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As you can see from the map I didn't see much of the island group,
so it's pretty likely that I was just unfortunate not to have a
better experience.
The Lau group is supposed to be lovely, as is Vanau
Levu, but I only had time to skirt around the main island of Viti
Levu, and take a wee trip over to the Mamanuca group.
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That said, I did have a blast on "Robinson Crusoe Island" (in the Mamanucas) which is a backpacker hangout. The locals were friendly - much more so than I expected: normally the people working at these sorts of places get jaded with seeing so many stupid tourists, but the people running the place seemed to be genuinely enjoying themselves.
Clearly visiting a tourist island is not a reliable way to experience the 'true nature' of a country, but screw it - I had a good time non the less!
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Many a night was spent drinking kava by a roaring beach fire,
chatting to other travelers, whilst the sea roared over the
coral reef. Good stuff really.
I spent my days chilling out; fishing (unsuccessfully), windsurfing
(badly) and eating various tasty treats (coconut is a laxative
when eaten in vast quantities I've learned).
The coolest thing about the Fijians though has got to be the
women's hairstyles - Big 1970's Afros are still all the rage,
and your place in society is determined but the volume of
your 'Fro!
I simple loved their hair! I spent a whole day in the capital
running around trying to photograph the biggest 'fro I could
find. Unfortunately I didn't get any really great shots which
made me a bit grumpy - maybe the reason I didn't love my visit?
You see - Fijian Fros are a powerful force!
You can see the rest of the photos HERE.
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Kava |
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If there was ever a tonic to solve all your ills then this
is it. Kava (Piper methysticum) is an age-old herbal
drink that was the beverage of choice all over the Pacific.
Generally the root is pounded in a pestle and mixed
with water to produce a brownish, often bitter brew
which you drink from halved coconut shells. It's an
acquired taste, very peppery, but certainly chills you
out.
If you drink enough for its psychoactive properties
to kick in, then the world becomes a much better place
- with effects kinda like marijuana.
You can buy the root in most western countries for huge
prices, although I think it's now banned in the UK for
having been found to cause liver disease. Oh well.
You can find out more by Googling
for Kava - there's simply tonnes of stuff written
about the joys of the stuff. |
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After slacking for a while I have some photos available.
