Fiji

How to describe  this beautiful place. Let me start from the begging.


As soon as we landed we got to feel the humidity while  waiting in long and slow moving  line for the customs.
I found a beaten down taxi to take me to the Beach resort hotel. Small paradise owned by NZ couple. It was a nice transition into holidays mood.

I walked the hour walk into the center the next day, passing the occasional house and men with machete.
The town itself wasn't very special, with tourist shops and lots of traffic. It took me while to find what I came for. The local fruit market. It has been a while since I photographed people so I suddenly felt shy. I soon got over it, locals love to have their photos taken! And they do like to smile.

Island hopping
I bought a pass for the Adventure Flier. I didn't have much time to research all the options, so just got the double coconut pass which included transfer and accommodation. Big mistake. I should know better than buying tourist packages! It turn out they do limit where I can stay and if I wanted to go to the most popular (and nicer) islands I had to pay extra. So if you ever go to Island hop in Fiji,... just buy the boat transfer and book your own accommodation.



Beachcomber Island

My first stop was small Island with Beachcomber resort on it. I don't think I was ever on island this small. It took me 10 min to slowly walk around. Beachcomber has the biggest dorm I have ever seen. My bed in just female section had number 84. It actually was nicely organized and there was only 6 of us, thanks to the slow season. This Island is called the party island and so that is what we did.

Sea Snake was hanging out around the rocky area. 

Staff singing Bula ( welcome) song.

Octopus resort
Next stop was on my absolutely favorite Island of Waya. Octopus resort is set on the lovely beach, with palm trees. We were welcomed with smiles. I felt right at home.
I hiked the steep trail to the view point, explored the beautiful life corral reef just of the beach, drank kava (sedative drink made from powder of the kava plant roots) with the village eldest, watched the traditional dances and even danced with the locals, watched amazing sunset and ate the most delicious food. Having flower behind your ear just to let everybody know you are still single and looking ( left side) or married ( right).  Good times.

View from the challenging hike to the mountain

Kava ceremony in the village

Safe Landing
Was the biggest disappointment .Old resort, with not so white and not so nice beach. Dirty bathrooms and dirty sheets. Let's don't even talk about the food ....
I took the tour to the nearby Blue Lagoon to enjoy lovely beach and snorkeling where the Blue Lagoon movie was filmed.


Next stop was Barefoot Resort. 

Nice backpacker"s spot with 3 beaches and good vibes. It is located next to the Manta Chanel, where elegant and magnificent manta rays come to feed. I was lucky to see three of those huge, but harmless creatures while drift snorkeling from the boat.
The time went by fast, swimming, working on my tan, kayaking around the island and drinking Barefoot wine watching sunset made for lovely time.

Octopus resort for the second time
I got of the boat on Waya Island at Octopus Resort for few more days. Few days turned into 2 weeks. There is something about this place. The way people make you feel at home, remembering your name, smiling and occasionally hugging you for no reason, putting extra flowers on your bed. It was easy to get used to relaxing, running on the beach, snorkeling , watching sunsets with happy hour drink in your hand and socialising at dinner. Sitting with the local guys playing guitars and ukulele, singing and drinking endless Kava till late.

I was sad leaving on the boat towards the main land, leaving new friends behind. I hope I will come back one day and I am sure when I will, it will feel like coming home.

I caught the overnight flight from Nadi to LA. Traveling against time is always interesting. My day lasted 43 hours and I got to see 2 sunsets the same day. One in Fiji and one in Oakland, CA.

I will be in California for 3 months now, visiting friends, but mostly just hanging out in small rafting town of Coloma.
I know I am not much of a traveler lately. All the traveling made me realise that it is nice to find home. I will be flying back to NZ and keep working in Kinloch Lodge, as I rather enjoy my job in the kitchen and it is a great opportunity to recharge on money ( and you need money to travel, you do) .

For now have a lovely Summer ( or Winter in NZ). 

Australia and New Zealand

I am way overdue with this post. So here it is, the last few weeks of my travels before I found home for the Summer next to beautiful Lake Wakatipu, working in Kinloch Lodge.

Sydney
I only had 4 days to visit Sydney. I accepted the invitation from my friends Adrian and Anita, who I met in Bali, to stay with them in north Sydney. It was good times.

New Zealand

Auckland
I got lucky to get offer to stay with my friend's Graces parents in North Auckland. I spend the 5 days getting my paperwork sorted out. Getting my tax number, phone number and opening a bank account was easy thanks being able to use local address.
I put my CV together and sent it out to few places. The same day got job offer from Kinloch Lodge for kitchen hand.

I left the next day on the night bus to Wellington.

Wellington

I got there at 6 am and was welcomed by strong wind and empty streets. I left my backpack in the near hostel and set out to explore the town. 

I met up with my friend Grace in the afternoon, who took me to the cow far where she works for few days. 

Staying on the farm was an experience. I even got to help with milking one evening. And yes, walking behind the cows is poop dangerous... 

We went running in the evenings and Grace took a day of to take me to the beach. It was nice 2 days. I took the train back to Wellington early in the morning and than took the ferry across to the South Island. The boat trip was amazing, the fjords, with mountains in the background. I was glad I decided not to fly directly to Queenstown. 

Final bus of the day drove me on the coastal road south, all the way to Christchurch. 

Christchurch

What a depressing city! It got hit by 2  big earthquakes and was left with broken downtown. It is one big construction zone in the city center with the old cathedral left there all fallen apart. The beautiful botanical garden near the museum turned out to be my favorite place in the city for walks and the container square was interesting place to go shopping.  

I spent 2 days there, the bus to Queenstown was sold out for the next day. The tourist season was soon to be in its peek.

Bus ride to Quenstown was how different than beautiful. We stopped by the Tenape Lake and I was in photographing heaven when I saw all the colorful lupins in bloom. 

Queenstown

I only arrived to this mountain town in the evening. I quickly visited few shops to get few things before I would continue to Kinloch in the morning. It was raining, but I could see why people find it charming. 

Kinloch

I found a home for the summer in this small lodge by the blanket blue lake. It was exactly what I was looking for. Job in the middle of beautiful nowhere. 

I hope to stay here for the Summer and enjoy the great nature that this area has to offer. 

I will keep you updated on my future adventures.