Next, we headed to Drawaqa Island. Here, we stayed for four more nights at the Barefoot Manta Resort. Of the three accommodations we had in the Yasawas, this was the most expensive, mainly due to the high-priced meal plan. Our budget only stretched to the 8-bed dorm. However, it was quite decent and more like a tent than a building. In the dorm, there were alternating couples or groups of girls, so we didn't really get to know anyone in our room better.

Overall, we also noticed that the resort was significantly larger than the last two, which created absolutely no family atmosphere.

The Barefoot Manta also had a dive center, and we managed to do a total of three dives. We spotted several turtles and a whitetip reef shark. Julian also discovered a blue-dragon nudibranch on one of the dives. (Unfortunately, no picture taken - just Google it - worth it!!!)

The main reason we chose this resort was the opportunity to see manta rays right off the island. We asked other guests and of course at the dive center and found out that the mantas were not yet numerous. During our stay, one manta was seen on each of two snorkeling trips, and thus we decided to join one.

What can we say - we unfortunately had no luck, and none of the large animals showed up.

Another special feature of the resort is that marine biologists are always on site to count, identify, and research the mantas. They also actively work for the conservation and restoration of the reefs around the island.

We noticed this clearly while snorkeling at the house reef. There were really many beautiful corals and fish to admire, and we spent a lot of time in the water.

Despite the high prices for food, we were not always completely satisfied, and our high expectations were only partially met. Nevertheless, we had very nice days that really felt like a vacation. To bid farewell, the staff put on a small show, and then we took the ferry back to the mainland.

Back in Nadi, we spent our time mainly preparing for Canada. In addition to searching for cars, researching, and planning the most important tasks on site, we also found time to enjoy the pool at our B&B.

A small trip to the largest Hindu temple in the southern hemisphere was also a must. Overall, not very impressive, which is why we only observed it from the outside.

In the next few days, we will let the time in Fiji wind down before heading to Vancouver early next week. The next blog entry will be from Canada!

Suva on the island of Viti Levu, Fiji.
This means green hills, tropical rainforests, bays, and swamp areas with mangroves.
Fiji, independent since 1970, has about 900,000 inhabitants with the capital Suva, which has around 300,000 people.
Here too, the old culture and tradition dominate with the Kava ritual, featuring dances that tell stories and also the ritual drink Kava.
Our focus here is on the tropical rainforest, a partly very wild ride with a longboat through rapids (sometimes in pouring rain but at 28° C) aiming for the largest waterfall, the Magic Waterfall of Navuas.

The woman tells me that the resort I stayed at used to be a school. A landslide destroyed it. From then on, children had to go to school in the nearest town. I think to myself that perhaps the lower birth rate is related to this. Lower means that an average family on the outer islands still has four to five children. But it used to be up to ten.

The resort was initially privately owned and then became the property of the village, I hear with surprise from Jolame's relative. Now it all makes more sense - the warm atmosphere, the kind Tailo, the numerous employees hanging out together in the main building watching rugby games. Everyone in the village contributes what they can. Some work as guides and offer diving trips, others play music, and so on. The income is then distributed among the village. Simultaneously, we guests have the opportunity to experience the culture of the islanders in a much more immersive way.

There are also other downsides to progress. Tailo explains to us that sugar is a big problem for the Fijians. Of her nine siblings, five have died from diabetes. The industry is influential and floods the market with its cheap and addictive products. When I was at the resort during a ceremony for the children in the village who have reached primary school age, I observed how some parents gave their kindergarten-aged children a bottle of Coke. Before lunch, the first snacks were already being distributed; chips and chocolate were present everywhere.

Wati is a Methodist and as a pastor, she visited a friendly congregation in Australia. But now she is glad to return to Fiji. Around her neck hangs one of those chains you see in movies and documentaries about Hawaii. Hers is Christmas green, with a few chocolate candies attached. She suggests singing another gospel song in English so I can understand the lyrics: 'This is the day, this is the day that the lord has made, that the lord has made. We will rejoice and be glad indeed, and be glad indeed.'

The 65-year-old explains to me that she is from an island in the eastern part of the country. She shows me a video of a small ferry dropping off a jeep onto a raft in the sea to then transport it to the beach of her island. There are no roads or cars where she lives. Just to help at a construction site, they painstakingly unloaded the truck at the shore for the duration of the construction. She describes a wonderful village community that supports each other and where there are no locks on the doors, while she offers me one chocolate after another.

She would never travel with a lot of money, but always with her Bible. Her blessings on the road and in life in general come only from God, who hears her constant prayers. That's how she met a nice young woman from Fiji before the flight, who has now paid for her food during the flight. And that's how God placed me next to her so we can now spend the flight time chatting. 'See!' she comments after the landing announcement, looking at her Rolex, how quickly the time has passed. We already have a slightly different understanding of God and the world. But I don't say this out loud. Instead, I nod obediently. Her determination and kindness are disarming. Perhaps this supports the effect of her prayers to maintain the small miracles of everyday life. I received mine without prayer. Wati teaches me words in Fijian: Bula - Hello and Vinaka / Vinaka baka lebu - Thank you / Many thanks.

A grandfather sits in front of a tree with his three grandchildren. 'Bula,' I greet him. 'Bula, have a good day.' - 'You too.' - 'God bless you!'

With my swift pace, I approach a man from behind, who turns uncertainly. 'Bula!', I call out. 'Bula!' - 'I'm just trying to catch the sunset,' I explain quickly as I pass by. 'Ah, better hurry then.' I arrive just in time at the beach to watch the sun set. Families sit on blankets, children swim in the water. 'Bula bula.' - 'Bula,' I greet and am greeted back as I walk along the warm sand.

Just before the summit, we meet Nicolas. Like eagles, large bats circle their cave near the highest rock.

At a cliff, John suddenly jumps down steeply only a few inches from the edge in flip-flops. A clear death-defying move that has its effect. I feel like a worried mother. Young man, what are you doing?! He stands there a few inches above the edge, where it drops at least a hundred meters straight down. 'Keep going?' 'Yes, please!', I try to hide my tension. His look tells me he does this every day. That’s exactly my fear.

A German couple that has just hiked up after us is now following us down in the twilight, taking their time, and John is pushing the pace. He strikes an empty plastic bottle with a stick. That would scare off the dogs. The flying foxes, on the other hand, are harmless. One bat hangs just a few meters from us in the branches and observes us upside down. At another point, John picks something off the ground that at first glance looks like a huge spider. The German girl lets out a high-pitched scream. It’s just a giant crab, which John holds out to her. He tosses it back into the bushes.

His entries are also very readable and provide some insights into the culture in Fiji. Certainly more than I can summarize in my few paragraphs. Nicolas wants to take several months for Fiji.]

The mass ends with a strong Adeste fideles / O Come, All Ye Faithful in Fijian as I hum quietly along. On the way back, we don’t say much; we are still very much in a reverent mood. Marianna, one of the two Norwegians, shares her impressions with us. At the children's singing, she couldn’t help but cry. She immediately thought of her recently deceased grandmother, who was very religious. We all agree that this gospel service has left no one of us atheists cold.

I quickly learned to say “bula” instead of “hello” and “vinaka” instead of “thank you.” The people are polite, cheerful, and welcoming, so both words are used multiple times each hour.

