From Fiji to Cairns

I had planned to spend the last morning just walking around Nadi, maybe checking out the local Hindu Temple.  I was reeeeeally tired and sore, though, after the spelunking trip, so I took my time getting repacked to check out of the hostel, have a leisurely breakfast, and maybe get that massage I didn't get the night before.  I had two days of travel coming up, and didn't want to be too tired and sore to enjoy the Great Barrier Reef, which was my next stop.  While I wasn't going far, comparatively, air travel that is broken up is more tiring to me than long flights, and this was split up.  I was coming into Sydney on the last flight in before the airport closed for the night and had to stay overnight in a hotel, getting up early to catch my flight to Cairns.

So, I picked a nice table in the shade to set my computer up on with a beautiful view of the beach, got breakfast, and settled in for a nice, relaxing day watching the beach, the water, and trying to get pictures of the mina birds.

Breakfast was great, but getting pictures of the mina birds proved to be an exercise in futility.  Every time they came up close, they left the second I took out my camera.  Mina birds are exceptionally common and are simply everywhere in Nadi, Fiji.  You'll notice, however, that there are no mina birds in any of my pictures.  Not even in this one, where the bird ducked behind the leaves just as I snapped the shot!

After digesting breakfast, I got that massage.  The massage room was set up behind the front desk and beside the concierge desk.  I was expecting a sheet or something to be drawn, but nope.  For a massage, you stripped down in front of everybody.  Not being shy and needing a massage, I was game.  Nobody seemed to notice, and the massage was heavenly.  Once it was over, she brought a towel to me to wipe off the oils, and I got dressed again.  Still, nobody noticed.  Sometimes, it's nice to be in an environment where the human body isn't a threat!

Soon after the massage, it was time to go to the airport.  After an uneventful flight, I landed in Sydney, hit the ATM, and caught a cab to the hostel I had booked for the night.  It was late, so I had to use the phone by the side door for the desk clerk to let me in.  When I asked for the advertised and promised shuttle to the airport, the driver was no longer answering his phone, so they gave me his card and told me to call him if he didn't show up because the desk wouldn't be open by the time I wanted to leave.  I didn't bother to tell them that I didn't have an Australian SIM card, wasn't spending international calling prices on a cheap shuttle, or if he didn't show up, I would be calling into the apartment where that side door phone rings.  But, the shuttle showed up on time and got me to the airport with time to spare.  I had a Hungry Jack's (Burger King) sausage and biscuit for breakfast, and boarded the plane for Cairns.

The northern coastline is beautiful from the air! The picture doesn't do it justice, but it was the best I could do.

When we landed, I got my bags and grabbed the shuttle to the hostel - the Calypso Mad Monkey.  Initially, I had intended to check out some of the town, but when they agreed to store my big suitcase the night I was on the reef, I decided to take that time to continue resting and rearrange my things so I didn't have to carry all that on the boat.  The company that booked the shuttle to the boat told me the shuttle didn't stop at the Mad Monkey, so I had to walk around the corner to a different hostel.  I didn't want to lug that suitcase all the way around the block, either.  So, I consolidated everything I needed on the boat into my purse (which is pretty sizable), and my backpack (which was packed full of the electronics).  I carried my snorkel mask in its own bag, with one of my bathing suits stuffed in with it.

I had a burger from the grill in the hostel and sat at a table watching the kids (young adults) play beer pong around the pool and listened to some fun tunes.  At one point, they played The Hokey Pokey an German and a few guys really got into the dance!  Then somebody put on Crazy Train, and the kids apparently still love it.  I told a couple of them that the song came out when I was in high school.  Wasn't sure whether they asked if the song was that old or if I was that old.  Either way, we're both pretty old for being at a youth hostel!  I love it, though.  Even though I'm past playing beer pong and such, being around the kids enjoying life helps energize me.  And thankfully, these days, hostels tend to have a few private rooms because I'm over the dorms, at this point!  I did take some time to soak my feet in the pool after most of the kids left and went out for the night.

After soaking my feet and taking a shower, I tucked in early for the night so I could be well rested for the Great Barrier Reef.