2022 IN REVIEW

FAMILY VACATIONS 

Your favorite traveling knuckleheads certainly put in some miles in 2022, and we did a fair amount of it with family.  

Tenerife, Canary Islands - April

Barraquito coffee
Tenerife

We spent two weeks on this Spanish volcanic island at a time share resort with points gifted us by Janet's stepmother. The first week we explored the island on various tours on this widely popular tourist destination. Millions of tourists come here yearly and most of them are English. One of our tour guides said that Tenerife was “Spain in theory only.” 

The second week our English family came over to stay at the resort and we lounged around the pool or went into Los Christanos for cheap beer at any number of British-style pubs. The grandsons were on half-term, or spring-break.

Grenada - May

No family was at the Sandals Resort in Grenada, but as this was our fourth trip to this Caribbean chain of luxury all-inclusive resorts, we have become part of a “family”. As repeat customers we are awarded points towards a future trip and “recognized” at an awards dinner for our patronage.

The remarkable Sandals experience includes free diving and never having to hear the word “no.”

Wildwood, NJ - June

No summer would be complete without a visit to the NJ beaches. Every year we try to spend a few days at this family-friendly southern NJ beach town.

Colorado – July/August

Our English family came to visit us for nearly 6 weeks during the summer and we all traveled together to Colorado where Janet’s half-sister and her family live. We spent a week in Denver, then a week in the ski resort town of Breckinridge. I also got to drive out to Grand Junction to see my sister.

Breckinridge

Fiji - September

No family in this island nation, but the family unit is a strong vibrant part of the Fijian culture. We got to visit a few Fijian villages where the family ties of the community were strong and enduring. While at the villages we had to wear sulus, a type of sarong. 

We also went white-water rafting and diving.

Fiji

Hilton Head - October

Janet had a sorority-sister week at this posh South Carolina enclave. I was not invited. They went on a lot of bike rides dodging alligators and soaking up the last of the summer's weather on the wide, sandy beaches.

Austin, Texas – November

Janet visited her daughter in Austin, Texas, for some precious mother/daughter time and some serious Texas Barbeque. The trip was a birthday gift from me.  

England – December

We are currently in Nantwich Chesire in England to spend the holiday season with our English family again. Over the years we’ve been here for the holidays several times, but the last time was before the COVID pandemic hit. Not that we’re counting, but this is the third time this year we are all together, making up for lost time, and perfectly bracketing this year of travel with family and close friends.

St Mary's
Nantwich

Budapest - January, 2023

We are not slowing down in our travels. After the new year we are taking a side-trip to Budapest, Hungary for a 5-day mini excursion, taking advantage of cheaper inter-continental airfares, before coming back to Nantwich for a couple of days.

Thanks for reading!

Love Janet and greg

© 2022 by Gregory Dunaj

BOXING DAY

I’LL HAVE ANOTHER

It doesn’t matter what is the origin of Boxing Day in England, today it is a holiday where shopping, drinking and sporting events fill the day.

Depending on whom you talk to, Boxing Day had either something to do with giving the servants the day off and sending them home with “Christmas Boxes” filled with food and money, or the day that boxes for alms set outside churches were finally opened and the contents distributed to the poor. Now, it’s a “bank holiday” where businesses close and pubs open and football matches fill the television screens.

The holiday is celebrated the day after Christmas, December 26^th or the first weekday after Christmas in England and Wales and through much of the Commonwealth of British nations. Supposedly Boxing Day is considered a big shopping day where retailers fling open their doors with big reductions on prices, but here in Nantwich, our second home in Chesire, England, most of the little shops were closed and the streets were quieter than normal. We took the grandchildren to the market to buy some items, but they had no more chicken eggs, our number one priority! Although, we were able to get a comfy set of couches at Caffé Nero our favorite café in town as it wasn’t crowded at all. Hot chocolates and lattes are great pastimes with the grandchildren.

CAFFE NERO

Later that day we went to the grandparent’s home for an expansive buffet served for Tea, what our hosts call an early dinner. We ate, drank and drank some more as we watched the Everton F.C. match on the television and chatted with family and friends until nearly midnight.

It was a relatively quiet day, perhaps because of the lingering effects of COVID when there was a severe lockdown throughout England, but in previous years we had gone on pub crawls and watched a well-attended match of the semi-professional local football club, the Nantwich Town F.C. at Weaver Stadium before Tea. Their nickname are the Dabbers although some in the crowd were calling them the Cabbages, because of their green kits.