After two nights at a simple, but clean and nice backpacker resort directly on Wailoaloa Beach on the main island, it was off to my little eco-resort in the Yasawa chain, a 2.5-hour ferry ride east of the main island. Four nights in a nice little cabin (the shared bathroom required a 50-meter walk, so you quickly learn to manage your evening intake of drinks to avoid nighttime bathroom trips) and way too much, way too good food.

And then what I came to Fiji for: 11 wonderful dive sessions with almost no current on ten of the dives. I called it couch diving. Gear on, out on the boat, into the water, manage buoyancy control, and keep your eyes open. Plenty of whitetip reef sharks, turtles, nudibranchs, lots of feisty clownfish (come to mama!), tons of large and small colorful fish and the most intact, healthy, and functioning coral system I've seen since my dives on the Great Barrier Reef in the early 2000s.

It's just the beginning of low season in Fiji (the rainy season is slowly showing its arrival), so on most dives, it was just me and the dive master keeping a half-eye on his client, but otherwise letting me play at my own very calm pace. Most other guests are from New Zealand and Australia, only 3-4 hours flight from Fiji.

Lucky me: One of the dive instructors had heard me express my interest in wrecks. Due to my diving experience, he offered to take me out to a relatively new wreck, Glory Wreck, at a depth of 25-30 meters. He had never been there himself and wanted to get to know it. A Stine can only say one thing: Yes, please! An incredibly cool solo dive, where we each explored the wreck inside and out, wherever possible. Occasional checks on each other, and then free play continued. Hurray! I've rarely felt so much adventure and freedom on my previous 400 dives: Into the wheelhouse, out through the cargo hold. Collecting mandatory scrapes and scratches (yes, I was fully vaccinated before departure). The first fish life and the first corals have moved in on the deck. Give it a decade, and it will become an incredibly beautiful reef.

Now I am waiting for my catamaran back to the main island. Tomorrow I’m heading to French Polynesia.

Vinaka, Fiji❤️🌺

More to follow...

The island of Vanua Balavu and its nearby islands are surrounded by a coral reef. This lagoon is not deep, but the ship was able to enter, though not all the way to the village itself. We had to travel quite far by Zodiac boats to reach the village. The weather is as usual, about 28°C and very humid.

In the village, we were warmly welcomed with singing, performances, and an initial tour. Since it is Good Friday, we first attended a church service. This was more comparable to our own services than, for example, Caribbean or African services.

Afterwards, there were more singing performances along with dance, snacks, and refreshments.

We could see the village; it is also very green and has many streams and small rivers. There are still traces of a cyclone from last year that stripped many trees and severely damaged houses. The locals are very friendly and love to be photographed. However, the village, like all the small islands of Fiji, is losing its inhabitants. The village has about 200 houses but fewer than 200 inhabitants now.

After visiting Los Angeles, we continued our journey towards the Fiji Islands. From LA, we went to Honolulu and had a brief stop in Samoa before heading to Nadi, the capital of Fiji. Since we crossed the date line, we lost the entire 8th of March. Before that, it was -9 hours, and suddenly we were on +11 hours! It was a bit confusing. However, our arrival in Nadi was marred by our missing luggage. Four (!) people were missing their bags, and of course, we were two of them! We arrived on Saturday, and thankfully, they were returned to us on Monday afternoon.

Our beach at the hotel was not a typical South Sea paradise. It reminded us more of the Pacific coastline of Costa Rica. However, we did take a catamaran trip to a beautiful sea spot. It was truly spectacular there, and we could also go snorkeling. The locals are a very, very nice people, very friendly and accommodating to the point that it was sometimes a little eerie. We were also lucky with the hotel. It had just recently reopened. It was not very crowded, and there was no rush during breakfast or at the pool with the sun loungers.

In terms of the sea, it is still comparable to Thailand. After a very long travel time, it’s worth considering whether to visit Thailand instead or to combine it with a trip to Australia or New Zealand. After 5 days, we then headed to Singapore.

This time a resort report
End of February 2025

Fiji and the South Seas have always been a dream, and our flight route made it possible for us to fly over Fiji.

Fiji consists of 332 islands, 110 of which are inhabited. We landed in Nadi on the main island of Viti Levu and are staying on Denarau Island, an island developed specifically for tourists about 10 kilometers from Nadi.

Our arrival at the Hilton Resort is amusing: the door of the airport shuttle opens, our glasses fog up completely due to the high humidity, and then a loud BULA BULA echoes. We step out entirely confused, remove our glasses, and look into the friendly face of a large, stocky Fijian who grins at us and calls out BULA again with full enthusiasm.
BULA (pronounced boo-lah!) means Good day and happiness and health.

The first three days are sunny and almost rain-free, right in the middle of the rainy season - which is very rare. The BULA greeting follows us everywhere, and we have fun with it. Here in Fiji, it’s Fiji time; punctuality is only required for important matters, everything else takes a relaxed course. It’s a pity that the tours we wanted to undertake are either offered only starting Monday or were canceled due to rain or simply too touristy for us.

Flip-flops are the new rubber boots

Starting Monday, it has been raining almost continuously, with wind and waves raging at night. Our flip-flops are in full use.

And we’re doing resort vacation at the Hilton Fiji until Saturday, contrary to what we thought. With this weather, it’s a true stroke of luck!

Our apartment 4107 is right next to the KORO restaurant, allowing us a short walk for breakfast and dinner. The gym is also quickly accessible, another activity that makes the continuous rain bearable. Or swimming in the pool in the rain. Or reading. Or yoga. Or playing cards. Or eating ice cream.

If the weather takes a break from the rain, we take the BULA bus to Port Denarau. There are some shops for strolling and good restaurants for lunch. A Fiji Gold is also consumed at noon. Or we buy freshly baked toast bread at the hot bakery and have lunch in the apartment.

Let’s see what else we can think of to make our rainy season as pleasant as possible. It’s still an experience on our world trip.

In our apartment, everything is slightly damp by now: the walls, the clothes, the toilet paper. The air conditioning is running at full speed and simply reaches its limits at 99% humidity outside. The service staff is incredibly friendly, ready for fun, and helps wherever they can.

This time the photos are more modest - no real excursions with land and people. And I usually post the travel report at the end of a stage, but now right in the middle. Perhaps more photos will come, we will see…

BULA BULA

My room was huge, the demeanor of the lady at the reception was quite cool, but I was immediately drawn into a conversation by three men who in a friendly manner invited me to dinner. One of the men took me on an excursion the next day with his brother and nephew to Rakiraki. The excursion mainly consisted of driving and eating, but it was nice to get an insight into the community. Just before we wanted to leave, the brother and nephew expressed the desire to take a goat with them. I couldn't look quickly enough, and the goat was already hanging upside down from a rope to bleed out, with its fur pulled over its ears, and then it was stuffed into the trunk.

Following a tip from Rainer, I then visited Beqa Island. Besides a Swiss man who has been escaping the winter here for three months every year for many years, I was the only guest, so I mainly relaxed, cuddled with the two kitten babies, and did a bit of snorkeling. Unfortunately, due to the rainy season, the sun didn’t shine much, making the reef look relatively colorless.

