Wellington, Marlborough Wine Country (Renwick), Nelson, Abel Tasman National Park November 17-22, 2009   

The ugly side of things. . .
Well, well, well. . . Aside from pretty much catching the worst weather almost everywhere in New Zealand ( freezing cold rain, rain, and ah yes, more rain), and getting our butts handed to us in the funds department, NZ is finally starting to show us a sneak peek at a few of the reasons why we came to this over-priced, and slightly overrated country in the first place. I realize that this sounds harsh, but remember, we are only speaking from personal experience. However, here are a few tips for those thinking of coming to New Zealand.

 - Bring lots and lots of money. I mean tons. Sure, it may be the adventure capital of the world, but you WILL pay top dollar for every single activity. Even if you want to park your overpriced campervan somewhere for the night. Here are a few examples: kayaking in a national park will run you $145.00 per person, for a 2 hour trip. Mountain bike rentals anywhere between $55-100 a day. Skydiving- forget about it, believe me, you can’t afford it. Quad biking- $150-200 per person for 2 hours. Fancy a dip in the natural hot springs? Sure, for a fee of $25, no problem. But oh, for a mere $200.00 a person you can swim with dolphins in the freezing cold ocean. How about a case of Coke? For that price it should be the Colombian kind. . . Or you can try the ever-so-famous bungee jumping. Now I really wouldn’t want to compromise safety, but I didn’t realize that it was sooo pricey. I’m not trying to sound bitter but we really want to stress the importance of researching before you go. . . So you don’t end up like us. Broke, wet, grumpy, and fat from all of the potatoes and rice we are eating to save money.
     We truly thought we would beat the system by renting a campervan and living in it. Well, we are definitely living in it, but it is costing us!! We rented the van for 28 days and figured the money that we spent on the van would be saved because we would camp out in the wilderness every night for free. Sorry, not happening. Sure, you can pull over on the side of the road and hope that you don’t get harassed by pissed off locals, but I’m over that noise. Most of the campsites are called “Holiday Parks”, by this they mean “ Park your campervan on our lot and we will charge you $35 a night”. So at this point we are paying $65 a day for the camper, $35 dollars a night to park the damn thing, anywhere from $50-$100 a day for gas. Oh yeah, didn't I mention that gas is twice as much here? Not to mention the one way rental fee, and the huge fee to cross the ferry ($250) from the North Island to the South Island. You do the math. . . That is all without including the price of food, or God forbid we actually want to partake in one of the activities listed above, or grab a beer at a pub. A good beer will run you $11.00 for a bloody PINT!!!! Yikes!!!!!!!!! I am not even going to go into detail about the sandflies. . . I will just say that they are everywhere, and to give you an idea about how aggressive they are, they are even attacking my husband. Yes folks, I must admit I find it hilarious because he finally knows what I have been going through my whole damn life! A true quote from Brad “ Sam, these bites really itch don’t they?” “Be quiet Brad, you only have one. I have fifty-six.”
Trust me, we are not cynics, and we are truly sorry for the rant. It’s just a little frustrating because we are well aware of how far the US dollar goes in other countries. Now that I got that off my unreasonably small chest ( he he he), let’s talk about the wonders of this truly beautiful country.

 The Beauty of it all. . .

     There is no wonder why they chose to film Lord of the Rings here. Ascetically, this country is really THAT amazing. Sweeping neon green pastures, lush forests, hobbits everywhere (I kid, I kid), cascading waterfalls, thousands of acres of National Parks, seascapes that will blow your socks off, mountains, lakes and rivers galore, and an endless supply of sheep, cattle, and birds. Which reminds me. . . I met a new best friend yesterday. He is a Llama and I named him Alf cause he looked just like him! He came right up to me and let me pet him.. .  It was a moment of sincere bliss for both of us. Well, maybe the apple I gave him had something to do with it.

Back to it-  So, what have we been doing other than complaining and eating you say? Let’s pick up where we left off, in Wellington.
Wellington has a fantastic art and theatre scene. Very beatnik and eclectic. We love to watch live local theatre so we decided to go see a very off the wall play called “The Death and Dreamlife of Elephants” at BATS Theatre. It was amazingly cool, slightly weird, and ultimately confusing.It reminded us of the movie Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind. We left the theatre not sure of what had just happened, but we knew we liked it. Liked it a lot I say. Then we slept in our van parked on the side of the road in the middle of the ghetto. OK, that was a joke Mom 1 and Mom 2.
We crossed the Cook Island Strait on the ferry and it was truly a breathtaking experience. It is said to be one of the most beautiful ferry rides in the world, and we can see why. It was lovely and we actually had sun for the entire ride. Yippeeeeee!!!!! Then we were off to Marlborough Wine Country, FINALLY!!!!!!! (I have been waiting for this for weeks!)

