Travel is NOT an Exclusive, Elitist Club.

Travel is not some exclusive, elitist club whose membership is based on how many stamps you've got in your passport and it shouldn't be made into such a thing. It's not about how many countries you've been to. It's not about how many monuments you've taken pictures with. It's not about how many followers you have on Instagram.

What it is, is a learning experience. A chance to gain some perspective. A blessing. 

But I don't need anyone's permission or approval to hop on a plane and I don't care what anyone else thinks.

Travel is not an arbiter of my blackness or of my socioeconomic status. Truth be told, I've traveled when I only had $37 in my account and my blackness isn't always the most evident so......there's that. 

As far as I'm concerned, if you want to pack up the minivan and road trip it down to Galveston, you have traveled. For some of us, going to work every day is a traveling experience. It is what you make it. But It's not about posting pictures on social media of the obscure place you went to that most people could never even conceive of and then making them feel bad about not being able to go. That's not what it should be about. 

For me, I travel because its in my blood and I just can't help it. I can feel it in my bones. When I reach a new destination, something comes over me....I can't explain it. Then I experience it and I want to Share. It. With. The. World. Because I just can't keep my mouth shut. 

Not in a "I'm better than you b/c I'm here and you're not" or a "look at alllllllllll the stamps/visas in my passport" kind of way. But in a "look at God's creation and how incredible and different things are and how we can be so ignorant because we don't know everything and I can't wait to share it with you and hopefully inspire you to follow in my footsteps or create your own journey and let me see it too" kind of way. Does that make sense?

Not everyone can do what I do...and not everyone does it for the same reason I do it. But I know that and I'm not walking around judging them for it. It's not the way I was raised and doesn't fit into my Christian training. 

What I can do is try to be as inclusive as possible. No that doesn't mean I'm traveling with any and everyone. The way my personality and attitude are set up - that just won't work. 

BUT, I promise to continue to share all my experiences with each and every person that takes the time to read my posts, as long as the great God in the heavens allows me to do so. I will continue to share the travel deals I find, I will post pictures and stories, etc. My only hope is that my humble blog continues to gain followers and I can inspire someone to step outside of their comfort zone and try something new. 

Remember, travel isn't just about planes, trains and automobiles. It's a state of mind and being. You can travel up the street and hopefully there's an adventure there waiting for you. The other day my mom told me that I needed to sit down somewhere. In the past two months, I've only been home one weekend. But nah....while I'm alive and able, I will and now that I've begun, there's no turning back.

It takes tooooo much energy to make someone feel like an outsider. I'd rather expend energy getting lost in another country and telling y'all about how I tried to find my way. 

So for all those who are out there who post pictures and videos of your excursions with the express purpose of one-upping, making jealous, boasting, bragging, exaggerating, showing off, etc....cut it out. I see you and you should be ashamed. Don't do it for the bravado. Do it for the story, for the memory. You should be out here living, not making someone else feel like crap b/c they don't have the same opportunities and resources. 

This post is brought to you by a convo I had with a bff just this morning. It stirred something in my spirit and I just had to get that off my chest. Thanks for reading.....make it a great weekend. 

New Orleans, How I Do Adore Thee

New Orleans is the perfect weekend getaway imo...especially from Houston. 

A 5 hour drive, or a 1 hour plane ride (my preferred method of travel b/c why prolong the inevitable?), will transport you to a city that looks and feels like a completely different world. 

It's hard to put into words, but New Orleans is a city that is bursting at the seams with culture, from the food and music to the architecture. When I'm there, I instantly feel connected to my creole roots, distant though they may be. 

I guess that's why it's listed in Forbes 10 Best Cities for Weekend Vacation as the most European city in the US. I think that fits well...among the city's other nick names. 

So whenever someone suggests a quick getaway, I'm always down for the cause. I guess that explains why I've already been to New Orleans three times this year...and have another 2 visits planned. It never gets old tho. There's always something fun and exciting...I could sustain myself on people watching alone. The vibe is so cool and laid back. Every one is literally there...just to have a good time. 

