Bula from Fiji the Emerald Isle of the Southern Pacific

Flying into Nadi airport was a breath of fresh air, as the hills, fields and rain forests were a vibrant and lush shade of green against a backdrop of vibrant blue and puffy white clouds. But along with the lushness, come high temperatures and even higher humidity. The temperature in the taxi registered a stifling 34 Celsius and the only saving factor was the a/c in the hotel room which was a welcome relief.  I’m sure we would not have been able to sleep due to the heat, humidity and lack of breezes, despite being by the sea. Another concern was that of Cyclone Lucy which had been forming to the north east of Australia on track towards New Zealand with the potential of sweeping over the Fiji Islands. Nevertheless the three night stopover on Denarau Island, prior to our sail around the Fiji Islands was a welcome respite from the numerous days of travel on the road. Indeed, this is a very pretty place and the people are so gentle, quiet spoken, friendly and always walking around with an infectious smile.

Despite Lucy’s threat, she made for a real adventure as the captain of our small cruise ship had to alter course and completely change the itinerary for our seven night island explorer journey aboard the MV Reef Endeavour, to keep ahead and out of harm’s way of the cyclone. Not that it mattered to us at all, as we were up for a new adventure and not knowing where we would be the following day, while trying to escape the clutch of Lucy's grasp, kept our fellow 94 passengers in suspense throughout our mystery cruise. The snorkeling has been fantastic, as has been the weather and traveling to some off the beaten track locations, has led to some memorable encounters. Such was a visit to a local tribal village where many traditional ways of life are still a part of everyday living and the visit to a local primary school with a special show put on by the children, with only a 20 hour advance notice of a visit from outside visitors. See the video Children Dance and Song  Another special discovery was a visit to an island operated by the Fiji government and their Ministry of Fisheries where a program to help with the reproduction of turtles and a subsequent program for the reintroduction of giant clams into the regional waters has been established. It was equally interesting to visit this island as it had been established by the government in the early 1900’s, to be a leper community of outcasts from Fiji and outlying regions. 
I thought I was ready to come home until we really started to explore some of the deserted islands and the snorkeling they had to offer. Absolutely wonderful! It was just like we were living the promotional brochures in 3D. See my video Sandy Quay Yesterday was especially interesting as we visited the island where Tom Hanks and Mr Wilson starred in the movie Castaway. A visit to where one of the episodes of Survivor was recorded was also on today's itinerary. Visits to a local community, a church service as well as a couple of schools was a real treat as we found the children both welcoming and eager to interact with adults. On our final day, a visit to the Garden of the Sleeping Giant, made famous by actor Raymond Burr of Perry Mason and Ironside fame. He was fascinated by orchids and gardens and donated this jewel to the Fiji government on his death. 
We have been incredibly lucky to discover this region and all it has to offer. Granted they have many problems as well, with a fragmented political system and multinational corporations exploiting the locals with low wages and poor working conditions but they persevere with a smile and a friendly Bula anytime you come in contact with them.
This will conclude our latest adventure as we start our journey home tonight. We hope you have enjoyed sharing it with us. Denaka :)