20 Days in.....

20 days in.... and I'm only just writing this. Slack Rosie, very slack! As you can see, or have heard - I arrived safe and sound and have been in Fiji and now in NZ about to look at some glow-worms in an underground cave... but I get ahead of myself....Back to the start...

London Heathrow 20.1.11....The flight was boring. VERY boring. Made somewhat more interesting by my neighbour on the flight who wanted to talk A LOT. I can tell you it's quite something to be tapped on the shoulder in the middle of a film to check I'm enjoying it and, would I mind, giving him a brief synopsis of the storyline. Wow. That was a long flight. Well, it was made better by the gin and tonics I was drinking... I swear the air pressure does something funny when drinking alcohol.... Fun times.

LA was a NIGHTMARE. I only transitted for 3 hours, but expected I've have time to drink Starbucks and eat over-sized food; Alas no. I spent the whole three hours queueing.... One and a half hours to get through customs, 30 minutes to get out of baggage reclaim... Then more queueing to re-check in, go through security, boarding...etc....etc blah blah blah. yawn.

Anyway eventually I arrived at my first destination FIJI BABY!!! Hit, as I got off the plane by a wall of heat. SO humid. SO hot - like wading through soupy air. I think I might have been somewhat overdressed - boots, jeans, t-shirt and hoody..... eeek! First stop was Octopus Resort on Waya Island. I was told this was one of the most luxurious islands on Fiji, so it was a bit of a shock to the system to be greeted with my first 'domitory' in a shack/bamboo hut, crammed with beds, with a cockroach on my bed. Yum.

For those of you who haven't been - Fiji is BEAUTIFUL. Travelling through boat to Waya island we passed numerous, stunning islands of varying sizes....Not unlike my picture on the previous post... Exactly like Castaway. Absolutely beautiful desert islands... Palm trees, white sandy beaches, totally picturesque and amazing....ahh. speechless.

I was only meant to be staying 2 days at Octopus Resort, but enjoyed it so much I extended my stay to 4 nights. Whilst here I enjoyed crab races, (hermit crabs 'tipexed' with different numbers racing along the beach - It wasn't uncommon a few days later to see a number 17 running along the beach. Very amusing,) bonfires on the beaches, even a Quiz night (anyone who knows me knows quizzes are not my forte. At the last pub quiz I completed I got 3 questions right.... out of 100!) Anyway, hmmm.... The island was beautiful. One of the more mountainous, hilly islands. One day I enjoyed a (hot) walk to the nearby village - The heat was incredible. I cannot say I was displaying a womanly 'glow', no this was sweat like I've never known. (Attractive Rosie.) I later found out Fiji was experiencing a massive heatwave. Phwoar. I wore factor 50 sunscreen the WHOLE time, (I previously thought no-one in their right mind used factor 50) but it turns out in Fijian heat - I CAN EVEN BURN IN THE SHADE!!!

Fijians have a traditional drinking ceromony of a plant called 'Kava'. In each place I went to they'd put on a Kava drinking ceromony - which they hold as being highly traditional, important and sacred. I therefore was excited to take part. Kava, in blunt terms tastes like swamp water. Muddy, brown swamp water. I'm not sure if it's a kind of in-joke to give to the tourists. It also numbs your mouth and is thoroughly unpleasant. After my first Kava initiation I tried to avoid this as much as possible without seeming rude....I still ended up having to drink three cupfuls of the stuff.... delicious.

After four days of relaxing, over-eating, sunning myself etc...etc. I moved to the Blue Lagoon Resort where I spent my last 3 nights. The landscape of Blue Lagoon was different still - Whiter sands, clearer seas..... If it was possible - even more beautiful!! Really enjoyed my time here - Again spent my days snorkelling, (amazing coral!) swimming, relaxing, eating, dancing on the bar, drinking etc....etc. Ah this is the life. Experience Fijian dancing, singing, church services, village trips, scuba diving. Thoroughly enjoyable.

I could spent hours writing about my time in Fiji...ah........ So after 8 beautiful days I moved on to NZ where I met up with two friends from home, Katherine and Vicki to begin the second part of my adventure.....

My internet is flashing telling me I have 6 minutes left. (Internet seems to be RIDICULOUSLY expensive in NZ. Actually everything is ridiculously expensive in NZ - 4 pounds for deodorant - keeping my 'glow' at bay.... 2 pounds for a cucumber....bloody hell.) So, I better dash, but will hopefully update my journey's soon....!
I miss everyone lots - but looking forward to lots more skype dates in the future..... That's all for now folks!! Until next time.....