From Surf to Scuba: Memorable Days in Fiji
July 23, 2024
Bula again!! We are sadly over halfway through our Fiji trip, but so many amazing things have happened!!
We woke up to a beautiful sunny day in Komave! The sun was shining, the birds were chirping, and we were ready to have a great day. We go surfing based on when the tide is highest, and today that was around 4 pm. So, we had all day to check out our new home and hang out. Breakfast was delicious and everyone either got pancakes or bacon & eggs. Two classic options that reminded us of home! After breakfast, some of the kids went to the café to check out the souvenirs and buy some coffee that they have been missing. Afterward, everyone put their swimsuits on to hang out until it was time to go surf. The kids all pulled chairs up to the hammocks so they could all sit together, listen to music, and talk. We all soaked up the sun for a few hours, ate lunch, then it was eventually time to go surf!! This was a heavily anticipated activity and everyone was super excited to get in the water. We took a moment to practice our pop-ups so we could have the perfect technique once we were out there! Our guides, Bruce and Paul, drove us out to the wave break and we were ready to shred. It took a second for everyone to get it, but eventually everyone was popping right up and riding all of the waves in. Graham and Julian made up a trick where they get on the wave and then sit down like they’re driving a bus. It was hilarious to watch. Lilly mastered the art of starting with one foot forward and then jumping so the other foot was in front when she was riding the wave in. We surfed for as long as possible, but eventually the sun began to set and we were losing daylight. It felt like we were in a movie, surfing while watching a beautiful sunset. We got back to our hostel and everyone jumped right into the pool. We all tried to take an underwater group selfie and we couldn’t stop laughing at the results. Needless to say, it was a fail. We ate our dinner and it was delicious. We had moonup next to the beach and under the stars.
Everyone was excited for another day of surfing!! We woke up to some rain. While this would be considered a bummer to most, nothing could get us down! We used the morning to chill and play cards, and moved our morning activity to after lunch. Llewis got a hot chocolate from the café and was hooked. I don’t know if he was without one all day. After we ate lunch, we got picked up by a boat to go fishing! Everyone was excited to see what we could catch. We went trolling, and drove the boat around listening to music. After a while, nothing was biting, so we decided to jump in the Gatorade blue water and swim around. We all climbed to the top of the boat and everyone showed off their tricks! Eventually, it was time to go back so we could go surfing. The storm from the morning picked up the surf, so we got to surf some bigger waves than yesterday’s. It was clear that everyone remembered their skills from yesterday because everyone was surfing like a pro! Charles was the last man standing, and made sure to take in every second he could from surfing! We had a long day, and everyone was getting tired so we decided to call last wave. We showered off then had another delicious dinner. We played a few rounds of Dutch cup, which has become a group favorite card game. Soleil has picked it up super quickly, and now regularly wins against William and I. It got to the point where we couldn’t keep our eyes open any longer, so we had to go to sleep.
We woke up and watched the sunrise this morning! We had to pack up all of our stuff and head out of Komave to go to Pacific Harbour for the scuba portion of our trip! This was one of the main reasons a lot of the kids chose this trip, so they were all excited to see what it’s all about. We got to Pacific Harbour and Frances thoughtfully made everyone some breakfast. The kids switched off playing pool and sitting in the hammocks until it was time for lunch. After lunch, we headed down to the beach for the rest of the afternoon. Once it got hot enough, everyone ran into the ocean to get refreshed. We went home to shower off for dinner. We all got big pizzas to share and they were delicious. Also, we were greeted by Bean, the restaurants cat! We went back for moonup, then hung out in the hammocks until it was time for bed.
This morning was exciting because the kids got to start their open water certifications! We split them into two groups and they switched off being in the pool to practice their skills. They did their skills until it was time for lunch. We ate then got ready to test out their skills in the ocean! Me and the kids who were already advanced went on the boat to help them and enjoy the boat ride. We ended up sitting on the top of the boat and talking the whole time. It ended up being such a blast, and we could see the other kids in the water while they practiced their skills. We rode back to shore then went to dinner at a local Chinese/Fijian/Indian restaurant. Everyone got to get sodas with their meals, and everyone who tried something new talked about how great their meal was. We had a long day, so we decided to surprise the kids with ice cream! We all devoured our ice cream then had moonup. We hung out for a little bit before deciding it was time for bed.
