Siestas are free and bats are nocturnal!

Hold on here….before you start…you can blame the category 3 tropical cyclone, Mick for this tardy blog..not us. Plus it’s Christmas..you can’t really be mad?!?! Anywho, we are currently on Mana Island living the REAL island dream- absolutely perfect just no internet to entertain all of you!! But because we feel that the blog has become our duty to you we are writing this offline and will post it as soon as we are on the mainland. To fill those in about this tropical cyclone which many of you won’t know about- so our 2nd day in Fiji, we were on the Yanuca Island when we woke up to an overcast and slightly breezy day with light showers, during breakfast one of the activities coordinators walked around the dining area with a megaphone announcing that all activities were suspended due to incoming weather…we ignored it…afterall, you never want to interrupt 3 backpackers at an all-you-can eat buffet!!! (Which was the BEST all-inclusive food we have ever had…for real…not just because our standards have dropped over the last 3 months!) Following breakfast we noticed that the mist had now turned to heavy rainfall…so we headed to our super-lush room to pamper ourselves. Shortly after, there was a knock on the door- an employee giving out our first weather bulletin stating that we were in line to be hit by Tropical Cyclone Mick- it instructed us to close all doors and drapes, keep all belongings off the floor because of flooding, and if walking outside, stay under shelter because of falling trees/branches. Our crucial hours were a couple hours prior to the eye of the storm hitting the area which was 5-8pm for us (our bulletin was given at approx 12 noon). A few hours later-visibility decreased as winds drastically picked up, canopies were ripping off, palm trees were swaying if not snapping off…our ocean view room no longer had an ocean view…it was a haze! The next bulletin now instructed us that NOBODY was allowed to leave their rooms for any circumstance until further notice. All meals were going to be delivered to our room and that if we had any questions to call the main desk. At this point, the power started to flicker and we didn’t know what to think…we all laughed because apparently mother nature had it out for us…2 earthquakes and a tropical cyclone?!?! As if we hadn’t spent enough time together, but now a lockdown for 18 hours in a room…and you can guess what happened there………………we sat and reminisced about our trip, even having a good laugh while watching videos from Briana’s well-thought out gift from her Mick-nugget - her video camera and then off to bed. We slept ridiculously soundly considering the big storm and awoke to sunny skies… with mayheim. The resort was trashed, nothing structural, but the haven we had arrived to the day prior was a different sight. Palm trees were snapped at the root, massive trees were uprooted, the ocean was a disaster with roots and trees hundreds of feet out, the pools were filled with debris and coconuts everywhere. The poor staff worked endlessly and tirelessly cleaning the resort. We had 2 more days at that resort, the weather was absolutely beautiful, so hot that a bottle of sunscreen was used in 2 days. Then we left to Mana Island on Dec.17th for 5 days. Wow, the ferry ride was a sight….crystal blue and green waters with islands and white sand beaches scattered as far as the eye could see. We even passed the island where the movie ‘Castaway’ was filmed….. “Wilson!!!!” Once on Mana Island we quickly realized that this island was definitely hit harder by the cyclone and we were thankful that we were not on it when it hit however, still amazingly breathtaking. So, to be quite honest, we have absolutely nothing to write about as we don’t do much here except soak up the sun. The weather has been phenomenal everyday. To sum it up, our day is based around 2 things: high and low tide for the best snorkelling and when we can eat again. Our only 2 complaints: burning our ass cheeks because we’ve been snorkelling everyday and the bats that house themselves in trees above our TIN roofed hut…they (after careful observation) pick the fruit off the tree to eat and then drop it (this fruit is the size and weight of a crabapple…on steroids…). I know, it doesn’t sound too bad but just try imagine for us…please…because it’s driving us nuts…. drifting asleep to lapping waves on the nearby shore and then all of sudden … BAM! A bat just dropped a grenade…beside your head!!!! How do you feel??!!! You fall back asleep then…BAM, BAM, BAM…3 this time and now you’re really pissed and ponder, is it worth going to back to sleep? Where’s Trevor Dalziel and his pellet gun? Oh well, just some more humour to end this trip with, afterall siestas on the beach are free and bats are nocturnal! Anyway, just to let you know…this is our second last blog…ever! We are writing on our last blog from the airport on our way home! Yay! 2 more things to quickly mention- It’s Taya’s b’day today…she’s old boobs!!!! And Brittany has a phobia of admitting she has a phobia….ask her for more details and if she denies…your question has been answered. See you all soon! Love, the Tripod

P.S. We are currently sitting in the L.A. airport waiting to catch our flight to Calgary...one step closer to home!!!