So getting on to Fiji…we spent our week on Mana Island, a 40k boatride from the mainland and grotty city of Nadi. It really was like a tropical paradise and our hostel (Ratu Kini) was in the middle of a Fijian village and staffed by the local people. There were lots of positives – wonderful weather, lovely people, first time ever diving…this could be my new favourite sport. I felt like Dorie from Finding Nemo….the underwater world is spectacular…it made me think it is a shame to even blink and miss a second of it. My first dive was on the reed just off the shore in the morning and in the afternoon we went out on the boat to what felt like a random spot in the middle of the Pacific Ocean. The spot was called ‘seven sisters’ and indeed turned out not to be random at all. Saw lots of beautiful coral and fishes…but thankfully no sharks. Hannah had seen some ‘lovely vegetarian reef sharks’ on her morning dive but I think on my first day out in the deep that might have been too much for me…I would probably have tried to scream, lost my air supply swallowed half the sea and drowned. In fact I found it quite difficult to be under water for that length of time and not be able to talk…particularly because everything was so pretty and new and exciting…so the only way I could communicate my appreciation of the beauty was to clap (in slow motion because the water was in my way)…but I think that might have scared the fish away! Oh well. It was all brilliant anyhow. The next dive we did off sunset beach was called the Wallace Wall or something like that. Again, all very amazing to be swimming with the fish down there…very relaxing. I would really need to read up on the old tropical fish to know what I was looking at but I did see plenty of clownfish, electric blue razorfish, some trumpet fish, a stingray, some manatua eel (?) and touched some soft coral which was the funniest texture….kept my paws off the hard coral though. It is sad to see the blunt breaks where people have damaged the coral. Missed me last dive of the package because I stood on a rusty nail and couldn’t get the flippers on. Next time. So the other plus of Fiji was the fine male specimens we had the pleasure to come across. They really are the epitome of what the male prototype should be. Feel free to disagree, but any guys who can wear flowers in their hair, flowery sarongs and dance around oiled up and barefooted and still ooze attractiveness scores some points with me. Of course this is a purely superficial impressiveness…but the culture has such a level of co-dependence and respect between the sexes that it is really appealing. Traditional roles are largely in place and men do the ‘taking care of ladies and taking care of business’ side of things. You might think that I would hate this but seeing it work in action is persuasive. The whole community focus is so different to what we are used to in our individualistic culture. I am really struck by how people who have so little give so much…whereas we are so at ease with people who have so much and give so little. I enjoyed a day at church and the little children are just wonderful…so innocent and easily pleased, so joyful and enjoying simple pleasures…so musical and imbued with a great sense of fun. They are very loving and appreciate every little thing and generally inspiring to be around. So this was some of the great stuff about Fiji. Also pictured here are the lovely Joe (left) and Andy (right).