23/02/2010

3 hours due north form Auckland and we arrived in the suny, hot climate of the Fiji Islands. Making it through the run-down arrivals and baggage claim we emmerged out of the airport to find a young fijian girl holding up a piece of paper with our name on it. She was from the Drift Inn hostel we had booked from Auckland so we got in a taxi with her, and her little brother, and they took us to the hostel. It was a small family run hostel that looked like the owners' house that they had converted into a few double rooms and a dorm. Our room wasn't ready when we got there so we hung around in the garden and chatted to a few of the other people staying there. After a little while we sat down with Donna, the hostel owner and booked our 9 day trip around the Yasama Islands. She organised the boats and accommodation for us for a good price. We had to pay her half and pay the other half as we went along so we popped to the local supermarket to get some supplies (water and biscuits) and get some money out. All was well until I tried to withdraw some money. I selected F$700 to cover the rest of the costs and some spending money but it gave me my card and receipt but no money. I wasn't worried about it taking the money out of my account as it said it was rejected on the receipt but it meant that I couldn't get anymore money out until 24 hours later - UK time, which due to the time difference meant I couldn't get any out before we left to the Islands the next morning. Luckily Steph managed to successfully withdraw cash so we used that to pay Donna and I would put the rest on my card. Back at the hostel we sat down for dinner which was some fish, potatoes and veg before retreating to our room for an early night.

The following morning I had a brain wave and decided to transfer money onto my STA cashcard and withdraw it that way. In the taxi on the way to the port at 8am I jumped out and managed to get money out so we were all set for the 9 days ahead. We arrived at the dock with just enough time to pay for our boat tickets and jump on the Yasawa Flyer - the boat that roams the Yasawa Islands on a daily basis. On board we were finally on our way to Long Beach, located in the northern most islands in the Yasawa chain. Excited!!