So, 2 weekends ago was no different. We hopped in the rental suburban and one of the only two males in the group navigated I10 East like he may have played one too many racing games. 

Quick sidenote: I really hate being in cars for long periods of time. Planes, I don't mind for some reason...but a car is like the worst thing ever. I'm anxious and antsy the whole time. On a plane, I can fall asleep with no issue. In the car...I'm impossibly wide awake. 

The drive to New Orleans isn't really that bad. It's scenic and there's lots of little towns on the way. My favorite part is the swamp area, right outside the city limits. When you pass thru at night, it looks like something straight out of a horror film, very creepy. But its not just creepy...its mysterious and whimsical. From inside the suburban on I10, the still waters appear calm and peaceful. But my mind wanders to what may be going on down there...a gator looking for its next meal...snakes slithering around, a family gathered around the dinner table? (Yes, there are homes in the swamplands too!)...here's a picture that gives an idea of what I mean. I found it on another blog:

I love how the leafless trees stand up straight out of the swamp. It's such an interesting scene. Has anyone ever read "The Secret of Magic" by Deborah Johnson? I was reminded of the magical forest that was a running theme in this story. (Thanks for the rec, Fallon) 

Now take notes, I'm about to help you save some money on hotels:

We got to NO shortly after midnight, stopped for gas, restroom break and cash...changed in the parking lot (maybe you wanna find somewhere more secure place to change or ride in the outfit you plan to wear) and headed straight out to the Quarter. *Don't wear anything fancy...it'll get sweaty and dirty and you'll regret it. 

Yes, we had a car full of luggage and no, I don't really recommend this part, but we found a parking garage that was only about 2 blocks from Canal and a block or two over from Bourbon and parked in there for $10. That's safer alternative to parking a loaded Suburban on the street.

To me, Friday on Bourbon is better than Saturday (a personal interjection). Anyway, we hung out down there (leaving out the details on purpose. NO is like Vegas) and headed to Harrah's a few hours later. For those of you who like to gamble, this is perfect for you. I hate gambling, so I just watch. There's also restaurants that serve food all night and the Masquerade, the club inside the casino. 

Before you know it, the sun is rising and you're so tired you can barely keep you eyes open. That's the perfect time to use Hotels Tonight or Hotels.com to find lodging that will let you check in early and sleep until hunger wakes you. In essence, you've only paid for a hotel for one night!!

Of course, this method is not for everyone but it works...trust me. Fortunately, Hotel Modern was able to accommodate us and with minimal research. Actually, I called Hotels.com and had them search for a hotel that had early check-in. Here are some shots from the Quarter: 

(Photo Cred: Dani M. Carter)

  

 

(Photo Cred: Dani M. Carter)

Hunger stirred us around 2pm. So we indulged in Port of Call burgers and steaks, kind of a New Orleans staple. 

(Photo Cred: Krystal D. Carter)

(Photo Cred: Krystal D. Carter)

There's always something going on in New Orleans. So, after we stuffed ourselves, we walked thru the French Market and stumbled upon the Creole Tomato Festival which celebrates the start of tomato season. Locals and tourists alike came out to enjoy the food booths and demonstrations, live music and creole tomato tastings, as well as other traditional cajun cuisine. It was quite the scene, even during intermittent rain showers.

After a brief siesta, that wasn't really a nap but more like an opportunity for the older members of the group to recharge their batteries for the night's festivities, we set out for dinner at Acme Seafood in the Quarter to get our fill of chargrilled oysters (the only kind of oyster I'll eat). Acme was closed for a private event but I had gotten a discount coupon from Oceana the night before and they serve the oysters too so we headed there. 

We were seated on the third floor and served by Alex. Our waiter was full of energy and earned every dime of his tip. The food there wasn't great, it seemed mass produced and not really made with love, but Alex's excellent service more than made up for what the food lacked. We were full and happy, no real complaints. 

We headed back out to the Quarter. I can't remember where, all the neon lights on Bourbon start to look the same after you've been there so many times, but I randomly ran into some of my high school classmates. It had been about 14 years since I'd seen them last.

