A Weekend Out West at Natadola Beach...

Natadola Beach- only 3 hours away from Suva, but somehow a whole world away. Deciding that a weekend by the beach was in order- surprisingly, we haven't seen a whole lot of sun so far over here on the Eastern side- I started looking up the best beaches on Viti Levu, the main island that we're living on. It seemed that most people thought the beaches on the smaller islands were much better- except a beach on the West coast of Viti Levu called Natadola. After finding reasonable rates at Natadola Beach Resort, we decided to head over there to check out this 'exception' for ourselves.

I didn't find much information on the net about how to get to Natadola Beach from Suva, so booked the expensive, touristy Coral Sun Express. In hindsight, I would have definitely gone for the local Sunbeam or Pacific buses- more regular (every half an hour) just as comfortable, much cheaper. For anybody that might stumble across this blog hoping to go to Natadola for the weekend from Suva, just pop on a Sunbeam/Pacific bus from the main bus station, get off at Natadola Junction (clearly signposted and literally a junction), and wait there for a taxi ride to the beach (FJ$10 at most). Don't worry if there aren't any taxis straight away; one should be along shortly. Alternatively, you can contact the cheerful Biren at (+679)9263869; he lives locally and knows the area, and resort managers, very well.

Anyway, onto the beach itself! We were lucky to arrive on a beautiful day...the sea and sky were both an almost too-perfect turquoise blue. Within minutes of stepping onto the beach, we were approached by a man offering us horse-back rides along the beach. At $10 for a ride, it's not a bad deal. However, we were too tempted by that sea, with the constant waves rolling into shore. For all my surfer pals (Emma, I'm talking to you!), it's a great place to surf if you're ever down this way; Patrick's got his surfing itch back after watching all the surfers there! So, we spent most of the afternoon playing in the waves, and the majority of the evening watching the Fiji vs. South Africa rugby game. Poor Fiji got annihilated, 49 to 3; I was SO hoping that Fiji would win! Everybody in the Intercontinental bar seemed to be on their side too. Even after only three weeks here, I'm hugely attached to their rugby team, and really rooting for them to go into the next round. It's clear how proud the whole country is here of the team; let's hope they can go a little bit further in this competition. I still have faith in Canada too (and England, obviously!!).

Quick note on our resort, the Natadola Beach Resort- it really did live up to all the positive reviews. Fantastic value for money- a sizeable villa with veranda and bath robes (I'm pleased by the strangest things!) for FJ$175- CA$90, GBP 60- and the staff were all very friendly. With only 11 villas available, it seemed incredibly peaceful, especially compared to the Intercontinental, which had 10-year-old kids everywhere. I might sound miserable when I say this- I love kids, I really do, I want to be a children's writer after all- but having 8 kids in a pillow-fight next to you at the bar is never ideal. On a lighter note, the lunches at NBR were also great, especially the fish and chips! Free breakfast, too- always a bonus (especially for a breakfast-obsessed person like me!)

I'd also recommend the resort next door, Yatule Beach Resort. FJ$150 for a 2 bedroom, 2 bathroom villa with kitchenette and free breakfast- baaaaaaargain! Sorry, I'll try to stop sounding like a Lonely Planet. We'd wanted to watch the game in their beachfront bar- it was just us and the Fijian staff- but their screen turned a weird colour the moment the game started!! A real shame, because it was probably the best bar out of the three resorts; they gave us flowers to put in our hair to keep with the Fijian spirit!

All in all, a beautiful beach that we'd love to go back to. You know a beach is good when the locals head there as well; we saw a few groups having picnics and setting up open fires by the beach. Despite it's popularity with locals and tourists alike, it never seemed too crowded- incredible, really! As lovely as the resort was, I'm looking into possible homestays to stay in next time in the nearby village of Samasama; it would be great to experience real Fijian life.

So it's another manic Monday, na na na, I wish it were Sunday, na na na, 'cos that's my fun day etc etc...special thanks to the Bangles for summing up how I feel. Am currently looking up a few things: a) where Patrick can buy a surfboard in Suva, b) nearby surfspots for Patrick, c) fun activities around the island. Maybe we'll head North- or to the Yasawas, a group of islands off Nadi? We'll just have to see...

Night fishing by the Intercontinental. Another picture to add to my ever-growing collection of fishermen across the world!

Photos That Were Almost Forgotten...

We've just got back from a lovely weekend away at Natadola Beach on the west side of the island...lots of sea, sand and luverly stuff. But I'll tell you all about that later. Remember that frozen almost-whole chicken that I told you about a few blog-posts ago? Well, here's some amusing photos of Patrick pondering how to cut its legs off...enjoy! Oh, and look away if you're squeamish...