I spent another two days in the capital Suva, where I visited the market and met Gabriel. He wanted to arrange a homestay for me at his sister's house on one of the Yasawa Islands, as she is apparently also a teacher. What he told me about himself (including that he is an intelligence agent and also works as security personnel in a park, that he was deployed in Syria and was the only one hardly injured in a car explosion, or that he can just spontaneously take time off in the morning to arrange the homestay for me, but then tells me later that he had quit a week earlier...) sounded so absurd that in the end, I was glad it didn’t work out.

Really cool was the shark dive after almost a week in Fiji, which I did from Pacific Harbour. At first, I was a bit unsure whether I should really do the dive because the sharks are fed, which loses the authenticity. But it was really cool! On the first dive, we immediately descended to 25m, knelt on the bottom in the so-called arena, and then a diver fed the sharks in front of our noses from a metal box with tuna heads. Most of the time, the box was closed, and only a bit of blood dripped out. Occasionally, the diver opened the box, one or two tuna heads fell out, and then there was a scuffle among the sharks until one had devoured the head. Once all the tuna heads were eaten, we surfaced at 15m, where the sharks were fed by another diver by hand... until a shark accidentally took off with a chain glove, then the show was over.

After a break on the boat with fruit, vegetables, and hot chocolate, we set off for the second dive, where we lay on the ground at the edge of the arena. The sharks were again fed with tuna heads from a metal box, and I found a few shark teeth on the ground. During both dives, there were mainly bull sharks present, but some nurse sharks and lemon sharks also mixed in, and during the safety stops, we also spotted some reef sharks.

On the boat, I also met Sebastian from Germany and Lukas from Switzerland, and after the dives, I joined them and went to the accommodation The Beachhouse. That was the perfect decision, as there were plenty of nice people, good vibes, and great food! With Sebastian and Lukas, Sana, Tomy, and Jacques, I also took an excursion to Sigatoka, where we bought fresh fruits and vegetables at the market for the evening and visited the highest sand dunes in the Pacific Islands. Unfortunately, we were in the rain the whole time at the sand dunes - rainy season, indeed.

Hello to my last post from Fiji,

my final stop was probably the most relaxed stop on my journey across the islands. This was definitely planned, as I will be heading to Sydney afterward where there will be quite a bit of sightseeing, and I wanted to take the time to relax and read before that. The advantage of this last stop: The bar and beer are free from 8 to 5.

South Sea Island is a tiny island that attracts many day visitors, so the island gets quite crowded from 9 to 5. But since we were the first ones on the island, we could reserve the best spots. The day visitors are a bit annoying, but we managed to work around them.

On the first night, we were just the two of us, and then three, which was quite funny because we continuously received romantic dinners and breakfast tables. With fairy lights and everything.

What a fantastic trip! On the last day, I took the ferry to the mainland and then flew to Sydney with an overnight stop. I never thought I would be flying here a few years ago. Stay tuned to see what I got up to there.

Your Britta

Hello my dears,

I hope everything is going well for you! I am sitting in my hostel in Singapore and have been doing some serious sightseeing for the last 3 days. So much so that I needed a little break today. And a break in this case means that I will give you a little update.

After my stay at the homestay or on the other island, I was directly taken to the resort by a small fishing boat. Upon arrival, I checked in and then hid in the shade for the rest of the day to read, as I could already feel the sunburn on my shins and arms after coming off the boat. A pretty severe one, I must sadly say.

The resort was an absolute dream and even prettier than Blue Lagoon.

From the resort, I could also see the village on the other side of the channel where I had stayed the previous days. It was an absolute dream and it was particularly cool because I also met Juli again here. An American woman I met at Blue Lagoon who has an incredible life story and now in her 50s goes on various adventures. After some consideration and also some persuasion, I managed to get Juli to participate in the shark dive and push her own boundaries. Absolutely fantastic!

So the next morning, we both got up early, and after we received our equipment and had a short briefing, we boarded the boats and drove about 15 minutes to the dive site. We dove to 12 meters and then sat behind the built wall, and even while descending, I could already see the first sharks swimming and circling in the background. Absolutely incredible!

The entire dive has been developed with a scientific background and therefore I unusually had no problem participating in this dive even if the sharks are being fed. The development took 3 years, and there is always a shark expert present at the dive base and accompanying the dives for research purposes. Absolutely fantastic. The money generated from this dive is also used for various purposes, to populate the reef with corals. The entire coral gardens were established by the team, and there are also various coral gardens directly in the reef in front of the resort.

During the dive, we had about 15 bull sharks swimming around us and especially in front of us, and it was simply amazing to have these majestic creatures right in front of us. I felt like I was in a National Geographic film. These creatures are simply absolute survivors, and I can't put into words how much this dive impressed me. INSANE!

And since the visibility was so good, I decided in the afternoon that I would do another dive in the area. I have not regretted this decision in the slightest, as it was an absolutely fantastic dive, and we even saw popcorn krill and a turtle at the very end. The colors and the diversity were really wonderful! To top off this amazing day, there was also a spectacular dinner, which was my absolute favorite of the trip. Yummy!

The next day was already departure day. However, since I could take the ferry back to the mainland, my departure was set for 3 PM, and I was able to enjoy almost the entire day at the resort. Juli and I decided the night before while playing cards that we would watch the sunrise from the small hill on the island. So we trudged up there for about 15 minutes and enjoyed the view.

After that, I packed my things and spent the remaining hours snorkeling. Thanks to the super nice dive team, I got a wetsuit so I wouldn't get burned any further, but I could still use the snorkeling opportunity, as the reef right in front of their doorstep is absolutely fantastic, and while snorkeling, I saw a larger blacktip reef shark. Absolutely dreamy and a fantastic end to my time here at Barefoot Kuata Resort.

And then it was on to my final stop: South Sea Island.

More on that in the next post.
Yours, Britta

Hello my dears,

I've slowly managed to get my posts back to a current or reasonable level. I hope you enjoy having something new to read every few days. I also really enjoy sharing all my experiences with you.

One of the greatest experiences in Fiji was my visit to the homestay on Waylailai Island. A homestay is somewhat like an exchange project with perks, as I lived with a Fijian family and was able to witness daily village life, but I did not have to clean or cook, as all three meals a day were served to me ready to eat. I had my own room and the family would have also organized various guides for different activities upon request.

In the accommodation, there was no running water and thus the shower consisted of one or more large buckets of water and a scoop. There was a toilet, but the flush needed to be manually filled with a bucket before each use. The electricity in the house was generated using solar panels and stored for later hours with a converter. All in all, still luxurious for an island stay, but incomparable to what I enjoy every day otherwise.

The family consisted of an elderly couple, with the homestay run by the grandmother of the house, Tina, the wife of the son of this couple, and their two sons, with child number three already on the way. In Fiji, it is relatively normal for a family member who finds a job nearby to also be welcome in the house, and thus the second cousin of the son of the elderly couple also slept in the house. I would love to tell you the names of all the others, but unfortunately, I have forgotten them. (Possibly even just 5 minutes after I introduced myself.) A very nice family, and Lizzy, the daughter-in-law, is around 30, and hence we had quite a good rapport with each other, and she told me quite a bit about island life and its customs and rules. Again, a reminder of our privilege in Europe and how far we have come with emancipation compared to here. (Not far enough yet, but the comparison made me reflect on it again!)

During my time at the homestay, I mainly stayed in my hammock and only climbed down for short walks around the town and to the beach. Also for meals and sometimes to play a traditional Fijian board game called Vindy Vindy with the kids. Very interesting, and I think it's quite good to make too.