The club inside Harrah's is way more jumpy on Saturday nights than Friday. So half of us migrated there while the other half jumped on the tables. Again, I don't gamble sooooo.....not interesting to me. The DJ was awesome that night...fun times. 

The next morning, we jumped a few hurdles before we were able to get back on the road, but nothing too hot too handle, and we were back in Htine around 3pm. That's just enough time to recover and get your mind right for work on Monday. 

Great weekend....but then again, New Orleans is always a good idea. 

Adventures and Scams on South Sea Island

Today we're going to discuss my experience with South Sea Cruises. 

As part of the pre-travel research (and I always do this), I tried to determine if it would be better to pre-book some activities. Pre-booking is good when you're short on time, when there's a possibility that excursions will be sold out and/or if you want to have some structure to your trip. I've also found that trip structure is key when traveling in groups larger than two and people who have differing opinions on timeliness, etc. 

Anyway, we wanted to book a day cruise to some of Fiji's smaller islands and obviously had to decide which company and which option was the best value. From the descriptions, and taking time and price into consideration, we all agreed that the South Sea Island Cruise was probably the best bet. There were activities included, as well as lunch and unlimited beer, wine and other refreshments (#win). We selected the combo cruise. The description of this cruise boasts an afternoon cruise around the Mamanuca Islands after lunch. But...its not what you think it is and it lead us to some disappointments later...yeah we'll just call them disappointments for now. 

I'll start with the transfer from the hotel to Denarau Marina. The driver was supposed to pick us and another couple up at 7:30 am. He was 30 mins late. Mind you, the night before, Ali advised us to leave the hotel early enough to get to the Marina on time. The main road near the airport is under construction and morning traffic is awful. As a result of the driver's tardiness, after he got past the traffic, he was overenthusiastic in his pursuit of the road to the Marina. We appreciated it (because it was his fault), but my life flashed before my eyes a few times on the way there. Needless to say, we barely made it before the boat was announcing its last boarding call. It was a short boat ride as this island is one of the first you come to.

South Sea Island itself is...I have no words. It's gorgeous. The picture below shows the actual size of this tiny island. Don't underestimate it though, it was full of fun things to do. 

So, we hopped off the bigger boat and onto a smaller one that transported us to the island. 

After a brief introduction and explanation of all the activities available, which included snorkeling, diving, kayaking, paddle boarding, etc., we decided to take the glass bottom submarine tour...then back on the tiny boat...so we sailed up to the sun til we found the sea of green and we lived beneath the waved in our yellow submarine!

Underwater stuff is awesome lol. The submarine was moving too fast for me to capture pics of the fish as we floated by but I think you can see some in a few of the pics below. Plus there's a video....I heard Sebastian singing "Under the Sea" in my head the whole time. 

Can you spot the pretty blue starfish? I don't think I've ever seen a blue starfish before!

There go a few fish!

After our sub-aquatic exploits, we went back to the island for some snorkeling fun. Seems like I'm the only one that could master breathing through the snorkel, so I went out kinda far from the beach. I saw a few fish and some other cool stuff. Snorkeling is hard when you're trying not to get your hair wet. The harsh waves combined with the rough corral/sand mixture on the beach made it difficult to do anything. As a whole, we were unable to stand for long enough to get our lives together but I guess that made it exciting too. Alan has the pics of us snorkeling...I'll add them whenever he decides to get his black life and add them to our shared Dropbox folder.

It was time for the BBQ buffet lunch and show. The lunch was delightful. We were served salad, potato salad, rice, fruits and sausage, chicken, steak and what I think was swordfish but I'm not sure. Whatever it was....it was delicious. Oh yeah....don't forget the free Fiji beer.

Afterwards we had a little more time to relax on the beach before it was time for us to hop back on the boat and take a tour of the other islands. 

Unfortunately, this tour of the other islands was more like a a taxi service from island to island and we literally just sat on the boat while it chauffeured guests all over the South Pacific Ocean. So, if you're considering this company for tours, be sure not to select the South Sea Island Combo Cruise. This "tour" lasted about 2 hours...enough time for us to really sleepy, irritable and and exceptionally ready to get off that boat. The tour company had other plans though. 

