Nadi and the Yasawa Islands, Fiji. "I remember a time when I used to wear shoes"

Just got back from the Yasawa Islands, a chain of islands with white sandy beaches and beautiful aquamarine reefs. I had different plans that were a bit more off the beaten path, but they changed due to weather conditions. The lesson learned is that planning is a waste of time and should only be done when absolutely necessary. Also, things always work out. The Yasawas were amazing. At first the weather was bad and I was stir crazy due to the rain and the isolation of the islands. Information was really hard to obtain:

[Woman working on the ferry]: "No boat tomorrow and maybe the next day. There is a cyclone coming."
[Me]: "A cyclone? Where? Where is the cyclone?"
[Woman]: "In the newspaper."

After a few days the weather improved and suddenly the thought of doing anything other than lying around on the beach seemed rediculous. I did manage to do some kayaking, hiking, and snorkeling with friendly reef sharks. I really tried to talk to the locals, not just the other tourists. Waya LaiLai, a beautiful lodge nestled in the hillside of the Waya island, was my favorite place I stayed. The hostel is owned and operated by the local village and they are truely wonderful people.
I passed back through Nadi on my way out to the Yasawas. Not too much to do in Nadi but I did check out some neat things like the Hindu temple pictured. Many Indians came to Fiji as indentured servants to work on the British sugar cane plantations. Most of them stayed, resulting in a current Fijian-Indian population larger than the indigenous Fijians. I don't really understand the current political unrest in Fiji, but a lot of it has to do with issues such as land rights and a racially based constitution. There was a 2006 coup during which the military took over the country and is still in charge. As an outsider things seem pretty stable but the Fiji Times ("the first newspaper printed in the world") is full of articles detailing the police officers that are lacking uniforms, the horrific conditions of the roads, and the fact that teachers might not be paid because the government can't afford it.

I was really sad to leave Fiji. I almost chose to miss my flight but decided to keep moving on. I'll be back someday (soon). I was also sad to part with a lot of new Australian friends but hopefully I'll see them in the next couple months. The biggest difference I've noticed between my backpacking adventures five years ago and now is the amount of electronics everyone carries around with them. Electrical outlets to charge laptops, ipods, cell phones, and digital cameras are in short supply at the hostels. Otherwise, things are good. Trying to adjust from "fiji time" back into city life....