Fiji

Vystup z letadla v Nadi je jak rana palici - z krasneho babiho leta do tropu. BULA a vitejte na Fiji! Bula slysime denne nespocetkrat a kazdy od nejmensich po nejstarsi at uz ze zistnych nebo ciste pratelskych duvodu nas s usmevem zdravi. Usmevem se zde opravdu nesetri a vse je Fiji time (proste to nejak dopadne, nic nereste, my take nic resit nebudeme) - asi nejvetsi prekvapeni pro nas je chudoba tohoto rajskeho soustrovi. Vetsinu zeme a podnikani vlastni australani, kteri je dostali vymenou za urovnani astronomickych dluhu teto zeme, a tak mistnim nezbyva nic jineho nez se zaradit do skupiny narodu tretiho sveta. Na druhou stranu se jim neda uprit pozitivni pristup ke vsemu, tolik spokojenosti na jednom miste jsme jeste nevideli.
Za nas prvni cil zvolime skupinu ostrovu Yasawa. Koralove ostrovy a ostruvky smerem na severozapad od hlavniho ostrova Viti Levu. Nastesti nas jeden australan necha poslat sms domu, protoze jak jsme jiz minule psali do raje elektricke vedeni nevede. Zajimave jak jsme si rychle zvykli na NZ na veskere vymozenosti civilizace a ted zase opacnym smerem chvilku trva.
Puvodne jsme jeli za adrenalinem na NZ, ale hned prvni den si ho tu uzijeme vice nez dostatek. Cesta na nas prvni ostrov Nacula trva pres 5h a velika moderni lod pro 400lidi v bource na vlnach skace jak dobre hozeny placaty kamen. Dost lidi ma problemy udrzet se (zaludek, ne rovnovahu protoze vstat ze sedacky bylo zakazano).
Jak pozdeji zjistime na Fiji je velmi dulezite venovat cas a zjistit maximum informaci o resortu kam se chystate. Sezenete tu od nocleharen pro 100lidi plnych nalitych pubertaku az po soukrome ostrovy (cena zacinajici na 3500dolarech za noc) vse. A na zacatek mame aniz by jsme to vedeli stastnou ruku. Resort Nabua Lodge je maly rodinny raj, kde nas hostu nikdy neni vice nez 15. Tradicni chatky bure postavene z palem jsou tak 20m od more a tak tu stravime rovnou cely tyden. Jeste musime ale zminit jednu vec ktera narusuje jinak absolutni nirvanu - komari otravujou docela dost a bez moskytiery by to byly krusne noci. Nastesti je pres den na ne moc velky vedro. Ale jinak si uzivame tyden pohody - knizka + houpaci sit mezi palmami na plazi, pruzracna voda 29st, sem tam sebereme kokos a postupne jak se lepe seznamujeme s mistnimi vstebavame jejich kulturu. Po vecer tancime hromadne bula tance, hrajeme karty nebo volejbal. Take ochutname kava koren - koren s narkotickym ucinkem, ale po par miskach tak maximalne umrtvi jazyk, dasne a rty. Barva vody z pracky, chut nevalna, ale jak jsme videli domorodce po 30ti miskach dokaze to cloveka poradne rozstrelit.
Jeden den se rozhodneme s Honzou a Luckou co prijeli na dovcu prozkoumat ostrov z vysky a vylezeme na nejvyssi kopec (nahoru se dostanu jen ja s Honzou, holky vedro zdepta v puli cesty). Cestou zpatky se rozhodneme pro zkratku a samozrejme zabloudime. Trava vyssi nez my a tak je to docela dobrodruzo. Nakonec poslehany najdeme kokosovy haj s domacimi zviraty a vesnici kde nas odvedou zpatky do resortu. Odpoledne jdeme s Honzou snorchlovat do nedaleke Oarsmans bay. Staci zajit 5min za nas resort a clovek ma kilometry nedotcenych plazi jen pro sebe. Neco co jen tak v beznych letoviscich nenajdete.
Dalsi den se nechame s Jancou odvezt do Modre Laguny (tocil se tu stejnomenny film) kde je snorchlovani trochu jine nez vcera. Koral neni tak pekny jako vcera, ale zase je vetsi tak je tu vice ryb. Hejna pestrobarevnych rybek jak v akvariu.
Po veceri koukame na flasku vody co z ni pijeme a je plna cerviku. Ukazeme to mistnim a ty rikaji, ze tankujeme ze spatneho barelu (veskera uzitkova a pitna voda je destova, zadne prameny na ostrovech nejsou), ale cervici jsou nastesti neskodni a prestali jsme to bez jakychkoliv problemu.
