Fiji

I landed in Nadi at about 5:30 am and thought that I would have to sit in the Transit lounge until my plane for Auckland left at 3:00 pm that afternoon. When I got to the counter to check in to the Transit area I was told that I would have to collect my luggage and clear Customs. This sounded better than sitting in the airport all day.

At the baggage claim area I collected one of my bags and waited for the other to appear. I waited, and waited, until I just kept seeing the same bags coming around on the moving belt. Most others had collected thair bags and were clearing the baggage hall. There were a couple of others who also appeared to be missing bags and were speaking to an attendant at the Baggage services desk. I went over and waited my turn to report the missing luggage.

As there was nothing else I could do, I went through Customs and into the Arrivals lounge area. Looking around and trying to decide what to do, I was approached by a taxi driver asking which hotel. I said that I was only here until for the day and needed to be back at the airport by 2:00 pm. He said that he could show me around parts of the island and be my guide for the day. I decided to throw my bags in the back of his car and go on a guided tour of Nadi and the Coral Coast.

When we were leaving the airport I could see the silhouettes of the mountains as the sun was beginning to rise behind them. We drove off the main road a bit, through cane fields to get better views of the sunrise, then we headed for Nadi, which is the 3rd largest town on the island of Viti Levu. Suva is the capital, and Lautoka is the next biggest city. Nadi is really just a large town of about 42,000 people. The entire 300 islands that make up Fiji only has a population of about 900,ooo people.

We arrived in the Nadi at about 7:00 am just in time to see them opening the gate to the market, so that the stall holders could enter and set up for the day. I walked around a couple of blocks and along the main street. Most of the shops had metal grills, gates and mesh over their windows and doors. People were arriving at workplaces and opening up to get ready for an 8:00 am opening. I walked through the local craft market which only had 2 stalls open so early in the morning. I headed back to the market and met Anil, the taxi driver, who wanted to show me through the market. He particularly wanted to show me kava, and what it comes from. We walked through the empty aisle which were starting to look like a market as the vendors began to bring in and unwrap their wares. We arrived at a stall where there were lots of dried roots, powder, and several bowls. Some of the bowls were filled with a very light milky brown liquid. He explained that the dried roots are pounded to get a paste which is then mixed with water, and there is a special ceremonial way to drink the kava. He explained that you should clap your hands once before recieving a bowl and say"Bula". Then you should drink the small bowl in one go, and clap three times afterwards. It didn't taste like anything special, but it did leave a numbness on the tongue afterwards, similar to a dental anaesthetic. It is described as a non-alcoholic drink which gives a sense of euphoria. Anil had 3 bowls.

When we left the market we drove to a service station to get petrol. The taxi needed some oil as well, but the service station had none. We drove back in to an automotive shop to get some. On the way we passed the Sri Siva Subramaniya Temple which is very colourful. We drove towards the Coral Coast through hills and valleys that were covered in small farms. These farms all seemed to have sugar cane in various stages of growth. Some fields were being burnt and harvested, others had much smaller plants. There were cows roaming freely near the roads. We continued along the highway towards Notodola Beach, where there were a couple of resort hotels. He dropped me at The Natadola Beach Resort where I had bacon and eggs for breakfast, and said that he would be back at 12:30 for the return trip to the airport. After eating, I walked along the beach to the new Intercontinental Fiji Golf Resort and Spa, and had a look around. There were 2 very inviting looking pools, and the beach looked great. I didn't have any bathers with me, so I went into the hotel shops and bought a pair of bathers. I then changed out of my long pants, which looked totally out of place, and went for a swim. The pool was very refreshing. I then went for a walk along the beach, and another swim in the ocean. The water was very clear and warm and there were people riding horses along the beach. After getting changed I went back to the resort bar and waited for the taxi.

We drove back along the Queen's Highway, where it appears that the main danger to residents and tourists alike, is the number of potholes along the way. We got back to the airport with time to spare, so we went to the First Landing Resort where legend has it that the first Fijians landed 3,500 years ago. They liked it so much that they stayed. We went to another scenic viewpoint before returning to the airport, checking for my lost bag, being called over the PA, and finally making the flight. No luck on the bag. I was told to register again in Auckland.