One thing I also did with Tina was crafting a palm rig and also making a seashell necklace for my ankle. I must say that with this seashell necklace, I felt like Lisa, 19, freshly out of Australia, as that is really such a cliché. I liked it nonetheless, hahaha. :D

From my hammock, I caught up on some of my blogs, as you may have already read, and I had a really fantastic view of the neighboring island, where my next stop was: Barefoot Kuata. Additionally, I always had the sound of the waves and the beach in my ears. Although this sound is incredibly calming, I found it particularly difficult to fall asleep on the first night, as the temperatures were quite high and there was no fan in the room. This meant that I slept well on every night when it was windy, as the wind cooled the room.

Tina's food was an absolute dream and the island version of grandma's cooking! Simply delicious, and I couldn't finish a single meal on my plate. There were continuous meals with fish and sometimes chicken. Tasty but very meat-heavy.

I was in Fiji at a time when the residents were still celebrating the New Year. In Fiji, the celebrations continue for another 2.5 weeks after New Year's Eve, during which everyone is allowed to behave 'wildly', splashing others with water, pushing them into the sea, and smearing baby powder on their faces. A very amusing custom in my eyes, which reaches its peak during the farewell ceremonies in mid-January. At this point, the entire village is gathered, and there is a big village festival where Kava is drunk, danced, and celebrated. In the village where I was, this also took place one evening, but I was not officially invited, even though that wouldn't have been a problem, but I was not particularly in a festive mood either. I took this evening to chat a bit with Lizzy and ask more about how her life takes shape and what she thinks of the customs and habits. Very interesting, as even here on the islands, a slow change among the younger generation is happening, although it is occurring much slower and more hesitantly than in Europe.

All the more, I was happy when Tina asked me if I would like to go to her hometown for the big festival. That was my last overnight stay, and with a small contribution, I would pay for the boat that would pick us up. Tina hadn't been to the village where she grew up, where all her sisters live, for 3 YEARS, even though the trip is 'only' 40 minutes away. Here on the islands, it is not so usual to just go over for a visit. Additionally, it is not as affordable for the residents as it may seem to us. She asked me, and I was more than excited, so that evening, in the dark (for which I was very glad because I was sure I would have gotten sunburn otherwise) with the boat from Lizzy's brother, we went from one island to another island with the village of Kese.

Once there, I was served delicious fish and slept in the house of Tina's brother. Satisfied and ready for some culture, I then asked Tina if she could show me the festivities, and after I put on a sarong, we headed to the festival tent. You can imagine it like our large tents but without walls. Under the tent, palm mats were laid out, and all the villagers sat in groups and circles, clapping, singing, and drinking Kava. And I must say I really had a lot of fun. I was the only tourist there, and after the women of the village and also relatives of Tina invited me to dance several times, I was certainly the village gossip for the next two days. Additionally, some photos were taken, and I have no idea what was said around me, but I had fun, and it was a wonderful experience, so I am very grateful to Tina. I would love to show you photos of that, but the only photo I took was one of the 'breakfast' the next morning after I slept on the floor of the porch in the house, as I saw a cockroach crawling over the bed as I entered. Another thing that is normal here is that when it is too hot to sleep in the house, you sleep on the balcony or in the outdoor porch. In a well-equipped house, then on a very thin mattress.

After all seven things and children were found again, we made our way back in one of the fishing boats, and I could feel how I was getting burned in the boat. I had applied sunscreen, but since the boat was full of all kinds of goodies, crabs, coconuts, and people, quite a bit of water splashed into the boat and onto me. So this didn’t work out too well, and I got a serious sunburn on my shins, arms, and feet, which occupied me quite a bit for the next 4 days. Oh dear.

So no photos but a wonderful memory. More photos will be in the next post again.

Your Britta

Bula!

Bula for my second post about the Blue Lagoon Resort, because one just wasn't enough. In this second post, a few more pictures of the various smaller and free activities that could be done on the island.

For example, there was basket and bracelet weaving, a coconut ceremony where a coconut was freshly harvested and prepared, and a short hike to the island's summit.

Especially preparing and tasting the SUPER fresh coconut was a delight and cool to see. It tastes completely different from the coconut shavings that we can buy in Europe. When these shavings are packed tightly in the hand with enough grease, the coconut milk simply flows out, and we could taste it directly.

The entire process took the islanders no more than 5 minutes, and we could only marvel at how quickly and skillfully it was done. A lot of the food was prepared with coconut and other fruits and ingredients from the island, and as you will see, the food at the resort was truly fantastic! I usually eat vegetarian as much as possible, but for these 2 weeks in Fiji, I thought I would go with the flow, and I ended up having almost every meal with meat or preferably fish, as the vegetarian options weren't as exciting.

On my departure day, I still had time until 3 PM, so I went for a small hike early in the morning. Right on the island, there was a small peak that could be climbed in about 30 minutes on foot. From up there, I had a fantastic view and could see the entire blue surrounding the island.

From this luxury, I then moved on to a homestay on an island further south. Here I was able to learn much more about the culture, and it was a truly unique experience!

Your Britta

Dear friends, welcome back to another post from the island paradise,

I told you that I spent the first few days at the resort just lounging around and diving. Once I had enough of that, I went on a few small trips around and near the island. Among them was the trip to the Blue Lagoon Cave or the Sawa i Lau Cave in the Yasawa Islands. The locals say that if a tourist hasn't explicitly been in this cave, they haven't truly been to the Yasawa Islands.

The trip started in the morning after breakfast at 9 and made a small detour to the island. Several resort visitors signed up for this trip, so not everyone could fit on one boat. Thus, 5 people (including myself) were taken on a smaller fishing boat. The view of the smaller islands with the crystal-clear water was simply amazing.

The ride lasted about 30 minutes and just like everywhere else in the world, I have a particularly funny story on Fiji as well, because I was blessed by the islands. You might be wondering what that means? I got splashed in the face by a flying fish. So we're cruising along enjoying the great view and I can see the fish jumping out of the water, but my reaction time is clearly too slow for the speed at which all of this happened, because even though I see the fish, I can't move my head fast enough. So, the fish smacks into my face with full force, right on my (safety) sunglasses, uses my face as a ramp, and jumps back into the water on the other side of the boat. My fellow travelers, except for the boat driver, hear a loud 'Smash!!' and see me holding my face and laughing like a madwoman. The boat driver saw the situation and laughs with me about my blessing from the fish. What are the chances of that?

Upon arrival at the island, we were dropped off and after a brief safety briefing, we walked a few steps into the cave. Absolutely fantastic! The cave is influenced by the sea level and has also been used as a location for a few films.

I especially enjoyed that I could do some bouldering in the cave, climbing up wherever I could, and then jumping into the water. Visiting the second 'secret' cave was also fun because it was completely dark except for the guides' flashlight. It was an intoxicating yet somewhat eerie feeling, as I couldn't see at all what was happening beneath me in the water. Probably watched too many horror movies.

After about 20 minutes, the cave fun was over, and we all slowly made our way out of the cave and into the open air. Because the cave is so famous, large groups also come here daily from the mainland and other boats, and it can get quite crowded. The island's villagers have taken advantage of this and sell all sorts of stuff and souvenirs on the small beach in front of the cave. However, I only looked at the items from a distance, as I definitely have no more room in my backpack for souvenirs. Besides, I'm already carrying enough useless stuff with me since I really can't use the winter clothes from New Zealand.

