White sandy beach!

So white sandy beach was part of the Naviti islands around Fiji. This particular island had very high and very low tides throughout the day, which really changed the look of the beach. The family atmosphere here was thriving. You could tell that he workers really loved and cared about each other, but also you as a guest. They all remembered my name and gave me a big hug when I left, which was a nice little touch. Some of the activities included a crab race, Papaya cracking games, coconut cracking, Fijian language lesson and a cosy campfire sing-a-long at night. Assa was known as the 'Human Geko' because he could climb up and down the tree (face first) like a Geko! It was amazing! I told the family that I would tell my friends about White Sandy Beach... so I guess I should keep my word and tell all :)

                Wayalailai is the way-way! 

 

Wayalailai has some stunning beaches! It was a much bigger island than our previous, and also went up much higher. We did a hike up to the summit of the rock to watch the sunset, which was beautifulZ however coming down was a real struggle in the dark!!! We also got to snorkel with white tip reef sharks! They were about a metre long and were actually pretty friendly. Our other activity was visiting the village people in their children at their boarding school. The children had a Rota, which meant that they had to clean up and tidy away after themselves constantly... something that should be introduced to our schools in England! The people here just seem to happy and content with life, it was so refreshing and made me realise that life can be simple... we just decide to make it manic?!

             Beachcomber!

This mini paradise island showed us a great time. It's know for its party time, where 'DJ Mamma' plays music all night long until the last person leaves the bar. The entertainment included amazing fire dancers, learning the classic Bula dance and a very English quiz! We were also taught how to basket weave from coconut leaves and had the privilege of about 6 different holy hours during the day/night. Pretty lethal when you have the Sangria!!!

                        Bula!

So Bula is the word to learn when you visit Fiji for sure! You can use it to reply to most things if you like, but it's usually used as Hello or welcome.

The Fijians are the most friendly, happy and smiley people you'll meet. The men won't let you carry your luggage, and you always get a catchy welcome song when reach each new destination. They are very serious about volleyball... and are pretty damn good at it too! 

The Fijians are very family orientated and seem to dedicate their time to making sure you have the best holiday stay with them. This, along with the stunning scenery, distinctive music and cloudless-skies, makes a winning holiday destination for me.

                                  The city of unforgotten earthquakes

Christchurch or CHCH for short, seems more like a town than a city. It has a few cool bars and restaurants, but they seem to be quite far apart form each other. It also has quite an industrial look to it, but still has some character despite this. It just passed the anniversary of the biggest earthquake when we arrived, where 185 people died on 22.02.11. 

There was quite an eerie feel in town, but it was nice to pay our respects at the memorial by the river. Many buildings are still under construction, even though it is 6 years on from the earthquakes. They are still debating whether to reconstruct the cathedral in the middle of town, which at the moment is in ruins! 

As the shopping centre was demolished by the quake, the city decided to create a really funky shopping mall made from super safe and durable shipping containers, and called it the 'Re:Start mall'. It's really colourful and has lots of food/drinks stalls. The picture above is the memorial bridge which commemorates those who fought in the war with Britain during WW1.

                                Buenos dias breakfast fajitas

Black betties was definitely the spot for brunch in Christchurch! I opted for a Mexican breakfast this time just to branch out, and was not disappointed. The black beans were blended with Mexican spices, topped with a runny poached egg. Then you had 3 tortillas to play with, where you could add mushrooms, chipotle aioli, fresh veggies and smashed avocado. I of course had a latte on the side!                              
                                                   Where: Black Betties, Christchurch
                                                                           Price: ££
                                                                        Rating: 7/10

                        Wine not?! 

We called in to Waimea winery just outside of Nelson, which had a real rustic, authentic feel to it. Caitlin was our sommelier, who explained the flavours of our wines in detail, the region of the grapes and what dishes to match them with. We tried the Sauvignon Blanc, Albarino, Sauvignon Gris, Gruner, Rose, Pinot noir and Trevs Red - a speciality blend of various grapes from the region. 

The cheeseboard was a MUST. It came with sheep's cheese Brie, feta and New Zealand's equivalent to Montego, with candied walnuts, chopped beetroot, sliced apple and water melon on the side. It was accompanied by buttery crackers and soft bread which were well and truly cleared from the board. I enjoyed the whole experience and would recommend giving this vineyard a visit. 

Where: The cellar door, Waimea estates, Richmond, Nelson, New Zealand. 

Price:  Tasting was $5 for 3 wines. However we bought a bottle of red, so tasting was knocked off the price! 

Rating: 9/10