FIJI 2024

I don't think anyone reads this blog any longer so if you happen to see this post, know that it's long and I'm treating it more like a journal of the trip for my own memory.  

One highlight of the trip was the quick helicopter flight from the airport to Coconut Beach.  I didn't quite realize that the ONLY thing on the island we were dropped on was our resort.  I was surprised to land right  in the sand on the beach as well. 

The resort had different activities to offer.  We were all given a lesson and attempted to make bracelets.  Mia was the only one who successfully completed one.  No surprise!

Mia LOVES fresh coconuts.  This island was called Coconut Beach and the reason was obvious....to say they have a surplus is a huge understatement.  This was one of her MANY island drinks.

The only thing Brian loves more than hanging out in a hammock on the beach is hanging out in a hammock on the beach with his favorite daughter!

Why do we continue to have the debate on whether or not sunscreen is"needed" every time 

we are in the sun?   Thankfully, these two cooperated after the Day 1 burn.

See palm tree, climb palm tree.  Although, we learned that coconut trees are not the same 

as palm trees.  This island was full of coconut trees.

One of the excursions we went out on was hand-line fishing - this is basically rolling a piece 

of weighted bait down on a piece of fishing line, with no casting and no pole.  We had been out 

for about an hour and a half with no luck and then Mia caught a pretty big fish (red snapper).  Brian followed and caught another one.  I'm not sure what made Mia happier....catching 

the fish or catching a fish that was bigger than Brian's!!  

The chef prepared the fish for us for dinner that night and it was pretty good!

The resort was simple but super cool.  The bathroom was enclosed, but outside under the palm trees. We had our own hammock and just a walk across the path to the beautiful beach.  

Jake climbed up to the top of this coconut tree and swatted one down for Mia.  We took it back to the resort, where they machetti-ed it open for her.....after Jake did the Heisman pose with it. 

We snorkeled on another small island and when we were out snorkeling, Vati and his friends were catching fish with a spear, to cook on the fire for us.  

I can't even imagine the skill it takes to catch a 6" fish with a hand spear??!!

The beach here was paradise.  Turquoise water, bathwater temperature, and nobody there but us and the other few resort guests / employees.  Paradise found. 

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This might have been Jake's favorite thing from our stay on Coconut Beach - the fresh ahi.

Hermit crab racing - an island event where you bet on a hermit crab to raise money for the school.  All of children on the island attend a M-F boarding school on a neighboring island, starting at age 4.  

They play acoustic guitar all the time...mostly cover songs, which I loved.  The staff at Coconut Beach truly made us feel like family.  From left to right here was Patrick, Apa, Vati, Ben and Masi.

Next stop was at Nanuku resort, which was on the mainland of Nadi.

Pretty excited about our private pool, just steps from the beach.  Turns out that we only went in this pool once.....we preferred the main pool where they brought you tropical mocktails :)

I'm not typically one for scenery photos but this was where I had 

my coffee each morning and it was amazing!

Jake and Brian took their coconut bowl making lesson from Bati very seriously.  When I asked them to take a pic, they said Jake's Fijian name would be One Boob.  Bati was our favorite!

No beach vacation is complete without a little beach volleyball!

You got around the resort on these cruisers....they were great.

Cheers!  Mocktails all around!

My babies.

20 years....this one's a keeper.

Kayaks, followed by rope swinging....good times.  

Needless to say, we ordered a lot of mocktails.

Brian really wanted a Fijian house drum called a lali.  We found one and had our family name and the year 2024 carved into it by this kind man. 

On the drive, we passed by all of the villages.  Tough to get photos but all of the locals live in these villages, most of which have dirt floors, no indoor plumbing, no doors and hardly a roof on top.  The drive we spoke to said that his village didn't have electricity until 2 years ago.  We are used to so much more, yet the people in Fiji are happy as can be and don't seem to have the desire for the life we have in the states. 

Snorkel buddies!

Let me just say that basket making is MUCH harder than it looks.

These two....best buddies.

Jake and his Fijian bestie, Bati.