And then it was back to the resort on the small boat, and I enjoyed the ride without any more fish incidents (Hahahahaha).

More about my stay and the last days at the Blue Lagoon Resort in the next post.

Your Britta

As island lovers,

it’s time! After almost 11 months in New Zealand, I have left the land of Hobbits and made my way to Fiji. Absolutely fantastic, even though saying goodbye to New Zealand was really tough.

So I switched back into my Turtle Travel Mode, boarded the plane, and flew the 4.5 hours to Nadi. I flew with Fiji Airways, and I must say, it was a very pleasant flight. Additionally, I was able to enjoy the entertainment program and catch up on some of the latest movies.

I then took a break for the night, as the ferry to the Yasawa Islands only runs in the mornings. So a quick stop, before the hotel owner drove me to the port the next morning. I checked in my large backpack and first bought a delicious breakfast to enjoy on the ferry. Tasty pie and a fresh coffee.

The ferry ride was super smooth, and I had a lovely chat with an employee from a resort who was making her last stop that day. The journey took about 5.5 hours in total, and I enjoyed simply taking in the ride, watching the individual islands go by, and admiring the lush green and blue scenery. Since I started traveling at the very end of the island chain, I could already assess which stops I would make afterward during the ferry ride.

And then I arrived at the Blue Lagoon Resort and spent the rest of the day relaxing by the beach after a very delicious lunch, doing nothing but signing up for the diving trips planned for the next few days until dinner.

And then it was time to witness the first of many beautiful sunsets while enjoying live music from the restaurant. The food at the resort was really good, and it felt like I was on my honeymoon - well, just married to myself - a dream come true. ;)

And the next 4 days were mostly filled with 2 dives a day, with breaks in between, and of course, the delicious meals in between. And if I actually had enough time to just lie around, I did that of course with my book and the view of the fantastic sea.

The dives were really cool, and during our first dive, we even saw a bull shark, slowly circling us and checking us out - but from a distance, and I must say, the visibility wasn't as amazing as I had known it from Indonesia.

The evening program and also the daytime activities at the resort were great too, as there were various free tours and shows that took place from time to time. For example, weaving, coconut ceremonies, traditional Kava drinking, and an evening crab race.

Really a place to unwind and simply enjoy being alive!

And on one of the evenings, there was a Movie Night featuring the new Lion King Mufasa film.

An absolute dream, and in the next post, I will tell you more about the last days at the Blue Lagoon Resort and what cool activities I did there.

Your Britta

Monday morning we set off for Nadi in Fiji. Once there we went straight to Likuri Island (approx. 1 hour by car and 30 minutes by boat). The island is very small and therefore has a family vibe.

On the island we quickly met a few couples from Hamburg, with whom we spent most of the time.

Monday lunchtime there was a mud crab tasting (crab soup). The kava ceremony was then performed. Kava is a root that is mixed with water and then drunk. We were then able to try it ourselves.

For dinner it was Lovo Digging. Lovodigging involves placing potatoes and meat in a fire and then covering them with soil to cook them. Songs were sung around the campfire and then there was a buffet. Afterwards, various traditional dances and a fire show were performed. There wasn't much to do on Tuesday other than snorkeling, chilling on the beach and making coconut jewelry. On Wednesday we spent most of the time chilling on the beach again and in the evening there were traditional dances and a fire show again. On the last day we did a bit of kayaking, walked around the island and chilled on the beach again.

On Friday we went back towards Nadi, where we spent another night in a hotel on the beach. There we chilled on the beach again.

On Saturday we went back to Melbourne. After a 5 hour flight and 2 hours delay we arrived in Melbourne. We picked up our camper there straight away. On Sunday we had breakfast again in Melbourne and then drove to Torquay, where we met our friends from Hamburg again. We then spent the night there.

Dravuni - Fiji

Last tender 4pm

Sunrise: 5:25 a.m

Sunset: 6:37 p.m

sunny, 28 degrees Celsius

Immaculate island paradise

Idyllic beach day in the South Pacific

White sand beach

Snorkeling

Great Astrolabe Reef

131 foot hilltop – incredible panoramic views

Local village is great place to get to know the island's culture, buy local products

Day 9 - Sunday December 17th, 2023

Lautoka - Fiji

All aboard 7:30 p.m

Sunrise: 5:30 a.m

Sunset: 6:41 p.m

sunny, 30 degrees Celsius

Excursion: A Day at Hilton Beach Resort. 11:10 a.m

Known as Sugar City

Sugar cane fields + pine fields

World famous beaches

Handcrafted goods at markets and boutiques

Garden of the Sleeping Giant

Piece of paradise

The conditions in Fiji are still ideal: temperatures around 25-26° Celsius, a constant current, relatively clear ebb and flow differences and the absence of cruise ships or other shipping routes.

Whether in yellow or purple,

With a little light from the flashlight, the gray-blue turns into bright colors.

Whether hard and rock-forming or soft - the corals use different shapes to bind enormous amounts of carbon dioxide from the water.

Red soft corals are like blooming roses:

And what they all have in common is that they offer shelter to other creatures in the sea, either between the “branches”:

Or in individual holes, like this little crab:

Or worms: But more about that at Christmas 😉

If you take a closer look, you can see how important and irreplaceable corals are...not just for marine life: coral bulwarks that have grown over thousands of years protect many islands, including Fiji, from floods and erosion Sea.

Bula, as they say here.

Sorry I haven't gotten in touch for a few days. My older ones explained to me that uploading pictures is taking a very long time. I don't really know where the pictures actually go "up" and what's different up there.

A lot has also happened here and my older ones have often been out on the diving boat in the last few days. You took a lot of beautiful photos again.

They even saw a sunken ship. That's called a wreck when it's broken.

Over time, a lot of coral grows on the surface of these wrecks and various animals make their home there. Nature is taking everything back, say my adults.

First of all, for your information: We have arrived here safely at the southern tip of the island of Viti Levu, Fiji (or Fiji).

When we landed in Nadi (luckily I didn't have to do anything because of the emergency exit on the plane) we had a 1.5-hour drive in the dark on a route that ended up being quite adventurous. But we are now here in a little paradise far from the beaten track: Waidroka Bay Resort.

My adults have friends here: the two who run the diving center - Ciara and Gary. They know them from a trip to St. Eustatius - that's a tiny island in the Caribbean. That's why they felt a bit at home here.

And I met the dog of the house, actually the house next door. He's really nice too.

The two managers of the house, Debbie and Rod, also gave us a very warm welcome.

Pictures of me with all these lovely people will be coming soon ☺️

I haven't dared to go into the pool here yet. Maybe I'll try it with one of my older ones one day. The issue of water will probably remain a constant companion on this journey.

Today we're taking a break for a day because my oldest has something called a migraine. Seems stupid. But she said it would definitely be over soon. You can take a good break here:

In addition to the "normal" dives, my older ones did something totally crazy here - or so I thought: They dived in a place where there have always been a lot of sharks at once for a long time, because at some point the fishermen there always throw their fish waste into the sea have thrown. And then later someone turned it into a diving spot where you can supposedly safely dive with the many, mostly bull sharks. I was skeptical and then really happy that they came back safely. But it was apparently worth it because they were very fascinated and impressed by the many sharks. There were probably 30 or more of them!! 😯

And at the same time they were a bit strange when they came back from the dive. I later understood that this was because there had been an accident - without any involvement of the sharks. It wasn't anyone's fault, it just happened that way. And when something bad happens to someone, the people around them are always somehow affected and sad. That means compassion when you feel with them. It was probably something like that. I was all the happier that my two older ones were completely safe and healthy and were going on this great trip with me. You've said something a few times in the last few days that I don't really understand: "Carpe Diem" or something like that - but it seems important.

