Flew on Air
Fiji from LA to
Auckland, New Zealand via
Nadi, Fiji.
Spent 3 days at the "
Sky City Hotel &
Casino"
Auckland...did day trips. One to
Waitakere Ranges Regional Park &
Piha Beach; Cathederal
Cove &
Hot Water Beach via ferry from Auckland and tour bus from
Coromandel. 3 days in
Queenstown,
South Island, New Zealand at
The Ridges Hotel overlooking the
Lake...1 full day by coach and boat to "
Milford Sound" '
The Eighth Wonder of the
World' (Kippling). Rode on a steamship (coal) "
TSS Earnslow" to
Walter Peak for
High Tea and a sheep
Sheering farm.
Back to Auckland "
The City of
Sails",
North Island for the last 2 days at
The Best Western...went on a day trip to
Waitomo Glowworm Caves...and on a awesome boat ride like going through space... then to Roturoa for the geysers and beautiful hot pools and
Te Puia New Zealand Maori Arts and Crafts Institute; A
Sheep Farm,
Hobbit town. Went to the
Auckland Museum; went around the
Harbour and the
Bridge.
Found Happy Hour drinks and food and young friendly people!
Off to
Nadi Airport, Fiji.
Private car picked me up from airport took me to "
Uprising Resort",
Pacific Harbour, Fiji...villa on the beach. Then by cab to
Natovi Harbour...stopping off for a bite to eat en route. Had the locals and kids at the fruit stand singing the "
Fijian National Anthem" both in Fijian and
English whilst videoing. Then I sang the English and
American National Anthem to them.
Launch arrived and family of 7 from
Australia and whilst we waited I had them singing the
Australian National Anthem...when the couple from
San Diego arrived I had them sing the American National Anthem...
Off to
Naigani Resort
Island...no cars, no other restaurant...generator goes off twice a day...so did the a/c and the fan, no place to exchange money, a few things in the shop that opens on Tuesday, etc.
Beautiful snorkeling; great food. Fijian
Trio and moi sang (the English songs)...every evening; and when a people left the Island. Happy Hour every evening...and we all were HaPpY!!!
Except for the
Mosquitos...had to light incense coils around my
Bure and apply a skin cocktail of sunscreen, after bite & insect repellant all over.
Cold showers were a great relief...wearing long sleeves & covering the legs at night worked after the fact.
Went on a day trip to old capital
Levuka (1874) to see the
Fijian & British Treaties, etc. by boat & coach around
Ovalau Island.
Bought some souvenirs in shop. Two
Hawaiian ladies in our group gave pencils to the Fijian school kids. Visited the Naigani
Village and ritual ceremony...blowing of the conk shell (sounded like
Shofar blowing) to gather the
Villagers, underground oven, music and drinking of
Kava. Fijian
Kids were given bottles of bubbles to blow by the
Australian kids...such joy on the Fijian Kids faces when they were given bottles of bubbles to blow by the Australian kids...
Touched my soul again.
Crab races...tiny little things..."
The Winner Takes It All"! followed by A Bombfire party! Canoeing and snorkeling at the resort & various points around Island. Didn't do the diving there... Got a wonderful serenaded send off on launch...then back to Natovi...greeted by a very handsome
Policeman of
Tourism; the kids at the fruit stand waiving Two taxis awaited. Had a not so pleasant ride back...as the same taxi driver wanted to charge me more and/or make me get into other taxi with other couple and go to
Suva and get another taxi from there to Nambuka,
Coral Coast, Fiji. I realized
Taxi Driver had under quoted me as he didn't know the exact location I was going and it was quite rough terrain for part of the journey...so we compromised. (Had to have faith that I would find the means to get another taxi the following evening with the banks shut and no where to buy Fijian
Dollars...thank G'd it worked out). Nambuka Resort
Villa overlooking the beach was very nice & quiet...nestled between the
Continental and The Fijian Resort;
Botanical Gardens,
Arabian horses, the sound of chickens, two loverly dogs that became my pals, nice couple from Australia &
Japan & Resort Staff were very humble and sweet...
Food so, so. Had my breakfast served on my balcony. Went to the
Limestone caves...were shown where the cannibals had there sacrifices, etc. The three kitchens for their 3 wives...wives weren't eaten...or killed... Not like
Henry VIIIth. Owners of Resort are devout Muslims and very kindly gave me a ride to the airport in their
4 wheel drive vehicle the next evening. They told me they bought more land and were about to put more villas and asked me if I was interested in their joint venture...I said I would ask my brother... It definitely has potential...maybe put a proper road and an additional generator...
HOME SWEET HOME...
- published: 14 Dec 2013
- views: 249