Everyone who knows us knows how much we love wine. With both of us being in the hospitality industry forever, we have genuinely developed a genuine passion and respect for wine. A visit to the Marlborough Wine Region to us is like a visit to Disneyland for a five year old. Get it? It is one of the most respected wine regions in the world hosting hundreds of spectacular wineries. The best part. . . They all give FREE wine tastings. What, you may say? Yes, free wine tastings. We were in heaven. At least something is free here, and it’s my favorite thing ever. The VINO!!!!! The catch? The tastings are free, but how are you going to get there? Well, there are several places that offer a guided winery tours for a few hundred bucks, but we like to consider ourselves savvy. Savvy Nomads that is. So what did we do? We rented bikes for the day and started early.

We started with the furthest one, smart move I might say, then worked our buzzed way back to town. It was one of the best times we have had on this trip. Beautiful wines, adorable boutique wineries, and we even made friends along the way. It’s amazing what a lil’ wine will do for you socially. LOL. Good times, seriously. Vino Vino and more Vino, then a very deep sleep that makes you forget you are in a campervan in a parking lot. Next move: Abel Tasman National Park.

Side note:
I forgot to mention that our van doesn’t get any radio stations and it only has a cassette player. Really? Really? After weeks of my horrific make-shift karaoke sessions in the car Brad truly had enough. He pulled over at a Salvation Army Store, ran in, and came out with a dilapidated cassette tape from the 1970’s. It’s a compilation cassette with over 20 local NZ artists, and with song titles like “Computer Dater”, and “Grandad’s Piano”, we new we were in for a some serious audio orgasms. “Computer Dater” turned out to be our favorite.
Back to it:
Abel Tasman National Park is gorgeous. We are both seriously out of shape but somehow figured we would try to tackle the 18 mile loop to Anchorage Bay and back. . . in one day. On foot. In the fog. We did it, and we are both still paying for it. I can finally now walk without looking like a total idiot, but Brad is still having problems getting in and out of the van. LOL! What a freaking workout that was, and we did t in only 9 hours!

  Don't ever forget to take time to stop and smell the roses

We are at a local coffee shop in Hokitika, (home of the original White Bait Pizza, er, yum???) right now, sipping on our long blacks, procrastinating because our next stop is the Franz Josef Glacier. And you all know how we feel about the cold at this point. Awesome. Let’s go to a glacier! He he he. Wait, is that what I think it is? The sun? Gotta go. The sun is peaking around the clouds. Who knows how long it will be here!

  Houston, I think we have a problem. . . We need your help!!!! Ducky is getting out of control. He tried to get a tattoo on his tail that said "I love Beer". What should we do? We heard about a great interventionist in the area. . .we are getting to that point. Any advice? 

Peace out and love from the home of “Computer Dater”- Alpha 1 and Beta 2

                                  

Just a little something I've been working on. . . I hope you all enjoy.

COMPASSION FOR THE LION
A balmy night in a local night club somewhere in Fiji. . .

     A young testosterone charged twenty-something slicked up and scantily clad is ready for a night of action and dancing. All he wants to do is find a young person to dance with. He is not desperate, just not gender specific. He has spent hours upon hours watching Bollywood films whilst practicing all of the latest moves. He aims to impress. It doesn’t matter that he is only 5’1. It doesn’t matter that he only weighs 90 pounds soaking wet. It doesn’t even matter that he is wearing a very expensive Fijian version of Old Spice. All that matters is that he looks great on the dance floor wearing his perfectly tailored, perfectly pressed, perfectly perfect outfit.
      He comes here every Friday with hopes of filling that nothingness that is slowly sucking the life out of his small body. He knows that everyone is mystified and intimidated by his slick moves and smooth style and that’s why they choose not to dance with him. But that is going to change tonight, this is his territory and tonight is the night this lone lion finds love.
      He scans the club with desire, his loneliness disguised by his imitation Oakley sunglasses. Maybe, just maybe, someone will join him. He arrived tonight as soon as the doors opened to ensure a prime table location right in front of the dance floor. He made sure it was the largest table with the most chairs. . . Just in case.
      He strolls up to the bar and buys a pitcher of beer with five glasses. . .  to signify his willingness to share. He pours the frosty Fiji Gold into his glass and coyly sneaks a peek at the girls that are starting to filter into the club. His foot slowly begins to tap with the beat of the music.

