Come Visit Fiji!

Fiji is such a beautiful island anyone who has a chance to go would be so lucky. It has the nicest people, The prettiest beaches and reefs. It also has an amazing wildlife there. It is so much better then anywhere else in the world. 

Fijis Bureau of statistics claimed " The number of Rooms Avaliable increased by 0.8% (7,720) in Licenced Hotels, Resorts and Lodging houses for 2nd Quarter,2012. This shows how Fiji is wanting people just like you to come visit, they are making more resorts so more pwple can experince an amazing vacation just like ours. 

It is worth the money. It is unforgatble experience. If you never make it to Fiji you are missing out! Please take the time to look into taking a trip anywhere in Fiji. 

Travel Itinerary and Budget Analysis

Travel Itinerary:
https://docs.google.com/document/d/15G6u4oCGsiMMav_AAavQyTPO6ljr2DiidCgGXbrLjyY

Budget Analysis: 
https://docs.google.com/spreadsheet/ccc?key=0AsnOJ96BIRi8dHZ5bGF0M0J0c2x3a1BrQWxZVFZZTVE&usp=drive_web#gid=0

FJD= Fiji Dollar 
One Fiji Dollar is equal to $0.55 in an American Dollar ($1.00)

Day Thirteen - October 20th, 2014

When we woke up from our nap on the plane we played cards for about twenty minutes.  We then colored in our sea island coloring books that we picked up in the airport before our flight took off. They came around and offered us full sized sodas, juices, and coffees. They brought everyone warm almonds and you could choose between a chicken sub or fresh baked pizza. Everyone ended up choosing the pizza except for Ashlyn. She chose the chicken sub. After we were finished with that, they brought us warm chocolate chip cookies and a glass of ice cold milk. I was surprised by how hungry I was, and I ended up eating everything that the flight attendants gave me. Once everyone was finished eating the flight attendants picked up our dishes and then the lights in the plane went out.



I watched a movie on my iPad and snuggled up with a blanket and a small pillow. Needless to say, I ended up falling asleep and before I knew it, Miranda was shaking me telling me to wake up. I looked out the window and we were at RDU!



Once we got off of the plane, we went to baggage claim, collected our bags and said goodbye to everyone. We had such a great time in Fiji and I can not wait to see what next years vacation has in store for the Fantastic Five.

See you soon,

Megan

Day Twelve - October 19th, 2014

Today was a sad day. It was October 19th and we were leaving Fiji.

We woke up around 7 and we had packed the night before. We got dressed and ready and then finished packing up all of our stuff. We headed downstairs for breakfast at The Pantry and called for someone to take our bags to the car. We said our farewells and drove to the airport. We returned our rental car and then checked our bags and printed our boarding passes. After going through security we found our gate and then boarded the flight. The flight took off and I was so sad watching Fiji get smaller and smaller as we got higher and higher into the warm air. We all fell asleep for Meghan. She played Candy Crush on her phone trying to pass the level that she had been stuck on during the whole trip. 

When the flight landed In LAX it was almost 5:00. We picked out a few snacks and sat down in the lounge area of the first terminal. We goofed off in the airport and played terminal tag. Ashlyn was it and Miranda and I were on a team. Krista and Megan were on another team.  Ashlyn found Miranda and I easily. Once we were it we found Meghan because we could hear her laughing behind a chair. After we were bored with that we looked at shops around the Airport and Miranda bought a LAX keychain to  add to her collection. 

 We ate dinner and after a five hour layover we finally boarded our flight. We all fell asleep so fast and I was so happy  about how our trip turned out. 

-Megan

Day Eleven - October 18th, 2014

Today, October 18th , We are going Snorkeling and Surfing!

Today We woke up really really really early to get driving for our best snorkeling day! Its now about 5 am and we are going to see if we can pick up breakfast and go. Before we left for vacation we bought some snorkeling sets and got them sent to our hotel in Fiji.

We are taking the rental car all down the coast to go to many different snorkeling spots. The guys from the bonfire are going to lead the way to the best beaches they know. We reached the first beach ( the longest one away) at about 7 in the morning.  It was just light enough to get in the water to see some coral and animals!