V sobotu prijde den Lova. Konecne poradne jidlo! Krome komaru by si tu jeste nekdo mohl stezovat na stravu, v levnejsich resortech je jidlo hodne jednotvarne, docela dietni a porce nejsou nijak velike. Lovo je tradicni pokrm pripravovany v kokosovych a bananovych listech na rozpalenych kamenech zakopanych v zemi.
Nedele rano je silny zazitek. Dostaneme tradicni oblek sulu (zeny i muzi nosi kazdodenne zavinovaci sukni), pestrobarevne vzory sviti na dalku a jdeme na msi do kostela. Prochazime palmovym hajem a slysime fijiskou disko muziku. Za chvilku dojdeme na palouk s kuly na kterych je strecha z vlniteho plechu = kostel. V hlouccich se pohupuji fijiske rodiny a tleskaji do rytmu. Po disco ale prijde na radu hodinove kazani ve fijijstine, nuda. Nastesti nas nas patron Lulu vysvobodi a odvede na prohlidku vesnice (cizincum je do vesnice bez doprovodu vstup zakazan) a sveho domu. Domy jsou velmi jednoduche, postel a rohoz na zemi. Toaleta, kuchynka venku. Je videt, ze Lulu je na dum co postavil pysny a pozve nas bydlet sobe na zem az pry priste prijedeme. Krasne gesto.
Po tydnu na Nacule prejedeme na Waya Lailai, na lodi znovu potkame Honzu s Luckou. Skoda, ze se jim blizi konec a nemuzou s nami zustat dele. Alespon s Honzou stihneme snorchlovani na koralech na otevrenem mori. A kam se hrabe snorchlovani u brehu. Viditelnost hrave pres 25m, ryby a koraly mnohem lepsi. Netrva dlouho a vidime to za cim jsme prijeli - elegan mistnich vod reef (koralovy?) zralok. Nevelka (1.5m) a pry cloveku neskodna paryba. Po te co pruvodce zacne mavat vykuchanou rybou se behem 15ti minut objevi dalsich 6. Kdyz vidim jak je nas pruvodce objima tak se jako prvni z turistu odhodlam prolomit predsudek o nebezpecnosti a potopim se a take si jednoho pohladim. Jen je musim mit tak max do 6ti metru, domorodec se na nadech v pohode potopi 2x hloubeji a jeste se dole zdrzuje. Verim, ze si tenhle vylet Honza uzil stejne jako ja. Parada!
Navnazen snorchlovanim z predchoziho dne se rozhodnu jit jeste o stupinek dale a zaplatim si zacatecnicky kurz potapeni se 2ma ponory. Vse jde v pohode, jen mam trochu problemy s vyrovnavanim tlaku v pravem uchu a tak klesam docela pomalu. Ale hned napoprve zvladnu test ve 12m pod hladinou, vyndani privodu vzduchu a vyliti bryly (zni to dost divne vylit vodu z bryly pod vodou, ale vazne to jde) a muzeme na otevrene more.
A pripadam si jak v dokumentarnim filmu, 30m vysoka/hluboka stena koralu (videt je ale o dost dale) hraje vyraznymi barvami, druhu ryb jsou stovky. Plus dalsi zivocichove...Instruktor mi ukazuje ruzne zajimavosti. Treba prinese tvora kteremu se rika morska okurka a zacne ho hladit. Za chvilku z nej vystreli 2m proudy tenkych bilich provazku (asi spermii?). Mezi me favority patri koral co ma tenoucky cerny stonek asi metr dlouhy a na konci velky rudy kvet. A pak urcite ryba cetna jak noc s ostrou milimetrovou konturou ktera modre sviti a pulzuje jako neon! Bohuzel jako zacatecnik nejsem tak efektivni se vzduchem a kazda bomba mi vydrzi jen 40min.
Ale i tak vim, proc se lide z celeho sveta sjizdi prave sem!
Po Yasawe se rozhodneme prozkoumat hlavni ostrov. Zajedeme do hlavniho mesta Suvy. Ale nijak nas nenadchne. Od narodniho muzea jsme cekali hodne na tema kanibalismu, ktery se tu jeste pred 100lety bezne praktikoval (jeden nacelnik kmene pry sam snedl pres 800 lidi!), ale muzeum je zklamani. Lepsi expozici lze videt v kteremkoliv obchodu se suvenyry.
