Idyllic - caught for future painting.
Well it was a lovely inaugural visit and a good “chill out” aafter the selling of house & home and preparing for my trip back in Canada. Eight days was long enough. I don’t make a good indefinite holidayer. If I had known any differently or had more time, I would probably go back to Beachouse and help Andrew with the natural building ideas. But that is not in the cards at the moment. Also, I would explore the other islands, do some mountain treks and settle down somewhere to write. But that is not the story this time around.
Checking out the ocean during the cooler (thank god) overcast last day.
My final stay was in Smugglers Cover Beach Resort, just across from the Bamboo. On the beach, more expensive, better facilities but with none of the family warmth and hands-on feeling of the other two. This place felt more sterile and isolating, although that could have just been my mood. It did feel more like a tourist hideaway – until the last night however with the dancing and fire dancers. But before that is was not as much mycup of tea.
The staff didn’t seem as friendly or as happy. This was a hotel, not a hostel. But it served its purpose. I didn’t meet anyone here. The only person outside of the hotel staff that I spoke to was a girl I had met at Bamboo who was still staying there and had come to Smugglers to eat. Of course based on my previous post, I did end up meeting Denny – although there again, he was someone I had met at another locale, not Smugglers.
Overall though, Smugglers is a good place to go to with a partner and friends but not so much on your own.
Reading the Gabriola Sounder (well not really) on the beach in Fiji
All in all, Fiji has been amazing and I would come again definitely over the Caribbean or Mexico, which I have been to before. Cleaner, friendlier, healthier – from a food and water perspectivie – and absolutely stunning. Oh and you don’t have to tip in Fiji and prices are all inclusive. Why can’t Canada do this?
So next stop, New Zealand, with a brief stop over in Auckland enroute to Cromwell to see my girlfriend from University days, Linda and family. Onwards we go.