The first stop was INCREDIBLE the water was so clear! It was almost like diving into a pool. There was the most colorful coral ever, it looked like a rainbow under water! Hundreds of species of fish were swarming around us!

 

Now we are off to beach number two! 

This beach was so clear and there was even a big rock to dive off of! We all held hands and jumped off together! Then we started heading out deep to see bigger fish and deeper waters. Just as we got out there a boat came and stopped us and said if you hurry you might see the sea turtle that popped up! Of course we all swam as fast as we could! Just a few feet away laid a HUGE sea turtle. Just then I lost all thoughts and feeling. It was the most incredible thing I have ever seen and I hope one day I will get to do it again. 

Now off to the last beach of the day! 

We had about an hour left until we had to head off to our surfing lesson. At this beach a nice man we met in the parking lot took us out on his boat and dropped us off pretty deep. Below us stood coral and all types of fish. I didnt even know where to look due to all the comotion under me. One of the boys we were with spotted a stingray! All of us decided to follow it around for a while, except Meghan and Krista because they were too scared. Just as we were following it, a huge school of fish scattered. I went to dive down to see what might have scared them. Just to see a shark right in front of me! It wasn't to scary because it was not very big but iI was not expecting it! I quickly waved down the boys, Miranda and Ashlyn to show them!

Now it was time to dry off, get some lunch, and head to The Beachouse for our surfing lesson!

We all just got suited up for surfing and are ready to go hit some waves. The intructor said it was a great day to learn the waves are the perfect height! 

We started off the lesson with staying on the beach and learning the basics of surfing and all the things we may need to learn. Then we hit the water. We all decided to race out there. I won being the swimmer and all. Meghan, Krista and Miranda were all so close to second then there was Ashlyn still at least 20 ft away from us. 

The first wave came towards us. Meghan and Krista paddled out and went for it and both came crashing down. Then the next came. Miranda and I actually stood up and rode in (right past Ashlyn) all the way to the beach! All the instructors were there chearing for us! 

After that we all got the hang of it and were riding waves left and right. 

Now it was time to go back. The guys asked us to go to dinner as our last night in Fiji to go have a traditional meal! We all said yes and headed back to the hotel about 45 min away. We got ready then headed out to dinner. They said we would be eating Kokoda. This was a dish with all fresh vegtables, coconut and fish! We all loved it! Ashlyn loved it so much she ended up eating 3 bowls! 

 

Now off back to the hotel! We thanked the boys for everything they did this trip and gave them our emails to keep in touch! 

We had to get an earlier night so we could get sleep before our flight tommorow! We all had such a great time in Fiji. I would come back any day! It is crazy how fast it went! Today was deffinitaly the best and i will never forget such an amazing trip with amazing people. 

Goodnight!  

-Megan                           

Day Ten - October 17th, 2014

Today October 17th ,We are going to a museum for the day!

This is a science museum that has a HUGE campus. I hope to learn a lot today. Right now we are heading to a small cafe down the street to get a BIG breakfast before a long day of walking around. Ashlyn of course had the most with French toast, eggs, bacon, sausage and much more I can't even explain. The rest of us ate quite a bit too.

After breakfast I drove to the museum. It was SO big. Plus there were so many items there!  25 million objects to be exact!! There were things from Dinosaurs, to plants, to mammals. All of the objects at the museum answered questions about earth.

There were all of these cool sights like the Dinosaur exhibit which was Miranda's, Krista's, and Ashlyn's favorite. There were Dinosaur bones, teeth and so much more. There was a HUGE structure of one too. The cool part of the Museum was that you go to learn so many facts while being able to have fun. My first thoughts were iffy about coming but it is so worth it!

 Meghan and I really enjoyed the Bio-Luminescence creatures. This was a new exhibit this year. It was a huge exhibit where there were THOUSANDS of creatures that glow, flash, and blink. It was like looking into a starry night. It lit up the room like nothing else. My favorite part personally was looking up and seeing the glow worms dangling from above. I was afraid one was going to fall on me!