NANTWICH TOWN F.C.

Thanks for reading!

Love Janet and greg

© 2022 by Gregory Dunaj

CHRISTMAS IN NANTWICH

EARLY RISERS, QUICK BEERS, LOTS OF FOOD
It’s been quite a number of years for this humble scribe since the last time the bedroom door has been slammed open on a Christmas morning with wide-eyed desperate kids wanting to claw at the presents left beneath the fir. Cautioned by Mom-Mom that she had to have her coffee first before any such melee could begin, we were awakened by the grandchildren at 6:30 a.m. Thankfully for their sanity and ours the coffee pot was set on a timer and was already brewing the elixir of the gods.

We are ready for Santa

My days of fawning over my own children shredding the wrapping paper on Christmas morning has long since passed, but this day, despite the early early early hour, was glorious. Indeed, it was wonderfully chaotic with the grandchildren giving the bum rush on their bounty, yet still pausing enough to tenderly give us gifts they picked out for us at school, before again diving headlong into the fray.

Somewhere between having a squishy ball tossed past my ear and their other grandparents, who live a few blocks away in Nantwich, arriving with more gifts, the coffee finally started to take effect!

THE GUN

Going to the pubs is an important English pastime and social gatherings are often centered around these hallowed institutions. There are plenty of pubs to choose from in the small town of Nantwich, but we planned our Christmas afternoon to spend a few hours at The Rifleman, once a favored destination for grandfather, but this tied-house for Robinson’s Brewery had fallen out of favor with him because of a myriad of reasons. It was in favor today because it was open from 12 noon to 4:30 pm and we got the okay from the spouses to have a pint or three.

The Rifleman Pub, Nantwich

Sadly, after many hellos to lots of friends gathered at “The Gun”, where I was introduced to everyone as "the American", and a pint of Unicorn bitter, perhaps Robinson’s best beer, they ran out and we were forced to quaff Guinness. (All right by me….don’t tell the English Grandad!)

THE RIFLEMAN - NANTWICH

TEA

Later back at the house, it was Tea time, a meat medley of a beef roast and turkey and lamb with countless sides including pickled onions and parsnips and Yorkshire pudding. There were plenty of bottles of wine uncorked and later scotches and a diverse and expansive cheese board and we wiled away the rest of this beautiful intimate Christmas story chatting and dodging nerf gun darts launched by the boys.

I hope your Christmas was at least half as good as ours.

Love to all... you know who you are,

Thanks for reading.

Live Love Travel.

© 2022 by Gregory Dunaj

TRAVEL LOGISTICS TO ENGLAND

A LONG DAY’S JOURNEY ON THE SHORTEST DAY
On the shortest day of the year, on a trip that used to take us just 8-9 hours door-to-door, we nearly traveled for an entire 24 hours.

St. Mary's Church, Nantwich

Getting to Manchester England, the nearest airport to Nantwich, used to be relatively easy. It’s a 45-minute drive to the Philadelphia airport and the same from Manchester to our second home in Nantwich. With a direct flight between the two destinations that lasted about 5 ½ hours we could do that holding our breath.

American Airlines is our carrier of choice. We’ve collected a lot of frequent flyer and loyalty miles and we tend to travel exclusively with them or with one of their partner airlines, but because of the COVID pandemic they gave up the Philadelphia/Manchester route. Now we must fly on AA’s partner airline, British Air, to Heathrow in London, clear customs there and then take a 45-minute flight to Manchester. Heathrow is a sprawling airport and we have just over an hour to make the connection and there is no dawdling.

On this particular trip on the shortest day of the year, December 21st, we were not lucky. There was a computer glitch with British Air which delayed our departure from Philadelphia. We would miss the connection. There are other flights, but they we were told they were all full. So, they put us on a 3:15 pm flight, a full 6-hour layover in Heathrow. By the time we arrived in Nantwich we would have been on the “road” for 24 hours!

We recently flew all the way to Fiji in less time.

Thankfully, we were able to negotiate stand-by seats on an earlier flight once we landed in Heathrow, so the cramped flight with unforgiving seats seemed a bit less arduous.

