Ah, the South Pacific…The name alone conjures up lavish images of palm trees whispering above finely powdered beaches and cerulean lagoons. It would have been nice to say that I spent a few nights sleeping in a “fale” (a simple open-air beach hut) to get the full South Pacific experience; but my trip to Fiji almost played out like an episode of Gilligan’s Island with me feeling stranded on a resort instead of a desert island. Never being one to subscribe to the school of thought where language and/cultural differences become barriers, I was all in for what I thought would be a “baecation” of a lifetime where we would explore utopia without the hefty price tag. Does it get any better than that? I thought we were winning.
Consisting of over 330 islands (only 1/3 are inhabited), Fiji is the ultimate destination to live your BEST Robinson Crusoe fantasy! Glass bottom jet skis, paddle boarding, water safaris, snorkeling and romantic beach picnics. This water baby was SO ready to do just that, but as we started to plan, I noticed a bit of uneasiness coming from the guy that I was traveling with at the time. When he asked, “how would we communicate?” My response was, “learn a few Fijian phrases if it makes you more comfortable.” This was only his 2nd time traveling internationally, and he started to ask questions about whether I was comfortable with being immersed in another culture for a week and what if something happens while we are away, how will we flee the island. Pulling from what I had read about Fiji and feedback from friends that had made the 16 hour trip to visit the South Pacific; I responded with my famous last words before clicking “Book”….“But darling, Fiji is one of the happiest places in this world.”
Fiji has a very tight-knit society that is mostly village based. Even the urban areas feel small with uncles, aunts and cousins that are more likely to live in the same neighborhood. Not much different than the vibe in the close community where I grew up, it wasn’t long after our arrival before I was greeting everyone with a hearty “Bula!” Starting most conversations with “you remind me of my cousin,” I had so many locals approach me to inquire if I had any Kai Viti heritage. The indigenous name of the islands is Viti, an Austronesian word meaning "east" or "sunrise." Ethnic Fijians call themselves Kai Viti ("the people of Viti") or i Taukei ("the owners of the land").
While I was feeling right at home, my “bae” at the time continued to withdraw. The first time that I ever personally encountered anyone that not only had so many reservations about leaving a resort, but the hotel room itself. Does it count as solo travel, if you are with someone but find yourself leaving them behind so you can explore? One of the 2 activities that he agreed to after an exhausting hour of going back and forth was attending a Kava ceremony. Kava is a Fijian ceremonial narcotic that is more popular than beer. Kava roots are pounded into a powder, mixed with water and strained with a large wire mesh utensil before being served during a “grog session”. The ritual hand clapping and communal passing of the grog-filled coconut shell left us feeling like a Fijian. And to think Fijians were once cannibals.
Have you ever gone on a trip with someone where your travel-styles clashed? How did you handle it?
“No man is an island, no man stands alone.”