Just as those thoughts came to mind I heard a scream from Ashlyn. As I looked over there was a glowing worm on her head! We all laughed so loud and everyone in the exhibit did too!

We decided after this incident it would be a good idea to head back to the hotel and go to the pool for a few hours, then get ready and head to town. It is our second to last day in Fiji and tomorrow we will not have time to go shopping so tonight is the last time!

The pool felt a lot colder than normal, so we did not stay long. We all hopped in the shower one after another and started to get ready! I already have my night in town outfit planned. I want to wear my shorts with my long sleeve sweater due to it being a bit chilly!

While in town there was a stand to get Henna Tattoos so of course we all ran there first! Meghan, Krista, and Ashlyn all got Dolphins and Miranda and I got Starfish! Hopefully they dont wear off to quickly because it is a great way to remember Fiji! Most of us spent the rest of our shopping money on great new things to bring home! I am pretty sure we are going to have to buy another suitcase after tonight.

Now, we are back at the hotel. We all decided to go to bed early because tomorrow was going to be a long busy day!

Goodnight!

- Megan

Day Nine - October 16th, 2014

We woke up around 9:00, ordered breakfast, and then got ready. Once we were ready we headed out to Kula Eco Park. When we got there we bought our tickets and headed straight to the bird sanctuary. The birds were so pretty!! They would fly up to you and land on your finger if you stuck it out. One bird pooped on Megan's head and it was so funny! After we took lots of pictures of the birds, we headed to the aqua life section of the Eco Park. 

Once we got to the aqua life section we all downed a bottle of water and Krista ate a few peanut butter crackers. There were a ton of cool species of fish and we got to pet the sting rays. It was so cool! We watched two guys feed the sharks while we listened to a tour guide talk about different species of fish. The aqua life section has definitely been my favorite so far. 

Next, we headed to the last section of the Eco Park. This section had a bunch of cool animals and a really big iguana!! It was so cool! I got to see a chameleon change colors and that has to be the coolest thing ever by-far. 

We were all hungry for lunch so we finally left the Eco park and headed out to the car. I drove and Ashlyn sat in the front seat. We stopped at a small restaurant. The food was okay but I've had better. Once we were back at the hotel we changed into tank tops and jean shorts. We left again to go to the Garden of the Sleeping Giant.  

The garden was so pretty!! There were tons of flowers in all different colors. Ashlyn and Krista went in one direction and Megan and Meghan and I went in another. We looked around at all of the flowers and then admired all of the different sizes and shapes of the shrubs. We went to all three gardens and then met Krista and Ashlyn back at the grand entry. We left and headed back to the hotel. We gave the car to the valet and bought firewood from a store a few blocks down. We headed down to the beach and set up a campfire. Once it was lit we sat in a circle around the fire. 

That is when the boys we met arrived!  I swear it was the best day of our lives. The fire was perfect because tonight was a little bit chilly. The boys asked us about our trip so far. We told them how lucky they were to live in such a beautiful place. We all decided to make s'mores so Megan and I quickly drove to the store. We brought back a TON of s'mores ingredients. I think we could feed everyone in Fiji! The boys made sure that we were going to go surfing and asked if they could come. Of course we said yes! We decided that we would spend the last day of our vacation with them. 

All of a sudden we were sitting on the beach and the boys pulled out water-guns  Surprisingly they brought some for us! We got soaked, but let me tell you, it was one heck of a night! I'm pretty sure everyone enjoyed it. The boys walked us back to the hotel and gave us all a kiss on the cheek goodnight!

Now Ashlyn, Meghan, and Krista headed up to the room to go to sleep. Megan and I went to the pool for a late night swim. The pool is so quiet at night and it was really relaxing after a long day. Now off to bed! 

- Miranda 

Day Eight - October 15th, 2014

Today is October 15th.

We woke up around eleven. We decided to sleep in today because we did not have much planned and we ordered room service. The room service here is always so good! We all ordered something different and decided to share it all. After breakfast we changed into bathing suits and put on shorts and a T-Shirt. I was wearing my Fijian Islands shirt that I picked up at the airport when we were waiting for our bags to arrive. Today we are going to play tennis and golf on the Hotel golf courses. After, we are going to the Lonely Planet Museum. 