We may have to rethink using American Airlines. Other options are flying Aer Lingus to Dublin first or through Frankfurt, Germany with Lufthansa. We could also fly out of Newark, NJ or NYC, but that “quick” jaunt from Philadelphia to Manchester is now gone. Ugh

By the way, we were lucky to get out of the country when we did. I understand it’s around 7°… that’s in Fahrenheit not Celsius back in Philadelphia. Here in Nantwich it is sunny and nearly 50°, thank you very much. And, Nantwich is such a lovely place it was worth all the troubles we endured to get here.

Thanks for reading

Merry Christmas

Love Janet and greg

© 2022 by Gregory Dunaj

NANTWICH CHESIRE

OUR SECOND HOME

We are spending Christmas and New Year’s Eve in Nantwich, England. This picturesque town in Chesire has become our second home as we have visited it several times, ever since Janet’s daughter married a boy from there and started her own family.

Sadly, my family is scattered and never able (or willing) to get together for the holiday, but over the passing years the melancholy has dissipated and has given way to a triumphant joy as I have embraced this new direction of my life. I look forward to seeing again all the “Dabbers”, as the citizens of Nantwich are called, that I have come to know over the years and, of course, the grandchildren.

Familiar are her streets and alleyways, her pubs, coffeeshops and smiles, her tidy homes fronted by prim and proper gardens and the leaning timbers of old Tudor edifices, and her magnificent cathedral that chimes out the day’s passing. There is so much to love here. 

Nantwich is our second home.

Thanks for reading!

Live love and travel, and Merry Christmas

Janet and greg

© 2022 by Gregory Dunaj

THE ROAD NOT TAKEN

WHEN YOU COME TO A FORK IN THE ROAD, TAKE IT

Team VFH official portrait

Robert Frost wrote the poem “The Road Not Taken” as a joke, ribbing his friend fellow poet Edward Thomas, who would always lament about not having taken the other road while out on their many walks together, thinking that if they had chosen the other way it would have better. People though read a lot into the poem. It was about choices in life and the effect it has on the future.

The late Beatles guitarist George Harrison wrote the song, “Any Road,” with the poignant line: “If you don’t know where you’re going / any road will take you there.”

The equally articulate catcher for the New York Yankees, Yogi Berra, renown for comically wise Yogiisms weighed in on this decision-making point of view once when giving directions to his house. When you come to a fork in a road, take it, he had said. He meant that either way was equally a good way of getting to his home. 

We here at VFH Central would like to give our take on this matter with our own sage advice. “Wherever you go, there you are”. That must mean something ponderous to some, but to us it simply means we’re happy. I mean, why worry?

NOT SLOWING DOWN

After a year of traveling that had us in the Canary Islands, Grenada in the Caribbean, Colorado and Fiji I was very happy to stay home for a while. I got to putter in my garden, harvesting hot peppers and making and bottling hot sauces.

But, Janet wasn’t finished and in October and November she had gone somewhere. Of course, I wasn’t invited to a lady’s week with her friends down in Hilton Head.  Lots of bike rides dodging alligators and afternoons lounging at the beach for her. In November she went to Austin Texas to visit a family member. I bought the airplane ticket for her as a birthday present.

I wiled my time alone with rides through the Pennsylvania countryside following the direction my cigar pointed me, and any road that it chose was just as good as the other.

TO ENGLAND AND BEYOND!

We are not done with this year though. Later this month we’re off to Nantwich (make sure you pronounce the “T”) for the Christmas holidays and New Year’s Eve. We’ve been there several times over the years, and it never gets old in Jolly Old England. I am looking forward to the trip...

ST. MARY'S NANTWICH

Sadly, because of COVID, American Airlines gave up the Philadelphia to Manchester route that was a major pipeline for us, and now we must fly to Heathrow then take another plane to Manchester. It's a short turnaround making that second plane, but Janet has done this before and assures me it's okay. 

Taking advantage of already being in Europe where intercontinental flights are cheap, we’ll not return directly to the USA after our visit. Instead, we’re flying to Budapest, Hungary for five days. Flights there from England are roughly $100USD on Ryanair. Currently the dollar is strong. It’s pretty much an even exchange with the Euro and when the British pound tanked back a few months ago and the exchange was JUST $1.09 to the pound we exchanged some money to have while there.

Hungary has the Hungarian Forint (HUF) which is .0026 to the dollar, but some of the guides we’ve hired to show us around Budapest will only take Euros, so we had to buy some of those. ATMs in Hungary spit out HUFs.

Thankfully Janet does all the detail work and I just get to see the sights.