Not yet. Wait for it. Wait. for. it.

      Suddenly the music changes and the undeniable ching-ching a ling ching-ching of a Bollywood song is pumped through the smoke laden air. This is it, his moment to shine. It doesn’t matter that there is no one else on the dance floor. It doesn’t matter that everyone is staring at him. He sets down his pitcher and coolly slides to the dance floor and with an explosion of raw emotion, passion, and two left feet, he makes his usual Friday night debut. Nothing else exists for the next two minutes, thirty-two seconds except him, the dance floor and his favorite music. Alas, the song is over and a terrible mash-up of Beyonce’s “ All the single ladies” blasts through the air.
      Dripping with sweat, smelling of an intense mixture of curry, beer, and stale cigarettes, he makes his way back to his table. Giggles from around the club, whispers and stares from the cute girls, fat guys, and even the lady boys. They all want me, there are just intimidated, he reminds himself. He notices a table of six young locals sitting next to him. Maybe they will ask me to join tem. He looks around and then suddenly meets the pretty one’s eyes. The hair on the back of his neck stands straight up and his already clammy hands turn into showers. She smiles and gets out of her seat. She is coming over! Be cool. Be cool.
“Bula”, she sweetly says.
“Bula”, he says with a shred of confidence.
“Do you mind if we take a few chairs from you? We have a couple more people joining us.”
He tries to hide his disappointment, “Sure, I have some friends coming too, but we’ll probably be on the dance floor most of the night”.
“Vinaka.”
“Your welcome. Have fun.”
What’s a few chairs to him? Those girls were too old for him anyway, plus, they were probably Kalavos.
   Boom boom da da deedeedee. . 
      Wait, there it is again. That pulse that turns him into a maniac on the dance floor. He’s off again, body convulsing to the beat of the music. His eyes wild and his body monster like, with legs and arms flailing in every direction, scaring the shit out of everyone who is watching. Then suddenly he catches a glimpse of someone at his table. Like a lion on the prowl he stalks his prey, then instantly realizes that this beautiful lioness is taking the remainder of the chairs at HIS table. ROAR!!!!
“Excuse me darling, what are you doing?”
And with the most conieving and delicious grin she replies “All of my super hot girlfriends need a place to sit, I hope you don’t mind. You’re a really good dancer by the way.”
“Sure, um take the chairs, maybe we can, um, dance later?”

“Yeeaaah, no. But thanks for the chairs!” she laughs and practically runs away.

She was messing with me about the good dancer thing.

      He is left standing alone at his table. No chairs. No friends joining him. Just him, his pitcher of beer and the extra glasses. . . and just then the bus boy walks by and removes all of the empty glasses from his table.

      Feeling defeated but not allowing his embarrassment percolate to the surface, he decides to pound the rest of his pitcher and hit the dance floor once again. Remember, this is his night and nothing will let him down. He knows he is an amazing guy, they are just intimidated, remember?
      Hopefully the beer will give him some liquid courage. . .
Slightly rejuvenated and certainly still hopeful about the evening, he optimistically floats to the dance floor, and with an heir of confidence he glances back at his table. . the one that is now being taken by the bouncer to be used for a large party at the other side of the club.

Alone in the night, depression sinking in once again, he sighs to himself. . . Maybe next Friday.

Samantha Scholl
November 23, 2009

The above photo was taken at Farmgate Winery in Hawkes Bay Wine Region. It is one of our all time favorite photos :)

Napier, Hastings, and Wellington, New Zealand November 15-20, 2009

     Hello there to all of our family and friends! Thanks for following us on our travels, we really look forward to reading all of your comments. It makes us feel a little closer to home. . . It gets lonely on the road sometimes and we are sooo far away!

My lovely husband. . . on top of the world!

A lil' nappy nap with Ducky.

O.K, so we went out in Wellington. It was a crazy evening that includes getting all of our drinks bought for us by willing locals! This was an ad on the back of the door in the Womens Restroom! Really? Really? Hilarious!

He wanted it, trust me!