The pictures of the sharks are pretty cool, I think 🦈

There was a ceremony here last night that Fijians do every week. Kava is drunk. This relaxes you and makes you a little sleepy. And above all, we sing a lot together. This is called a ritual, my oldest said. Because it follows certain rules. It was a nice feeling of community. The dog also thought so.

So far for now.

Greetings from Travis the Buddy Bear ☺️

PS: Now I was a bit “in the pool”. First I looked at the whole thing up close. Seemed rather harmless:

And then I took the chance - holding on tight (!!!) - to sit on my hat:

Maybe someday I'll learn to swim after all. And/Or even diving?! 😯😳😅

After four days with Terry and her family, we moved on to our next destination, Naviti Island. Here too we decided on a homestay. However, after arriving, the dream island developed into a nightmare island. At the beginning everything was fine. Emma and Emmy, who were our hosts for the next few days, gave us a warm welcome and explained how the days would go and what there was to experience on the island. Despite our efforts, we still didn't have the positive feeling we had with Terry right from the start. But we can't say afterwards what that was about. The fact is, however, that this feeling did not deceive us. After everything was discussed, Emmy led us to our hut. And here came the first disillusionment. The hut looked completely different than the hut we had booked in advance. Instead of a normal shower there was only an outside shower, the facility was pretty run down and it was dirty too. None of this would have been a problem; we weren't expecting any luxury anyway. In the evening, however, came the familiar straw that broke the camel's back. As darkness fell, our room turned into an insect hotspot. Among other things, several cockroaches were crawling on the floor and on our backpacks. We are certainly not picky, after all we have both traveled to several countries in Southeast Asia, but combined with the other problems it became too much for us. We decided that night that we would leave the island early the next morning. However, this is easier said than done because at the end of the day it's still an island and we didn't have internet to research alternative accommodation. What made things even more difficult was that we had already booked accommodation for the days on Naviti Island and the ferry trips between the islands themselves are very expensive. However, we were lucky, a Belgian couple had a similar experience that night and they also wanted to leave the island as quickly as possible. And the two had also stocked up on SIM cards in advance. So that morning we climbed a mountain together to look for internet reception and research possible alternatives. In the end we all found a solution, Helene and I went to Belize, to the Manta Island Resort, while the two Belgians went back to Nadi. Actually, we would have liked to get a few more insights into the everyday life of the islanders, but after all the hardships on Naviti Island, we were also happy to have the advantages of a resort. While we have only slept in our tent or in private rooms in the last few months, the Manta Island Resort once again showed us the advantages and disadvantages of shared bedrooms. However, if you shared last night's room with cockroaches, a dorm with around 20 other travelers is like a little paradise. And looking back, we can say that the number sounds worse than it is. Of course there was a snoring or a loud voice here and there, but with earplugs and a sleeping mask it was all bearable. We also had a very good time in Belize. The food was delicious, the reef less than 100 meters from the beach was perfect for snorkeling and I was able to go on a dive. Oh yes, volleyball was also played in between. After four nights it was time for a little change of scenery. On the last island we were supposed to visit during our time in Fiji, the Barefoot Manta Island Resort awaited us. This was a recommendation from a friend I met at the beginning of my trip to Vietnam. When we arrived, we were greeted by the staff on the beach with singing and guitar music, after which we were given a fresh coconut to refresh ourselves. After the welcome, we were taken to our small bungalow right on the beach. We spent the first day basically the same as the last. We explored the underwater world with the snorkel and dozed in the hammock right on the beach in the wonderful weather. The last full day at the Barefoot Manta Ray Resort was supposed to be more spectacular because it was Fiji Day. October 10 is a double anniversary for Fiji. Fiji joined the United Kingdom on October 10, 1874 and became independent on October 10, 1970. No wonder Fijians celebrate this day extensively. For us, the program was that the resort staff decorated everything with the colors and the national flag. The national anthem was celebrated together in the morning and games were held throughout the day. But the highlight should come in the evening. For dinner, all dishes were prepared in the traditional Lovo. This is an underground oven in which various types of meat, fish and vegetables are wrapped in banana leaves and placed on hot stones and covered with earth. However, before being invited to the table, there was a traditional kava ceremony. This ceremony is a special feature of several South Pacific cultures and is still part of traditional village life today. Kava is the root of the pepper bush. By crushing, watering and filtering, the ingredients in the root are dissolved and a powder is produced that is drunk in small quantities with water. The potion has a narcotic, calming effect, but is not addictive. You can think of it like a strong tea for sleep. But let's get back to the ceremony. Because Helene and I are typically German, we were over-punctual. This in turn meant that I was involuntarily allowed to play the ceremony helper and take a place in the middle of the large circle. After the master of ceremonies had dissolved the powder and thus completed the potion, I had to shout “Takki” loudly, which probably meant “It can begin”. I didn't understand it exactly. After “Takki” I was given a bowl made of polished coconut and was allowed to drink first. After I had emptied the bowl, I had to clap my hands three more times and it was the next person's turn. I felt a bit like Asterix and the magic potion. Except that after the bowl I didn't have superpower, I couldn't feel my tongue anymore. The whole ritual was then repeated five more times, with me switching to smaller bowls after three large bowls. The effect set in quicker than expected. Incidentally, Helene was no different. While the group gradually dispersed and the other participants devoted themselves to the buffet, I still had to sit cross-legged on the floor. The reason for this was that the master of ceremonies and the assistant, in this case me, were allowed to get up last. Thanks for that!

And then our time in Fiji was more or less over. The next morning we took the ferry back to Nadi. There we slept again in the accommodation where we had already spent the first night. The following day we drove to the airport around early afternoon, where our flight to the next adventure was to take off in the evening.

Finally, a little conclusion about Fiji: We really enjoyed our two weeks there. The people are super friendly and accommodating, laugh a lot and really infect you with their good mood (when there aren't cockroaches running through the room). In addition, there is this beautiful nature with an underwater world that is simply incredible. You can't get enough of the many shades of blue in the water. Nevertheless, two weeks in Fiji are absolutely sufficient. The islands are very similar and when it comes to activities, a lot of things are repeated. After the five-month road trip through Australia, it was the perfect break to gather strength for the next adventure. Vinaka Fiji!

BULA... is a greeting in Fiji. This word is one of the most important and is constantly on your lips with a smile in response. But in Nadi, where the international airport of Fiji is located, I was greeted with a heavy rain shower. A very friendly taxi driver took me to a flooded bridge, which I then waded through on foot, and on the other side I was picked up by Bosame, who allowed me to stay at his place through Couchsurfing. I spent one night with him and his family before moving to the hostel. There, I had the manager Imeri plan a tour to the Yasawas for me, and the next morning, I set off to my first homestay on Waya Island, in the pouring rain.