Thanks for reading.

Love Janet and Greg

Merry Christmas and remember to LIVE LOVE and TRAVEL.

© 2022 by Gregory Dunaj

 

 

FINAL DAYS IN FIJI

ONE LAST SUNSET

one last sunset

The choice was easy. It was either get off the Fiji Princess that morning after sailing through the beautiful Mamanuca and Yasawa Islands of Fiji and then get on a plane later that evening, or linger in paradise for a few more precious days of serenity.

After all the plane ride is forever; at least 16 hours in the air, with an interminable layover in Los Angeles; and still, it’s the same day when we land in Philadelphia because of the International Date Line. Then for the final leg of our return, we would have to fight traffic on the Blue Route! All vestiges (good vibrations) of our glorious trip would dissipate quickly.

We decided to delay the inevitable and opted to linger for a few days at the Aquarius at the Beach hotel in Wailoaloa. Located on the Wailoaloa Bay north of Port Denarau and just twenty minutes by cab to the airport, the Aquarius was small, neat and served the purpose of easing our transition from the warm weather, white sandy beaches and crystalline waters of Fiji to the cold reality of home.

Aquarius

The reviews were good as a great stopover before flying out from Nadi and over the three full days that we stayed there we saw a lot of people coming and going.

We splurged on the best room, the Ocean View Double! On the second floor with balcony overlooking the ocean the room cost FJD$221.56 per night, which is about $100.00 USD. We got complimentary breakfast and had all our meals at a table near the pool. Their beach bar was a repurposed boat, and we caught a few brilliant sunsets sipping tropical drinks and Fiji Bitter beer. 

LOCATION LOCATION LOCATION

Despite all its functionality though neither the Aquarius or Wailoaloa Bay were charming.

After two weeks of swimming in some lovely pristine water throughout the islands the bay was not inviting. There were no waves and because the sand, though very fine, was darker it made the water seem murkier. We never went for a swim. The beach itself wasn’t clean and really needed to be groomed, especially considering the amount of new construction going on in the immediate area.

Wailoaloa Bay

The Aquarius was adequate and the staff was lovely and attentive, but the hotel was crammed between similar boutique resorts and with all the construction the serenity was in short supply!

Still, the Aquarius was convenient as it was near to the airport, and rather than linger at the hotel, we made the best of our time there and took a couple of day trips in the area. 

AQUARIUS ON THE BEACH, FIJI

NADI

The town was a short cab ride away and though there are several tours that will take you to nearby tourist points, we instead opted for some souvenir shopping, and shopping in the main part of this town is a tumult of activity. Bula (Aloha) shirts and sarongs are offered everywhere. Also, Fijian artifacts and art were offered in shop after shop, but the increasingly pushy clerks vying for your FJD got to be overwhelming.

We escaped with just a sarong, Fiji Sevens rugby kits for the grandsons; the Sevens had just recently won the world championship in South Africa; and some art of flowers and turtles.

Janet loves to shop

There were very few white people walking the streets of Nadi (pronounced Nan-di) and at times we were a curiosity with people coming up to us and asking us where we were from or simply offering us a hearty ‘Bula’ and a wide smile as we passed them on the sidewalk. There was a small park that had several artisan sheds where we purchased our art and a trio of teenagers smiled at us from their shady spot beneath a banyan tree and wanted only to say hello. They never stood, they only seemed very pleased that we had traveled all the way from the east coast of the United States to walk the streets of their little town. They smiled and said Bula and we continued our stroll knowing coming to Fiji was so different and so non-threatening than a similar situation would be back at home.

Sri Siva Subramaniya Temple 

A quick bit of history of Fiji. In the 1800’s the British brought over lots of indentured servants from India to work the sugar cane fields, and today Indio Fijians make up a third of the population of Fiji and representative of this influx of different people there were churches and mosques and Hindi temples.

On our way to the coral coast two weeks previously we passed the Sri Siva Subramaniya Temple, the largest Hindu temple in the south Pacific.

Looking ominous because of its unfamiliarity the massive, colorful temple is just a short walk from the shopping in Nadi.

We paid our FJD$5.00 entrance fee, donned sarongs provided by the temple staff, removed our shoes and walked briskly through the grounds. We did not take a promised tour and we did not linger for long at this temple dedicated to the deity, Murugan, the god of nature. Despite the colorful deities on the outside and the statue of Murugan inside, we felt out of place. We nodded appropriately though as we watched devotees present gifts and then got out of there rather quickly.

