Sunday, July 20, 2003

Mana Island

Up at 8:00, breakfast, showered, packed and waited for bus to pick me up. The boat I'm taking to Mana runs on Fiji time, so it could be here anytime between 10:00 and 11:00.

Ahh, Fiji Time...one of the greatest things about Fiji. Virtually all locals run on Fiji time, which pretty much means things will get done when they get done. There's no hurry in Fiji. Life is slow and easy. Take a break. No stress. Sega Na Leqa - No Problem! I like Fiji time. Unfortunately, you can't use Fiji time as an excuse for checking out of a hostel late, though.

The mini-bus came at 10:00. No Fiji time here, I guess. The bus picked up other people at Nadi Bay Hotel, then to the beach, where we got our actual tickets for the boat and accomodations. Boat came about 11:00, and we hopped on. Very wet ride,w ith lots of big waves and splashing. I had an inside seat, so missed most of the splash, but others were soaked. I lent my wind breaker to some chick, who was in love with me the rest of the time on the island. She was fat, though. And a Mormon. As we were leaving the beach, we saw a big tuna (?) jump about 10 feet (no fish story, it was that high) out of the water, chasing after another fish that was ahead of it, that had jumped out of the water too. Spectacular!

Got to Mana about 1:00, the boat dropped us off on the beach, so had to wade through knee high water to get to the resort. Got checked in and taken to the dorm rooms. It's about a 30-bed dorm room. I staked my claim to a bottom bunk, then went and had lunch. Fried rice, vegetable pizza-type of thing, bread, watermelon and water. It was tasty, I went back for seconds.

Ratu Kini's is the name of the backpacker resort, it's in a local village on the island, you have to walk through the village to get from the dorms to the reception and eating area. It's pretty much a dive, but it's one of the cheapest islands in Fiji to stay at. Most are upwards of $70/night, with the real resorts offering up rates of more than $1000/night. This place is $45/night (including 3 meals).

After lunch, I walked to the other side of the island and walked along the beaches and rocky coast back to the hostel, met up with Shelley (the chick I lent my coat too) and Chris, another Mormon she's travelling with (there are 4 Mormons travelling together...more on them later). The three of us walked past the expensive Mana Resort ($800/night) to the islands airstrip and a really neat, small chapel (popular wedding chapel for Japanese tourists, judging by the "marriage walkway"). Walked back along the other side of the island and then cut across to Ratu Kini's. Killed about 3 hours.

Lots of hermit crabs on the island.

Cloudy, kind of rainy, windy and very cool all day. IN other words, crap.

When I got back to the dorm, virtually everyone staying in the dorms was laying down on their beds, reading, writing or sleeping. Lazy backpackers!

Went for supper at 6:00, chicken with sweet potatoes and roasted potatoes and pineapple. I got jipped, I got a wing with hardly any meat on it. Then Chris, Shelley and myself went back for seconds, but everything was done. I was still hungry, and they don't have any chocolate bars for sale or anything!

Sat around with Chris, Ian (another Mormon) and Shelley for a while. Shelley left to talk to the other Mormon girl they were travelling with. She's very prissy and upset. She's the 5-star hotel kind of girl, and totally hates it here, and refuses to even try to have fun.

At 8:15, the hostel had "international night", where everyone organizes into their respective countries, and they have to display an item or sing their national anthem. No other Canadians, so I ditched!!!

Got to bed about 10:30, but got woke up about midnight by a rowdy, drunk group of Brits coming into the dorm.

4.5-5% surcharge on all credit card transactions here.

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