"Fiji Time"

Yes, "Fiji time" - that's a common phrase you'll here while traveling in Fiji. It's usually uttered by a local as a way of saying "chill out, tourist, just because you're a wealthy westerner doesn't mean we're going to be in a rush to help you out." As such, Fiji is a great place to relax. One can't drive quickly, because if one does, he's likely to hit a cow, a pothole, or a pedestrian. One can't eat quickly, because he won't be served quickly. Everything just slows down, kind of like an episode of the Twilight Zone or Doctor Who.

In addition to being laid back, the locals are friendly to say the least. Everywhere we went, it was "Bula" this and "Bula" that, and sometimes just "Bula, Bula, Bula". Allegedly this means "hello", but if it meant "tourist" or "wanker", every conversation we had would have made just as much sense. In any case, the locals are happy to meet tourists, and the ones we met were keen to quiz us on our backgrounds. One Fijian refused to believe I was an American, because of my hair. Others found it a bit odd that I was American, Uta was German, and we live in Australia. But as a testament to how many Australians visit Fiji, the default assumption was that any foreigner was Aussie. Most of our interactions with the locals outside the resort began in a similar manner: the two of us driving (in the wrong direction) down a narrow, bumpy dirt road, parking in some poor guy's front yard and then chatting with him while he pointed us in the right direction.

By and large, we spent most of the time beached at the Warwick Resort on the Coral Coast soaking up the all-inclusive meals, snorkeling in the lagoon, and other fun and games. We did spend a day in a rental car (with ~160,000 km on it), which allowed us to check out the towns of Sigatoka (and the sand dunes) and Pacific Harbour.

All in all, a beautiful, tropical country, but it could do a bit more to accommodate the tourists that represent the bulk of the nation's revenue (e.g., here's a tip: tourists expect a "visitor centre" to have some sort of staff working there to, say, collect entrance fees and such). And I'm sure it will - all in good time. . .

Photos here