I believe this was all the morning driver's fault because as it turns out, he was supposed to let us know that the evening driver would not pick us up until 6pm. You see, the other couple that rode with us from our hotel booked the full day cruise on South Sea Island (which ended at 6) and the combo cruise ended at 3- which we selected intentionally so we would have time to do more exploring after. Since our hotel was relatively far away, the company was only making one pickup and one drop off (an important detail they could have told us that morning). Our morning driver was supposed to instruct us to hang out at the marina until the 6pm pick up. He failed to mention any of this.

When we disembark the boat around 3pm, we were wandering around trying to figure out the ride back. There was no signage anywhere so we resorted to asking people that were standing around. One of the bus drivers kept saying that our ride would be there at 6pm but we didn't understand what was going on...he wasn't being very clear, no rhyme or reason to his aggressive responses to our inquiry. We found another kind woman who ended up forcing the driver to take us to a hotel on Fiji, where we would switch to another driver and complete the journey back to the hotel. Again...no one is telling us that the evening transfer isn't happening until 6pm. We get dropped off at the Mercure hotel in Nadi and are advised that someone will be by to take us back but he won't say when nor will he give us the driver's name. Instead, he gives us a number and tells us to ask the hotel's concierge to call if no one is there in half an hour. My generally calm, cool and collected friend Chidi unraveled a little....it was warranted tho, this guy was a jerk. 

Half an hour passes....we go in and ask the receptionist to call...she has no idea what we're talking about. Great. Eventually, the Mercure hotel's tour concierge shows up and I go in and speak with her. She was an extremely kind and professional woman...I wanted to hug her because by this time, we had been sitting there in the hotel's outdoor lobby for over an hour feeling somewhat distressed. She makes a few calls and tells me that she will let me know what's going on but also expressed some disappointment in the fact that they left us sitting there for such a long period of time and in the way the folks at this transfer company were doing business, she had to call 4 times before someone answered. 20 minutes later, she comes out and explains that the tour company, or maybe it was the transfer company, had forgotten about us and then stated all the stuff I just mentioned. Her delivery of this maddening news was so meek and pleasant, I couldn't be mad...in fact, this was the first real detailed explanation we had gotten all day. 

To pass the time, she mentioned that there was shopping center in walking distance....there was, but it was more like a true shopping center, with a grocery store and a cinema...nothing that we were really interested in so we went right back to our seats in the hotel lobby. 

Our little detour to the shopping center only lasted about 15 mins and we had no choice but to sit there until 6 so I took a nap...not sure what everyone else was doing...I just know that our attitudes were all complete trash at this point. 

After a while, the kind woman came back out and told us the driver would be there a little after 6:30 because he had to wait for the other couple to get back and then come there. More irritating news but, it wasn't her fault and this woman was soooooo nice. 

The whole time, I managed to keep myself calm until this happened. The driver arrived at about 6:45 and we noticed the couple that rode with us that morning get out of his car, and into a smaller one that would not accommodate all 6 of us...it was at that very moment that the steam started to seep out of my ears....I could feel it. The transfer happened so quickly... if Aneika and I hadn't been paying attention we would have gotten left. The guy didn't even know we were waiting there! We ran over to the smaller car as it was driving away and banged on the windows to make him stop. We asked him, aren't you supposed to be taking us too?!?!?!?! We've been waiting for you for over 3 hours!!!!!!!!!!!!! He didn't know what was going on.

We were all furious by then. The kind woman from the Mercure, the woman that had originally told us to get on the bus from the marina (not sure how she appeared there), and the driver all came together to have a little pow wow - discussed the miscommunication among themselves while we stood there, literally by the side of the road, after being in the hot sun all day, waiting there for three hours, ruining the latter portion of our day, and these fools jerking us around.....and just as I was about to jump into the deep end of the crazy pool....another car appeared...one that could fit us all. They better be glad....the appearance of that vehicle saved them all. 

