In honor of the opening of Fiji’s embassy in Israel, excerpts and experiences are presented from the travel journal of one of the first backpackers to reach the Fiji Islands.
Life is good.
Sailing from one tropical island to another, turquoise waters, palm lined beaches, waterfalls, jungle trails, and hidden places.
Almost the other side of the globe.
“And we sail into infinity.
The good life. Sailing from one tropical island to another on turquoise waters.”
These words were written in a journal dedicated to a journey across the Pacific.
The writer was a backpacker and amateur photographer who traveled through dozens of countries, documenting his experiences in photographs and travel journals.
He purchased a round the world ticket, allowing travel around the globe for a year.
The journey began in London, continued to Samoa, and then included nine days in Fiji, where he met a close friend.
From there, they flew on to Papua New Guinea.
The year was 2001. It is possible that they were among the early backpackers to reach the Fiji Islands. What follows are excerpts from the experiences recorded in the journal during the stay in Fiji.
Fiji, July 3, 2001
We crossed the International Date Line during the flight.
At the terminal, I try to get information about a bus from Nadi to Suva, where I will take a ferry to meet my friend.
From the plane and from the taxi, I notice a change.
Fiji is dry, land without vegetation, unlike Samoa.
Fiji has a relatively large land area compared to other Pacific countries. There are pine trees, which remind me slightly of roads back home, except that driving is on the left.
In the taxi with me are a father and daughter from the Indian minority.
The father is a carpenter. I tell him my father works in the same field, and I am invited to visit his workshop.
In Suva, the friendly driver takes me to a hotel recommended by my friend and invites me to visit him in the evening.
I consider it.
I skip a shower and catch the last hour of sunlight for a walking tour of the city.
What cannot be seen from the air is the interesting mix of native Fijians, many Indians, and quite a few Chinese who, according to the taxi passenger, come to work and stay.
Perhaps it is the tropical charm, or simply their difficult situation back home.
July 4, 2001
Today we meet my friend.
After visiting the national museum, a taxi takes me to the ship’s pickup point.
In the taxi with me is a woman from Australia who smokes constantly. We sail toward the island on a small motorboat.
The route is stunning, tropical islands everywhere. Some are only white sand hills that disappear at high tide.
Around 3:00 PM we land on the beach.
My friend appears and the joy is great.
It is unbelievable that we circled the world, each in a different direction, and met here. The island looks exactly like a postcard. Mountainous islands surround it, their peaks covered in clouds.
Unfortunately, we will likely leave in two days, as we do not have much time in Fiji.
We sleep in a spacious dorm.
We exchange stories and snorkel together.
It is almost midnight. People here sing Bob Marley songs, drink kava, and enjoy life.
One of the crew plays guitar, an amusing character with a torn shirt and wild laughter.
For a change, there are not only English and Swedes like in Samoa, but also Austrians.
Interesting characters definitely reach the Pacific.
July 5, 2001
We travel to Ovalau Island, where the town of Levuka is located, which served as the capital in the previous century.
The ride is very bumpy, with lots of sea spray and returning clouds.
With us sails a former island owner who managed it rather unsuccessfully. He tells us he is originally Chinese and claims that Chinese people are not interested in politics, only in making money.
There is great tension between Indians and native Fijians, which led to serious riots that caused tourism to decline for a time.
Elections are scheduled for August, which will likely lead to another eruption.
We explore the town.
An impressive sunset.
The town resembles an old western movie.
At any moment it feels like a cowboy might jump into the air.
A town with character, clearly marked by better times in the past.
July 6, 2001
Wake up at 3:45 AM. We board a bus that takes us to a ferry and then to another bus to Suva.
The crossing is pleasant and fairly short.
A full moon sets and immediately a sunrise appears.
A true audiovisual show.
The coffee at the snack bar is gone, and I drink a strange beverage called Milo.
From there we continue to Colo I Suva National Park, not far away.
There are small waterfalls, short trails, and low trees. In summary, a miniature jungle.
We head out toward dusk.
Gray weather settles over Suva with light drizzle.