We took the elevator down to the lobby and asked the manager where to go to get golf clubs and tennis rackets. We followed his directions and ended up at the building next to the tennis courts. We picked up our golf clubs and headed out to the course. The course was beautiful! 

I ended up winning, and Meghan was so mad that she lost. I told her that we were going to play again before we left and that seemed to cheer her up some. Once we were done, we headed back up to the Sports and Recreation building. We got Fruit Punch and granola bars from the vending machine and then gave our clubs back. We got tennis rackets and then played six matches. Krista won twice, Ashlyn won once, and Megan won three times. Meghan and I ended up losing and Meghan was upset again. She'll get over it. 

We went up to the pool and relaxed for about half an hour. After showering and changing into Nike shorts and T-Shirts we went to the valet to pick up the rental car. We drove to a nice cafe we had found earlier and ate a small lunch. I got a salad and some diet Snapple. Everyone else decided to get sandwiches and bottled water. When we were all finished eating we got back in the car and I let Ashlyn drive. She drove us to the Lonely Planet museum in Fiji. 



The museum was super nice! We could tell that it had been newly built since we could still smell fresh paint and everything looked modern and up to date. The staff was so nice and welcoming and showed us around to a few exhibits and then we looked around on our own for about  two hours. We all learned a lot! When we were finished at the Lonely Planet museum we headed back to town. Krista drove and we stopped at some restaurant that I forgot the name of. The food was okay, but not to die for. 

When we finally got to the hotel we walked down to the beach after handing the car over to the valet. We relaxed by the beach and caught sand diggers while we watched the sun set. The trip was going great so far and I am so excited to see what we are going to be doing the next few days! 



-Miranda

Day Seven - October 14th, 2013

Today, which was October 14th, the weather was around 85 degrees. It felt very nice outside, not too cold or too hot. Today we decided to go Mountain Biking and we set the alarm for 8:00. Once we were awake we changed out of our pajamas and ate leftover room service from the day before. Once everyone was ready to go we headed downstairs and picked up the car. Megan drove to the place we were supposed to meet for the tour.  We got there around 9:30 and waited for the place to open.

Once it opened at ten, we picked out our bikes. I got a small pink bike, Miranda and Megan got a double seated blue bike, and Meghan and Krista both got green bikes. We collected our free water bottles, bike locks, and helmets and tr. walked outside. A shuttle took us and our bikes up to the top of the mountain. You could see so far from the top of the mountain. The view was stunning!!

We started our journey down the mountain. Megan and Miranda kept falling off the bike and it took a while for them to get used to pedaling at the same time. Once they got the hang of it we took off again down the mountain. It was pretty easy since the trail was mostly down hill and the breeze felt so nice since it was very warm out today. We stopped for a few minutes and took a dip of our water and stretched our legs. We kept going down the eighteen mile trail and when we got halfway we stopped at a campsite. They offered us crackers as cheese, pretzels, or a turkey sub. We all got the turkey sub but Ashlyn picked the crackers and cheese. We stayed there for about thirty minutes while we rested and climbed on the giant rocks. 

Once we were ready, we headed down the mountain and stopped at the creek we went swimming in the pond and played in the many waterfalls. The water was so refreshing and it felt nice to relax.

When we finally got to the end of the trail, it was almost dinnertime. We packed up our stuff, returned our bikes and headed to the parking lot. We drove back to the hotel and ordered food from the bar in the lobby. They offered burgers, chicken, anything greasy. We all got chicken fingers and a huge order of onion rings to share. We went back to the room when we were done and changed clothes. We headed down to the beach and took our snorkel sets with us. We looked at all of the fish in shallow water and ordered drinks from the beach side bar. Megan tanned and Meghan sat at the bar. Krista, Miranda and I went on a walk and collected shells from the hot sand.



It was the perfect end to a perfect day.