We piled in...everyone was pissed. I want my money back actually because this was a horrible experience and it ruined the day. What made it worse is that the arrogant driver was trying to justify it when there was no such justification to be had......they screwed up, they should have told us what was going on, the driver should have been on time and none of this would have happened. Actually, when the owner of the transfer company first learned that we were waiting, he should either have sent a car for us to take us back to the marina (which would have been perfectly fine) or take us back to the dang hotel. Traffic, gas and drive time be damned. 

I just short of cursed the man out who was driving us back because he was doing too much talking and defending the idiot who made all these bad decisions and it was pissing me off. I'm a Christian woman so I let him live. 

We finally made it back to the hotel, showered and went to the hotel's restaurant for dinner, which also irked me. We had not planned to eat at the hotel for dinner. We didn't want to pay the more expensive prices and this issue with the tour caused us to miss out on our afternoon exploration plans. However, I will say that the dinner was tasty, despite a few minor issues and the hotel staff did a special kava drinking ceremony just because we asked for it....so that was great and almost made me forget about the cluster that was earlier that afternoon....almost. I'll write another post about that.

This experience reminds me that nothing is perfect and you have to be flexible and deal with things as they come. There's my travel tip for the day. I think it's applicable in almost every situation.

Natadola Beach, Fiji - "Enjoyed by the Few"

If you Google Natadola Beach, you'll find that its "situated on arguably the best beach in Fiji". Its ranked #2 of 23 things to do in Sigatoka on TripAdvisor (it should be #1). According to TravelChannel.com, its the most beautiful white sand beach in Fiji where you can snorkel in the cerulean sea (I love all the different varieties of blue used to describe the water).

I agree. 

When you first arrive to a international destination, a person's natural tendency is to shower (possibly) and climb into bed to catch up on sleep. Not me. If you want your body's clock to adjust, you sleep when they sleep. That's the rule. 

Knowing that I had no intention on sleeping, our group decided that we should venture over to the Coral Coast since we scheduled a day trip to the Mamanuca Islands the next day. We settled on Sigatoka then had to figure out transportation and an actual destination. At reception, we were given a recommendation that was closer than Sigatoka, to Natadola beach. The kind woman said that, to her, it was the most beautiful beach in Fiji. You've got to listen to the locals when they say stuff like that...it's usually true. 

We let the man of the group haggle with Ali, the airport transfer driver, for a reasonable price for a return trip. We agreed and hopped in the van.

The drive to Natadola was about an hour and a half long. Ali stopped along the way for snacks and drinks. We really liked him, he drove us around during our whole trip providing information on the sights and answering all our random questions along the way. 

We passed a sign that read, NATADOLA --> and turned onto a steep, narrow dirt and gravel road. I hadn't seen a bit of water on the drive there so I was a little nervous about what we'd find at the end of our journey. But Ali was confident so I patiently waited. After being tossed around the van for about 5 mins, we finally arrived. 

Upon first glance, this was an unsightly beach that was littered with garbage, debris, etc. I was so incredibly disappointed. We had driven all this way and spent money to come to a beach that was no better than Galveston beach, no offense to Galveston, and this actually looked way worse. But as we walked down past the sand and grass mixture that totally could have passed for the community dumping grounds (I saw abandoned grills, trash, clothes, cigarette butts...smh), we took a steep decline down to the actual beach and I suddenly realized why the receptionist's eyes lit up  and placed her hand over her heart when she spoke about this place, I understood why she recommended it to us and I sighed a deep, heavy sigh of relief. I had basically convinced everyone to come here and I didn't want them to be disappointed.....

No chance of disappointment here, folks. 

You know what's funny? The picture above and the picture below are two sides of the same beach. It looks like two completely different places, right? It wasn't....same place. 

  

We splashed around in the water...it was super cold. Except for a few locals that were down at the other end of the beach, we had the entire place to ourselves. Also...I know all these pics look just alike...I don't care. This place was gorgeous. And what's more, I was told the most beautiful beaches weren't even on Fiji...lies I tell you. This one could definitely hold its own against the others I saw.

 

 

 

Watch Chidi play in the waves lol....she was having the time of her life and the only one brave enough to get out there. The few times I tried, the huge and really strong waves slapped me around, pushed me over and got my hair wet before I was ready for it to be wet! Ugh. 

