Fiji 2023

FIJI

FIDZI

It is a tradition for us to spend our wedding anniversary at some interesting destinations.

This year was our 35th anniversary. We decided to go to Fiji.

Melbourne – Nadi is approximately 4000km and 5h flight. The flight was turbulent most of the time. All the time during the flight we had “CD music” (CD = “Crying Devices” = small children).

To our pleasant surprise, we were welcomed by nice weather: no rain, temperature 30+ degree but pretty humid and – necklaces made of seashells, handed to us by hotel taxi driver, Michael.

The first impressions:

  • Very friendly people
  • All (or almost all) are wearing skirts, regardless of gender (nothing to do with transgressors and LGBT population)
  • Roads are in a very bad state; officially the speed limit is 80km, but I doubt that even that limit could be achieved.
  • They are promoting their language; they greet you with “bula” (hallo) and “vinaka” (thank you)
  • They greet guests with “Welcome home”.
  • They don’t have sparkling mineral water.

Kao I uvek na godisnjicu braka idemo na neku od interesantnih destinacija.

Ove godine je 35 godina. Odlucili smo da idemo na Fiji.

Melbourne – Nadi je oko 4000km I 5 sati leta.  Uglavnom smo leteli po “kaldrmi” ali smo zato tokom = leta imali konstano “CD muziku” (CD = Crying Device = “Placuce sprave” tj mala deca). 

Docekalo nas je, na moje iznenadjenje, lepo vreme; bez kise, temperature 30+ stepeni I dosta vlazno I – ogrlice od skoljki koje nam predao vozac taksija, Michael (kog je poslao hotel).

Prvi utisci:

  • Izuzetno prijateljski nastrojen narod.
  • Svi (ili skoro svi) nose suknje bez obzira na pol (nema veze sa transdreserima I LGBT populacijom).
  • Putevi su u vrlo losem stanju; vrlo su “rupicasti” Maksimalna dozvoljena brzina na Fijiju je 80km ali je pitanje da li I to moze da se dostigne.
  • Popularisu svoj jezik (mada svi govore engleski) I obavezno se obracaju sa Bula (zdravo) I vinaka (hvala).
  • Obavezno goste pozdravljaju sa “Welcome Home” (“Dobrodosli kuci”)
  • Nema gazirane mineralne voce (ostalih gaziranih pica, normalno ima)

Anchorage Resort

Anchorage Resort (our hotel) is built on a historic location. It was the first place where the first immigrants (from South Africa) put down their anchor.

The first day was really nice and sunny. We had an opportunity to visit the nearest city Lautoka and to spend the afternoon in the nice hotel pool.

In the evening, it was one more nice surprise: We got a cake with “Happy Anniversary” written on it and a duo with guitars (accompanied with restaurant staff) was singing nice, appropriate, song to us at our table.

Milly (if you read this), thanks for that. Regards to the other participants of the event (we again forgot the names of the guitar duo).

It was a nice beginning of the holiday, much better than we expected.

Anchorage hotelski kompleks

Anchorage resort je izgradjen na istorisjkoj lokaciji; to je prakticno prvo mesto gde dosli prvi doseljenici (iz Juzne Afrike) I spustil svoj anker. Po tome je I dobio ime.

Pvri dan je osvanuo lep I suncan. Imali smo priliku da skitamo okolo, stignemo do najblizeg grada, Lautoka, I da posle podne provedemo na bazenu.

Uvece smo u restoranu imali I jos jedno lepo iznenadjenje: Dobili smo kolac sa natpisom “Happy Universary” (srecna godisnjica) I duo sa gitarama (pracen osobljem hotela) otpavao nam je prigodnu pesmu za nasim stolom. (Hvala Milly na organizaciji ovog dogadjaja).

Sve u svemu lep pocetak odmora, mnogo boje nego sto smo ocekivali

Kava Ceremony

The kava ceremony is an social ritual in Fiji. It is a way for people to come together and share experiences (much like sitting at a bar drinking alcohol in Western society).

After drinking the kava, participants usually feel relaxed and euphoric.

(“Kava” is not a “coffee”.  It is the powder of a dried root of a plant called Piper methysticum.)

Kava ceremonija

Kava ceremonija je socijalni ritual na Fidziju. To je nacin da se ljudi okupe, ispricaju,  podele iskustva (kao sto je sedenje u baru I ispijanje akohola u Zapadnjakom drustvu).

After ispijanja kave, drustvo se obicno oseca relaksirano .

(“Kava” nije “kafa”. To je samleven sasusen koren biljke Piper methysticum.)

Beachcomber Island

Beachcomber Island is approximately 15km from Anchorage and 150x150m in size. There are 5-6 bungalows. Also, there is a restaurant and multifunctional hall, both with sand floor; like built directly on the beach. At that time, there were 5- 6 guests and 10-15 staff members. They (staff) usually spend 3 weeks on the island and one week on the mainland (Fiji Island).

