NurseyFiji

I didn't get off to the greatest of starts in Fiji as I had a really nasty cold and couldn't really hear for the first couple of days. However, the Beach Escape Villas were fantastic and the staff were first class. The local mosquitoes were also really pleased to see me too and dined on my legs for 4 days - I think they liked the taste of my insect repellent.

I was really excited about going to Mana Island as Rakesh (really lovely receptionist/manager of the villas) said it was really lovely, the food was excellent and most importantly she had NEVER received any complaints about it. Retrospectively I find this very hard to believe.

Mana Island is beautiful, the white coral beaches and clear, warm ocean is absolute paradise. But the locals are a little careless with their rubbish and sometimes there were broken glass bottles in the sand and sea. I had only been on the Island for less than an hour when I opened my minor injuries unit on the beach. I treated mainly sun burn, mossie bites, hangovers and cut feet (from the rocks). My extensive first aid kit and drug supply has taken a bit of a battering. Alan tried many times to charge for my services but didn't get very far.

The food was interesting; we ate a LOT of boiled white rice with either a vegetable or chicken curry (it wasn't spicy), fried rice, bread and sausage stew. The people who worked there scowled at me alot because I never ate alot so in the end I fed my leftovers to the dogs, to avoid the scowls.

We made lots of friends though on the Island and spent pretty much every evening playing cards. It was a constant rotation of shithead and arsehole until Rob taught us poker, we were betting with matches.