Today we had a super exciting day because it was Margaret’s birthday!! We had a wonderful breakfast then told everyone to get ready for the day. We took them to the local arts village to buy some souvenirs to bring home and check out the coffee shop. Everyone found some great things to bring home and give to their friends and families. We walked back with a few hours to spare before lunch, so we all headed over to the local braider to get some swag. Knox was first up, and got some colorful beaded braids in his hair. Everyone kept telling him how good he looked! We ate lunch then went back to the braid shop before it was time to go scuba diving. The kids who are getting their advanced certification got to dive for this first time today, so that was exciting! Additionally, the kids getting their open water certification were finishing up their skills and were finally getting the chance to do a “fun” dive. We all got in the boat excited for the dives. We drove out to a different reef than the day before and the kids all jumped right on in! They came back onto the boat raving about all of the colorful fish they saw underwater. We headed back to shore as the sun was setting. It was a magical day! We were excited to take them all to our favorite dinner restaurant: Grace’s kitchen. We encouraged everyone to try the crunchy chicken roll, and many of them followed our lead and loved it! We chowed down then the kids went to the grocery store to get some candy for the rest of the week. They even found some Dr. Pepper, a southern delicacy! Caroline found a poster of Chow, her favorite Fijian snack, and just had to get it. We headed home with a surprise: a little cake to celebrate Margaret’s birthday! We all signed a card then sung her a happy birthday. To many people’s disappoint, it was in fact her cake in the box and not three new pet bunnies. We all ate the cake and celebrated Margaret, then had a moonup led by Raines and Cole. Their serious question was who is your biggest role model, and their fun question was what fictional character is the person to your left. This made for some pretty good answers. We closed moonup by playing ring around the rosy, then called it a night.
Vinaka, and here are some thank you’s from the kids!! – Caitlyn + William
Soleil- Thank you so much for sending me on this trip, it has been so much fun. It is so pretty here and the people have been so nice. I can’t wait to tell you guys everything about it when I get home. Tell Sage and Sky I miss them and love them.
Margaret- Thank you so much for sending to Fiji it’s been so fun! I miss and love yall so much!
Graham – thanks for letting me go to Fiji it’s so cool and I’m having lots of fun.
Julian – Thank you guys so much for sending me to Fiji. I can’t wait to see yall soon.
Knox – Thank you so much for sending me to Fiji. Also surfing is super cool. love yall and I hope yall are doing well.
Charles- thank you for sending me to Fiji. Im having fun riding in the van with everyone. Miss you
Raines- Thank yall so much for letting me go to Fiji I’m having so much fun! Can’t wait to see yall. Love yall!!
Caroline- Thank yall for sending me to Fiji! I love it Here and I can’t wait to tell yall all about it! love yall!!!
Frances- Thank y’all so much for letting me go to Fiji!! This place is amazing!! I miss yall so much!! Love y’all and can’t wait to see y’all!!
Lilly- thank you so much for sending me on moondance, Fiji is so cool! Love you guys and I can’t wait to tell you about it soon.
Llewis- Thank you guys for sending on moondance I love Fiji it’s been amazing. love yall miss yall and i can’t wait to tell you all about it
Cole – Thanks for sending me to Fiji this place is surreal. Can’t wait to see you guys and tell you guys everything. Love yall bye.
Bula from Fiji!
July 19, 2024
Bula bula bula from the magical and amazing island of Fiji!! We have been having a blast, and cannot wait to fill you in.
We started off bright and early and picked the kids up from the airport after their flight from LAX. Despite a night of not-so-quality sleep on the airplane, they all walked out with beaming smiles!! We took everyone to the Gateway Hotel for a quick breakfast where everyone enjoyed some delicious pineapple and watermelon. After finishing up, we got into the car which took us to Club Oceanus for the night! Along the way, we stopped at a supermarket, and everyone was quick to try the local Fijian snacks. Cole got smoked chicken chips and let everyone try them! He enjoyed them, but that was not the majority opinion. We finally arrived at Club O, and the kids took time to explore and set up their hammocks while we waited for lunch to be ready. After lunch, we all changed into our swimsuits and walked over to the local beach. It was a little windy at this point and starting to get cold, so we weren’t there for long. The boys passed the football around, and the girls talked to some Australian girls their same age. Eventually, everyone was cold and ready to leave, so we went back and showered to get ready for dinner. We hung out in the hammocks and talked before deciding we were all getting hungry and tired and needed to go eat. We originally went to The Skinny Bean, but it ended up being closed, so we pivoted to The Establishment!! This ended up being a better option anyway because they had live music!! Caroline, Frances, and Raines took this opportunity to go dance and sing with the band. This is where they started their dance to the song Shotgun by George Ezra that they have performed to everyone who will watch. After dinner, we headed back to Club O for our first Moonup!! We have Moonup every night here on Moondance, and it’s a way for everyone to get to know each other and be grateful for each day. By the end of Moonup, everyone was exhausted from the jet lag and ready for bed. We called it a night and hit the hay excited to see what tomorrow will bring!!