Lizzie Hayes' Magical Christmas Travels- Part 1

Here's Part 1 of a serial of a children's story/poem that I'm going to be posting up on my blog from time to time...hopefully the last part will be around Christmas time! I know I'm perhaps not appealing to the right audience on my blog, but I hope that you enjoy it...

Lizzie Hayes’  Magic Christmas Travels

Chapter 1

Have you met young Lizzie Hayes?

She’s quite the traveler these days.

Of course, she didn’t used to be-

She’s never even seen the sea

‘Til her mum said one Christmas Eve

‘We’re off to see your Grandad Steve!’

Lizzie had not met him before

And feeling shy, was quite unsure.

(She usually spent Christmas Day

With Grandad Den and Grandma May

But fed up with all England’s rain

This year, they’d scampered off to Spain!)

She'd heard things about Grandad Steve,

Crazy things she could not believe

(From her cousins Adam and Rob

Who loved to make her scream and sob),

Like how his white beard reached his toes

And how he had a big fat nose

And how his dog was quite a fright

With big sharp teeth and twice her height!

So while they drove up to Steve’s house,

Liz was as quiet as a mouse,

And as the rain came thrashing down,

Liz thought to herself with a frown,

‘Wish Grandad Den and Grandma May

Had not gone off on holiday!’

Just as she began to feel ill

She saw Steve's house up on the hill-

The roof shaped like a wizard’s hat,

The house-front looked just like a cat!

Lizzie had never seen before

Whiskers painted next to the door

To make it look like a cat’s nose

With two bright, cat-eyed shaped windows!

Grandad Steve, with a flaming torch,

Was stood there waiting on the porch.

There he was, just like Liz had feared

Stroking a floor-length wizard beard,

Wearing a bemused sort-of frown

As well as a green dressing gown,

And with that HUGE dog by his side-

Well, Lizzie really could have cried.

‘Come in!’ he said, ‘it’s been twelve years

Since I last saw you, Lizzie dear!’

‘Dad,’ said Mum, ‘Lizzie’s only nine!’

‘Well then,’ said Grandad Steve, ‘that’s fine!’

All furniture was rife with grime

And from another place or time.

Each wall had a map of the world

Stained with age, and all corners curled-

Candlelight gave them an evil glare

Yet Lizzie could not help but stare.

‘You’ll be up in the attic with Chumps,

Don’t worry if there’s a few bumps,

There's just some ghosts that live up there-

You’re a big girl so you won’t care!’

Poor young Lizzie was terrified,

‘I’ll go instead!’ her mother cried,

‘No no,’ said Steve, ‘it must be her-

‘It’s a room she really would prefer.’

‘OK’ said Mum with huge sorrow,

‘Liz, I’ll swap with you tomorrow-

It’s getting late’ continued Mum,

‘Off to bed, or Santa won’t come!’

Reluctantly, Liz said goodnight

And went upstairs with candlelight.

Her cousins had indeed been right-

Chumps the dog WAS twice Lizzie’s height!

Lizzie was scared in the first place

As Chumps came right up to her face…

But when he just licked Lizzie clean,

She realized that he wasn’t mean.

As she laid down to rest her head

She saw a box behind her bed

Wrapped up in paper shiny and red

With a snowman label that said:

‘Dear Lizzie- Please do not delay

Don’t wait for this ‘til Christmas Day,

The magic will GO if you pause

So open NOW!- Love Santa Clause’

Lizzie felt a little heady,

Santa had been round ALREADY?!

She looked at Chumps, whose bright eyes said

‘Open it, Lizzie! Don’t go to bed!’

Well, if Santa Clause told her to

There was nothing else she could do!

So she ripped it open to gape…

At a tatty box with duct tape.

She reached inside, felt something round

And tried to work out what she’d found.

Too curious, she pulled it out

And gave a little surprised shout!

A globe, yellowed, very dusty

And smelling a little musty.

Why a globe? Liz rightly thought,

What a strange present to be bought!

I have never been out of the UK,

Ah well, I’ll love it anyway.

With the candlelight nearly dead

Liz spun the globe once before bed

And saw a NOTE round Italy

She peered closer- it read ‘Turn me

And with your finger, stop the spin-

Then allow the fun to begin!’

So obeying, with fingers flexed,

She spun and stopped; what happened next

Made Chumps bark and poor Lizzie shout-

What was it? Read on to find out!

REVIEW: STARTER FOR TEN- David Nicholls

After reading novels about the Holocaust, slavery and attempted suicide recently, I felt it was time for a light-hearted read...and who better to turn to than One Day author, David Nicholls?

