It is my last day in Fiji, and in my week here i have experienced numerous random act of kindness, acute frustration at the inability to get anything organised, cravings for English cab drivers who actually know their own towns, and a strong desire for a decent bathroom. Oh, and let's not forget my acquisition of both a husband and a wife.

Well. I set off for my 3 day sailing safari around the Yasawas a few days ago. I boarded with this Kiwi guy wwho was staying at the same hotel as me, and we basically chatted and bought rinks for each other for the first few hours. It was only once we were assigned our sleeping accomodation at the end of the first day that people started asking what was up. It seems that haalf the ship had assumed we were married, dspite him being old enough to be my dad. Still, it makes a nice change from the usual stuation in Fiji whereby you can't walk past a man without him asking where your husband is. Anywaays, on being assiigned our bure doubles i was sharing with a hilarious girl who had the most cutting humour. We wound eacch other up constantly and had a good laugh bickering on a familiar level. We were soon dubbed the 'other married couple', although why i was appointed the husband i have no idea.

Anyways, the sailing safari was fun and our island was gorgeous. I had a great time despite the craziness of being woken at 6.30 every morning to do a day packed with activities. I pulled out of the 2nd days excursion to a Fiji village coz i just didn't care to have a fake experience when i could have the resort to myself and lay in hammocks the whole day. It was bliss, although the water was ridiculously shallow and i managed to slash my feet up on the coral. End result was that i spent the rest of the time missing out on snorkelling and swimming because eveerytime i steeped into sea water i was literally rubbinng salt in the wound. Bummer. However, on ourr last daay eeveryone went snorkelling at the best location and one of the crew was lovely enough to bring me back a bright blue starfish. I was really touched, but someone went off with it later that day. I will blame my wife, just for the fun of it.

Today i have been pottering around Nadi in the intense discomfort off wearing jeans and hkinng boots coz i ave to fly tonight. Opinions on Nadi are quite amusing. I have decided that those who think Nadi is a dump have usually not been to Suva. Thosewho have been to Suva tend to like Nadi. It's all relative. Nad is actually clean - there is no rubbiish, sewage or other random liquids oozing out on the streets. The shops are attractive and there are is mmuch less sign of shanty villaages. However, i hate thhe fact that i can't walk down the street wthout peeople tying tto pull me intoo their shos and hassle me aalong with all the other tourists.. This didn''t happen to me in Suva, perhaps because there just seemed to be no other tourists there and perhaps because i was with Michelle. Righht noow i wis my skin were darker just so i ould walk down thee street inconsiicuously. Aside from that, Nadi really is ok. I challenge anyone who hates Nadi to go and check Suva out and then reconsider.

Whilst in Nadi i strove aand strove and strove to gett onto a scenic flight so i could views the islands and coral reefs fromm the air. After a hour 0f frustrattingly trying to get numerous airlines to understand that their business is to fly planes and generally to get paying passengers to go on those planes, i gave up nd headed to the touriist info place, despitte being warned that they rip you off. I tthen spent ages trying to explain whatt a scenic flight is before eventually being told that ii had to pay for the equivaleent of 4 passengers in order too get a ccompany to take me. In my despair i simply booked a commercial flight to the next island where i would land, stand around for 5 minutes and fly back again. It would do. I boarded a tiny 6 seater plane aat 12:10 after being told off for making this 12:30 departure late. Heck, we landed at our destination 2 minutes before what should have been our departure time! Fiji time perplexes me. Anyways, the pilot was very bemused to find me boarding again sttraight affter arrival soo i gave my sad story of traveeling alone and no being able to geet a scenic flight as a singlee passenger. Next thing i know, she invites me to sit with her in the front (with the controls!) and departs early so she can fly me round the whole island annd along reefs before rsuming te regular flight plan. I was snapping away my camera wiith pleasure. Everyone on the flight was grateful for th ride - i couldn't believe the kindness.

And so, i am poised o leave a set of islands that haave blown my mind in various ways. I remain confused y a culture of random acts of kindness and of illogic andperplexing organisation. I have enjoyed towns, sea and mountains; reesorts, burees and ships (wwith a nasty bout of sea sickness). All in all, Fiji was cool, but i want my bathroom now!