I am awakened by the very loud chirps of birds with mohawks. Well I can only guess that it’s them, as our blackout curtains are drawn tightly closed and I cannot grasp the concept of what time it is. I reluctantly reach out of the comforts of the mosquito net surrounding our bed, not knowing what awaits me on the other side. I manage to reach my phone without the interruption of an occasional critter running around the joint. 6:01am. Too early. Too early for me, and definitely too early for Paul. I close my eyes and nestle into Paul’s armpit, a frequent occurrence, taking in the scent of Gillette gel deodorant and man. I awaken once again. 8:24 am. Rise and shine! I wake up Paul, who moans, groans, and is ready to head out the door 30 minutes later.
We arrive to breakfast to find that the best table, front and center, is being cleared. The day is off to a great start already. I order a ginger ale and Paul a detox smoothie. We look out to the water admiring the beauty of our surroundings and I am hopeful that the sun will show its gleaming face through the clouds today. My ginger ale is darker in color than expected, but I’m impressed with the taste. Paul’s smoothie is minty, green and refreshing – sure to clear out the toxins in his body from the copious amounts of alcohol consumed the night before. We are again greeted by the manager, Michael, to let us know that another villa is available for us should we like it. We plan to take a peek after breakfast.
I order the breakfast platter consisting of jam, croissants, banana bread and fruit. Paul orders scrambled eggs, toast and sausage. When it arrives it is a far cry from the breakfast served the morning prior. This meal was not fit for a prisoner, but fit for a king. As we finish up, I am struck with an object falling from above. I jump and Paul tells me not to worry, that it’s only a leaf. Well this “leaf” crawls up the arm of my chair and resembles a brightly colored, iridescent stink bug. It climbs on the table for an impromptu photo op and then he is on his way. A few minutes later another “leaf” drops down. This one provokes a scream from me and a loud laughter erupts from the woman sitting behind me. Only this time it was luckily just a leaf.
Michael meets us to check out the new villa and it is an impressive step up from our current place. The clear blue water and white sand beach is in plain view, which is what we were seeking. We quickly accept. We head back to Villa 4 to pack our belongings and head down to the beach to explore the perimeter of the island. We are met with several crabs including my favorite – hermit crabs! We carefully make our way down to the water, mindful not to disrupt or accidentally squash them. I meet a little fella I name Sheldon, who in his entirety is the size of my pinky nail. We also meet his neighbor, Herbert, who makes a quick dash further up the shore. Our walk ends with the resort pool, which only has two other people at it. The best part about this place is the not only the hospitable staff (who seem more like friends) who are always remembering you on a first name basis, but the ability to feel so isolated on this remote, picturesque island. We raise the flag to signal we are in need of cocktails. Unfortunately/fortunately we are on Fiji time, which means we can sometimes wait up to 30 minutes for these alcohol infused, handcrafted delights. We head off to our couple’s massage, a few steps away from the pool. We are treated to a 60 minute relaxation station with Fijian oils of your choosing. While it was relaxing, it lacked the pressure I usually enjoy. We are surprised to find out that we’ve received a complimentary “honeymoon massage”. While every day that I'm married does indeed feel like a honeymoon, we were slightly perplexed.
Update: we paid full price at checkout.
Next stop: Dive center. I book my discover scuba class for the next afternoon and Paul books his shark dive for bright and early. I was so jealous, as it has been on my adventure list to swim with sharks, but unfortunately you need to be PADI certified. Oh well, maybe next time. We grab snorkel gear and head into the ocean. We opt for the lazy man’s snorkel and float around on life jackets. It was incredible! The fish were abundant and colored like rainbows. We also discovered a “bowl” coral formation that was swimming with life. As I passed over the dark holes, I wondered what types of creatures were lurking deep below. I then realize I’m not sure I wanted to know. My imagination runs wild and I picture those fish with pointy teeth and lights on their head from Crash Bandicoot. Playstation anyone? We spend several minutes watching a white fish with what appeared to be two long whiskers resembling fangs, digging into the bottom of the sea for its next meal. I desperately wanted to come across Frank or Pamela, our baby shark friends, but swimming is not my forte. After 30 minutes I was ready to move on and save the rest for another day. I remove my fins and head to land. There he was – Frank the Tank! I pointed him out to Paul who was still in the water and he feverishly chased him with the GoPro in hand. It wasn’t quite clear to me who was circling who but Paul was able to capture Frank’s adventure. To me it was a small victory!
The night’s activities begin, starting with the kava ceremony. We arrive seven minutes late but lucky for us, Fiji time. The ceremony had not yet begun. We remove our shoes and sit in a circle with small bowls in front of each of us. They instruct us how the ceremony will take place. Going around the circle one by one – one clap, “Bula!”, down the hatch, three claps. I watch as several people go before me and the expressions on their faces tell me it wasn’t too bad. My turn. Clap, “Bula!”, chug it down, clap, clap, clap. The taste can only be described as “minty earth” (you’re welcome Orbit Gum for your newest flavor!) that looks like muddy water. My tongue becomes numb and for a slight second, I wonder if I’m about to trip out circa Baltimore Airport 2012. Luckily, the only feeling that came over me was a calm, relaxed one with a muddy, numb mouth.
Paul and I head to the bar for a glass of vino while everyone else takes their seats for dinner. We snuggle on the lounge, enjoying the refreshing sauv blanc, the live music and each other’s company. We are offered another round of kava from the musicians and politely accept.
I make my way to the ladies’ room and I am met on the footpath by a large, overturned beetle. Kicking his legs in desperation to get his legs back on the ground. I think to myself “If he can’t get himself sorted, I’ll help him out.” As I enter the bathroom, I am met with the now all too familiar gecko. As I wash my hands I notice another one squeezing through a crack in the cabinet. This bathroom is officially overrun with wildlife! I am suddenly reminded of one of the final scenes of The Craft where Sarah’s house is occupied with reptiles and rodents, snakes filling the bathtub and flowing from the faucets. I run back to the dining table, feeling a little too distraught to help out my beetle friend along the way (sorry PETA). I officially have the creepy crawlies! I take a few deep breaths and try to describe to Paul the scene that is playing over and over again in my head. I reach for my wine glass to jokingly toast “The Craft” and as I extend my arm to clink glasses, I catch sight of a lizard resting on my wrist. OMG! I let out a yelp and fling it into Paul’s lap. I have never been squeamish with these types of things, after all I did have bearded dragons for pets. However, the abundance of these happenings is bringing out a slightly less tolerant side of me.
Dinner is served and we enjoy fish ceviche, macaroni, and beef cooked to perfection. We end our night with vanilla ice cream and venture back to the room, weary of the flocks and herds that could be waiting for me as I enter the villa. Thanks, Nancy.
