The ‘Real’ Fiji
Travel Location: Viti-Levu,Fiji
We decided to spend our first week touring Fiji’s main island, Viti Levu, with the Feejee Experience (sister company to the good old Kiwi Experience). Aboard the familiar green bus we set about getting to know our fellow travellers and the crew – comprising of our guide Té, the driver Arvin, 5 trainee guides, and the big boss lady. There were more of them than us!
The aim of the tour was to give us a glimpse of ‘the real Fiji’ rather than just the white sandy beaches and turquoise waters shown in the travel brochures – it was raining too. We were taken to a number of villages not regularly frequented by tourists, where the villagers would wave and beam at us as we passed by. Some of the kids would even pinch us to see what our white skin felt like. We took some basic stationery along to one of the village schools where the kids had great fun taking pictures of themselves with our digital cameras.
Getting dirty seemed to be the theme of the week
Getting dirty seemed to be the theme of the week. We got filthy sandboarding down muddy sand dunes – especially Dan when he prematurely parted company with his board and rolly-polied down the hill. We also spent an afternoon wallowing in natural mud pools, caking ourselves in it from head to foot. That’s our swimwear ruined!
Another highlight was a 4 hour trek through the muddy jungle in the torrential rain, which most of the guides did barefoot. We must have looked quite a sight as we eventually emerged from the jungle sopping wet, wearing our leafy camouflage hats and mud war paint, where we jumped into a rubber tyre and floated down the river to the end of our journey. A few days later the stench of a bus-load of mouldy trainers revealed why it was best to do this particular exercise barefoot – more items of clothing fit for the dustbin.
The Fijian people we met were all incredibly friendly and hospitable, although we were a little nervous when we visited the grave of the Fijian chief who holds the record for eating the most humans – but we were assured that the majority of them have now adopted Christianity in favour of cannibalism, and that they prefer beef anyway.
We made some great friends on the bus and partied the nights away crab racing and limbo dancing (I came joint first at the latter- there’s life in the old girl yet!). We also reluctantly took part in the traditional Kava ceremonies, where the root of a pepper plant is crushed up and mixed with water in a large bowl. The result was a liquid closely resembling muddy puddle water (in taste as well as appearance), which was passed around the circle and downed in one while everyone clapped 3 times. We failed to experience the reported narcotic (but perfectly legal) effects of the kava as we were unable to consume sufficient quantities of the foul mixture.
All in all we had a great time on Viti Levu – despite the weather. It had been raining relentlessly for four days causing widespread flooding. We thought we might have to spend our last night on the bus after we became trapped between a section of road that had been washed down the hillside and a river that had burst its banks. Fortunately the water subsided and we were able to pass – crisis averted.
Satisfied that we’d seen the real Fiji, we were off to the islands in search of paradise, and a little sunshine….hopefully.