There, I met Sebastian from France, who was on a world trip with his wife and two children. He is a teacher and has been working in Congo for a long time. He will continue his world trip until they run out of money. There were also two young English girls with us, whom I shared a room with. However, one of them forgot to mention that she suffers from nightmares. I quickly found out when she suddenly started screaming loudly in the night, and her friend soothed her calmly, before a similar scenario repeated itself a few more times. She was very embarrassed the next day, and I would have gladly helped her get rid of these nightmares. And then there was Ariel, an Argentine on vacation and a joker. The next day, we treated ourselves to a dive with bull sharks, one of the most dangerous shark species in the world. The price made both of us hesitate, but since it was a unique experience, we decided to go for it. Ariel is not afraid of negotiations. So, his first action on the opposite island, where the dive base was located, was to ask the people in charge for a discount. But the way he did it made me feel a great sense of embarrassment. He indirectly blamed the people for the price and said that he had never paid so much for a dive. He also tried to evoke pity and talked about the high inflation and poverty in his country... a day earlier, he had boasted to me about his well-paid job as an engineer. When his counterpart was not impressed and did not change the price, he asked if we still wanted to dive. Without hesitation, I gave my consent to avoid further uncomfortable situations... and luckily, Ariel let go and did not continue with more manipulative and embarrassing arguments. In general, this situation made me doubt myself, as in certain situations, after a beer or two, I also like to engage in negotiations, not taking the lack of understanding of the people accompanying me seriously. Let's see if this experience will have a lasting impact on my behavior.

In any case, we then dived with the sharks, which have been fed at this spot for scientific purposes for 8 years. The subject of research is the personality structures of the sharks. Our group consisted of the two of us tourists, a 2-person camera crew, about 7 locals who were responsible for feeding and protecting the divers, 2 active researchers, and a researcher who accompanied the project in its early years and made more than 2000 dives only at this spot and was visiting with his father at the time. He explained to us that he now recognizes all the sharks by their appearance and characteristics. Some are more shy, others bolder and cheekier, and others slightly more aggressive. For me, they all looked the same, and I could only distinguish them by the different sizes of the fish hooks still hanging from their mouth corners, which, according to the researcher, would disappear within a few weeks through the digestive process. So, we went down to a depth of 20 meters and positioned ourselves kneeling behind a small wall, while the feeding was taking place just off the wall. Behind us, the local divers were equipped with an aluminum rod and a ring at the end, which they used to keep the sharks at a distance when they came too close to us. And we were face to face with the sharks. They came within about 40cm of our faces, and we had a fabulous view of the 8 voracious sharks, which fortunately were satisfied with the fish heads and spared us the experience of becoming fish food. And even though they are not the largest species of sharks, all the mature bull sharks with a length of about 3m were quite impressive and awe-inspiring creatures.

Back on our island, I planned a short hike to a rocky elevation in the hinterland. They offered it as a guided tour, but since 15 Euros was too much for me, I asked other locals if the trail was easy to find. A nice man described the access to this trail and told me to always stay to the right on the trail. A Japanese woman who was staying in the neighborhood also wanted to save money and joined me. So, we found the entrance to the trail and followed the man's instructions to always stay to the right. The path became narrower and we became unsure if it was the right one. I checked the trail on my app and it showed us that we had deviated from the path. So, I tried to navigate us back to the actual trail, which led us through dense bushes... until we stood in front of a stream that was impossible to cross. So, we decided to go back. But in the midst of the thicket, we couldn't find our path anymore. I could already feel that Kumiko, the Japanese woman, was breathing uneasily and didn't really enjoy our excursion. Fortunately, we managed to find the path again, a bit sweaty, and walked back. While I was still not giving up hope and wanted to try another path at a junction, Kumiko decided to return, which was fine by me, as I felt responsible for her. But the other path turned out to be the right one, and after about an hour, I reached the summit. Unfortunately, it started raining right on time at the summit, so there was no view. But after waiting for 20 minutes under a small rock overhang, the weather cleared up, and I had a beautiful sunset.

After 2 nights, I took the ferry to the next island called Naviti and went to the Wai Makare beach. Thirty years ago, Seru's father bought a piece of land there, which Seru now occupies with his family and opened his newly built accommodation for tourists at the beginning of the year. I was the 9th guest, and with a German couple from Mönchengladbach, I was the only tourist on site. And you could really feel it, as the people there were not yet oversaturated with tourists, and a wonderful friendly atmosphere of nice conversations was created. Nox, I think a cousin of Seru, was one of the most experienced spear fishermen in the family. He can dive up to about 50m deep and stay underwater for up to 10 minutes, according to his statement. Unbelievable, but apparently nothing out of the ordinary for the local people there. However, it can't be very healthy, as he usually has headaches after such a dive and is knocked out for the day. When asked if it is dangerous due to the bull sharks, he said that there are many cases of shark attacks on divers, some of them fatal. But he is not afraid because God protects him. He then took Yannik, Franzi, and me on a less deep spearfishing trip at the reef just a few meters from the beach. Instead of a harpoon with a rope attached to it, which he uses for deep dives, he used a rubber sling with a very long iron arrow. He only shot at small reef fish, which were later to be used for a barbecue. It was amazing how he stood in the water without weights on his body and had no buoyancy. He said that this is possible due to a low-fiber, rice-rich diet. With my buoyant body, which has only recently acquired a layer of fat, I probably would only slightly reduce my buoyancy with such a diet. So, I politely declined to shoot the little fish with this underwater slingshot and admired the spectacle while snorkeling.

After another 2 nights, I continued to the island of Nanuya Lailai to the Sunrise Lagoon Homestay. It is apparently not far from this northern island to the vacation resorts of celebrities like Leonardo di Caprio. Although the landscape was beautiful, the underwater world near our island was practically dead. I don't know exactly why, but the reefs are probably being destroyed by global warming and illegal dynamite fishermen. So, I took a few walks around the island with some nice acquaintances and in the evenings, we were entertained by a local named Navi, who sang all kinds of songs while playing his guitar, performed magic tricks, and told jokes or anecdotes from his 26-year life, with the occasional tooth loss. Suddenly, things got wild when two dogs got into a fight over a female in heat, and he tried to separate them by grabbing one of the dog's snouts. Neither he nor the other men who beat the dogs with sticks were successful. Only when one of the dogs limped away did the fight end. The result: surely severely injured dogs that we didn't see again until we left, and a deep, gaping bite wound about 5cm long on Navi's finger. But for him, it was no reason to be sad. It was actually a case for a surgeon, but he took it lightly, allowed us to convince him not only to flush the wound with warm water but also to disinfect and bandage it... and then he continued his entertainment. An incredible guy or an incredible way of dealing with injuries. He then told us that he had large scars on his neck from a dog biting him years ago and that this wound on his finger was not so bad despite the numbness.

And then there was Vitali. His appearance reminded me of Russell Crowe, while his behavior was similar to that of Forrest Gump. He came from Ukraine and had been on a world trip before the war and has not returned since. He apparently earned himself some money before the Corona crisis by buying and then selling masks, similar to Fynn Kliemann, which gave him fewer financial worries. However, returning to Ukraine is out of the question for him because he would have to go to the front and he doesn't want that. But he still tries to support his country and raised more than 6 million dollars in the USA through fundraising. With this money, he bought medication, bandages, and other important things, repeatedly flew them to Poland, from where they were smuggled into Ukraine. But he clashed with a Ukrainian influencer who is on the front lines and reports from there. She accused him of betrayal, which ultimately led to a media storm, and he was declared an enemy of the state in Ukraine. For him, it is clear that he will probably never return to his home country. For him, it's no big deal, as he no longer has any friends in Ukraine, and his mother lives in Germany. A crazy story.

