Sara and Paul Visit in Fiji

Paul and Sara Yungner with Ann and Eric

Good friends from home, Sara and Paul Yungner, got a taste of Fiji when they came to stay with us in May and we attempted to expose them to the various subcultures that is Fiji.

Fiji is comprised of 322 islands, of which only 100 are inhabited. On the big island of Viti Levu, one can experience modern Westernized life: the bustling city life in Nadi, five-star name brand resorts, and championship golf courses. Here the Indian and Fijian cultures co-exist and cell phones, motorized vehicles and all the conveniences of modern day living can be found.

Sara gives the thumbs up while snorkeling.

Take a short boat ride to nearby smaller islands and the resorts shrink in size and offer a range of amenities from primitive backpacker resorts to luxury accommodations. We took Paul and Sara to Musket Cove Resort on Mololo Island, one of our favorites from last year, where we met up with some sailor friends and lived the cruiser life for a couple nights. It was here that Sara first snorkeled among hundreds of brightly colored, friendly fish and Paul was reintroduced to diving after a decades-long hiatus.

Venturing still further out, we spent a night at anchor across from uninhabited "Cast Away" island, where the Tom Hanks movie was filmed. A few tourists stop by here on day trips but people were sparse and we were able to feel the true wilderness of island life with fruit bats soaring overhead, brilliant stars in the very dark sky and only the sound of the ocean waves to lull you to sleep at night.

Paul is greeted in the village of Soso on his birthday.

The next day, Paul donned a sulu (referred to by Eric as a "man skirt") to visit the village of Soso on the island of Naviti, in the southern end of the Yasawa group of islands. We were greeted on the beach with flower necklaces by a friendly Fijians and taken on a tour of the village. Then the sevusevu ceremony took place, during which we presented the village chief with dried kava root (which they make into a slightly intoxicating drink) and he, in return, gave his blessing to welcome us into the village. We partook in drinking kava from coconut shells, clapping ritually as instructed.

Traditional Fijian entertainment

Afterwards, we dined on traditional Fijian food, prepared for us by the women of the village. Unfortunately, the weather hadn't allowed for fishing that day and we were served noodle dishes with various canned meats - very unappetizing. However, the lack of a satisfying meal was compensated for by delightful entertainment of singing and dancing. We very much enjoyed the villagers and returned the following day to visit the 60 student school (see Bear's blog on Visit to a Fijian School).

Natadola Bay Championship Golf Course

Back to "civilization" on Viti Levu, we ended Paul and Sara's vacation at VJ Singh's championship golf course - Natadola Bay. This spectacular, ocean side course played well above our level - but the scenery was second-to-none and worth all the lost balls.

The time flew by, as it always does when you're with good friends and having fun!