Murugan

Photos are not allowed inside the temple. 

GARDEN OF THE SLEEPING GIANT

For our second day of exploring the Nadi area we chose serenity and nature over adventure. We could have gone to a ziplining course or taken a “dip” at the Tifajek Mud Pool and Hot Spring. I’m not one for ziplines and a mud bath just didn’t seem that appealing, although there were plenty of day trips offering either or both options.

the sleeping giant

Instead, the orchid garden that is nestled beneath the Sambeto Range in the foothills of Nausori Highlands was a much better choice. The garden is just a 20-minute cab ride from the Aquarius and the outcropping along the ridge on the approach really does look like a sleeping giant, who as legend has it ate too many local Fijians and has fallen into a deep slumber. Serene did I say? Uh-oh!

The garden was first begun by the television actor Raymond Burr (Perry Mason and Ironsides) in 1977 to house his own orchids, and now features nearly 2000 different varieties of tropical orchids spread over 20 hectares. There are plenty of paths to explore and ponds to ponder, but the orchids are the stunningly beautiful main attraction and worth the trip. The entry fee cost FJD$24.00 each, cash only.

We had arranged for the cab to the garden with our driver to Nadi the day before. The price was FJD$80.00 and he waited for us as we meandered through the grounds and lingered over the refreshing juice the garden staff provides after the visit. We arranged for him to drive us to the airport the next evening. 

Everything was easy and calm, the way a trip to paradise should end.

GARDEN OF THE SLEEPING GIANT

TIFAJEK MUD POOLS

Last quick notes:

Despite the great distance, Fiji was a comfortable trip. The people are friendly and gracious and seemed genuinely happy that we were visiting their country. When tourism drives an economy there can be a jaded approach to visitors, but we never felt like we were singled out for the dollar value. From the hotel staff to cab drivers to people on the street and even construction workers there was always a smile and a hello. Tipping, though appreciated, is never expected and usually tips to staff were put in a communal "Christmas fund" box. 

Most of the cars on the road were hybrids, like Prius from Toyota. Cabs were cheap.  

Although vast portions of Viti Levu were rural there was an infrastructure that never seemed out of place. Fiji once may have been called the Cannibal Islands, but there were restaurants and dive shops and resorts everywhere. The roads were well maintained. Store shelves were stocked. There were wine shops and liquor stores.

Fiji Bitter and Fiji Gold and Vonu were the main beers.  We were told by our river guide that Fiji Bitter is a man's beer, although he preferred the Gold. We also found a craft microbrewery called Reef and was able to purchase a small jug to sip while lingering on the patio at the Aquarius watching the sun set on this beautiful place. 

REEF MICROBREWERY FIJI

Thanks for reading

Love Janet and greg

© 2022 by Gregory Dunaj

Bula Vinaka / The Good Life

MAMANUCA AND YASAWA ISLANDS FIJI

 DESTINATION: BLUE LAGOON
The South Pacific nation of Fiji is comprised of over 300 islands of which around 100 are permanently inhabited and over 500 islets scattered across over 1 million square miles of ocean.

More than half of the roughly 900,000 Fijians live on the largest island of Viti Levu. The capitol of Suva is on the southeast corner of Viti Levu and Nadi, on the west coast is the site of the international airport. Near to Nadi (pronounced NAN-de) is Port Denarau where Blue Lagoon Cruises’ Fiji Princess starts and ends her weekly adventure through the islands of Mamanuca and Yasawa.

STUNNING

Located to the west and north of Viti Levu, these volcanic island archipelagos are popular with tourists lured by the wide sandy beaches, crystal clear waters and thriving colorful coral and the chance to swim with reef sharks and majestic manta rays. There are lots of resorts scattered throughout the islands, from high end luxury accommodations to the budget-minded backpack traveler.

Fiji Princess route

The Fiji Princess made a serpentine course through the inviting islands of Manamuca and Yasawa and each day we got to visit at least one island. Sometimes we had the great fortune to swim at one, and visit another, sheltering in a cove. These weren't massive cruise ship stops, but relaxing days and glorious sunsets. Every day we had a unique Fijian experience, whether it was visiting a village, or a high school or having a lovo (fire pit) meal, drinking kava (a slightly hallucinogenic root used in Fijian ceremonies), being entertained by a Fijian Meke dance performance, visiting old movie shooting locations, swimming in limestone caves, or snorkeling and diving through some beautiful coral reefs with reef sharks thankfully ignoring us (though we missed swimming with manta rays that usually frequent the area).