Still tramping around in the SS MacPherson. internet is difficult to find and quite expensive, but stay tuned for one hell of an amazing blog. . . This was just a teaser. Love from the most campervan infested country on earth,  Dollface and Darling

Auckland, Bay of Islands, Russell, and Whangerei New Zealand November 8- 14, 2009
It was truly sad to leave Fiji behind. . . The warm and cozy tropical weather, genuine hospitality and the great company that we had been experiencing for the past 12 days. We had an otherwise easy 3 hr. flight from Nadi to Auckland, but the kid behind me (funny his parents called him Sambo), kept kicking my seat. I mean seriously exploding on the back of my seat like a wild caged animal. It takes a lot for me to get agro angry but I actually saw red a few times and imagined inflicting violence upon him or his unobservant mother. I peeked at him through the seats and gave him an evil glare that meant business. He just looked at me, and with that little booger-faced smile, gave my chair another whack!  He was doing it on purpose that little brat. I will smack those boogers right off your face. . . be calm. Relax. Find your inner spirit. Ok, ok.
 

Auckland is like any other big city only so much cleaner. We absolutely loved it! So much to see and do and the food is amazingly cheap and delicious. We would stop off at these little places and you could get Indian, Thai, Chinese, Japanese including the most fantastic and original display of sushi that I have ever seen. We were very impressed with the city and even bought a handy little HP Netbook. It is 930pm and I am sitting in our campervan right now writing this journal, after a few glasses of delicious Bach 22 Merlot 2007.

After a few days putting around the city and checking out the sights and getting our campervan together we headed to Whangerei, pronounced somehow and Fengaray, don’t ask! We stayed with Mervyn and Liz Mathews on their cattle and sheep farm on the outskirts of the city. They cooked us a home cooked meal and even took us on a tour of their 150 acre farm. It was truly an experience. We met Mervyn in October 2006 on the Nomad Adventure Tour in Africa. He gave us his information and said if we were ever in New Zealand to give him a call, and that’s exactly what we did.!!!
After the night at Merv’s we were off to The Bay of Islands about an hour and a half from Whangerei.

 

The scenery is quite lovely but I feel that we are slightly spoiled because of how much we have actually been able to experience whilst traveling. Beautiful, yes, but overly impressed, not yet. It doesn’t help that it is only about 55-60 degrees. The Bay of Islands is supposed to be this amazing beach town with a lot of things to to but it was raining and cold and all we could really do is walk around the town with overpriced shops catering to tourists. We decided to take the Ferry across the bay to Russell and swing by this little boutique winery called Omata Vineyards. It was super cute and the view was out of this world. Omata sits on top of the peninsula and has sweeping views of all of the islands and the sea, not to mention the wine was scrumptious! We opted for a 2004 Shiraz, yummy in my tummy.

After the winery we decided to go down to the port for a lil’ stroll, we were in for a surprise. What started out as a relaxing day turned into a crazy, adrenaline charged afternoon. As we approached the dock I noticed two people scattering about and looking frazzled. I asked if everything was ok and the girl said:” NO! I caught a bird on accident!” A large sea bird went after her bait and got hooked in the mouth. It freaked out and wrapped itself in the fishing line and then in her other line. It was a tangled mess, bobbers hanging from all orifices and was obviously in a tremendous amout of pain. The little girl cut the line, but the bird was still trapped and about to drown. It was crazy, we were all frantic and trying to get the bird but it kept swimming away and the seagulls were trying to kill it so they could eat it. I almost leapt off the pier with all my clothes on but my ever-so-grounded husband pulled me back. We were all freaking out and screaming and borderline hysterical but then one of the workers must have heard our desperate cries and raced out on his trusty Zodiac. Alas, after about 20 minutes he was able to get the bird out of the water. We thought it was dead but it survived. He cut the line and the bird wearily swam away. It was a happy ending to an almost deadly afternoon. . . For the bird.

Later that night we found a camp sight at the scenic Tutukaka Holiday Park, and froze our ass off our first night in the camper. Tonight it is also freezing but we are all cozy and bundled up, and warm from the wine again! Today was more of a driving day. We had a late start and then I drove al the way from Tutukaka to Auckland. It is quite interesting and pretty challenging driving on the other side of the road and having the steering wheel on the other side of the car.I must say I don’t like it, not one bit. It is hard and stupid. I mean why do the Americans find it so necessary to do EVERYTHING different from the rest of the world? THe time zones are different, kilometers vs. miles, Fahrenheit vs. Celsius, and it is even impossible to order just a plain cup of black coffee here. They look at you like you should be in a flipping mental institition. All I want is a normal cup of coffee. None of this long black, long white, short this, tall that, JUST GIVE ME MY COFFEE PLEASE!!! 
Anyhoo, we are snuggling up again in our lovely campervan that we have named the SS Macpherson ( the SS stands for Sheared Sheep). Life is great. New Zealand is cool, but we are still waiting to be blown away. Not literally anyway.

