Checkout went smoothly enough for me, though their printers were down because the new year changed their taxes. When I was in Nadi later in the afternoon, it was also posted everywhere that prices were cheaper because the VAT had gone down.
In the case of the resort and the ziplining, the new year was higher prices - a new environmental tax being added to the room and $10 Fijian more for the ziplining tour.
Since it took me a few minutes to settle up and store my bags, it was good my ride was a few minutes late as well. We picked up nearly a dozen people at the other resorts, then headed south. In fact, the ziplining was a few miles past Scuba Bula!
They got us geared up, with harnesses, helmets, and gloves, and the group was off. I kept my waterproof camera, but others were given opposing instructions on what to do with their cellphones.
One couple left theirs at the base, and I offered to take some pictures to share with them later. Karen and Adrian were newlyweds from Melbourne, and it was a pretty easy way to make some travel buddies for the day.
First was a couple flights of stairs up in the jungle, and, when we stopped at the first zipline, the mosquitos descended. We eventually climbed enough to get out of their territory, but that first stop was a killer.
I haven't done treetop ziplining before, only one line that ended in a lake and didn't involve a harness. I've rappelled before, though, and it's the same harness, so it was an easy lean back and slide!
It was zip, climb, zip, climb, until I asked if we could go upside down. Then the first bit of thrill started.
The second came when we got above the canopy and could see out to the ocean. It was some awesome views, while barreling along a cable.
I had forgotten it was included, but once we hit the top of the hill, we walked into a cave that I assumed had bats flying in and out. It was only when one of the "bats" landed on another visitor that we realized they were swallows! It looked hurt, since it had been shaken off, but the stiff posture was actually just its natural pose - wings straight out, instead of folding back as expected. The guide kindly explained to us that the slippery mud, and the huge black pile behind us, were bird droppings. Not sure if that or the fact this cave was used by cannibals before the missionaries came to the island to preach love over eating each other was more off-putting.
The cave was limestone, with some great stalactites, and the constant dripping you'd expect. It is said to be the largest in Fiji. Further into the cave (or perhaps in a neighboring cave, the gesture was ambiguous), the natives had created a burial ground. As if a cave needed more to be creepy.
We were done climbing, and everyone had gotten the technique down, so it was easy riding back down to the base house. We had some discussions on the pecularities of English dialects (they thought Kleenex was weird, I thought the fact that biscuits are cookies and scones are biscuits was confusing).
Back at home base, we had a chicken and potato Phillipino curry waiting for us. Karen had mentioned her lack of breakfast, so it was a happy crew with a hearty meal in us that went back on the buses.
We ran into traffic outside of Nadi, and, to save myself a dollar, I asked to get dropped off outside of Jack's, the locally owned department store. I was on a quest for a Fijian rugby jersey.
Well, I found a good half dozen of them, but all of them strangely had the logo of the shop they were in on them. I had gotten to the end of the row when I decided it was time to ask for help.
I found a group of teenage boys wearing football kits and asked them. Tappoo's, they said without much thought, you'll find them there.
It was, of course, the only store that was past Jack's on the other side, so I trotted my way back down Main Street, Nadi, and found what I wanted four feet inside the store.
I saw the allure of free WIFI and air conditioning at a corner cafe (really, The Corner Cafe was its name) and plopped down for a mango shake and some internet browsing.
As my time expired, I decided to get the massage we'd been talking about for the entire week. I'd seen some sketchy hand-written signs pointing to second-story salons - couldn't be a bad idea, right?
I asked for a back massage after climbing the closest staircase, and, after a few minute wait, was led into a room with a table covered with a towel. I lay down, and the hole where I put my face smelled vaguely like stale wood. The crying baby in the room nearby was an interesting soundtrack.
But, man, she really worked at the knots in my back. I'm still feeling it. The baby stopped crying, the oil headed up, and I was relaxed. Or, at least, when she wasn't digging her fist into my shoulder where the balls of stress were.
The alarm for the half hour went off, and I gave her the last of my bills and walked straight on to the bus to Denarau outside.
I spent the next three hours reading, then showered in the hospitality suite (which might double as a sales showroom when they have appointments - a full suite on the upgraded side of the resort). I finished my grooming, shoved the last of my things into my suitcase, then had a final drink and bowl of taro chips as the wind whipped my wet hair on the beach.
When the little pellets of rain started, it was essentially time to catch my cab anyway. Easy ride to the airport, especially after being told the cyclone warning was over, and I got onto the plane. Bye bye, Fiji!
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