My arrival in Lisbon started with a direct visit to the apartment where Anna, Alyssa, Tame and their two friends, Arminda & Will from London, were staying. I’ve known this group for something like 15 years. We had traveled previously to Vieques, Puerto Rico. I knew we were compatible travelers.
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Upolu Island, Samoa
Upolu Island is the main island of Samoa. The country used to be called Western Samoa. Apia is the capital and the airport is about an hour drive away. The island's coast has some of the most beautiful virgin beaches in the world. Away from the coast, you will find swimming holes, waterfalls, jungle, mountains and lots of small villages…
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Looking better already.
Beachouse, Coral Coast, Fiji
Anna and Ralphie were stuck in the Yasawas during Cyclone Josie. The catamaran service was shut down and everyone was forced for spend another night on their respective island (and pay for it). Anna and Ralphie would meet me at The Beachouse in the Coral Coast a bit later than we had planned. They would come directly from the Denarau Marina in Nadi where we had all originally planned on spending a night in Nadi together beforehand. This gave me an extra day in the mountains but it meant a lot of travel for my friends…
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Yasawa Islands, Fiji
The Yasawa Flyer is a modern catamaran that takes young backpackers and honeymooners from Denarau Marina in Nadi out to various islands in the Yasawa chain with a first stop in South Sea Island in the Mamanuca chain. The catamaran always stops outside the reef area of the island and passengers are transferred onto small fishing boats. The luggage comes on a separate boat (which sometimes means luggage gets accidentally left on the catamaran). At each island, you are greeted by a team from the “resort” singing a traditional Fijian welcome song to you. You must respond with an energetic “bula!” or, the joke is, you don’t get lunch…
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Sunset from Wailoaloa beach.
Nadi, Fiji
Nadi, Fiji is the welcoming place for almost all tourists to the islands of Fiji. Pronounced, “Nandi”, you are immediately introduced to a hybrid world of “natives” (people with heritage from the Fijian Islands) and “Indo-Fijians” (people with heritage from India). The population is split evenly. An Indo-Fijian man is currently Prime Minister. In the 4th grade, students are split briefly to take basic classes in their ancestral languages but they are quickly reunited. The separation does not last long. The capital city is Suva. I did not make it there. I spent 9 days on the Yasawa Island chain, in the northwest and 3 days in the moutains east of Nadi during Cyclone Josie. I then spent a final 5 days on the Coral Coast. It was really important for me to see what people meant when they referred to “Nadi-town”…
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