February 22, 2005
Bananas and Papayas
(Day 7) What to do with my extra day in Fiji? I could've easily passed the day relaxing by the pool, sipping fruity drinks. But I didn't come halfway around the world to do something I could've done at home. Part of my resolution to keep this blog updated is to do something worth writing about everyday.
I spent the morning typing up blog entries and editing pictures for the web. I copied these to a floppy disk, and took a taxi to downtown Nadi in search of cheaper internet access. Downtown Nadi is much busier on weekdays than on weekends. The streets were crammed with Fijians doing grocery shopping, tourists buying souvenirs, and shopkeepers trying to attract the attention of the tourists. Every few steps, a taxi driver would ask me "Taxi, sir?"
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Posted by markyiin at 08:45 PM | Comments (9)
February 21, 2005
Sunburnt, Seasick, and Losing Track of Time
(Day 6) On any given day, there are maybe 20-30 backpackers staying at the two village run hostels, yet it never feels crowded. You can find a handful of people tanning in the beach out front, another handful on the beach over the hill, and a few people out on snorkeling or diving excursions. As nice as this is, two days on Mana is more than enough. Any more and you'd find yourself bored and looking for things to do.
"I really like it here," I told Cathryn at breakfast. "But I'm really glad I'm leaving this afternoon."
"When is your flight?" she asked.
"Tomorrow morning. Three days in Fiji is enough."
She agreed.
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Posted by markyiin at 07:59 PM | Comments (8)
Magical Mana Island
(Day 5) Very early in the morning, the roosters began announcing daybreak. It was like my mom waking me up for school all over again. They wouldn't stop until I got up. After an hour and a half of this, I finally gave in. I took a cold shower (there was no hot water on the island), brushed my teeth, and walked into the village.
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Posted by markyiin at 07:44 PM | Comments (5)
Bula!
(Day 4) I arrived in Nadi (pronounced Nandi) early morning. Clearing immigration and customs was a breeze. I booked a stay at Nadi Bay Resort Hotel ($20 FJ a night), and who offered free transportation from the airport to the hostel.
I was led to a van where I waited with two other girls for nearly an hour before the driver showed up. That's Fiji time for you...
Posted by markyiin at 07:18 PM | Comments (5)