Fee-jee part 3

In Fee-jee part 2 I calmly and efficiently berated the artificiality of resorts. This week I intend to take a 180 degree turn. Because I've already talked in depth about Fiji, and rather than point by point contradicting everything I wrote in part 2, I'll let our photos from the Sheraton (and surrounding resorts) on Denarau Island do most of the talking.

The view from our room, equipped with teasing view of water.

Pools:  While the surrealness of resorts can be confining, it also elicits an appreciation for the creative imagination that must go into planning them. This was especially true in and around our resort, where grandiosely oversized pools wound their way through palm trees, straw huts, and under bridges. The water was also relatively cold which meant I was one of the few idiots splashing around in the seemingly endless watery expanse.

The perfection of the many variations on poolside lounge chair positions, shapes, and comfort.

Despite its appearance, this photo was not taken from a brochure for the Sheraton.

At a neighboring resort, the pool lit up at night. Yet closed at 7 pm, so it was just for looks.

Dine in lower leg drenched luxury!

Food/drink:  We spent a lot of time drinking duty-free spirits picked up at the Auckland airport. This was to avoid the sometimes outrageously priced poolside fruity cocktails that resorts are known for. I personally am perfectly happy sipping a whiskey-coke or screwdriver rather than a $25 pina colada. Though we did get some crazy cherry amaretto thing the last night that made me regret my frugality slightly. There was one meal in which all parsimoniousness was thrown out the window - a buffet at one of the many resort restaurants. It was seafood night.

Taken moments before I exploded this claw that shot in a slow-motion arc across the restaurant.

Plate 2? 3? 4?!?!

Always, always space for dessert.

Normal things done slightly differently:  Resorts want you to stay at the resort (to spend more money) and enjoy the laid back lifestyle (to give a better review), but they also want you to have a unique experience.

Barefoot at the driving range with very used clubs. I can't get over how big my hobbit feet look.

Giant chess! I won't say who won, but let's just say that my new chess strategy is to drag out the match long enough that my opponent gets drunk and loses interest...

Our room cleaners repeatedly left us one bathrobe only. 1 star.

And of course - sunsets:  Ahh the sky is on fire!

The apocalypse approaches.

Run for your lives!

It's too late for us, I guess we have to sit here and accept our fate..

All in all, Fiji was a great 4 days (must have been if it gave me source material for 3 blog posts). I recommend visiting, especially if you have the budget to really live the resort lifestyle or travel from one tiny scuba/snorkel island to the next. However I would probably avoid going back in the near term, given the plethora of other Pacific island nations there are to visit.

Cheers!

::Lets out contented sigh::