Otherwise, I also solved my exhaust problems on the small island. Since my time on Tanna and chewing on the not entirely clean kava root, a foreign object had apparently made its way into my carburetor system and got stuck, which may have been responsible for the unusual state of my waste product. But then I got the recommendation from another traveler with similar problems to chew on the leaf of a tree called Guanabana. Damn bitter and somewhat reminiscent of wormwood. Additionally, I ate the seeds of papayas, and this combination actually helped me restore a functioning exhaust system after about 2 weeks.

And then my time in Fiji and my visit to the Pacific Ocean came to an end. Besides the impressive landscape, I will hopefully remember the warmth and openness of the people with their many greetings, smiles, and short conversations in a wonderful memory. It's really fascinating how people in comparison to our Western world possess much less material wealth but carry an admirable authentic friendliness, interest, and helpfulness within themselves. I met a man from another island in Fiji who was on vacation in Nadi and observing people with his family. I met him at the bus station in Nadi, and he invited me to his home. I asked him how he explains the almost unconditional friendliness of him and the other people. His simple and yet beautiful answer was: He believes in the goodness of life and that the positive energy he puts into the world will come back to him when he needs it.

We liked Fiji more and more. All Fijians are incredibly friendly and helpful. You are regularly greeted on the street, and whenever you have the smallest question, someone tries to help. This also means that someone easily takes a detour to show you the way. In order to get our value added tax back, the customs officers not only refrained from making the export confirmation on board the ship, but also accompanied us to the bank where we received the money. Everyone also says that it is important to them to have a nice stay. We don't remember similarly friendly and helpful people.

The island side of Suva (east side) is greener than the west side. It was also hotter and more humid than yesterday. Especially in the glaring sun, it was unbearable. The vegetation is accordingly. Forests are impenetrable, something grows everywhere, and everything is in the lushest shade of green.

Today we went on a trip to a big market and on the way there and back, we were able to experience the different island landscapes. The markets are just like you know them elsewhere. Beautifully presented, practically exclusively agricultural products in a huge hall. The other things are offered in shops like ours. In Suva, there are not only many cars, but also incredibly many car dealers, gas stations, garages, and spare parts dealers. Despite significantly higher petrol prices compared to Switzerland, the roads are quite congested around the clock, and due to the heat, you don't turn off the engine even when waiting. The waste situation is not bad. Although a lot of rubbish is thrown next to the roads, it is cleared and cleaned quite intensively.

We also visited the Fiji National Museum. A small museum that shows some archaeological artifacts, the settlement, the history, and the current challenges of the islands. Today was also the day of the indigenous languages, so a big festival with televised broadcast took place in the park around the museum.

So if anyone is considering going to the South Seas, we can only recommend Fiji.

Now we're on our way to Auckland, New Zealand again.

There is poverty in Fiji as well, but the government seems to be functioning well, and there are functioning free state schools, pension schemes, welfare, and a healthcare system. The standard may not be quite European, of course.

Today we went on a nice excursion and also did some shopping. Maybe Maria will tell us what we bought, among other things.

Tonight we are going to the other side of the main island, to SUVA, the capital of Fiji. Suva seems to be on the wetter side of the island. But during the current season (rainy season), it apparently doesn't make a big difference. During the drier season, the plant life around Lautoka (western side) is apparently more yellow and around SUVA (eastern side), it remains green.

On January 30th, I finally flew to the islands of Fiji, two days late. I had booked a resort on the southern coast of the main island, Viti Levu, for the first three nights, on the so-called Coral Coast. Fortunately, I was able to change my booking for free because of the two-day delay in my arrival. When I checked online how to get from Nadi Airport to the resort, I was surprised to learn that I had to travel 100 km by bus. I had completely underestimated the size of the Fiji islands. I only knew the main island as a tiny dot on the world map and would never have thought that this island is much larger than, for example, Crete. And I thought I could go around the island in an hour! There are also many smaller islands. Upon arrival at the airport, all passengers were greeted with live music and Bula calls. Bula means 'hello' in Fijian! My resort was beautifully situated right on a palm-lined beach. The staff were incredibly friendly and always addressed all guests by their first names. Overall, there was a very relaxed atmosphere, ideal for relaxing. Nevertheless, over the next few days, I went on two excursions, first to Suva and then to Sigatoka. Suva, the capital of Fiji, is a very bustling city with a few colonial buildings, a beautiful park, and a neo-Gothic cathedral. Sigatoka, only 30 minutes by bus from my accommodation, has a typical market and is beautifully located at the mouth of a river. Near my accommodation, I had originally planned to dive with larger sharks, such as bull sharks, but when I found out that the animals are fed for these dives, I didn't feel like it. Either I see these sharks in a natural way or I do without it!

After three days on the Coral Coast, I wanted to see more of the Fiji islands and set off early in the morning to return to Nadi, from where a boat from the nearby port should take me to the Yasawa Islands. There I wanted to spend 4 nights. First, I drove 5 hours to the very north of the Yasawas to the island of Nacula. There I spent the next two days at the Safe Landing Eco Resort, owned by a very nice family. The meals were always served together with all the guests at a big table, and in this way, I quickly got to know everyone. Unfortunately, it was noticeable at the resort that during the corona time there was no money to maintain the bungalows. Especially the bathrooms were already very run-down. On the first day, together with two Spaniards, I visited the village on the island, where we were introduced to the chief of the village, a kind of chief, who gave us permission to move freely in the village and to take pictures. Unfortunately, I couldn't dive on this island because the dive center was only accessible on foot at low tide, and the price I was offered to pick me up by boat and take me back to the resort was outrageously high. So on February 4th, I drove two hours back to Nadi until I reached the island of Nanuya Balavu, where I spent two nights at the Manta Ray Resort, which had its own dive center. This resort was not as familiar as Safe Landing, but everything was better maintained and much cleaner. The beach was fantastic, and I was able to do a total of five beautiful dives there. The reefs there are colorful and very healthy, there are reef sharks, turtles, and much more to see. I didn't see many fish species on the reefs there, for example, during my dives in Indonesia. Additionally, there are some caves you can dive into.

On February 6th, I left the Yasawa Islands and returned to the main island Viti Levu, where I stayed in my old resort for the last two nights in Fiji. I spent most of the full day I had there in the hammock. In the evening, I tried Kava, the national drink of the Fijians, at a traditional Kava ceremony together with other guests of the resort, including four nice people from Erlangen.

On February 8th, I went back to Nadi Airport, where my flight to Auckland was delayed by two hours. In Auckland, I stayed one more night at the same hostel as before my Fiji stay, and on February 9th, I took a longer walk through the city center. This time, I finally got to take photos of Auckland in sunshine! Afterward, I drove to the airport, where my flight across the Pacific to Santiago de Chile was waiting.

Fiji is a fantastic country to relax and unwind. The people there are incredibly laid-back and hospitable. Unfortunately, the prices are relatively high, although it is certainly the cheapest destination in the South Pacific overall. However, to fully explore the country, you need at least a month. My 9 days were only enough for a first impression.