FIJI!!!!

You know what they say, save the best for last! We were so lucky to spend our final week in Fiji on Castaway Island. To connect to Fiji, we had to fly back to Auckland from Sydney, spend a quick night in Auckland and then catch an early morning flight to Nadi, Fiji. 

Our first flight to Fiji was canceled, but we were super lucky and our travel agent with the University in New Zealand was able to get us on another flight that afternoon. This did mean, however, that we got in too late for the usual ferry to get us from Nadi to Fiji. The resort told us to call a company called "Seafiji" to book a water taxi to get to Castaway, which we did. Seafiji was supposed to be waiting for us at the airport, but of course, they weren't there. 

Jay called and they said they would send someone. I was already a little anxious about how getting to our island was going to pan out because everything had been very much laid back with all the bookings. Eventually a very nice man came to pick us up. He didn't speak very much English and was holding a piece of paper that said "Seafiji," so we got in his car and he drove us to the port for our water taxi. We got to the port, if you would call it that. He backed us down a gravel driveway that ended at a canal. There was a small house on a patch of grass and another small house/building opposite that one. 

We saw the motor boat that said "Seafiji" parked at a dock, but no one was in it. Meanwhile, the driver started unloading ALL of our luggage and I was thinking, "We're going to be abondend with all these bags and suitcases - what the heck are we going to do?!" Also, at this point it was approaching 7pm and sunset was in about 20 minutes. Maggie started crying and Jay tried calling the number for Seafiji, but it was a busy signal. I pleaded with the driver to please not leave us until we had everything figured out. He was calling some phone number and got through to someone, but he wasn't speaking English and couldn't communicate with us what he was finding out. He went back in his car and started honking the horn - I guess to alert the boat driver that we were there?? Eventually, two big Fijian guys came out from one of the houses. They said their phone had died and they didn't know we were there. They were very nice and apologized - phew! 

They loaded us up on the boat and we took a somewhat unsettling 45 minute motorboat ride in the dark, across the ocean to Castaway Island. The full moon was rising behind us, and it was really beautiful. Our little boat pulled up to the island, and were greeted with a warm Fijian welcome from the resort staff including a welcome song with clapping, singing, guitar that ended in everyone shouting, "BULA!" 

The best thing about getting in at night, was waking up the next morning. Finn ran in and shook me awake, loudly whispering, "Oh my God, Mom! I looked out the front window and it's so beautiful out there!"  He was NOT wrong. Our Beach Bure was RIGHT on the water, which we knew but couldn't really tell what it was going to look like in the dark the night before. Crystal, clear turquoise water, palm trees, and sunshine was in store for us. It was maybe the most relaxing week I've ever had in my life! Lots of pool time, beach, snorkeling, kayaking, paddle boarding, and reading. Castaway had an amazing kids club where Finn met two boys, Max and Leo, from Sydney and they had a blast together. Fiji was SO WORTH the stop and just as beautiful as you would imagine it to be! We were so lucky to end our trip there; I can't believe it! 

The Bure

Finn's favorite palm tree 

 

Good morning! 

Smoking a coral pipe 

Dessert from the dinner buffet

Last dinner :(

Finn with Max and Leo (New friends from Sydeny)

Amazing snorkeling 

On snorkel boat with the kids club

Good morning, Fiji! Rolling out of bed like...

Steps to water...steps from our bure 

Morning coffee view...I could get used to this! 

Fijian traditional dances - beautiful singing and dancing

Epilogue: 

As I write this last post, we are now back home in Colorado. We arrived late Saturday night and we have been able to connect with many of our friends and family in just the three days since we've been home! It's so wonderful to hug everyone and see them in person. The kids are thrilled to see their friends again, and we feel the same way! 

The last few months feel like a weird time warp and almost like a dream - did we really do all those things and go to all those places? Do we really still have another part of the world to experience for the second part of the sabbatical? I'll forever be grateful for the time we had together; Maggie and Finn seem closer than ever, and we all have bonded in different ways. I'll be signing off for now until we take off for France January 31st.

Good bye, haera ra, g'day, Vinaka!