A petit clin d'œil to Fiji
last update: 13 March 2022
In mid-late September 2003 we visited Fiji. We were going to be in New Zealand for several weeks, and thought that a 'holiday-break' to Fiji would be nice. In 2003 extending our flight would have "cost an arm and a leg", i.e. a small fortune. Whereas for a New Zealander, a trip to Fiji was a bit like an Englishman taking a package tour holiday in the Canary Islands, so nothing special and not expensive. Maybe today it's different, but I still remember the exorbitant round trip prices being quoted at the time. So I simply sent some emails, booked a package tour, payed with my credit card, and the tickets were waiting for us at our hotel in Auckland.
We landing in Nadi and spent a week in the Sheraton Fiji Golf & Beach Resort. I don't know if it was called that in 2003, and it has certainly been substantially modified and renovated since then (above we have 2022, and below a photograph from 2003).
We spent a week doing absolutely nothing, but we did manage a couple of trips. We took a one-day trip out on Whale's Tale to the uninhabited Schooner Island (I wonder if its uninhabited today).
And the hotel ran a boat back and forth to the uninhabited 'nature-reserve' style Akiolau Island, about 500 m from the beach.
On the same site, and just across the road from the hotel, was the Denarau Golf & Racquet Club, where we found our ideal relaxing dinner option. On the web the golf course now looks particular enticing, but in 2003 it look positively banal.
We spent a very relaxing time on Fiji, but somehow being in a so-called Pacific paradise, we expected more.