Fiji to Auckland, New Zealand

 

The beach at the hotel at sunrise. We're still getting up early in the morning. Happily breakfast begins at 6:30 AM.

We arrived in Fiji in the very early morning but we'd reserved our hotel for the night before so were able to get right into our room and crash for a few hours. Then we had two more nights there. That first day we just explored our hotel area. The Crowne Plaza Fiji is enormous and was just finishing up a huge facelift. We had a choice of 10 different restaurants and bars. The pool was enormous and the beach pristine. Until our last morning it was hot, humid and bright sunshine. We ate, drank, swam and walked around. I finally got that pedicure I needed. 

Our taxi driver Oscar ended up giving us a bit of
a tour. Here's Scott and he getting a morning
kava drink. 

But the next day we ventured into Nadi and walked all over the small town. Fijians are the friendliest people I've ever met. And we met a lot of them. At the hotel and in town, people stop and chat - and they aren't trying to sell you something (which happens in many other countries). Our taxi driver showed us all over the town and got out to bring us into the market to try some kava - a small amount as it numbs your mouth. Otherwise it doesn't taste like much! He explained that tipping isn't usual in Jiji - he just wanted to make sure we had a good time! And he meant it. 

The Hindu Temple downtown at Nadi. Indians were brought in
to work the sugar plantations when the law prohibited native
Fijians from manual labor. Given it's independence from 
England in 1970, it has had a number of coups, peaceful
and otherwise, but starting in 2014 has had a democratically
elected government  

This is a local town for the residents. There were no fast food restaurants (actually very few at all) and most stores were selling the basics - clothing, hardware and cell service. There was a local market selling everything including meat & veggies and another market selling handicrafts. We picked up a number of gifts for our family there. The lunch place Oscar, our driver, recommended was Chinese and very good. But the heat really got to us and after a few hours, we were exhausted. Nadi is the sunny dry end of the main island and Suva at the other end, the capitol and biggest city - but gets much more rain. There are 330 islands in all with 110 having permeant populations.

The staff at our last night sang a farewell song
to us!

Our last night we ate at the Italian restaurant at the resort and it was excellent. Again, we chatted with several of the staff and at the end of dinner, all of them sang to us a farewell song. They are very accomplished singers and it was beautiful. 

What a difference the next morning. We were pretty damp by the time we got into the reception area but of course it's still warm so you dry off quickly. It was another early morning, we got the 6 AM shuttle - it was sad to miss our breakfast there that morning! But the airport wasn't crowded and it we were through to our gate in plenty of time to eat breakfast and relax. 

The flight was easy and entrance into New Zealand fairly quick, as long as you had nothing to declare. We had arranged for a pick up at the airport and she was waiting outside customs. What a beautiful city and perfect weather. Highs of around 70 and bright blue skies. Our Airbnb apartment was just a block and a half from the Ferry Terminal on the harbor and right in the middle of every famous designer's store on Queens Street. 

The view from the balcony down to Queen Street
and the pedestrian street and park next to it.

And looking down Queen Street to the harbor

It was a small apartment but very well equipped.
The kitchen and bath are behind here but you
can see the bed sticking out on the right. The
balcony held two chairs and a small table.
Very nice and on the 15th floor so great views.

After settling in we walked down to the harbor and around the marina admiring the amazing variety of boats. One of the America's Cup boats was available for a trip but not during our days there, so we booked a hour and a half trip out on a similar one for the next day. Then the search for a table overlooking the water began and lasted for a while. Finally a very nice hostess took pity on us and got us a table! Mexican food but quite good and remarkably cheap. The dollar buys almost 2 New Zealand dollars! 

More on our stay in Auckland in my next post (we are now in Rotorua, about 3 hours south).

Our finally won table for dinner our first night in Auckland.

And the section of the marina just outside our restaurant.