We were blessed to do so much in one week. Here's a quick synopsis of our days with Blue Lagoon Cruises.

LOVE BY DICTIONARY

Each day we were given a little memo of the planned activities of that day and included on the memo was a new Fijian word or phrase for us to learn and practice on the staff…They were very tolerant and greatly appreciated the efforts.

The Fijian phrase for the day: “Yadra” / Good Morning

SATURDAY

Monuriki Island

Monuriki Island

After lounging on the back deck on Friday evening to watch the glorious colorful death-throes of another day and mingle with other passengers we got our first swim in Saturday morning at Monuriki Island. Small and uninhabited it is nonetheless a tourist attraction. You’ve seen this island before in the Tom Hanks movie “Cast Away.”

Someone had spelled out in coconuts, “Send Help”, but the Fiji Princess was never that far away.

Soso Village, Naviti Island 

To go to a traditional Fijian village with all the protocols involved was something we looked forward to doing and we got our chance to visit the Soso Village on Naviti. After all part of the allure of traveling is experiencing different cultures and Fiji is certainly a different world with different attitudes.

It was an optional shore excursion, and all who went ashore to visit the village were expected to wear a sulu (or sarong) that dangled to mid-calf. No bared shoulders or hats were allowed in the village. Blue Lagoon provided the sulus, and the requisite gift of kava root to be presented to the chief.

Kava is a slightly hallucinogenic drink that is part of the Fijian lifestyle but is also found throughout the cultures of the Polynesia. We would get to sample kava a few days later.

SOSO VILLAGE

We were coached in how to enter the doorless main building of the village by chanting a Fijian phrase (as there was no way to knock and announce ourselves otherwise).

We were to sit cross-legged on the floor as the chief thanked us for our gift and then told us a bit about life in the village. Then he answered several questions before showing us the village. We toured the ball field where children were practicing rugby skills and then the primary school building where Janet and I left a donation of an activities book. We toured the church and were all invited back the next day (Sunday) for services. The Fijians sing beautifully.

SOSO VILLAGE

Outside the church afterwards ladies from the village spread out blankets with items for sale. There was artwork, shirts, jewelry and maps, among many other items. A unique beautiful doormat had caught our eye. Different fabrics were arranged and sown into a floral pattern. Several of the ladies had them and we picked one that we liked and now proudly display it on the kitchen table as a centerpiece.

SUNDAY

The Fijian phrase for the day: Vacava Tiko? / How are you?

DRAWAQA ISLAND 

DIVING IN FIJI

Instead of returning to Soso village for Sunday morning services, Janet and I decided to go diving. The cruise director contacted the Barefoot Manta Island Resort on the next island and their tender picked us up. There was no diving equipment on the tender and instead it raced us back to the resort, about a 10-minute trip.

Speeding through the blue water on a bright Sunday morning, nothing on the islands we passed hinted at any habitation let alone resorts, but when the tender deposited us at Thuvu Bay, we could see the dive shop and beyond, the actual resort. It consisted of cabins or Bures of varying sizes and a few dorms, which were basically massive tents with cots. There was a main building and there was wifi and there was incredible diving. 

CHRISTMAS TREE WORMS

Manta Rays usually frequent the area from April to October as the channel between Naviti and Drawaqa island has plenty of nutrients the rays feed on, as with anything in nature there are no guarantees, and we were not lucky to see any of the majestic creatures on this trip or any subsequent snorkeling swims. 

the real taste of FIJI

We were lucky though to play with a “Warm Christmas Tree” on one of our dives. This marine worm burrows into coral and unfurls spiraling appendages that look like little Christmas trees. The appendages filter food to the creature. They are brightly colored ranging from yellow to red to bright pink, and when you near them these little Christmas tree scoot away and hide in their burrow. Fascinating! Found all over the tropics, this was our first encounter with the skittish worms.

After our dive we caught up with the rest of the Fijian Princess passengers as they snorkeled and lounged on another beach. The ship’s chef gave us a demonstration of Kokoda cooking. It’s a ceviche prepared with coconut milk. Here is a recipe:

KOKODA RECIPE FIJI

BAREFOOT MANTA RESORT FIJI

MONDAY

The Fijian phrase for the day: Mai Kana / Let’s eat!

