Fiji

12-19 April

Tuesday:

It’s a short and sweet 1hr25min flight from Port Vila to Nadi.  The Fijian immigration are hesitant when they see my green passport, but when Nick flashes his red one at them we’re through.  Henry meets us at the airport and drives us the 30mins or so to the marina.  Here we switch onto a boat for a 40 minute blast to Navini Island where we’ll be staying for the next week.  It’s dark so we can’t see the island – that’ll be a treat for morning.  We’re taken straight to the dining room for a cocktail and a toasted sandwich (good combo), then it’s bedtime for us.

Wednesday – Monday:

Navini is another slice of heaven.  The island is tiny – you can walk around it in 10 minutes (it’s approximately 0.6km round, depending on the tides).   It’s an oasis of vibrant flowers and swaying coconut palms surrounded by picture-perfect white sandy beaches.  Best of all, it’s surrounded by its own coral reef. 

We seem to have brought some good weather with us too – we get a week of perfect days, whereas it’d been raining before we arrived.  We have a gorgeous bure with it’s own veranda, hammock and sun loungers.   

There are only 10 rooms on the island so there are never too many people about.  Meals are laid-back communal affairs, which we were a bit hesitant about, but end up really enjoying.  It is fun meeting everyone else and having little chats (especially after having only each other to talk to for the last 6 months or so!).   

We’re even treated to a private candle-lit dinner under the full moon on the beach one evening. 

There’s plenty to keep us busy.  Every morning there’s a complimentary trip.  We join it one day and get taken out to a reef for some snorkelling.  Afterwards there’s the chance to fish.  Nick gives it a go but doesn’t catch anything (on purpose he says, so as not to upset me). 

And finally a stop for a swim.  I’m getting pretty good at throwing myself off boats into the middle of the sea. 

Most of our time is spent lazing about or snorkelling.  There are baby reef sharks that seem to spend all day patrolling the shallows around the beach.  They’re cute and it’s a great opportunity to get a close-up look at a shark. 

As we’re coming into a full moon, the tides are extreme: when they’re low they’re very low and when they’re high…  At low tide we have to take a kayak out to get over the reef and then tie it to a buoy and snorkel from there.  Even so we get caught short one day when the tide hits its lowest point and have to get thrown shoes to walk back in for lunch as there’s not enough water to float our kayak.  

The snorkelling is amazing:  loads of tropical fish, giant clams, rays and bigger reef sharks (babies are cute, mummies a little more of an adrenaline rush – even though they’re pretty harmless too). We even spot a turtle and a manta ray, which has to be one of the most beautiful things I’ve seen. This little family of clown fish were firm island favourites – tough dad got very protective of mum and babies when we came poking about their home.

When I got thirsty one of the helpful gentlemen knocked a coconut down from the tree for me.

Nick gets a lesson on the hobiecats and sails us around the island whenever the wind picks up enough.  And 4.30pm is volleyball time for the boys.

In the evening we’re treated to glorious sunsets

and equally dramatic moonrises.

Once darkness falls an army of geckos emerge from the roofs and jump into the trees.  Then it’s dinnertime, followed by kava drinking and a game or two of vidi-vidi.

Tuesday:

All too soon the week is over.  Our flight it not until one minute to midnight so we stay on the island for the day.  In the morning we join the boat trip for snorkelling, fishing and swimming.  Then it’s lunchtime and a lazy afternoon.  After a week of perfect days the weather is starting to turn, so that makes leaving a little easier.  We brought the good weather with us and we’re taking it away with us too.  At about 5pm we’re loaded onto the boat for the trip to Nadi.  We blast across but have to slow down just before the marina to let this paddle boarder and his passenger past.

Henry meets us at the marina for the drive to the airport and the 6 hour wait for our flight.

Janet adds: my new favourite holiday destination.  Just a little far from the UK…