Bula from Fiji!

Smiles and friendly faces will be the biggest memory from my trip to Fiji. As if my life wasn't easy enough at the moment, but I though a trip to the laid back Fijian Islands where "Fiji Time" will become a comman phrase was a must whilst I was in this part of the world.

With 20 islands in the Yasawas Group to choose it was a hard task to try and plan my 2 weeks of paradise, so instead I booked myself on a 6 night package to start with and waited to see what islands I would end up on. I started at the very North of the Yasawa Group of islands on Tavewa, a small island just 3 sq km in size. The resort was called Coral View and housed the most friendliest people I had even met. The stay here was very personalised with every member of staff remembering your name, which immediately made you feel at home.

I started as I meant to go on, by finding myself a little hammock in the shade, armed with my book! A few zzzzz later and I was totally blissed out for the afternoon! The next day was pretty much the same drill, but after a trip to the Sawa-i-Lau limestone caves, followed by snorkelling in the Blue Lagoon named after the film which was made there.

The next day I moved onto Manta Ray Island where the snorkelling was absolutely phenomenal and in my opinion much better than the Great Barrier Reef in Australia. The water was so clear, and the number of tropical fish was amazing. The coral really shone when the sun was out, leaving you out there on the reef for hours. Thank God I bought my own snorkel in Oz, I really made my money back here!

Just 1 night on Manta Ray before moving South to Wayalailai Island. A volcanic rock island which looked so different to all the other islands I had seen. Again, friendly staff that welcomed you with open arms. A walk to the summit (349 metres high) of the islands gave you wonderful views of the Mamanuca Group of islands - it looks like shear paradise. On a good day we would have been able to see the Yasawas Group too, but it wasn't our day! A visit to the local village here allowed us to speak to the locals and see how they lived. Strange to think of how simple there lives are and then think back to my days working in London - two completely different worlds! It definitely answers why everyone is so happy as there is not a lot to worry about on the islands, they are self sufficient and are happy with living with basic amenities.

I left Wayalailai that afternoon and headed for South Sea Island in the Mamanuca Group which for me was the start of my diving. A 6am wake up and I was down with the fish my 6.30am! A look around a ship wreck took us through millions and millions of little fish living in all the nooks and crannies. By 9.30am I was boarding a sailing ship to tour around more of the Mamanuca Islands including Modriki which is where the Tom Hanks film; Castaway was filmed.

My final stop was 5 nights on Mana Island - known for it's 40 dive sites near to the island, this was my agenda for the next few days. 5 dives later and I have seen lots more sharks, coral that I had never seen in Australia and my very first turtle. I have never been so excited, and it was only once I started clapping under the water did my dive buddies think I was a loon! I was absolutely beaming which if you have ever try to smile with a regulator in your mouth you will know how hard it is!

It was quite rainy on Mana Island and so if I wasn't diving or snorkelling, we were chilling out playing cards, chatting and listening to the musically gifted Fijians on their guitars.

The end of 2 weeks in Fiji and I have had a wonderful time. The culture is great, and I am going to try and bring back "Fiji Time" to the rat race in London - I wonder how well that will go down?

Back to Sydney now, for my last few days in Australia! :o(