Bula!!! LA & Lautoka

So far everythings been awesome. While in LA we went up to a beach in Malibu for the day which was cool. So was the water, it was cold as hell. The waves were much bigger and more powerful and make you toss you around very easily. The city was much cleaner than I expected. Overall I was very impressed, wish I could've spent a few more days there.

So we made it safely to Fiji, arriving yesterday September 8th (Saturday) at 5am which was Friday, September 7th at 12:30pm for you guys. The people here are all so incredibly nice and welcoming. We flew into Nadi and drove about 30km to where we are now. We are in the town of Lautoka on the western coast of Viti Levu island. There is always a very nice breeze and the temp stays around 80 degrees. We're staying in a dorm style hotel room w/about 12 beds but we're the only occupants. It's got it's own bathroom/shower and it's even got AC. It's about $11-12 a night (US).

Yesterday as we were walking down the street a Fijian about 25 yrs old named Pana stopped us to chat and find out what we were up to. After talking for a couple minutes we invited us into the store where he was working and introduced us to the store owner (an accountant) and about 5 or 6 other very nice fellows. Not too long after we began talking they brought out some Kava, a native drink that resembles muddy water. It is somewhat like alcohol but it makes you hallucinate if you drink it all day and night. We sat and talked and drank with the group for probably an hour and a half. While the Kava didn't make me hallucinate or anything close to even getting drunk it did numb my tongue and the inside of my mouth a bit. I've heard that the Kava in the more rural areas is much more potent. Yesterday evening we met four young Fijians (13, 16, 20, and 21 yrs all with a very uplifting and happy vibe) and hung out with them first at a local bar and then out by the ocean.

So far I've seen maybe 5 white faces since we left the airport, so we stick out a good bit, especially considering we are not in a tourist area. The kids we were with last night told us that Americans/Europeans hardly ever come through Lautoka, especially ones that are our age. We might be three of a very small number of Americans that they will ever get to see and hang out with.

I'm excited about going to church in a couple hours. There is a Methodist church having a service at 5pm that I'm going to. Not sure if they'll be speaking English or Fijian but God will be there none the less and the lady I talked to is excited for me to come. I'm gonna try to get Ryan and Nate to go with me but if not I'll go solo.

The internet cafe I'm at is only 1$ Fiji money so about 60 cents an hour. The food so far is good, I had a huge plate of some kind of chicken stir fry and rice at 7am for about $1.50 in US money. Exchange rate at the airport in Nadi was 63 cents to the dollar, much better than the 78 cents to the dollar at LAX. Our ride from the airport was with a nice guy named Peter who drove us about 30km for $15 Fijian.

Fiji's land is beautiful and the air is clean but the roads and towns are somewhat dirty. Once we get out of the town and into the rural islands I'll have a better idea of the paradise we've always heard about. They have a huge market where everyone brings there fruits and vegitables to sell. It's pretty sweet and is full of many different smells, most of which are good.

Fijian words so far:

Bula!!! - Hello/Welcome
Vinaka - Thank You
Sevusevu - Greeting to the village chief asking permission to stay or hike, etc.
Warunaka (spelling?) - Beautiful

Tomorrow Ryan and I will be traveling to Suva, the capital city, where we'll board a boat at a midnight and travel south throughout the night to Kadavu, an island where we have a friend from NCSU that will host us for a week or so. Where we are going in Kadavu is a small village with one telephone so no internet. I'll be sure to update again in about a week and a half.

I'm looking forward to this adventure we are kicking off, I'll certainly come home with a little different mindset than I left with.