Bula bula!!

This roughly means "Hello, How are you? Everything okay? Welcome! Goodbye! See you later! Cheers! You hear this word about a hundred times a day =)

After spending the first two nights on the main island in a hostel, we finally booked an all-inclusive island hopping package, which we originally didn't want at all. But we didn't have any choice because there are no restaurants or shops on the islands, only the resort, and you have to book the food, otherwise you would starve. We chose four islands where we spent two nights each. The first island "Beachcomber" is supposed to be the party island here. However, there was no big party because it's not peak season at the moment and there are simply few people, about 60. We had a small cozy hut (Bure) right on the beach with our own bathroom and hammock. We treated ourselves since we're here and wanted to enjoy a few days of luxury. The days here basically consist of eating, lying in the sun, eating, sleeping, and taking a dip in the warm water or going snorkeling in between. The most strenuous part for Jonas was the walk from our hut to the beach bar because he had to walk across the entire island....about 200m!!!

Our next stop was Oarsmans-Bay on the northernmost island. We got there by a small boat that sailed through the ocean waves for 4 hours and I started feeling sick after a short time. Again, we had a small cozy cottage here. Compared to the other island, this resort was a family-run business and much smaller. In the evenings, we sat together with 9 other guests at a communal table and had delicious dinner while some Fijians played guitar and sang in the background. A really great atmosphere. Afterward, we had a round of Kava. This is the national drink of the Fijians, which is made from a pepper root and prepared in a large bowl and everyone drinks it together from a small coconut shell. After drinking, you have to clap 3 times and shout Bula. It looks like muddy water, tastes like it too, and is supposed to give you a bit of a "high".

Our third stop was at Korovu Eco Tour Resort. We were a bit disappointed here because neither our hut nor the beach was particularly beautiful. The food was also...special! In the evenings, we had a self-shot beef steak that was neither easy to cut nor chew. Jonas' mood in particular sank to rock bottom when the beer ran out at 5 in the afternoon and there was no water in our room for the whole evening. We simply enjoyed 2 days in the blazing sun and then continued to our last island, Barefoot Kuata.

Compared to the last resort, it's an absolute paradise. We had a great room, there were three pools, a great beach bar (much to Jonas' delight), and the food was incredibly delicious. We are now enjoying our last 2 days here before returning to the main island, where we will spend 2 more days before continuing to Hong Kong on May 24th.

Big hugs to all of you!!!!