above the door leading into the bathroom was a sign that said, Mind Your Head....Angie and I didn't have any problems!!! We also had our mosquito nets here. Outside was tons and tons of hammocks under trees. I have decided that I think we (meaning my parents) should build a hut on the farm next to the pond....grass roof and all!!! How cool would that be?!?!? We walked to the tea house, where a local villager makes cake and serves tea for $4 every afternoon. It was a fresh baked lemon cake...although it was orange and tasted like an orange cake. She said she meant to make pineapple, but forgot the pineapple in the village. Come to find out that's what she told the people who went there the next day as well. After wards, we made our way to the tip of the island where there is a clift that juts out into the water. It was a magnificent view. This is the Blue Lagoon area, where the movie was filmed close by. That night after dinner we did the Bula dance....which I might be breaking out next time we go dancing and then we set around with some Germans, Austrians, and Aussies and played Hearts until 10:00, which is when the electricity goes out. They only have electricity for a couple of hours a day.



On Tuesday, 1/4/11, we went on the cave trip. Just swam around the cave. It was very nice. Afterwards, we laid around in the hammocks until our new BFF Joe taught us to weave baskets. We figured if we wanted to move to Fiji we should pick up a trade....basket weaving is not for me!! Joe did most of the work....but I know have a basket made out of palm tree leaves....hopefully they'll turn brown so we can get them through customs. Joe worked at Nabua and was one of my favorite people that we met. He said that we look about 22 or 23 and was super suprised to learn that we were there for our 30th birthday. He asked, why do you look so young then???? He also said we should move to Fiji and marry a Fijian man. We asked if he had facebook and his response was, what's facebook. JOE!!! I just wanted to put him in my pocket and bring him home with me. He took us the the village later on where we met the chief. He came to Washington DC last year. I asked if it was for official chief business, but he said no, just to visit family. He was there in the winter and I'm pretty sure it was a culture shock for him!!! Afterwards, he invited us to tea with him. It consisted of us sitting on a mat under a tree drinking hot chocolate. We were given a plate with 2 pieces of cake, a piece of lemon pie, and some crackers....at 4:30 in the afternoon!!! So hot!!! I tried eating as much as I could because I thought it was rude not to eat everything the chief offers, but luckily I got out of it. Afterwards we went to the "market" where ladies were sitting under a tree selling "home made" items. Home made my butt...but I still bought a few things!!! Joe bought us some Kava while we were there, so a group of us stayed up real late drinking kave. Kava is a tree root here, that is a drink. It's actually used as a sleeping pill in Europe...makes your tongue and lips numb. It was a blast!



Nabua spoiled us....2 nights of our own room and fantastic people. We hated to leave them, but on Wednesday 1/5/11 we took the boat back down to Korovue. It started raining here and really hasn't let up much. Not too much to do. Everytime I went to the hammock and started raining. We were only here for one night and it consisted of us playing cards or reading.



Thursday, 1/6/11, we transfered down to Waya Lailai Ecohaven Resort for 2 nights. It started raining while on the boat and about the time we got off the bottom dropped out. We were soaked! Gotta laugh though, because we are in Fiji. This was a beautiful place. It was on the base of a mountain, and we were kind of up the mountain some. Beautiful views...even in the rain. We met some nice people here and once again it consisted of reading undercover. On Friday 1/7/11 we took a snorkling trip out to the reefs. The waves were pretty rough, but no rain. There was a man and little boy that we dropped off in the middle of no where....come to find out they were spear fishing and we picked them up on the way back. They go a little bit farther out to the middle of no where and drop us off so we can snorkle. It was beautiful and oh yeah....there were sharks!!! Luckily they were reef sharks....which are friendly. It was great. On the way back, after picking up the man and boy and a couple of funny looking fish, we were heading back when the boat kept breaking down....it would run a few minutes, then break down, and on and on and on.....so, it took us a little bit longer to get back....once again, you can only laugh. We came back and had lunch and after lunch we sat out back and weaved bracelets with the local ladies.....like I said, we need a trade!!!



This whole time we are trying to dry our clothes out, with no luck. About the time they dried, it would rain again. Oh well......on Friday afternoon 1/7/11 we transferred to Beachcomber island. We were a little iffy because this is the "party" island and a 120 bunk dorm!!! Well, it was awesome. Dorms split up for male and females and walls seperating some of it. They had a Fijian band who sung everything, including Diamond Rio's ( I think) Meet in the Middle. Is that the name of it....the letter from Grampa to the Grandma about working, etc...something. I filmed it cause it was so hilarious. Afterwards it turned into a night club....all sand floor of course. Tons of fun and lots of friends we had met on the way there. We lasted til about 12:30, which was great for us! Today 1/8/11 we were suppose to do the Sea Spray sailing, which takes us to the cast away island. Well, due to the weather, it was cancelled, so we took an earlier boat back to Nadi. Sometimes, I feel like there should be a camara crew following us, ready to jump out at any moment yelling PRANK!!! It hasn't happened yet, but we had one of those moments today. We have a free coach transfer from Port Deneru, where we catch the boat, back to Nadi Bay, our hostel. We ride and pass our road and we stop at another hostel and drop off a couple of people from hostels close by...but not ours. Well, we keep going and stopping at different hotels, assuming we would be last. We get almost to the airport when the driver realizes Angie and I, plus another girl were suppose to go to Nadi Bay. He proceeds to tell us that we were suppose to get off at that other hostel and we would have to catch a cab back. UMMM...no....so then he decides he'll drop us off at the hotel and 30 minutes later we'll catch the next bus who would drop us off at our hostel. Why he couldn't, was beyond us. So, 30 minutes later we get on the bus, only to get reprimanded by the driver for missing our stop. HELLO....we didn't know!!! So, he says he would drop us off at that other hostel and we would have to pay a taxi from there....WHAT! So this empty bus, minus the 3 of us and another couple stop at every hotel in Nadi, just in case someone wants to cruise that afternoon!!! All these hotels, and we picked up zero people....just have to laugh. Of course, Nadi Bay was not included in the stop, so he drops us off at the end of the road to walk to the hostel....in the rain. I really thought it was a bad joke, but hilarious to say the least!!!



Tonight, has had us dropping off laundry because everything was wet and a visit to the Ace Medical Clinic...yes...I had to go to the clinic. I noticed a strange bump on my back Wednesday and couldn't figure out if it was a bite or not and obviously there's nothing to do in the islands...no doctors or anything. Also, it was quite painful. So today we walk down the street to the clinic where I was diagnosed with a boil/staff infection. I guess I can't let my sister and dad have all the fun with the infections. He prescribed antibiotics, a cream, and ibprofrin. Said it didn't look bad and reminded me, in his broken english, that I was not my dad or my sister. Very true!!! Luckily the anitbotics are not going to affect me in the sun light. Said should be better within the week. Lets hope so!!! The price for my doctor visit...$35 Fiji Dollars and for all those prescriptions....$23 Fijian dollars!!! I'm for sure moving here for the cheap health clinics!!!!!! So, please continue praying for perfect health. I told Angie that mom probably won't ever let me travel again...ER in Australia for allergic reaction to mangos, Band Aid Station in Gulf Shores for Kidney Stones, and now the Ace clinic in Fiji for an infection!!!



This week we will be in Nadi and Sigatoga. Looking forward to it and hopefully clearer weather. I need some sun!!! Heard there's snow at home....HAHAHAH!!! It better be gone by next Sunday...which, I can't believe I only have a week left. So sad.....



Lots of Love,

Becca :)


p.s. I'm always in a hurry typing since it's timed, so please excuse any grammatical errors!!!!