The next day we got to sleep in a little bit. But the kids didn’t really need it as they are still accustomed to American time. We ate breakfast then packed our backpacks for the next three days in the village!! Everyone was so pumped that we were starting with the cultural immersion part of the trip so we can understand Fijian culture before spending the next two weeks here!! Once everyone was packed, they had a little time to hang out before our ride arrived, and it was time to go!! We listened to music and chatted on the bus ride, and it flew by. We stopped for snacks on the way, and Graham was a trendsetter by getting the chicken tikka sandwich. Soon others followed his lead (including me) and got the sandwich. We headed on our way and made it to their office where we dropped off all our duffels and got to switch to an open-air truck!! We got to ride down the dirt roads and pass all of the villages in it, and everyone was screaming “Bula!!!” to all of the locals. We finally arrived at Draiba, just in time for lunch!! We had a sandwich and some fruit, then had our first rest time. The boys used their shirts as fans-they claimed spinning the shirts one way used the sun’s energy and brought in heat, and the opposite way brought in the moon’s energy and cooled everyone off. It was quite the invention. Soleil and Margaret made friends with Simele, our guide, and he showed them a few magic tricks. We were all stumped by how he was pulling them off, but he eventually showed us his tricks. Both of the girls learned them, then took their skills to the village to impress the local kids! You will have to ask them to show you when they come home. Rest time ended, then we headed down to the river to swim. We passed the rugby ball around and perfected our skills to play with the locals later. The river was super refreshing and just what we needed. After swimming, we went back to our campsite to grab our sulus to go have the kava ceremony in the village! Fijian villages perform a kava ceremony every time they host visitors as a way to ask the chief and elders for permission to stay. Our wish was granted, and they accepted us with open arms!! We walked to the kava ceremony through the river, but by the time we had to go back, it was dark. So, we got to ride in the truck back to our campsite! The boys all got to ride in the truck bed with one of the locals. We got back to our campsite for dinner. It was so delicious and we needed it after a long first day. We all chowed down, and the locals told us to “kanabalevu” meaning eat more!! We all went for seconds, then were stuffed for the rest of the night. We admired the stars, then Julian and Raines, our first LODs, began Moonup!! They killed it, especially with their funny question: name a superpower then the next person has to name its downfall. Some examples include invisibility but only at night and shapeshifting but only into a foam cube. We had a laugh with that one, then went to bed after a long day.
We woke up excited to spend a full day in Draiba, and everyone was most excited to finally get to play with the local kids! We had to wait until they got out of school, so we filled our day with other fun activities. After breakfast, we all put our tennis shoes on for a quick hike to get firewood. It didn’t take long for us to hike up the hill and see some magical views! Everyone got some sticks and tied them up the way the locals taught us. We took the firewood down to our campsite, then got ready to go swim in the river. We were all super hot after our hike in the sun, and it was super refreshing to hop into the river. We frolicked in the water until lunch was ready. Lunch was a delicious roti wrap with an assortment of fruits. We were eating good! We fueled up for the rest of the day, then had a quick rest time while it lightly rained. Once the rain was over, we got ready to go to the village. We walked through the trees to get there, and it was a little slippery but fun! We walked out of the trees right onto the rugby field! Soon enough, the kids came running to the field so excited to play with us. It was adorable. We played some touch rugby, and the girls taught the kids a dance, then eventually our playtime was over. We walked back to our campsite but not before taking a final dip in the river with all of the kids! It was a great time, and we all needed to jump in the river after playing rugby on the field. The sun was setting, and it was time for us to have dinner, so we had to say our sad goodbyes to the local kids. Even though we only knew them for two days, we know they will leave a lasting impact on us! We changed for dinner, then danced to Una’s music (one of our guides). A fan favorite is the song “Your Number,” and I’m sure all of the kids will play it for y’all when they come home! Dinner was eventually ready. We ate, then had Moonup where Llewis was one of our LODs, and he brought one of the puppies he found earlier in for Moonup! We wrapped up our day, then quickly went to bed because we were all so tired.