                        

Ali sat and waited for us like an hour, until we were all played out and completely soaking wet. 

On the way back he asked if we were hungry and suggested an Indian food restaurant. Of course we were hungry! Despite my normal hesitation to eat Indian food, I decided, when in Rome...or Fiji....except I didn't realize they had such a huge Indian population...but I soon found out. 

We went into the center of Nadi, which was like a ghost town b/c Fijians believe in closing their businesses on Sundays, to a restaurant called Curry House - a suggestion from Ali, one of his favorite curry restaurants in the whole town. I never eat curry....in fact, I don't really like it but I read that Fijian curry was different and when I'm in different places, I'm a little more adventurous...so I ordered curry chicken. I was pleasantly surprised. It was delicious and Chidi, who actually likes curry, said it was some of the best she'd ever had!

The waitress, who seemed a little aggressive at first, noticed I was writing in my travel journal and offered to help me name some of the places we had been that day. 

Dusk settled in and we headed back to the resort. Our intention was to shower up and go out to watch the live music playing in the bar/restaurant area. We didn't quite make it out. Instead, we showered, got fully dressed and then realized we were pooped. Putting forth the effort was justification enough...oh well, at least we tried! It was about 8pm but it was so dark outside my body thought it was 10pm and a more acceptable time to sleep. Whatever the hell time it was, I cuddled up with the ants in my bed and joined Chidi in a 12 hour trip to dreamland. 

Bula! Welcome to Fiji!

For the past few months, I have literally been salivating at the thought of realizing one of my travel dreams. I almost didn't think it would actually happen until I was boarding the flight in Los Angeles on Friday night (a delayed flight which would foreshadow the delay of every other flight with Fiji Airways. I plan to devote an entire post to the delays)

Then, there I was, after a little over 10 hours in flight, staring out the window to one of the most beautiful sights I'd ever set my eyes on while my friend Chidi was catching a few more z's before landing.

Giddy with anticipation, I disembarked the vessel and I was finally there! Then, like the cornball that I am, I started taking pictures of everything I could see...with the express purpose of remembering it all so I could share it with you guys later.

Past the first check point, we were greeted by this cute little musical trio who serenaded us with traditional Fijian jams while we stood in the customs line. Perhaps that helped things move along more quickly....or maybe it was the excitement of it all...I can't really be sure. I was feeling so many different things, relief that we had crossed all that water and landed in Fiji safely...exhaustion from the long flight, I had to pee and I was eager to see what was on the other side of the airport's walls.

We collected our bags, the customs agent asked my friend if he could touch her hair (b/c it was in long braids) and we exchanged our boring US dollars for rainbow colored Fiji dollars. Then we were met at the exit by Ali, who transported us to First Landing Beach Resort and Villas. I was like a kid on Christmas morning, face pressed against the window, while Ali was trying to tell us about the Sleeping Giant....the impression of a giant sleeping on his back in the outline of the mountain range ahead of us. 

Before I left, I researched Fiji, as I do with all the different places I travel to, but I read about the concept of Fiji time, thinking it was just some catchy phrase designed to lure tourists with the ideal of rest and relaxation. Just so you know "fiji time" is a real thing. When we arrived at the hotel for check-in, we were met by Koso who grabbed up our luggage and escorted us to the reception area where we noticed this clock on the wall...the perfect depiction of the phrase. Fijian culture tends to have low time consciousness, low stress and few rules. That's excellent for vacation because it forces you to slow down but when you've reach the level of hanger and the chef preparing your food and the waiter bringing it to the table are both leisurely performing their duties....it can be a huge problem. When you get to Fiji, you better be prepared to wait. 

Anyway Koso was super nice and quite handsome (sidenote: 8/10 Fijian men I saw were gorgeous). Were told that the room wasn't quite ready but that we could help ourselves to the breakfast buffet until it was available. Nearly 2 hours later (now we were clearly on fiji time) we were escorted to our beach front bure. To get the full Fiji experience, we requested a bure which is the Fijian word for a wood and straw hut, similar to a cabin or bungalow, but with electricity and plumbing, thank God. 