Speaking of sheared sheep. This brochure is disgusting. The NZ Board of Tourism should be ashamed of themselves. Click on this picture to enlarge and you will see what I mean.

Just incase you wanted to crack all of your teeth, or perhaps let your children poop out gemstones. Hey, wait a minute, where's that damn kid from the plane. . . he he he

Brad showing off his lovely cannon

Bay of Islands

Ever since we started bringing the Ducky around we have been super popular.This guy hopped right in the campervan. . . then pooped on my foot.

Fancy an afterhour poo?

Stinky, icky, smells like a sewer, but we paid to see it!

Now, here is where it gets kinda tricky. We want to include Ducky in all of our activities, however, we are not sure of the legal drinking age for Duckies in New Zealand. We gave him a sip, only because he was so cute, and he jumped right in the glass. We are slightly worried that he liked it a wee bit too much. We will have to keep an eye on him.
Love from the most creepy brochure of a man shearing a sheep that we have ever encountered- Sammyjoe and Bradleymac

Yasawa Islands, Fiji  October 31- November 6, 2009

     OCTOPUS, PIGGY, KING! KING, OCTOPUS, PIGGY! KING, KING, PIGGY!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

     You may be wondering what in the world we are talking about, kinda sounds crazy huh? Well, Octopus, Piggy, King is a game that we played at Octopus Resort against all of the other couples staying there. You see, I am the true gamer in this marriage and I played all of the games that night (including the Limbo, a beer chugging relay race and a crazy balloon dancing game), trying my damnest to win a prize, e.g, a bottle of champagne, or a massage. It was time for the last game of the night. I was sweaty and out of breath but certain I had this one in the bag. I will win this one.

It was the grandaddy of all grandaddies, the last game of the night, but with the best prize ever. . . a complimentary one night stay in their most luxurious oceanfront beach bungalow with a large flat screen TV, AC, oversized walk in shower (with HOT water, remember, we are in Fiji), king sized bed, and double beachside hammock (a prize worth $500.00!!). The only catch. . .  I needed to convince my wonderful husband to play with me. I said "Baby, I know you hate this whole game thing, but all you have to do is stand there and let me use you as my personal human jungle gym and leave the rest to me." He finished the last sip of his Fiji Gold and grabbed my hand with confidence heading towards the spotlight. He looked at me directly in the eyes and with burning determination he said "Game on!" We all know what he was really thinking. . . "A happy wife is a happy life" he he he.  Also, the next day was my birthday, and how sweet would it be to stay in the PIMP Pad for a night and leave the congested dorm behind?

The panel of judges gave all of us the stare down. The ring leader Nick, who is the owner of the resort explained the rules: "When I say Octopus, the lady must leap into the gentleman's arms like he is carrying her over the doorstep after their wedding. When I say Piggy, she must jump on your back 'piggyback style', and when I yell King, she must sit on your knee and you must hold her up. I'm going to say all of these very fast and in all types of order. When I stop, you must hold the position, and the last one to complete all of the moves is OUT!. . . Ready, set, GO! Piggy, Octopus King!".

 Ok, you get the point. We dominated that beach and won the Grand Prize! It was the best birthday present ever, not to mention that I also went scuba Diving , and had a beachside massage on my birthday. . . ok, ok, so what if I am spoiled??

Fiji is a beautiful country rich with culture and plenty of things to do and see. We experienced as much local culture as possible but were also able to dive into the ocean and spend many hours in the underwater playground of the Fiji Islands. The snorkeling here is as good as it gets and the diving was great, but the snorkeling was just as awesome. Our biggest regret; we don't have an underwater camera, so you will have to use your imagination!

     We had some issues posting the pictures on this blog, so please bear with us. . .the photos are out of order, and seem to be in a disarray, but don't worry because we bought a laptop today.Yeaahhh!!!! Can't wait to try it out! I am so fed up with Internet Cafe's I could write an entire article! But just wait, there will be tons and tons of new and improved blogs coming! I promise!

     Let's talk about Kava. The locals call it Grog, I call it absolutely insane and borderline repulsive, yet somehow I was nicknamed the "Kava Queen" by the locals at Oarsman's Resort. I'm pretty sure 30-40 cups of it is considered over -doing it for my first time, but I am an extremist by nature, what can I say.

