A SHORT STAY IN PARADISE! We decided to break up the 18-hour flight from Sidney to L.A. by visiting Fiji for three days. Fiji is only a 5-hour fight from Sydney and it offered us a break from the constant “going” we had been doing through Australia and New Zealand.
Fijians are a friendly, outgoing and VERY laid-back people. They are also very proud of what they call “Fijian time”. In other words, “whenever we get around to it” time. Fiji is actually a system of many, many islands but we stayed on the main island, in the city of Nadi. We were there in the late Fall of their year, so we experienced heavy rain one day of our stay. The other days, however, were pleasant to sit on the beautiful beaches or take some of the many side excursions that are available.
One day we took a very bumpy Jeep ride high into the highlands and scenic Sabeto Valley.
We visited a school for local children, as well as visited a native Fijian village. There was no electricity or running water in this village. Only one family in the village had a generator and a television–a very popular fellow, I’m sure! One of the local women cooked lunch and served us in her home. She showed us around her small village and explained their way of life and customs, which have basically remained unchanged for many generations.
This was a brief, but enjoyable, visit to Fiji. It truly helped break up a very long trip home. At least we did not have to catch the ever-present Bula Bus to take us back on Figian Time.
Bula Bus