Day 33: Off to Mana!

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I was meant to be getting picked up by the boat company from the hostel at 9.30 for my trip to Mana Island.  At 10.15 they still hadn't arrived but I was reassured by the receptionist that they were just working on 'Fiji Time'. By 10.40 it was obvious they had just been 'forgetting me!'. After a quick phone call I was soon picked up by a 4x4 and rushed down to the port,  well beach.....  I did go for the cheap deal after all!

I'd missed the main boat but they assured me that I could still get over, on the beer boat!  I spent my morning sat on a load of beer boxes, in what was basically a cargo dingy, wizzing through some amazing islands. The 'captain' was a nice enough chap but seemed fairly oblivious to the dangers of smoking a fag while sitting on a petrol canister.  Pretty quickly I was soaked, so I took my shirt off and thought nothing of it. Turned out to be a BIG Mistake.

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A couple of hours later I arrived on a perfect white sand beach, lined with palm trees, facing lovely turqoise waterand who was the first person I met when I got off the boat? Jim, the lad I'd sat next to on the bus to Yosemite! It really is a small world.   I couldnt resist the line 'Of all the beaches in all the world, you had to walk onto mine!' (although technically I suppose I'd just walked onto his.)

So I got myself settled into the hostel, which is run by the local tribe, the boss being 'Mama'.  It's very basic but has a nice homely feel to it.  First thing I did was rent a snorkel and go into the sea.  It's literally like bath water, so warm.  About 30m off the beach the land just drops straight down, and is lined with a coral reef.  The snorkelling was amazing, some of the fish were spectactular, every colour and shape imaginable.

the beer boat
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Once I'd been for a snorkel and got back onland and had a chat with some of the other guests I went for a nap.

I was woken up by rolling onto my back, and I could tell straight away I  was VERY burnt!!!   So I covered myself in aftersun (I may aswell have covered myself in porridge for all the good it did) and headed out, sticking in the shade.

The rest of the day was just spent watching the world go by, which is really nice when the world is so beautiful from where your sat.

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That night I had a few drinks then hit the sack pretty early.

Sleeping on my front.