I think I related to the protagonist Brian Jackson a little bit too well- and not just because he is an English Literature student. Starter For Ten documents Brian's first term at university, and the lead up to his appearance on his favourite show, University Challenge. For my non-British readers, UC is a TV gameshow whereby there are two teams from two different universities, each with four members, who try to answer as many general knowledge questions as possible. It has always been Brian's dream to be on the show, and when he makes the team, along with the beautiful, blonde Alice, he thinks life can't really get much better. Cue one catastrophe after another, as Brian tries to contend with the pressures of unsavoury characters and situations in his lovably geeky way.

Sadly, not as good as One Day- but then was it ever going to be? However, it is still a brilliantly funny read that keeps you wanting more and more. Even though many '80's references went over my head, I could definitely relate to the characters met at university- and felt his pain. Also made me realise that British universities really haven't changed that much since the '80's...scary thought.

Am in the mood for Dickens next...don't ask me why!! Somehow am feeling the need for classics in my life (probably the most pretentious thing I've ever said). Think it was Brian that got me in the mood with his love of literature...

Ten Random Suva Facts...

So, it's been three weeks (four weeks for Patrick) since we landed in Fiji, and we're slowly easing ourselves into the Fijian lifestyle. Here are ten things that I've noticed in my first three weeks here:

1) The four things you can find in abundance in Suva are aubergines (eggplants), Gloria Jean's coffee shops (the Aussie 'Starbucks'), places to top-up your mobile phone (including booths especially for this purpose), and taxis. I thought Bangkok had a lot of taxis until I came here!

2) The three things that are pretty much impossible to find are legal DVDs/CDs, Vonu beer, and decent cheese. We've found some places that stock Vonu now; we're still hunting for the cheese. 

3) Unlike in our Western cultures where special opening hours are almost obsolete, Sundays in Suva are truly a day for relaxation and family time. The only things open in the city centre are the two malls, a few cafes and the swimming pool. Though the city centre is dead, you'll see many smartly dressed Fijians around the suburbs heading to church. A lot of Fijians take their religion very seriously; behind every door in our apartment is a black and white picture of Jesus.

4) In terms of where to eat in Suva, I'd recommend the boat restaurant Tilo's Steak and Seafood House. I had to hobble to get there (football injury from the beach), and felt ever-so-slightly from the constant rocking (yes, I'm ridiculous), but it was worth the acute agony and sickness for their grilled prawns and baby octopus with basil- mmm mmm MMM!

5) Coming from somebody who is directionally challenged, it's pretty tricky to get lost in Suva when you're walking- it's not big by usual city-standards- but very easy when you're driving (I would imagine).

6) Remember how much I love Australian TV and adverts (she says sarcastically- except when it comes to Masterchef, which I actually do love)?? Well, Aussie TV seems fantastic compared to Fijian terrestial TV. OK, so we shouldn't be watching that much TV anyway...but the best shows we've found so far are an English-dubbed Chinese soap about a 'human wolf' (not sure if this is different from a werewolf), and Glee. Think that says it all, really. Though that might be a little unfair when it comes to sports- the Rugby World Cup coverage has been pretty good, and the Pacific Games helped me add to my limited geographical knowledge. Who knew Norfolk Island was a country? Everybody, probably.

7) Clothes-shop assistants are very, very attentive. As in follow-you-around-the-shop attentive. I understand; there's about 50 shops on the same street selling similar things. But it's still a little unnerving!

8) Food that's cheap to buy here- fruit/veg at the market, potatoes at the supermarket, bottled water, Tim Tams (cappucino ones- didn't even see them in Oz!). Things that aren't so cheap- other vegetables at the supermarket (FJ$8 for 1 red pepper!!!!), pasta.

9) They don't seem to be prevalent, but there is the odd 'truck tuk-tuk' as we lovingly called it in Thailand. Taxis still seem the popular way to go.

10) When out with Hasneet and others from Entec Engineering (Patrick's company), Patrick and I learnt a Fijian style of drinking called taki. This involves a jug of drink- in our case Kentucky whisky and coke- and one glass. One person drinks- or should I say downs their drink- at a time, continuing around the circle. Good times...

Ah go on, I'll throw in another cheeky fact for luck...

11) The Suva bus station looks chaotic, but is surprisingly easy to navigate. We caught our first 'public bus' on Saturday morning for the hour-long journey to the nearest beach at Pacific Harbour (where my foot had an unfortunate collision with Patrick's). Cheap, pretty comfortable- definitely a good way to get around the country! And it seems that you can hail them at any point along the road.

That's all I can think of for now! We're off to Natadola Beach this weekend, staying at Natadola Beach Resort...will be nice to spend overnight at the beach! Will just be a little less vigorous in my football-playing this weekend. Until next week!...

