Since we were staying at a surf resort, the logical on-site activity would be surfing. However, learning to surf and then being boated out to where the surf actually is was a lot to try to accomplish in one day. Mike suggested we try paddle-boarding, which neither of us had done before, and Brian (owner of the resort) was happy to give us a quick lesson. The beauty of where we were staying was that the resort was nestled against a lagoon that provided clear, calm waters for most of the morning, and a beautiful reef to admire as far as the eye can see.
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| Mike on his paddleboard |
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| Brian giving me a lesson |
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| On my own |
We paddled around for a while until the breeze started to pick up and we had less and less strength to battle it for control over our paddleboards. We headed back to the resort to wash up for lunch (I, for one, had fallen in the water 3 times - PROUDLY! - and needed to wash the salt off). Plus we were told to save our energy for a kava ceremony that would be held in our honor after dinner.
Then we waited for the conch shell to announce lunch...
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| The view from our bed |
After our last lunch in Fiji, we went for a 45-minute drive to the nearest shop to buy some souvenirs from home. Side note: How awesome is that? In the 2-hour drive between our place and the airport in Nadi, there is ONE souvenir shop. Plus they give you free coffee. :-)
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| View of the village on our way to the store |
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| One of the MANY types of animal that wanders along the sides of the road |
After our shopping excursion, we drove back to the resort, picking people up and dropping them off along the way. It was a lovely way to meet many of the local people, and an interesting Fijian cultural trait: part of many of the locals' daily routines is to hitchhike their way to and from work.
The lazy day continued with wandering along the beach until happy hour.
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| One of a bajillion crabs |
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| Making my way to the beach from our bure |
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| Me, Tony & Shirley (the grand dame of the resort) at happy hour |
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| The Aussies waiting for dinner |
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| Look closely |
After yet another delicious dinner (this time fresh Mahi Mahi) tables were cleared and room was made for the kava ceremony.
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| Preparing the kava ceremony |
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| Getting the kava ready, and singing a few tunes |
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| Mike entertaining the group while we waited to begin |
As we waited for the kava to start flowing, the sun started to set...and we got our final, perfect, Fiji sunset:
Now for the kava ceremony:
It is a common and traditional aspect of Fijian culture to partake in a kava ceremony. Traditionally, kava ceremonies were performed only when visiting a village, and the guest would present a gift of kava to the village elders. Kava itself is the root of a plant that's part of the pepper family. The kava is ground up, placed in a cloth sack and mixed with water in a tanoa (bowl), turning a brownish color. The kava is then poured into a bilo, or coconut shell, from which it is drank.
There are strict rules for accepting and drinking the kava:
- Clap once
- Say "Bula!"
- Drink in one gulp
- Clap three times
- Say “Maca!”(pronounced "ma-tha")
Once you have had your drink, the kava is served to the rest of the people in attendance, all in the same way. Once everyone's been served, you can then talk, sing, dance, etc...Until it's time for another round and it starts all over again!
After quite a few bowlfuls of kava, we were ready for bed. We said our goodbyes to everyone at the resort. as we were leaving at 4:00am for the 2-hour drive to the airport. Then 3 hours till New Zealand!
Next post: New Zealand, Day 1 or "A Man and His Pouch"
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