Sambo=0, Kava=1

 Brad's Mom told us that Kava is amazing and that we must try it when we were in Fiji. OK Cyn (love you Momma PH), you must be a true Fijiian at heart because this muddy water was out of control eewww. Local Fijian's do not drink alcohol, they drink Kava, and there is a few sacred rules they follow. 1. You must be invited into the Kava ceremony, and should bring a gift if possible.2. Clap once before you receive your bowl, drink it, then clap three times before you pass the bowl back. 3. You must finish the entire cup in one gulp.

Kava comes from the root of the pepper tree and is a mild hallucinogenic. It makes your mouth numb with the first sip, and I am not even going to tell you what it does to you after 30 bowls. Let's just say we felt stoned for days.

We loved everything about Fiji, especially the sweet and genuine Fijiian people. We had such a blast and we were so sad to go we almost changed our ticket. But we must keep on moving, the inner Nomads in us are ready to move on. . . Auckland New Zealand is where we are now. We are freezing, but can't wait to see what New Zealand has to offer!

Love, from the Kava capital of the world- Kava Queen and Jungle Brad

That's Brad, me and Jimbo. Jim was our gracious host at Octopus. What an amazing guy. Thanks Jim!!                                             

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October 25 -November 1, 2009 

Train carrying  sugar cane, Lautoka, Fiji
The first leg of Fiji,  Lautoka, a.k.a "Sugar City"

     We were going to couchsurf the first few nights we arrived in Fiji, but Lyndee's friend Dozer Dave claimed he had a friend named Kevin in Fiji that we could stay with who just happens to have a six bedroom home right on the beach. Wow, what a tough decision it was, but we decided to give Kevin a shot. He he he.
     When we got off the plane I thought we overslept and they flew us to India instead of Fiji, it is that similar here (except a bit more quiet), but after a few moments we were able to slip right back into "travel mode". Everyone is so friendly here. Some of it genuine, most of it, well not so genuine. Everyone wants to be your friend. . . especially the Kalavo's. Bravo Kalavo!
Honestly what happened after he picked us up is still a blur (alot of Fiji Gold's were involved), but Kevin's hospitality is amazing! Kevin's brother Gary from Washington State was visiting as well and we were shown the local Fijian culture first hand. These guys are hilarious and a bit crazy, but we aren't so normal ourselves! They took us to a so-called private "drinking club" where we got sloshed with the local Indians. This alone was truly worth the flight over from Hawaii! These guys were lit up like a tree, their already jumbled English now complete jibberish. The one guy even passed out on the chair and fell onto the ground. The others just laughed at him at drank even more, as if the final goal was to fall right off your chair.

We partied it up the first few days, learning all the local slang terms such as; Thundered, which can be used in almost any circumstance,. For example, "Wow, I got really thundered last night", or "Geez, my legs are thundered from that walk", or even better, "Ouch, my head got really thundered from that Roman Candle you shot at it last night. Got it?" Next we have Birds. Such as, "let's go chase some birds", or "let's find some birds to bring back to the house for a bonfire", or my favorite, "do you think those birds are Kalavo's?". And at last we have the infamous Kalavo. I'm just going to use it in a sentence for you. "If that Kalavo actually thinks I am going to pay for what I can get for free, she's crazy."

     We had a chance to visit the Garden of the Sleeping Giant, which is one of the loveliest orchid gardens we have seen yet. That's me, giving a presentation on the importance of watering and caring for orchids. Huh? Yeah, I'm full of sh*t. Kevin hooked us up with a snorkel trip to a private island off the coast of Nadi, called Suluva. It is less than half a mile around and just has a few palm trees and some gorgeous white sand speckled across it's shore. The snorkeling was great, but the full body aroma therapy beachside massage I received from the local Fijian masseuse was simply divine!

Kevin, Gary, Nilla, Sam and Brad, about to partake in a Roman Candle War games. Yikes!
      We are currently visiting the Yasawa Islands off the Western coast of Fiji. It is pretty darn cool, but you'll just have to wait to find out all about it!
We have yet to try Kava, but I believe we will do so soon. I 'm pretty scared. It looks like muddy water and smells even worse, but when in Rome, I guess.
Also- we posted two blogs today so please read on to the next blog for Kauai and Oahu, Hawaii!!!!
Love from the most Bravo Kalavo place on earth- Lautoka, Fiji, Bangers and Mash forever 

Brad, Cody and Gary chillin' beachside at Smuggler's Cove

Local fresh produce market. Lautoka, Fiji