Fiji - Bula!

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After returning the motor home, we flew to Auckland on the North Island where we spent the night before leaving for Fiji.  There's a lot to see and do in Auckland; however, our brief stay did not afford an opportunity to do much sightseeing.  It was a rainy dreary day and we walked down to the waterfront, which had many shops and restaurants plus two maritime museums.

The Sky Tower is a prominent fixture of the Auckland skyline, and can be seen from nearly everywhere in the city.  It is similar to the Space Needle in Seattle and has an observatory level, restaurant and offers thrill-seekers two unsurpassed adventure options.  Visitors can bungee-jump or walk the entire distance around the tower on a narrow pathway; wearing a full set of harness of course.  Either way, it's an unobstructed drop of 576 feet to the streets below.  The list of attractions, cultural venues and entertainment options in and around Auckland is almost limitless.  Anyone who plans to visit should set aside at least three or four days.

The Air Pacific 747 landed in Nadi on the West Coast of Fiji during a mid-afternoon thunderstorm.  We checked into a hotel near the airport and then took a taxi into the town.  There were shops of all kinds, many selling Fijian woodcarvings, for which the island nation is famous.

Indians make up nearly 40-percent of the population of the country.  Their ancestors came from India in the late 1800s and early 1900s to work on the sugar cane plantations.  Nearly all of the current Indian residents are Fijian by birth; however, there is a great deal of tension between them and the indigenous Fijians.  The underlying tension has caused political unrest over the years and resulted in a simmering resentment toward the Indian-Fijian.  This is largely because the Indians control most of the commerce on the island and own nearly all the shops, restaurants and grocery stores.  As a result, the indigenous Fijians strongly believe they are shut out of creating wealth, sustainable jobs and a better life for their families.

We rented a house and a van for the entire time we were there.  The house was located near Sigatoka, approximately 60 miles east of Nadi.  The town is located on a river that empties into the ocean on the South side of the island.  It had a number of shops, restaurants and a few grocery stores, not surprisingly owned by Indian-Fijians.

The house was perched high on a hill overlooking the turquoise-colored ocean nearly a half-mile away.  It was basic, but met all of our needs.  The best part was we could spread out and have some "me" time.  A luxury we longed for during the two-week trek in a motor home on the South Island of New Zealand.

Fijians are very friendly and go out of their way to say hello.  The customary greeting is Bula, and is said with sincerity and much gusto.  It was common to ride through villages and here Bula from all ages and nearly every direction.

Like so many other places we visited, the indigenous peoples have a rich culture steeped in tradition and formal customs.  The Fijians are certainly no exception.  One time-honored tradition is formally presenting kava to the village chief in exchange for permission to visit.  Even today, nearly every village has a chief who may be highly offended if a visitor fails to give him the obligatory kava.

Kava is used throughout the South Pacific for ceremonies and non-ceremonial events like hanging out with their mates.  It is part of the root structure of a plant that grows approximately two feet tall and has broad dark-green leaves shaped like a valentine's heart.  The kava is placed in a specific kind of vessel and pounded with a large pole that resembles a two inch round fencepost.  This process releases the juice, which is then drunk and enjoyed by the locals, especially the chief of the village.  Kava juice is said to have a calming effect without impairing judgment.  Having tried some, I can definitely say it's an acquired taste.

Fiji and all of the islands in the South Pacific are typically viewed as paradise on earth.  Images of an idyllic lifestyle laying in a hammock by the ocean under swaying palm trees is what most people see in their minds eye.  And since most visitors to Fiji go directly from the airport to a resort, it's easy to understand why they believe this is the norm.  However, in reality, Fiji like nearly all of the islands in the South Pacific are severely challenged to maintain their infrastructure, provide adequate healthcare and educate their populations.  Throughout our trek, we have intentionally sought out the realities of the locale, and did simply accept the marketing hype if the tourist brochures.

Make no mistake, Fiji is beautiful; however, it is not entirely a tropical paradise.  Fiji has its share of problems these days just like nearly everywhere on the planet.  Crumbling infrastructure, limited job opportunities and an overwhelming dependence on tourism are just a few of the challenges the country faces.  We have been asked many times if we would recommend visiting Fiji, and our answer is always the same . . . if you are in the region and can plan a stop-over for a few days, then by all means do so.  However, we don't recommend it as a destination for several reasons including the expensive to get there, the fact that it's half way around the world, and the island offers a limited amount of things to do.  In our collective opinion, there are plenty of places in the Caribbean that are as good and far less expensive.

As the saying goes, all good things must end, and so is the case with our trek.  Fiji was the last country we visited before returning to the U.S., which officially ended our around the world trek.  Next week will be the final installment and will reflect on our amazing adventure.

And remember, "Travel is the ultimate education."

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