The trip to the island was a very interesting and dangerous exercise:

  • The boat “Lady Kathleen” is small for such a trip especially when the sea is rough as it was on that day
  • We reached the island drenched to the skin due to the rough sea and high waves and rain.
  • In order to reach the island, we had to be transferred to another boat approximately 200m from the shore
  • The island is without a docking bay/boardwalk so, the landing is directly in to the sea
  • All these make a trip more difficult especially taking into consideration that my wife can’t take even one step on stairs. We had to take her from boat to boat, on the rough sea and from a boat to the land. And, the same procedure on the way back.
  • There is a very interesting “Weather Station” based on the hanging coconut (as pictured)
    • Coconut moving = windy
    • Coconut still = calm
    • Coconut wet = rainy
    • Coconut dry = sunny
    • Coconut white = snow
    • Coconut invisible = fog
    • Coconut gone = hurricane

Beachcomber ostrvo

Ostrvo Beachcomber je oko 15km udaljeno od kopna (Anchorage), malo je, otprilike 150x150m sa 5-6 bungalova. Postoji jos I restroran I sala za vise namena; oba sa podom od peska; kao da su radjeni direktno na plazi. Bilo je otprilike 5-6 gostiju koji su tamo par dana I 10-15 osoblja koje na ostrvu provide po 3 nedelje I onda 5-7 dana na kopnu.

Odlazak na Beachcomber ostrvo je bilo interesantno I opasno iskustvo.

Utisci:

  • Camac “Lady Kathleen” je mali za takav put I uzburkano more
  • Na ostvro smo stigli mokri do gole koze zbog velikih talasa I kise
  • Na ostvro se stize jednim camcem a onda se preseda na drugi na oko 200m od obale
  • Na ostrvu nema pristanista; iskrcavanje je direktno u more
  • Sve ove cinjenice cine put tezim kada se uzme u obzir da supruga ne moze da se popne ni na jedan stepenik; trebalo je prenositi je iz camca u camac (po uzburkanom moru) I prebacati na obalu (I kasnije sa obale)
  • Interesantna je “meteoroloska stanica” na bazi kokosa”.

Kokos visi na lancu I pored njega je tabla sa “uputstvom za upotrebu”:

  • Kokos se krece – vreme je vetrovito
  • Kokos miruje – vreme je bez vetra
  • Kokos je vlazan – pada kisa
  • Kokos je suv – vreme je suncano
  • Kokos je beo – pada sneg (ovde nikada ne pada sneg ali je mogucnost predvidjena)
  • Kokos se ne vidi – magla je
  • Kokos odleteo – uragan
Viseisei Village, the First Fijian Village
  • It is the place where the first settler, from South Africa, reached in 17th century and established the first settlement.
  • Then, they dispersed through the island and began tribal wars.
  • Until 1824 they were cannibals and then they adopted Christianity (Methodist Church).
  • Currently, there are 950 inhabitants in the village and 149 houses.
  • The title “Chief” passes through the bloodline.
  • The current chief is 92y old.

 

 

 

Selo Viseisai, prva naseobina na Fidziju
  • Mesto gde su pristali I naselili prvi doseljenici iz Juzne Afrike u 17 veku.
  • Ubrzo po dolasku su se raselili po ostvru I zapoceli plemenske borbe.
  • Bili ljudozderi do 1824 god kada su primili hriscansvo I postali hriscani Metodisti.
  • Trenutno Ima 950 zitelja
  • 149 kuca
  • Cin poglavica ide nasledno (trenutni poglavica ima 92 godine)

The Garden of the Sleeping Giant

The Sleeping Giant is actually the mountain that looks like a man that sleeping.

The Garden of the Sleeping Giant is located at the foot of The Sleeping Giant mountain.

The main attraction is the 2000 plus orchid varieties with a lots of other tropical and indigenous plants.

 

 

 

Basta uspavanog diva

The Sleeping Gian (Uspavani Div) je ustvari brdo koje podseca na coveka koji lezi.

U podnozju brda je basta (The Garden of the Sleeping Giant) gde je glavna atrakcija preko 2000 vrsta orhideja uz mnostvo tropskog rastinja.

Sabeto Mud Pool and Hot Spring

 

Mud and geothermal pools are located at the foot of The Sleeping Giant Mountain too.

 

 

 

 

SabetoTermalni izvori I bazen sa blatom

 

U podnozju Uspavanog Diva je Sabeto; bazen sa lekovitim blatom i termalni izvori.

Sri Siva Subramaniya Swami Temple

The temple is situated in the South part of Nadi.

The pyramid shaped towers (typical of Dravidian architecture) are covered in elaborate carvings of warriors, kings and gods. The carvings are brightly coloured.

Its holy ground so you’ll need to observe a few rules like dressing modestly and removing your shoes at the entrance.

It’s forbidden to take photos inside the temple.

 

 

 

 

Hram Sri Siva Subramanya Swami

Hram se nalazi u juznom delu Nadija.

Predstavnik je tipicne arhitekture Dravida, piramidalnog oblika sa reljefima koji predstavljaju kraljeve, bogove I ratnike. Reljefi su ofarbani jarkim bojama.

Izgradjen je na svetoj zemlji tako da se moraju postovati odredjena pravila po pitanju odece a isto tako moraju se ostaviti cipele na ulazu.

U unutrasnjosti hrama je zabranjeno slikanje.