Our plane got in to Nadi around 5pm and we caught the bus along the southern ‘Queens’ Road’ to Suva. At 10pm we checked into our hotel for the night and set off mid-morning to get the bus to Koravou where we hailed a cab to take us the rest of the way to Queen Victoria School dock to meet our hosts (Mika and Sova) for the next few days.

 

Mika, Sova, her aunty and the village chief were on the boat with us for the crossing to the island of Naigani. It was very hot and sunny as we left the mainland but the sea was choppy. About fifteen minutes into our journey the weather turned into dark cloud and being sat near the front of the boat we were absolutely sodden by the time we arrived, luckily the water was warm-ish! Sova gave us some cookies and juice then we strolled along the coast as it was low tide. Hundreds of crabs scuttled along beach, hiding in their holes as we passed.

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Everyone we have met (even passers by as we waited for buses) have greeted us with a friendly ‘Bula’ and a smile, no one seems stressed or in a rush which seems typical of all of the smaller islands we have been to. After a busy three weeks driving the length and breadth of New Zealand we both felt tired now we had slowed our pace to ‘Fiji Time’ so enjoyed some lazy afternoons. Sova made us lots of traditional fish dishes served with bread fruit, yams, rice or kasava (starchy carbs like potatoes). Following dinner, we joined the Methodist service of the family and also gave the Kava Rory had bought on the island to the chief of the village as a welcoming gift. Kava, is a traditional Fijian drink its effects are mild and it’s a powdered pepper root.