THE SACRED ISLANDS

THE SACRED ISLANDS, FIJI

The Blue Lagoon cruise people called this small cluster of four deserted islands in the Mamanuca island archipelago ‘The Sacred Islands’ and claim that Fijian culture began here. Three of these beautiful islands were linked by a sandbar at low tide and it was where we spent most of our day lounging on the white sands and snorkeling the reefs. While we relaxed, we watched a high-speed catamaran approach the Fiji Princess and swap out the three-day with four-day passengers.

view from the ship

The cove formed by the islands was very popular with several other sailing ships, but we seemingly had the beach on Vanua Levu to ourselves.

The beauty of each passing day is amazing.

TUESDAY

The Fijian phrase for the day: Toulou (pronounced too-low) / Excuse me

NANUYA ISLAND

We spent the entire day on this stretch of island owned by the Blue Lagoon Cruises. They backed the Fiji Princess about 50 yds off-shore and tied her up to coconut trees, and we were able to either take a tender to shore or swim back and forth.

LOVO PREPARATION

The island is famous for the film Blue Lagoon, starring Brooke Shields, which was shot there.

We spent the entire day and evening on the island. We were treated to a BBQ lunch, and lovo or firepit meal, where the embers are covered with banana and coconut leaves. After the meal we were treated to a “Meke” show from the Matacawalevu Village. Beautiful voices and great dancing! I also got to try Kava for the first time.… Needs some rum.

WEDNESDAY

The Fijian phrase for the day: Kerekere / Please

SAWA-I-LAU CAVES and TAMASUA VILLAGE

lingering on Nanuya

We lingered on Nanuya Island until mid-morning. We went on a guided hike after breakfast to see the actual “Blue Lagoon” and then left for the Sawa-I-Lau caves.

This is the only limestone island in the archipelago and caves have been formed by constant waves, but we descended down into a soaring cavern filled with fresh or brackish water. The first cavern was open to the sky and sunlight filtered through and we gaped in awe at this magnificent natural formation. 

Then, with the help of crew members we dove under some rocks to another smaller cavern. The only lights were from torches carried by the crew and at the far end was another exit to the seemingly endless cave on the island. 

The main cavern on Sawa-I-Lau

The story went that someone attempted to find the end with scuba gear and despite having 5 tanks they could not find the end!

It is a must for any trip to the Yasawa Islands in Fiji!

TAMASUA

The Fijian people are very family oriented and the communal lifestyle was on full display in Tamasua, the village we next visited and where we took our evening meal. The chef from the Fiji Princess grew up in this village and again, wearing our sulus and asking to enter the main building (which was in this case a very stylish canopy tent), we where treated to a full kava ceremony with the village chef presiding over all. There were songs and greetings and some very good food. 

Afterwards we were able to stroll the village and meet some of the citizens and do a little more shopping courtesy of the ladies of the village. 

The Fijian government gives all these villages a stipend to continue their lifestyle, but also they rely on donations and the nominal fees they charge whenever people visit their village.

It is a small meager price to pay for the privilege to be here.

at Tamasua 

THURSDAY

The Fijian phrase for the day: savica na ka loko / What’s the time?

YASAWA HIGH SCHOOL

Primary schools are all in the villages, but there is just one High School in the Yasawa Islands. University education is on the main island of Viti Levu. 

In the morning we were able to visit the high school and tour the grounds and greet some of the students who were very eager to say hello. At one point I was chased down by three girls who wanted me to take their picture.

We were treated to several songs by the students and we donated an activity book about the United States. Janet signed it and on the map inside pointed out where we live. Several other passengers also donated books and supplies and money. 

Janet also bought a coconut from one of the boys hawking them on the beach as we waited for the tender to return us to the Fiji Princess.

Later that day we got to snorkel above some beautiful coral reefs teeming with marine life, and just off shore. Fiji is absolutely beautiful.

FRIDAY

The Fijian phrase for the day: Moce mada / Goodbye

All good things end, and after settling our onboard bill we packed our bags, left them outside the cabin and then lingered over breakfast until it was time to disembark at Port Denaru. The crew sang us off, and when finished the captain fittingly said…with a massive smile of course…. 'Now get off my boat!'

Thanks for reading

Love Janet and greg

© 2022 by Gregory Dunaj