July 7, 2001
Deep sleep. We wake at 9:00 AM. We earned it.
Errands in the city, ferry tickets, laundry, breakfast at a bakery, and then off to the sea.
We ride about an hour by bus to a coastal town with a hotel for wealthy visitors and a beach that somewhat resembles a Mediterranean shoreline. Across from it is an island with coconut palms.
The ferry is fairly large.
We sleep in economy with everyone else.
There is an upper deck on the roof with excellent air.
An emotional farewell from families on the pier. Indian teenagers play cards.
I write in my journal until rain begins.
July 8, 2001
Sunday. Yesterday the city had a quiet afternoon atmosphere.
Everything closed, and the streets were mostly tourists like us. Unfortunately, we have only three nights here.
We anchor at the harbor and look for a vehicle to take us to the mountain summit, the second highest on the island at about 1,200 meters.
The road is very steep.
The Pacific gradually recedes, revealing more and more islands.
We reach the gate and ask the driver to continue, thankfully, as there is still a long way.
At the top, we leave the vehicle.
On a clear day, which is rare, the view is stunning, the Pacific and an interesting lake.
Today, however, we are inside a cloud.
We descend and the weather clears slightly.
We find a spot to eat a coconut we received earlier.
The descent takes about four hours, mainly because we stop frequently to observe interesting parrots.
Hundreds of birds with unique sounds surround us.
The island is considered a paradise for bird watchers.
Due to the clouds, it is hard to distinguish the parrots’ colors.
We reach the hotel after sunset and immediately sit by the pool with our feet in the water.
Later, a luxurious dinner.
I order a vegetarian dish, stuffed cabbage with rice, melted cheese, tomato sauce, and potatoes.
A real delicacy.
We sit on lounge chairs by the sea watching waves crash nearby.
July 9, 2001
We travel to Bouma Nature Reserve.
On one side are beaches and mangroves, on the other mountains and villages.
We are welcomed by a kind elderly woman who offers tea with milk and excellent chocolate cookies she baked.
We hike to three waterfalls.
It is very impressive, both compared to a nearby park and in general. Occasionally there are views of the sea, combined with palms, sky, and green mountains, looking like a postcard.
The first waterfall is especially powerful, pouring into a pleasant pool.
The path starts with grass and wooden steps, then vegetation thickens and the trail becomes dark and muddy.
We return to the first waterfall to bathe.
The sun disappears and it gets chilly.
The current is strong, so we turn back tired and stiff.
We receive more tea and cakes.
We sleep at a nearby home.
We are given a simple room and an excellent dinner with noodles, rice, taro leaves, cassava, and most importantly, coconut sauce.
The recipe is shared later.
July 10, 2001
Early wake up around 6:00 AM to see a sunrise.
Roosters woke me earlier anyway. Children run along the beach, playing, breaking coconuts, and chasing crabs.
Breakfast is served by the river.
We take a bus to Lavena village, plan to rent a motorboat to see a waterfall that pours into the sea.
We walk along the coastal trail, with butterflies, palms, Pacific views, volcanic rocks, and surprises.
We swim near waterfalls and later board a boat. The weather is excellent. Waves crash nearby in vivid turquoise.
We return by boat, circling the reef for an extra bonus sail.
In the evening we sit together and play word games in a local language. An excellent day, the best so far in Fiji.
July 11, 2001
We sit at the small tropical airport of Taveuni.
The runway is surrounded by palms, the sun rises, the sea is blue and calm. The flight is beautiful, with turquoise waters, atolls, strange lagoons, all seen from low altitude.
We land and travel by taxi along a coastal road through villages, traditional huts, waterfalls, and red flowering trees.
The landscape becomes drier and more mountainous.
We arrive at sunset, find a modest hotel, eat dinner, watch local television, and share fresh papaya.
July 12, 2001
Last day in Fiji.
Errands, laundry, phone calls, internet, shopping, and sending a package home.
Soon we fly to Vanuatu, a mysterious destination.
It is unclear what to expect, but it will surely be interesting.
