On a dreary day like today, having washed the dishes in a basin on the ground, done the laundry in the shower and cleaned the water filter of the absolutely nasty film of algae growing on it, it's nice to dream about the other Fiji. When the sea is just a darker gray than the sky and the waves on the beach seem ominous, I remember the time I went to Splendor Island. The paradise where you all think I'm living does exist, just not anywhere near where I live.
When you think of Fiji you probably think of white sand beaches, gently swaying palms, blue sky and sea - a carefree world where you could escape the humdrum monotony or the bustling frenzy of your American Life. If there are rainstorms in this Fiji they are brief respites from the warm sun and disappear as quickly as they came. If you're bored you simply put on your mask, snorkel and fins to explore the abundance of life on the reef. If you're lazy you sit in the shade of palm thatched umbrellas and sip on a cool cocktail. When you're hungry a generous but casual meal appears as if by magic. As I've said - this wondrous place does exist - in Fiji even - just not here.
I happened upon paradise on the last day of my parents' long stay in Fiji. As it happens, many of the flights to the US leave absurdly late from Nadi International Airport, so we had all day to kill. In addition, one of my friends from home was on a stopover in Nadi on her way back from New Zealand. She and her niece wanted a day at the beach. Nadi, though, is a bit short on nice beaches, so the five of us decided to make a quick trip to the Mamanucas, a short chain of pretty little islands right off shore. The day trip to Splendor Island, the closest of the Mamanucas, was the cheapest and just what we were looking for. It turned out to be paradise.
Now - paradise is what you make of it. Some of you will say paradise is working in your garden on a warm spring day - others would say it's sitting near the window of the Powell's bookstore coffee shop with a mocha and a book on a blustery day. Here we're talking Hollywood style paradise of the tropical island variety, and as I write by kerosene lantern bundled in a hoodie, long pants and even socks, the rain still beating on the roof, my laundry not getting dry and the rough sea seeming absurdly close to my tiny hut, I just want to remind you that not ALL tropical islands are paradise.
The bus picked us up at our hotel and dropped us off at the Denarau port where we boarded a ferry. It was 30 minutes on a calm sea with beautiful views before we disembarked and landed on a most gorgeous little island. Splendor is a really little island and uninhabited, so we had the whole place to ourselves, well, us and 40 or 50 other people, but it wasn't so small that we really noticed the others. First on our agenda was the "submarine boat." A bit like a carnival ride - the bottom of the boat is glass and the seats are all below waterline, so you can spy on the fishes as if you were in a submarine. We say plenty of fish, jellyfish, coral, even a ray and a small reef shark. Sure it was a kiddie ride - but it was fun and the kids screaming, "Dory!" and, "Nemo!" were cute.
Back on land we sipped some white wine (free all day) before suiting up for a snorkel tour further out on the reef. I was impressed that there was such a good reef here with so many tourists around. One particular young miss in our group was particularly taken by the "magic" coral that changes color when you touch it - but she was more taken by the snorkel guide. We ended up going snorkeling two more times that day.
After our underwater tours, we barely had time to discover how deliciously refreshing it is to mix Sprite and chilled white wine before lunch appeared by the pool (we never actually went in the pool, as the ocean was so nice - but it's another of Splendor's attractions). Chicken, beef, fish, salads, bread, everything you could want in a casual BBQ lunch on the beach. There was plenty of food at the buffet and I know that at least one gentleman was not ashamed to go back for seconds (or thirds?).
In the afternoon we played in the water - snorkeling, kayaking, paddle boarding and even feeding little sharks. We treated ourselves to massages and just relaxed on the beach and soaked up the tropical sun. As we headed back to the ferry, the staff sang the Fijian farewell song Isa Lei and just as we reached Denarau's port a quick rain shower reminded us that we were leaving paradise. I can't imagine a better way to spend the final day of a trip to Fiji than relaxing on Splendor Island.
Back up in Vanua Levu I raved to my friends about the paradise island I'd found - but it's so distant a concept from the Peace Corps lifestyle in our little rural villages. And yeah - the village can be nice sometimes, too. Now that it's nearly May the temperatures have dropped and, at least in my village, things seem to be happening. The women's group is almost ready to start baking in our newly constructed bread oven and our weekly aerobics classes are going well. I've just started a monthly movie night and a weekly story time for kids. People in the village are beginning to seek me out for help and I feel like I'm finally getting the hang of village life. On top of that - it just stopped raining and the stars are coming out. Maybe I'm in paradise after all!
NOTE: The island described here is not actually called Splendor Island, but I bet you can figure out the real name if you try. If you're interested in visiting said island, you can do it at a fraction of the price we paid by visiting Denarau early the day before and sitting through a time share sales pitch with your affluent looking partner. Don't blow it by telling them you're a Peace Corps Volunteer. Dress rich and to be safe - make sure you're recognized as a resident of New Zealand or Australia. Have fun in Paradise - Wherever it may be!