 

It was so cute until we realized it was there was just below the threshold of an infestation of ants in the bathroom and in the beds. We contacted reception and housekeeping to come and change the sheets but we had enough time to shower and change...and sit for about 30 mins...until someone came with new sheets and bug spray (Fiji. Time.). Mind you, we never really got rid of the ant problem, I was literally sleeping with them every night. I'm not sure how they kept getting in the bed though, maybe Fiji has some type of flying ant I've never heard of...but I never got bit. By around 9/10pm, I didn't even care. I got right in bed and snuggled up to those ants. Also, I had to take into consideration that I was in the middle of nature and since I was already getting use to the concept of fiji time and the whole laid back vibe of the island.....it is what it is. I had no other complaints about the room. It was comfortable and spacious, the beds were awesome, the bathroom was huge and the tub had a jacuzzi that we never used but it was there. While the sheets were being changed, I examined the grounds of the hotel, the view from our bure, personal beach and the man made island surrounding us. 

It's weird tho, I know that the tide exists and that it changes based on gravity, the sun the moon and some other stuff which in turn and makes slight changes in the water level, but I have never seen it happen quite like this. In the photos below, you'll notice that the water reaches nearly all the way up to the hotels small beach. In other pictures I have, from later that night and the next day, you'll see that the tide rolls out...waaaay out...and there is dry land that stretches out pretty far. That helped explained the two sets of waves that were breaking, one set farther out beyond the man made island and the other set right at the edge of the beach. Seriously cool though.

At any rate, the property was beautiful...lush green and hammocks all around.

 

I crossed the bridge to the small island...I had already entered into my explorer mode, observing every little detail along the way. Then I looked down into the water and saw schools of the prettiest little fish with yellow tails. There were hundreds of them, big and small, swimming all together in perfect harmony. Of course the water was so clear you could see every detail of their little fish bodies. On the other side of the bridge was a school of long silver fish....these fish had me so excited...it's the little things in life that can bring us so much joy. 

 

If you look closely at these rocks, you'll see that there's some other salamander looking sea creatures and tiny crab chilling there. I'm telling you, I was thrilled by all the activity in the water. I probably could have sat right there all day and watched these fish but...nah. I had to get out and see!

So, overall I was pleased with the hotel and pleasantly surprised by how nice it was given the low rate we paid. The staff was super nice, as was the trend among most of the people we met on the island. As a whole, Fijian people are smiley and helpful, personable and really love children, from what I observed. The hotel provided like a nanny/day care service and the staff members I saw with the guests were very nurturing and attentive to the children, even the men. Additionally, each of the staff members greeted you warmly and it was really nice, not like something they were forced to do but it was really in their hearts to be this happy. When they say "Bula" (which means welcome) and "welcome home", they genuinely mean for you to feel like you're at home. 

If I tried to write one post about Fiji it would be more like a dissertation so I'm going to break them up. But here's the first one... we made a good choice with this hotel and I'd recommend it to anyone. 

The food was good too...a continental breakfast came with the rate we paid for the room through Expedia. Hot breakfast items were available for purchase. We had dinner at the hotel one night. I ordered a traditional fijian dish, the name escapes me now but I'll update the post later b/c I wrote it all down. It was fish wrapped in what looked like some variety of collard green or spinach, on top of thick slices of taro and then covered in a coconut cream sauce. I've decided I'm not a huge fan of taro, but the fish and green/spinach combo was delightful. We asked the waitress if we could try Kava, the national drink of Fiji, but apparently you can't just try kava...there's a whole ceremony that's involved. The resort usually performs the ceremony on Saturday nights I think but since we asked for it, they put on a special ceremony just for us. I'll write a another post about it...super cool. 

We never got a chance to try out the pool or any of the water activities the resort had to offer b/c we were out all day and the sun sets really early, like 6pm. From what I could tell though, people we really enjoying themselves so I give it all two thumbs up. 

Good start to a great week. I'm looking forward to sharing the rest of my experiences with you!