Po hlavnim ostrove jeste zajedeme na par dni na ostrov Mana v Mamanuca ostrovech. Ostrov je krasny, ale podcenili jsme pripravu a skoncili v resortu plnem nevyspelych spratku pro ktere je vrchol existence dobre se opit. Takze noci jsou docela divoke. Plus mame moznost zjistit jak silene svedi stipance po stenicich. Dokonce jsem prestal nadavat na komary.. Nesmime ale opomenout zminit skolu ve vesnici kterou navstivime spolecne s Lindou, holandankou co tu uci. Asi 40deti ve 2 jednotridkach 6-13let. Ne vsechny deti z vesnice chodi do skoly. Stat skolstvi nepodporuje a veskere naklady jsou hrazene z kostelnich prispevku a skolneho. Skolne je 20fiji dolaru na semestr a ne vsichni si to muzou dovolit. Co si mistni musi myslet kdyz tu vidi britske a nemecke pubertaky utracet 50-100 dolaru kazdy vecer jen za pivo?
Pred odjezdem jeste zajdeme do skoly na den sportu a her. Je to sranda a deti to hodne bavi. Jsou vylozene nadsene a fandi svym tymum co to jde, radost kdyz se vyhraje je nezmerna. Skoda, ze nemame zadne fotky, den predem se nam na kajaku povedlo utopit fotak a trvalo 3dni nez se vzpamatoval.
Na Manu a zpet nas neveze zadna velka moderni lod jako na Naculu, ale mala kocabka. Dekujeme vsem svatym, ze je celkem klidne more. Ale i tak sem tam popoletime jako hejna letajicich ryb kolem...
Honzo, Lucko v komentarich mate prostor k editaci a doplneni, tak se cinte ;)
PS: Povedlo se mi vyfotit jednoho z nejjedovatejsich tvoru planety. Nastesti je tenhle morsky had tak maly, ze cloveka nedokaze kousnout. Ale i tak jsem fotil z uctive metrove vzdalenosti :)

Foto:
http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=59613&id=1344786025&l=1ccf4a0340
http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=60389&id=1344786025&l=5e7e0ded06


Exiting the plane in Nadi is like being hit with a hammer - from very pleasant mid twenties to the tropics. BULA and welcome to Fiji! Bula is said to us daily many times and we hear it from the young and old likewise, sometimes mercantile sometimes just friendly reason but always delivered with a big smile. Everything goes according to Fiji time (somehow it will work out, don't bother yourself with anything, we'll do the same) - probably the biggest surprise to us is the poverty of these paradise islands. Most of the land and enterprises are owned by Australians that get it in exchange for paying off Fiji's debts. And so the locals have very little to say on the fact that they are 3rd world nation. On the other hand we cannot deny their positive attitude, we have not seen so much happiness in one place yet.
Our first stop after Nadi will be group of Yasawa islands. Fortunately one of the Aussie guys let us use his mobile phone to send sms home, as we mentioned in one of the emails before paradise is not supplied with electricity. Funny how quickly we got used to all the civilisation convenience in NZ and now it takes a while to forget it again. Initially we went for an adrenalin to NZ and to Fiji for a rest but the first boat trip made it look other way round. Big modern ship for 400people jumps on the huge waves in the storm for over 5hrs. And we can see that quite a lot of people have a small seasickness problem. No walking or standing is allowed.
As we find out later on it pays off to do as much research on resorts as possible in advance. Fiji offers everything from shared rooms for 100people to private villas starting on 3500 dollars a night. In the beginning without even knowing we have a lucky hand. Resort Nabua Lodge is small family run paradise where was never more than 15 guests. Traditional bure houses built from palms are only 20m from the beach and we love the place so much we stay here for over a week. Although we have to mention one thing that disrupts otherwise absolute nirvana - mosquitoes are annoying and without mosquito net the night would be sleepless. Fortunately during the day is for them too hot. Besides this a week of well deserved well-being after hard travelling - book + hammock hanging below palm trees, clear warm water, from time to time we pick up a coconut and gradually we get to know locals better and assimilate the culture. We dance bula dance in the evenings, play cards and volleyball. We also try the kava root drink - root with a narcotic effects, but after few bowls the only effect we can feel is tongue and lips anaesthesia. Colour of used washmashine water, not much of a taste, but as we saw the locals 30bowls can properly knock off a big man.
We explore the Nacula island on foot with a Czech couple that are here on vacation. We hike to the highest peak of the island, but only me and Honza go all the way. Girls return half way up surrendering to the heat. On our way back we decide for a shortcut and obviously get lost. Grass taller than us - adventure. After couple hours we find a meadow with some cattle and pigs and further on a village. From here we get pointed in the right direction. After lunch we go snorkeling to Oarsmans Bay. 5mins away from the resort along the coast and one can have kilometres of intact beaches for himself. Something you won't find in usual holiday spots.
