The Beach Side of Fiji

Today was beach day, also known as day I spent squinting and watching and thinking. I’m just not a huge fan of beaches. I don’t like saltwater. Sand makes me itchy. And the sun tends to fry my skin. Fiji only added to my dislike by introducing coral to the beach and invisible bugs that like to bite me. I’m so itchy. I’ve tried everything but the bites keep appearing. They’re in weird places too, like all over my stomach (and those appeared before the beach). I also didn’t have a towel.

Possibly Castaway Island

The tiny boat we took to Beachcomber Island from the ship

So basically, I spent today on a resort island the size of city block (Beachcomber Island). I watched people in my group snorkel. I had an overpriced “sex on the beach illusion” that tasted like an Icee with the smallest splash of alcohol. I sat in the shade on a picnic table in the only part of the island without sand and read my book. I couldn’t even go shopping because the island gift shop was closed.

Chilling on the boat while everyone snorkels

 The sand is really weird here though. It's like clumpy and mixed with the coral, so even when you're just stepping on dry sand, it kind of hurts. I wanted to wear my flip flops to walk around but that was difficult because everything was uneven and I hate the feeling of sand in my flip flops.

The water is so clear and blue

 Our boat was late to pick us up from the island and take us back to Viti Levu (the main island we’re staying on) so I also got to freeze in my tank top as the sun went down while we waited and for the duration of the 45-minute, windy ride back where we passed the island that Castaway was filmed on. At least is wasn’t as sunny as the ride there though.

 But at least, since it’s Fiji (paradise as others call it, for some unknown reason), the view was good.

Sunset on the Pacific