-Ashlyn 

Day Six - October 13th, 2014

It was October the 13th and it was a little bit colder than it has been the past few days. Today, we are going white water rafting in the Navua River. We had to wake up SO early. We woke up at around 5:45 and ordered room service since none of the hotel restaurants were open until 6:30. I ordered fresh fruit and toast with jelly. Miranda and Megan split an order of scrambled eggs and bacon, and Meghan got pancakes again. Ashlyn ordered eggs, bacon, sausage, hash browns, fruit, and a tall glass of orange juice. I guess you could say that she was hungry. After eating and putting on swimsuits underneath our clothes we headed downstairs.

We were getting picked up from the hotel a few blocks down the street so we started our walk. The sunrise was so beautiful! We all took pictures on our phones and then sat down on a bench to wait for our ride. Ashlyn was grumpy because it was so early in the morning. Ashlyn is not a morning person. When the car got there we hopped inside to begin the 45 minute drive to the Navua River.

Once we got there we all met in the River Fiji Tours building. A nice lady dressed in a flowered top, and jean shorts talked to us about the rules and safety of White Water Rafting. It was about 7:30 when that was over and she took us on a walk through the jungle. We finally got to the beginning of the  River and three guys handed out life jackets, paddles, and helmets. They assigned all five of us into one boat and we started out on our journey.

 

The River had really tall walls on both sides and the water was so pretty! After a few hours of going down steep areas in the river and almost getting flung out of the raft about ten times, we reached the first stopping point. The people waiting for us gave us a small snack and a bottle of water to take with us in the raft. So far,  it had been a really fun day. We got back into the raft and started paddling again. This section of the river was crazy! We were going so fast and there were so many rocks in the water. We flew off of one waterfall and landed back on the bottom. We got soaking wet!



We finally reached the second stopping point and we were all hungry and tired from paddling. The people waiting for us gave us lunch and they were so nice! We all got turkey subs and a bag of chips. We got another bottle of water and we waited about fifteen minutes before leaving again.

After going through the third section of the river, we were really close to the third stopping point. Right before we got to the dock, Megan went flying off the back of the raft. We were all laughing so hard that we had to stop paddling. Once Megan was back on we ate our snack and then kept on going.

By the time we got to the end of the river, we were all so tired. We got dropped off at the hotel, and then walked to a Chinese restaurant to pick up take out. We ate dinner by the pool and ordered some drinks from the Flying Fish poolside bar.



We took a quick swim in the pool and went back up to our room to watch a movie. We all took turns showering during the movie and we ate one of the fresh mangoes from the Shopping Tour. We watched Mean Girls and by the time it was over, everyone was asleep except for me and Ashlyn. We turned off the TV and went to sleep. It was a great day. I cant wait for tomorrow!

-Krista

Day Five - October 12th, 2014

Today is October 12th,
The past few days have been long due to the time difference. I am starting to get used to the time zone here. I have made sure to get a few naps in every now and then to try and catch up . This morning I woke up with no one but me in the room it was really relaxing. I think I must have overslept. I ordered room service which was free! I got so much food and the workers that delivered it were extremely nice! I looked down at my plate of food and that there was toast, fruit, eggs, bacon, and so much more. YUM!

Today is going to be one of my favorite days. We are going to the hot springs and mud pool, and then getting massages! I hope to be able to wrestle some people in the mud pit! I am going to a quick market just down the street with Megan and Miranda this morning to buy some bathing suits and these cover ups that  most girls wear down here!

Miranda, Megan, and I just got back and chose the CUTEST bathing suits and cover ups ever! I cant wait to be able to wear mine to the hot springs. Today should be so relaxing and fun with my friends. This trip was one of the best things that we all planned.

 


Today for lunch we all just wanted something small, but of course I was starving and ate a TON. Meghan, Krista, and I went to a local cafe. Meghan and Krista shared a salad and I had a sandwich, chips, and salsa.  Megan and Miranda stayed at the hotel and had room service.

Off to the hot springs now! I am soooo excited, I've been waiting for this since before we even left! I will have to write about it when I get back! I hope it is as good as I read it was.

