BULA!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Ni Sa Bula, my friends, to the latest post on fizin.

Before I go on with the crap chat, It's my duty to say a massive congratulations to everyone who's just got their results at uni. I know Loy managed to blag a 1st (was it going to be anything else?) and big pessimistic Steve got his 2-1! A massive massive massive massive jealous congratulations to Caroline for being the only person I will ever know to get a degree for doing something creative.

Fiji. What an immense couple of weeks its been. I'd love to tell you every detail of every day but, and lets face it, that's boring as hell.

We are greeted off the plane in Nadi by 5 blokes playing incredibly small guitars. Smiles everywhere. They're shouting 'BULA!!!!' at everyone. At first, I thought it was some sort of protest against the government ban on normal sized 6-strings, but found out later that they were just being nice and saying hello.

We've arrived. One more stamp for the passport, and another country to add to our 'was raining when we arrived' list. We get to our quality, quality hotel, stay for a couple of nights and indulge in the local Fiji Bitter, as well as some drunken bongo-playing antics.

After a couple of days in Nadi, we jump on a ridiculously yellow boat for a few hours and head north to the Yasawa Islands. Coral View resort is the 1st stop - we are greeted off the boat by the entire staff with a couple of drinks. I love Fiji. We play volleyball with the whole family, then go fishing with the dad Joshua to catch our T. The whole family sings us a hello and goodbye song, with smiles everywhere. I don't want to leave this place, after only 12 hours.

Next stop is the TREMENDOUS Botaira resort. A ridiculously busy day is kicked off with rising at 5am to see the sun...



By complete and utter coincidence, we were lucky enough to bump into the lovely Rita! Hello Ritatatata!! We are introduced to some quality, quality folk in the form of Alex, Andy and Sabrina. Hello all you drunken fools! Cheeeeeeeessee....



Ahhh such fun was had! After dotting around a few islands we head back to Nadi, then off to Robinson Crusoe island. Voted as one of the best party islands in Fiji, we knew we were in for a few beers. What we did get, however, was something a bit more. Cava.

Let me tell you about Cava. It's a Fijian drink, rather like our tea - made with water, brewed using dry leaves of some plant. It's non-alcoholic. It is, however, a narcotic. After a couple of bowls of the stuff, you can feel (or can't feel) your mouth going numb. One night, we had 30 of them. Being unable to physically open your eyelids in the afternoon when you wake up is strange, but you get used to it after a while. I love Fiji. You won't believe how amazing the Fijian people are. When you get greeted off the boat, there's usually always a song. Something like this video I took while drinking Cava and standing on an ACME shake-o-matic.

3 nights on Robinson Crusoe brings fire dancing, hot coal walking, coconut husking, volleyball hustling and umm kayaking. What a quality island. Late night guitars by the campfire round it all off. What a wee belter of a place. It was made infinately better by the presence of our 3 sexy dancer/singer lady friends Layla, Mary and Sam, and the lads Alan, Toby and Tom - BULA folks!

We all get as blotto as humanly possibly as we watch Millar, Samantha and Leyla get up to be taught the 'I see you baby dance'. Robinson Crusoe was quality, some of the burds were almost in tears as they left. Bye bye RC...



We all say goodbye to the lurvely dancing ladies, and head off a day or 2 later to Bounty island for our last nights in Fiji. We can't believe the weather when we arrive...



And so it was back to Nadi avec notre backpacks, where we jumped onto the flight to Hawaii. Our flight was at 11pm, 18th June and we arrived here in Hawaii at 6:15am, 18th June. Just like Marty McFly, I'm so incredibly tired after basically travelling back in time. The security at the airport was frankly unneccessary - Millar got all her skegs sniffed by some pompous yank!

And so I speak to you now in Waikiki, a stone's throw from the famous beach. So if you would excuse me, I'm off to grab a surf board and attempt to surf like the other 1000 head cases out there.

Cheers,

Mick

PS - A wee thought. Some people ask me what the biggest thing I miss back home is. Obviously, it's family and friends, closely followed by Irn Bru. The thing is, I can talk to family on the phone, drop emails to friends and stuff - maybe even drunkenly talk to them on a webcam thanks to MSN. I can buy Irn Bru from a couple of shops if need be. One thing I can't do is play with my dog Mac. So here he is...



M + P - Phone you guys soon

V + B - All good and re3ady to go I hear - brilliant! Can't wait to give you a helping hand (if needed - heard the whole of Arran wants to come and work!)

Rod - Nice spew Bod, cheers for the pics - brilliant. Have fun in La Manga

BC - Should be staying with Tamp in SF, fizin BC! Will ride some ant waves 2moro.

Jackie - Hope you're well on the way to recovery x

Phil, Ross, Mitch and James - Oooh Saucy! You guys gone your separate ways yet?

Ross - Peeek ehhh - when you get your results?

Colin - Would all paenger requiring traveller ticket pleae go to the purer offi.

Bob - If you'll just be quiet please. Just settle down now please. BE QUIET PLEASE. I'll be off the 4:40.

Loy and Steve - My fellow geeks. Congratulations - I see a humungous pissup on the horizon.

Andy - Der hows it all gan boss? Still a tim?

Caz - Can't believe you got a 2-2. You little little legend with huge, huge feet.

Faisal - Wicked talking to you at the airport mate, hope its all good. VTEC SYTLE!

Kimmy G - OUCH!!! Hope you're back on track soon!

Emma - Emms, apologies for lack of email chat, so bloody busy drinking Cava!

Richie, Glen - I mean shit!

Catherine and Lucy - Fiji is the best place I've ever been - so jealous already!

Alex, Rita, Sabrina and Andy - What a quality time on the Yasawas! SSI was outstanding, especially the benches! Love your work.

Layla and Mary - You guys will never know how much you were missed in such a short space of time. Enjoy the US x

Alan, Toby and Tom - Da Volleyball lads. Brilliant time, good beer and fine wine. See you down in Camb for a few shandies!!

James, Dan and Rich - Some good skills on the court lads, played. Hope the chafing's stopped!