Day after we go snorkeling again, this time in Blue Lagoon (movie of the same name was made here). Coral is not so nice as yesterday but there is more fish. Like in huge aquarium. After a dinner we notice that our water bottle is full of tiny worms. And find out we have been taking water from a wrong tank (all fresh water comes from rain, no wells on the islands), fortunately the worms are harmless so we survive without any problems.
On Saturday is a Lovo day. Finally proper food (similar to NZ hangi)! Besides mosquito someone could complain about local food. In cheaper resorts is food very monotonous, quite dietary and portions not very filling. Also combination of various ingredients is very unusual, we never know whether they are just running out of it and put together whatever is left or whether it's like that on purpose (but try to mix some pineapple into your coleslaw - delicious!).
Sunday morning is a great experience. We don a traditional sulu (both men and women wear wrap up skirts), colorful patterns can be seen from distance and we go to the mass. Walking through the palm trees woods we can hear a Fijian disco music. In a while we enter a glade where on the stakes is a roof of corrugated metal = church. Fiji families in groups clasp their hands and dance. After the disco we listen to the sermon in Fiji language, boring. Fortunately we are saved by our friend Lulu who takes us for a tour of the village (foreigners are prohibited to enter villages unless invited). Houses are very simple, bed and mat on the floor. Toilet and kitchen sink outside. Lulu built his house himself and we can see he is very proud of it. He invites us to stay with his family when we visit next time - lovely gesture.
After a week on Nacula island we move to Waya Lailai. On the boat we meet our Czech friends again. Pity they cannot stay longer. At least me and Honza manage to do some snorkeling on the coral in the open sea. Way much better that snorkeling just off the shore. Visibility easily over 25m, both fish and coral much better. Not long and we can see the thing we came here for - reef shark. Not big (only about 1.5m) and reputedly human harmless. After our guide pulls out dead fish another 6 make appearance. When I see how he plays with them I decide to break the danger prejudice and dive to touch one of them too. They just must not be any deeper than 6m, how does the guide manage to go twice as deep and stay there for so long? What a great trip!
Encouraged by yesterday's trip I decide to take one more step and go for a introductory dive including 2 dives. Everything goes fine, just have a small trouble with pressure equalization in my right ear and dive down very slowly. After I manage a test 12m down below surface I am allowed to go diving with supervision on the open sea (taking out and replacing of breathing hose and goggles, funny you can pour out a water out of them while below surface).
Diving on the open sea reminds me of watching documentary movie, 30m tall/deep wall of colorful coral, various fishes and other life forms...Instructor shows me a lot of interesting stuff. Like sea cucumber, thing that he rubs and after a while it shoots out long white cords. My favorite sights were long thin black coral with big red flower on the top and jet black fish with sharp blue outline that actually pulsate like a neon! Unfortunately as a beginner I am not very effective with my air and make only 40mins out of each air tank. Now I know why so many people from other side of the world come right here!
After Yasawa group we decide to explore the main land Viti Levu and its capital Suva. Not much to see there. We expected quite a lot from the national museum, especially on the cannibalism topic that was still practised in 19th century (one of the chiefs consumed over 800people all by himself!), but you can see better exposition in any of the souvenir shops.
After main island we go for a couple days on Mana island in Mamanuca group.
Island is beautiful but we overestimated our luck with choosing of resorts and ended up in place full of teenagers. So the nights are bit wild. On the top of that we have the opportunity to find out how itchy the bedbugs bites are. I even stopped giving out about mosquitoes...The main thing we must mention is local school that we visit with Linda a Dutch teacher that currently works here. 40kids in 2classes, age 6-13yrs. Not all the kids from the village go to the school. Government does not support education and all costs are covered by church and school fees. Fee for a semester is 20 Fiji dollars and not everybody can afford it. What must the locals be thinking when they see the western teenagers spending 50-100dollars a night just for a beer?
Before our departure we go to school to watch a sporting and game day. Great fun and children enjoy it very much. They are downright excited and support their teams as much as possible, joy when they win is immense. Pity we don't have any pictures from the day as we managed to drown our camera on a kayak trip day earlier.
Our transport to Mana and back is not a big modern ship like to Nacula but a small old homemade boat. We thank to all saints that the sea is calm, even so we sometimes fly like flying fish all around us.
PS: I managed to take a picture of one of the most poisonous creatures in the world. Fortunately is this sea snake so tiny that it cannot open its jaws wide enough to bite a man. Even so I took the pictures from respectful distance :)

Pics:
http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=59613&id=1344786025&l=1ccf4a0340
http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=60389&id=1344786025&l=5e7e0ded06