REVIEW: BEATRICE AND VIRGIL- Yann Martel

I've literally just put this book down, and had to write about it straight away. Like the novel itself, I'm going to keep this review short and sweet. There's actually not much I can say without giving the plot away.

As soon I saw this book on the shelves, I just had to buy it. If this book was even half as good as Life of Pi, Martel's debut novel, then I was in for a treat. Sure enough, the Canadian author did not disappoint! It does not have any chapters, yet never feels laborious; I was hooked on Henry's tale from the very beginning.

In a nutshell, Henry, a one time novelist, decides to abandon the idea for his second novel after much discouragement. After this bad experience, he struggles to rekindle his inspiration, until he receives a parcel from a reader, containing a short story by Flaubert, and the reader's own written play, Beatrice and Virgil. As Henry pursues the reader's plea for help with his play, he discovers that the reader is a strange, aloof taxidermist that only reveals himself through his play. Despite everything and ignoring all warnings from others, Henry is drawn back to the chilling atmosphere of the taxidermy to hear more from Beatrice and Virgil, and from the taxidermist himself. If you will excuse my unoriginality, I'm going to steal the blurb at the back of the book, because I cannot think of a better way to describe the essence of the novel:

'This is the story of a donkey named Beatrice and a monkey named Virgil.


It also the story of an extraordinary journey undertaken by a man named Henry.


It begins with a mysterious parcel, and it ends in a place that will make you think again about one of the most significant events of the twentieth century.


Once you have finished reading it, it is impossible to forget.'

What's best of all, I thought I knew where the story was going, congratulating myself prematurely, before Martel yanked me sharply in the opposite direction. Another fantastic book from a fantastic writer. There are some that don't agree with me (see this link). That's his opinion; my impression was of a subtly written novel which conveyed a significant twentieth century event in a completely unique manner. Considering the nature of the event (I don't want to reveal which event it is for fear of spoiling the book!), an original stance is very difficult to achieve. I had no idea what I'd be reading about when I first started out; then again, I love delving into a book not quite knowing what you're getting yourself into! By the end of the novel, I think it's made crystal clear why Martel has chosen to expand on some aspects and not others. Anyway, enough harping- I'd love to know what you think!

A Brief Introduction To Kava...

When Patrick and I came home one evening, our landlords presented us with a light grey liquid in a shallow bowl. 'Kava', they explained as they handed it over, 'the national drink of Fiji'. So we both took a sip; first came what can only be described as a bitter tastelessness (though I know that doesn't make sense!), then a bizarre tongue-numbing sensation.

   We'd had no idea what 'kava' was when we'd been given this taster, but soon began to see the name everywhere! Surprisingly, considering its ‘acquired’ taste, it is NOT alcoholic. It is in fact from the root of the piper methstyicum plant, part of the pepper family. Here is how the website KavaRoot describes it:

“A soothing drink with proven medicinal effects, kava is now available to anyone seeking to calm nerves or ease stress as well as anxiety while combating fatigue the natural way. Its special anti-depressant components fight the "blues" and bring on a happy, tranquil state. Kava is amazing for treating ailments like migraine headaches and cramps but best of all, it keeps the mind alert as the body relaxes. This traditional drink still plays a key role in Fijian, Samoan, and Tongan societies where it is drunk in ceremonies meant to honour visitors, unite participants and validate their social identities.”

That's the effects in a nutshell...but the really interesting part of kava- also known as 'grog'- is the way it is prepared. First of all, you find the nearest grog shop; this could be anything from the top floor above the fruit market to a little shed in the middle of nowhere that says 'Grog Shop: Open 24 Hours'. I cannot speak for the latter yet- will keep you posted when I visit one of these little shops- but if you visit the bigger 'grog' market, you will find dozens of stalls that look like trees are growing out of them. These are the 'roots' from which kava originates.

Just next to these will be lots of little paper bags with 'kava' scrawled across them; the powdered form of the roots. According to this link, pounding one's own kava root is the preferred method for Fijian village dwellers. Traditionally, the kava root is a gift given to a village chief in order to enter his village; giving powdered kava is considered as cheap and impolite. I asked one stall-holder how we'd turn this kava 'powder' into the mouth-numbing drink...he said to 'place the powder into a cloth, dip it into 2 litres of water, then wring it'. Never had such an interactive drink before...can't wait to try it! We'll let you know how our first attempts go...

This was more than a drink; it’s a source of national pride. In the words of Tom Harrison in Savage Civilisation (source shamelessly borrowed from KavaRoot.com once again):

"Your head is affected most pleasantly. Thoughts come cleanly.
You feel friendly...never cross...You cannot hate with kava in you."