Our stay in Fiji

Sunday
Had a really bad night and felt very bloated. Got up at 7.15 and felt really bad. I had bad diarrhoea and felt very ill. Jon got up and went out for breakfast and I just slept on the sofa. Jon came back and I said I would stay in so he went down to the pool. He came back at lunch time and I tried to go out to have lunch with him but my legs felt so weak I had to go back again. Jon brought a sandwich back for me. I was feeling really cold and so turned the AC off but Jon was really hot when he came in as it was 32 degrees and he kept turning it back on. I slept for the rest of the afternoon but managed to walk down to the sunset deck to watch the sunset which was lovely and then I went back to the room. I felt so cheated as everyone was drinking lovely tropical cocktails and I just couldn't.

We went out for a walk to the hotel next door and had a look in the shop but I was just not in the mood and felt really bad. I felt I needed to eat something so we bought a loaf and some butter and I had toast. Jon went to the little bar on the beach and had fish and chips and a beer.

I went to bed at 9.30 and hoped I would feel better on Monday.

Monday
I didn't have a good night and kept waking up. My throat feels really strange when I drink anything cold and my fingers are all numb. I thought I had a tummy bug but looks like it might be more than that, my face aches and it feels like a sinus infection. My lips are tingling and my legs feel very heavy and weak.

We went for breakfast and the choice was wonderful, fresh fruit, yoghurts, smoothies, cereal bacon etc, fresh cooked eggs of your choice, pancakes, cheese, ham, toast and cakes all really nice.

We decided to go down to the port on the Bula bus which is a thatched shuttle bus. It was a nice trip down but very hot. There are lots of restaurants down in the port so we thought we would go down for dinner there tonight. All the people are so friendly and they all say Bula to you. We had a look round the shops but i just couldn't be bothered so after a coffee at Hard Rock Cafe we got the bus back.

After sitting in the room to cool down we went to the bar for lunch and then sat by the swimming pool for the rest of the afternoon in the shade. The pool is really lovely and as it is for adults only it was quiet and very relaxing. We had a toasted sandwich and I tried a beer but couldn't drink it then read our books for the rest of the afternoon and it was lovely. I tried an ice cream but it felt like my throat was closing so I had to throw it away. I wish I knew what was wrong with me. I am really trying as I feel so bad.

We went back for a shower and then down to sunset deck to watch the sun go down but it was a really misty evening so no sunset. It was Happy Hour and we ordered a beer and a pina colada and he came back with two of each as it was Happy Hour. i couldn't drink two so I gave one to two very grateful young girls on the next table.

We saw the torch lighting ceremony where a man brings out a torch followed by the kids club children all dressed as islanders and they light all the torches in the grounds. The grounds are really lovely with beautiful plants, flowers and trees.

We went down to the port and looked around at the restaurants and chose Italian which was OK but not brilliant. There are lots of frogs hopping around the pavements and you have to be careful where you put your feet. We sat outside but it felt like we were sitting in a centrally heated room, it was so hot.

We went to get the bus back and just missed one and so when the next came there was a bit of a scramble to get on it but we did and got back to the apartment had coffee and then bed hoping I would feel better on Tuesday.

Tuesday
I do feel a bit better but still didn't sleep well. A little cooler today as no sun out so we were able to sit outside for breakfast and I managed a reasonable amount. We decided to go for a walk after breakfast and walked along the beach looking at the other hotels and they are all very nice but we think we are in one of the prettier ones and the adult only pool is a big plus.

We found some hammocks along the beach and a young couple took our photo for us. We saw children feeding lots of fish in the water along the beach and we saw the wedding chapel in the grounds of the Sheraton Hotel and I had my photo taken with the security guard who wears a skirt as part of his uniform. As it is an island with security to get on and off you are allowed to walk along the beach and go into all the hotels which is very nice. We saw lots of crabs on the rocks along the beach. The water is not very nice and really cloudy and not nice clear blue like her in NZ to get the really nice water you have to go out to the other islands and as I was not feeling up to it we didn't go, such a shame.

We had a few drops of rain but it was very warm rain. We went and sat by the pool and had coffee and spent the rest of the day just swimming and reading and it was bliss. Jon is not swimming properly yet but manages a pretty good hop. We manged to walk from our pool into the big pool and sit at the stools in the pool and have a drink and met a family from Papamoa which is just down the road from us. Before Jon started his swimming lessons he would never have had the confidence to go deeper than his ankles and now he is happy up to his neck in it!

Lunch was served to us by the pool and was deep fried calamari and a prawn and avocado wrap which we shared and I managed a beer. Even though we were sitting under the sunshade apart from when we were in the pool we got very red, just as well we are used to it and so didn't burn. Feels really strange so much heat but no sun. The ants are a pain and climb on the sunbed and really bite.

Back to the room to shower and then down to the sunset deck for Happy Hour and sunset which looked like it was not going to happen again as the cloud was thick. We ordered mojitos, but only two tonight! The sun came out just before it as setting and we had a lovely sunset.

We walked down to the shop as I wanted to find gifts for the girls and I hadn't been in the mood up to now.

We then went back to the hotel and had dinner in the Asian restaurant which was lovely.

We went back to the room and decided to turn the AC off and just have the ceiling fan and it was much better. I don't know why we didn't do that before as we found it much better when we were in Oz, too,

Wednesday
Much better night's sleep with just the fan. Very hot today, the sun is out and a very blue sky. Lovely breakfast but under cover again as it was so hot. Back to finish packing and we paid the bill and then just waited for the bus to pick us up and he was not on 'Fiji time' he was early!

The trip back to the airport was fine and the driver was good at pointing things out to us. It was a shame we didn't get to see more of Fiji it looks lovely but very poor. We will certainly have to come back.

We checked in with no waiting and then had a couple of hours to wait in a quite warm airport. The flight was on time but due to lots of cloud once we were up we couldn't see much till we were approaching Auckland. After a lovely smooth landing we were out but had to wait for the Air New Zealand bus to pick us up to go for the car. We then got caught in Auckland rush hour traffic so that held us up a lot and as the clocks changed while we were away it was dark earlier and so we had to drive a good part of the journey in the dark which always seems to make it longer.

We stopped at our new local pizza takeaway and ordered a pizza and then popped into the bar for a drink while they cooked it. It was very good but very filling.

We were very happy to get into our own bed but it is a bit quiet without Totty