Tribes, horse boarding and desert islands... Bula!

Nadi was our first stop in Fiji. It wasn`t what we expected and travelling around on a local bus felt a little uncomfortable at first. We were the only westerners around, which we later found out was due to the embassy advising tourists not to travel to Fiji due to `civil unrest´aka s##t-loads of fighting. After getting off at the wrong stop (bus drivers fault), all we could do was laugh - well, until it started raining and we realised we were in the middle of nowhere. Luckily we found a house and managed to get a lift in the back of an old banger estate car from a random bloke for a couple of quid!

We eventually arrived at our second destination, Pacific Harbour, where we went on a four hour jet ski safari around the islands stopping off to snorkel in the clear blue sea. This was followed by an hour being towed on the back of a boat on various inflatables. We then attempted the craziest sport we have ever heard of - Horseboarding. This was basically a surfboard with a rope tied between it and a horse. While the horse ran along the beach you had to try to stand up on, and not fall off, the surf board. Whilst this was near impossible, Sean and Dan managed to complete the task. Karl, on the other hand, felt the effort involved was not worth the reward.

Whilst in Pacific Harbour we decided to spend some time with a local tribe (as you do). Dan volunteered to be the chief of our group. He had to sit in front of the group facing the tribe and complete a kava drinking ritual to get permission to enter their village. Thankfully, they agreed, but only after Dan forgot some of the words he was supposed to say as part of the ceremony.

We then spent some time chatting with the villagers and visiting the kids in the local school before heading down the river, climbing a waterfall and finally ending the day coming back down the river on a bamboo raft.

After all the excitement it was time to hit the desert islands and top up the tans. Our first stop was Beachcomber island, supposedly the party island. However, having only one bar and a dreadful band playing the greatest sixties songs to slash your wrists to it was far from it. Anyway, we made the most of it by playing another game of ring of fire with some Canadians before heading to the bar to take part in the Butlins-like Bula dance. After a couple of days on Beachcomber Island we got a boat to Bounty Island where they film Celebrity Love Island. This was paradise and a great place to do nothing.

After a few days on the islands we went back to the mainland and decided to visit the mudpools. This was all good until it started to absolutely chuck it down (breaking Sean`s camera). On the way back we noticed the road ahead was flooded! We all got out to check the depth of the water and Dan, not realising we were actually stood on a bridge, stepped back and fell off into the raging river which pinned him against the bridge with water, logs and everything else gushing down the mountain and crashing into him. Sean and Karl found this hilarious until they realised he was almost drowning! Dan somehow managed to pull HIMSELF out (thanks lads). With only a few cuts and bruises on his back he felt lucky to be alive. Finally, despite the taxi driver trying to convince Karl to drive the car through the flooded road, the taxi driver plucked up the courage to go for it and we managed to get us home. (DD)

written by

Sean, Karl & Dan on January 10, 2008 from Suva, Fiji

from the travel blog: Around the world in 180 days...

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