One of the best experience in my life was today. The hot spring and mud pool was to die for! It was so nice stepping into the warm mud at first it felt gross then ended up being so fun! The hot spring was very relaxing and made me so tired. Megan, Miranda, Meghan, Krista, and I swam around for hours. 

After all the fun in the mud pool and springs we went for massages. Lets just say the Fiji people's hands work magic! It was the best massage I ever had. They had all our tables set up on the beach. You could hear the waves. They placed cucumbers on our eyes then started giving us messages. It felt like it went on forever! 

Now I am feeling so entirely relaxed. Now all of us are going to go down to the pool and try and get a bit of a tan! 

Here's to another great day❤️ 

Ashlyn

Day Four - October 11th, 2014

Today is October 11th and it is a beautiful day!
We woke up around 7:00 and started off the day by going to the Hotel lobby for breakfast. We went to the Pantry again. We all ordered the buffet and I had a HUGE stack of pancakes. Everyone else got omelets and fresh fruit and Krista got a muffin. It was all so yummy!

After getting ready we headed back downstairs and walked outside. Today we were going on a shopping tour in Sigatoka, a city near Fiji's capital. The first thirty minutes of the tour, a tour-guide showed us around this huge building. It sort of reminded me of a flea market, but the stuff was so much cooler! There were booths set up with fresh fruits and local food, some with hand woven clothing, and others with beautiful jewelry. We bought three papayas and saved one for later. Miranda, Megan and I all shared one papaya and Krista and Ashlyn shared another. They were SO good! It was juicy and sweet and I wanted to buy more. We bought two mangoes and three bananas to take back to the hotel with us.

Next, we walked over to where there was handwoven grass skirts and bowls made out of different kinds of grasses. We all bought grass skirts with really pretty flowers on the top. Ashlyn bought a scarf with purple and blue designs on it, it was gorgeous! Miranda bought a headband made of flowers and long grasses. Krista, Megan, and I all bought flower necklaces to match our grass skirts.

 

Finally, we went to the area that had handmade jewelry. They had so many necklaces, earrings, and bracelets! None of us could choose what we wanted to get, everything was so pretty! I finally decided on a silver ring in the shape of a starfish. Ashlyn and Miranda got silver earrings that were in the shape of a starfish with diamonds on them. Megan got beautiful rose gold seashell stud earrings and Krista bought a Silver necklace with a K on it. We all got matching leather bracelets that said FIJI on them to remember our awesome trip together. 

 

When we were done shopping we found a small cafe that had amazing looking sandwiches and pastas. I forget the name of it, but it was delicious! Everyone ordered a sandwich and a diet coke. We also bought a side of pasta salad to share. It was very refreshing and everything was to die for. When we were finshed eating we found a gourmet deli and we all ordered a slice of cheesecake and some ice water. We looked around the few stores and then it was time to go. We started heading back towards the meeting place and were all tired. We got there at 1:25 which ended up being perfect timing! After the 45 minute drive back to the hotel, we headed up to our room and put on our new swimsuits. We decided it was the perfect day to go relax on the beach after our eventful morning. 

 The view was so pretty! We ordered some cold sweet tea and put on some sunscreen. Miranda and Krista headed out into the water. They told us that there were a ton of fish, and we could tell that the water was really clear. Ashlyn, Megan and I laid out our beach towels and started tanning. 

Once we were all ready to head in we packed up our stuff and dried off. We went upstairs and took turns showering and we dressed up nice for dinner. Megan and Ashlyn were both wearing light blue sun dresses, and they looked drop-dead gorgeous. Krista and I wore a skirt with a tank-top and a light jacket in case it got cold. Miranda wore a strapless grey dress with white detailing and a white cardigan. 

We headed downstairs for dinner and we decided to go to the Hard Rock cafe. It was only about half a mile from the hotel so we decided to walk. We sat outside and watched the sunset. The colors were absolutely beautiful. The food was delicious and we all had a great time. 

After a short walk home we all went to bed. We had such a fun day, and I am so excited for tomorrow!! (:

-Meghan