Fiji, Posted from Nadi Airport

The four friends are becoming experienced travelers. We negotiated our first layover and transfer at LAX with minimal anxiety. We met new friends who were friends of a friend at LAX and they took us out for a grand dinner at a creole restaurant called “Rajun Cajun”. Great food, beans and rice, spicy sausage, pickled okra and hush puppies. and great company with John and Lea. Unfortunately we were short on time and had to eat hurriedly so as to get back to LAX for security clearance. We flew out on a jumbo jet filled to capacity and bound for Nadi, Fiji. As soon as we were airborne, out came the food carts to serve us a typical transit dinner of overcooked and over processed food like material. Even though we had a large and delicious meal just two hours earlier, somehow we all ate the late supper, because we paid for it, dammit!

This leg of the trip was likely to be the most wearing, ten hours in narrow cramped economy seats. All trips to to lavatory had to be carefully weighed with need versus inconvenience in the calculus. Some of the four friends were able to drop off to contented, full belly sleep. Some of us were not as fortunate. I took Ambien and got merely drowsy, and awoke each time my head dropped to my chest. Finding the position of comfort became the holy grail, with relative discomfort from many body parts signaling the “wake up” response.

At the first light of dawn at 5:30 AM we prepared for landing. Such relief to stand and move around.We had crossed the international date line and “lost” a day. As we disembarked, it was quickly apparent that we were in the tropics. The air was balmy, and moist . It gave a bit of a shock, especially the ones wearing multiple layers and jeans. Even Ed, dressed as usual in his shorts , felt quite warm.

We are merely passing through Fiji this time, in transit as it were. Even so, the weary travelers were greeted by enthusiastic “Bulas” and a native quartet in spiffy black skirts, singing native songs that sounded vaguely Hawaiin, or maybe Mexican to some of us. Now through security we wait in a lovely, air conditioned departure lounge, soon to continue our journey to Auckland. The view of distant jagged mountains and emerald green sugar cane fields was lovely. Before leaving the Nadi terminal, we discover a tiny little spa, with two lovely Fijian ladies to give massages to our tired, swollen tootsies, the best money we spend all day! Bula to all. On to New Zealand!