We left Suva this morning in
the middle of tropical rain 
and crazy wild wind – I’m not sure if this is part
of the tropical wave that’s hovering in the middle South Pacific, or what, but
it was torrential, soggy, and wet.
Nearly horizontal rain, low clouds, 
huge puddles everywhere. And cold, for this part of the world.
We bought our tickets on the
Sunbeam bus line – there are a variety of bus companies, with some companies
serving certain 
sections of the island, other companies specializing in express
routes versus the local routes.
Sunbeam goes between Suva in the east to Lautoka in the northwest, and
certain specified stops inbetween.
sections of the island, other companies specializing in express
routes versus the local routes.
Sunbeam goes between Suva in the east to Lautoka in the northwest, and
certain specified stops inbetween.
So we rode through misty
drizzly landscapes of varying shades of green, looking like Chinese landscapes
with barely visible mountains fading into the sky. And improbably shaped mountains and hills at all kinds of weird angles towering over the small 
farms. With unexpected pops of colour, from bright pink to aqua to
fluorescent orange to chartreuse – Fijians seem to like bright colours for
their houses.
drizzly landscapes of varying shades of green, looking like Chinese landscapes
with barely visible mountains fading into the sky. And improbably shaped mountains and hills at all kinds of weird angles towering over the small 
farms. With unexpected pops of colour, from bright pink to aqua to
fluorescent orange to chartreuse – Fijians seem to like bright colours for
their houses.
After about two hours, the
bus stopped in the middle of nowhere.
Really, there was nothing but a little blue bus shelter. “The Beachhouse,” the conductor
called. We grabbed our packs and
beach bag, and climbed off the bus, thanking the driver, the conductor, the man
who stepped out to put our 
luggage on the bench in the shelter. “Vinaka” (thank you) “and good-bye!”
bus stopped in the middle of nowhere.
Really, there was nothing but a little blue bus shelter. “The Beachhouse,” the conductor
called. We grabbed our packs and
beach bag, and climbed off the bus, thanking the driver, the conductor, the man
who stepped out to put our 
luggage on the bench in the shelter. “Vinaka” (thank you) “and good-bye!”
We gathered our stuff and
wandered down the road? driveway? some kind of thoroughfare that started out
paved and quickly turned 
into gravel.
It led down to the beach and a complex of bures, dorms, thatch-covered
areas, and voila, here was the Beachhouse. Or maybe The Beach House.
into gravel.
It led down to the beach and a complex of bures, dorms, thatch-covered
areas, and voila, here was the Beachhouse. Or maybe The Beach House.
Anyway, this is a lovely
backpacker-type resort, with hostel dorms and small bures and more deluxe rooms
than we stay in. We’re in a small
bure, a little bungalow. It seems
to be designed for a family, with a nice big bed for us, and two single beds in
sort of nooks 
– so of course we each have one to spread out our clothes and
such, although I think it also looks like a cozy little reading nook, a nice
spot to snuggle up with a few pillows and a good read. And maybe one of the resident kitties,
who are very sweet.
backpacker-type resort, with hostel dorms and small bures and more deluxe rooms
than we stay in. We’re in a small
bure, a little bungalow. It seems
to be designed for a family, with a nice big bed for us, and two single beds in
sort of nooks 
– so of course we each have one to spread out our clothes and
such, although I think it also looks like a cozy little reading nook, a nice
spot to snuggle up with a few pillows and a good read. And maybe one of the resident kitties,
who are very sweet.
Piéce de résistance – an
outdoor bathroom! Seriously! The glass door from our bedroom opens
into a normal 
bathroom that has a partial roof, and plants growing around the
shower area. It’s almost more like
an atrium than a bathroom, except that there is indeed a sink, toilet, and
shower in this private atrium.
Kind of crazy, and probably not for everyone, but I love it!
bathroom that has a partial roof, and plants growing around the
shower area. It’s almost more like
an atrium than a bathroom, except that there is indeed a sink, toilet, and
shower in this private atrium.
Kind of crazy, and probably not for everyone, but I love it!
We went down to the beach
after a bite of lunch, but the weather was still off and on rain interspersed
with drizzle and sprinkling and spritzing. If we get some sun, this will be an idyllic spot – anything
that looks this good on a 
grey rainy day, with leaves turning upside down in
the wind, is going to look even better in the sunshine.
grey rainy day, with leaves turning upside down in
the wind, is going to look even better in the sunshine.
Oh, this is one of those
places with a limited menu for dinner – at about 3 to 
3:30 PM we head to the
café for afternoon tea (included in the price) and then let the staff know what
we’d like for dinner. Then we head
to dinner about 7 PM, let the staff know we’re ready to eat, and they cook up
our meal and serve us. We
encountered something similar on Anegada, I guess it’s so that they know how
much of what to prepare, and food isn’t wasted. Makes sense when you’re in an out-of-the-way kind of spot.
3:30 PM we head to the
café for afternoon tea (included in the price) and then let the staff know what
we’d like for dinner. Then we head
to dinner about 7 PM, let the staff know we’re ready to eat, and they cook up
our meal and serve us. We
encountered something similar on Anegada, I guess it’s so that they know how
much of what to prepare, and food isn’t wasted. Makes sense when you’re in an out-of-the-way kind of spot.
Other guests seem to be a
large group of friends or family from possibly Australia (one man had his
birthday tonight, and the people were wonderful and shared a slice of chocolate
cake with us!); an American or Canadian family; several young couples or young
groups who speak French and/or German; and no, we’re not the oldest people at
this place.
groups who speak French and/or German; and no, we’re not the oldest people at
this place.
It’s definitely off the
beaten track, the way we like things.
It's a chilly evening, with all the rain and wind – this is the first spot we've found in Fiji that will give out blankets upon request! We're all warm and dry in our little bure.
And even if it rains all
weekend, well, this is a very romantic little oasis where the rainforest meets
the sea, along the Coral Coast – so we can relax and just enjoy our robin’s egg
blue bure and our cozy reading nooks.
And, of course, the outdoor shower.
Website: http://fijibeachouse.com/
Is that a picture of Richard actually showing his face at the blue bus stop? Very nice to see!
ReplyDeleteI've become a stealth photographer.
ReplyDelete