Fiji - Day 3 Downtown Nadi

For the most part today was a day of relaxation at the Bura. 

Shortly after lunch, our Rosie driver takes us into Nadi to purchase Voltarin in an attempt to reduce CJ's discomfort. Nadi is a busy city. The mission is successful. Randy and CJ appear to be the only tourists in town.

We call "Uncle Fred" on his birthday. He requests we send him pictures.

This afternoon the four of us are invited to the resort manager's weekly cocktail party for Marriott Bonvoy club high status members. The drinks are good, the conversation with the manager even better.

We have leftovers for dinner while enjoying the two complimentary bottles of Champagne. We enjoy the weekly fire show.

Fiji - Day 2 The Bula Boat

Today is what a Fiji vacation is all about. We spend the morning relaxing on the deck of our bura.

Pam and Randy swim over for a visit.

Last year Carol had a heron that visited for four hours while CJ was off on a jet ski adventure. Her buddy is back!

In the afternoon the "Bula-Boat" passes by and delivers us a drink.

As they make their rounds of the other buras, we cross over to Pam and Randy's bura to have another go at the boat.

Breakfast, lunch, and dinner at Fish Bar.

Figi - Day 1 Welcome Back

After brekkie, we pass the advert boards for the World Surf League Finals. We thought Randy would get to see the surfing since the dates say there are two more days. The Internet says the event has concluded. Both men's and women's champions have been crowned. The competition is over, bummer.

It's a beautiful day in paradise. We are in the sixth bura (over water room) from land. 

Across the lagoon is the breakfast restaurant, reception area, and Lagoon Lounge bar.

Pam and Randy's room is across the boardwalk from us. They swim over to visit.

Our buras (rooms) have windows looking down on the water running down both sides. Pictured is Pam and Randy swimming under our bura.

It's the evening for the Fijian cultural dinner outdoors at Voi Voi. Meats are cooked in an underground firepit. There is a Kava ceremony on stage. It is a buffet.

Off to Fiji

Bloody Qantas! Our comfortable 0720 departure is moved up to 0605. Uber retrieves us at 0350. CJ will be sleeping through both flights.

We have a great flight attendant to Brisbane. His first job is a travel agent. He is one of the best flight attendants ever.

We arrive Nadi just before dusk. The ride to the resort is more than an hour. An hour of rush hour traffic, potholes, and a view of the countryside and we arrive at Marriott Momi Bay. When one finally turns off the main road to the resort, there is still 12km to the resort.

Our room is as we remember it from last year. We are two buras (overwater bugaloos) up the boardwalk from last year. It's a more central location. The room is identical and magnificent.

Lion 360

The Monarto Safari Park offers at additional cost various experiences. The best is Lion 360. This is where you are in the cage, and the lions are not! They do this every day, so that as they allow us into the cage, the lions are arriving knowing that raw meat is about to be on offer.

It is a bit scary when they first climb on top of the cage.

You can pay extra to feed the lions. It appears you get to feed them twice.

Manarto Safari Park

CJ couldn't get ordering tickets online to work. On the way to the houseboat he was still dealing with the folks at Minarto Safari Park to order the 8 tickets. Even after he finally saw they posted the charge to our credit card, they couldn't confirm the sale and he had to email them pictures of the credit card statement. Sometime while on the boat, he received an email with the tickets.

Minarto Safari Park is the largest area for wild animals outside of Africa anywhere in the world. First up is a ride through the entire park.

Is this a Zee bra or a Zeb rah? We're in Oz. It's a Zeb rah.

Unfortunately, the rhino is on the other side of the bus.

This giraffe came up to the bus and put its nose against the window, three times.

The last paddock we traverse is the lion area. Entrances to the more dangerous animals have a double entry fence. A gate allows the bus to pull into a fenced space. The door behind closes and then the door in front opens allowing access to a second control stall. CJ had earlier wondered out loud what would happen if an animal slipped into one of them. He might get his answer.

There is a large pride of lions surrounding the entrance. One is lying facing away from gate. We cannot open the gate and move on until somehow these lions get moved. We're told trainers have caused them to move by giving them a whiff of raw meat. Where the meat and trainers remain a mystery. The final lion to move away from the entrance is the one lying in front of the gate.

We pass by the "human cage", the overnight "motel" for the lions, and the place where keepers do research on them before returning.