We had an early morning where we had to pack up all of our things because we were going kayaking!! Everyone was super excited to spend the day on the water with each other. I paired them all up, then we headed out for the day! They all took it easy and took the time to get to know each other and talk. We paddled for a few hours, then it was time for lunch. We had lunch on the outskirts of a village on the side of the river. It was super special. They made some fish for us, which was super good. I was really proud of all of the kids who tried it, as they had to pick the meat off of the bones. We had some sodas, then got back to the river for our final leg of kayaking. The villages line the river, so we were just kayaking from the Draiba village to the Tuvu village. After lots of riddles (four is the magic number, 2 dads and 2 sons go fishing, and more), we finally arrived at Tuvu!!! We were so excited to be here and meet all of the locals who live here. We got to the village, and they greeted us with excitement and smiles! We were super excited to stay here because we were actually staying in the village, while at Draiba we stayed at their campsite. We had tea and snacks, then they invited us to go play rugby with them. The girls watched while the boys played. They mixed teams with the local kids, then split into three teams: USA, France, and South Africa. It was so fun watching them play. They switched off who played. While two of the teams played, the third team acted as refs. We all had fun, but eventually, the kids outplayed us, and everyone was tired. We moved into the community hall, which was our room for the night, and played a few rounds of BS. Lilly had a unique strategy of sliding in some extra cards when it was her turn, and it made her a huge threat in the game. After everyone was done playing rugby, and the elders were ready, they performed a kava ceremony for us. We then introduced ourselves by saying our names and where we are from, and then we were accepted!! We helped set out dinner, then sat down to eat. It was similar to the food in Draiba, but they had some different dishes that we were excited to try. After eating and eating, we were so full and tired. We cleared our dishes, then got ready for Moonup. The fun question tonight was: what animal is the person to your left? It was hilarious hearing everyone’s answers and their reasonings. Then we closed Moonup by everyone making the noise of the animal they were given. Everyone hung out for a little bit with the local kids while their parents ate dinner, then we all got ready for bed. We had one big sleepover, and it was a great way to spend our last night in the village!
The next morning was bittersweet as we had to say goodbye to all of our new friends we had made! We told them thank you for our time in the village, then got back on the kayaks to head down the river for a cave tour and lunch!! The kids were motivated by a crisp, cold soda waiting for them on the other side of the river. We kayaked for a few hours, and then we were finally there! We took a car to the cave where we got to go inside and see where the cannibals used to live. They even brought us over to the “cannibal oven” where they would light a fire and cook their prey!! It was definitely creepy. We then got to the end and turned our lights off and screamed “BULA!!” at the top of our lungs to say hi to all of the cannibals that used to live there. After hearing more about the history of Fiji and cannibalism, we exited the cave and went to lunch. Everyone got their sodas, and we all had what was arguably the best lunch ever. The guides grilled us some sausage, and we had some amazing fruit. After we couldn’t physically eat anymore, we got back into the open-air truck to head back to the office. I was entertained the whole way by Knox, as we talked about music and families. It was awesome. We were reunited with all of our things, and we loaded everything up into the truck to head back to Club O! We stopped on our way, and we got some ice cream bars!! This was such a delicious and refreshing treat, and we all needed something sweet. The kids added to their playlist, and we bumped it the whole ride home. I’m really impressed with their music taste! We got back and ordered some dinner, and I think everyone ordered either chicken tenders or a burger. It was refreshing to have a taste of home after spending our first few days here in Fiji! We had Moonup, then the kids set up their hammocks and hung out there for a few hours. Even though they don’t know the time, they thought it was midnight, and everyone went to Cole’s room to wish him a happy birthday!! It was super sweet.
We woke up the next day for Cole’s actual birthday, and it was the best day for it because we were going white water rafting!! This is always a fan favorite among the kids, so I couldn’t wait for all of them to experience it. We woke up before the sun was even up to have some breakfast. While we ate, we listened to their playlist and waited for the van to come get us. The ride there is always super fun because they turn the music all the way up, and we ride with all of the windows down. We were jamming the whole way there, and everyone was singing along to the music. We made it there, and it was super cloudy and cold, so I told the kids to dance a little, and it would make the sun come out… I didn’t think it would actually work, but sure enough, the sun came out shining!! We had a short jungle hike to the river, then got into our groups for the day. We had a quick safety briefing, then got on the river. It starts with some quick rapids, but then the rest of the time is spent cruising along on lighter rapids. We were all in awe of the beautiful waterfalls and views. As the river rapids slowed, we took the opportunity to ambush other people’s rafts and try to tackle them off. I don’t think anyone made it out without being pulled off their raft at some point. It was so funny, and everyone was laughing. We stopped for lunch by a waterfall. Everyone made a delicious sandwich and had some pineapple and watermelon. After lunch, everyone got under the waterfall for a group picture. We then rafted the rest of the river, and before we knew it, the day was over! We were all sad it ended so quickly. We got back into the van and had some more sodas, and we even got some cookies!! It was just what we needed. We listened to more music on the way out, then finally made it back to Club O. We weren’t there for long, as we just grabbed our bags, and we were on our way to a new place!! All of the kids were curious to see what it would be like and couldn’t wait to get there. We finally pulled up to Fiji Beachouse, and everyone was amazed. This place is luxurious. The kids had a photo shoot, went swimming, and took time to explore our new home! They all had to try the virgin piña coladas and test out the hammocks. We ordered dinner, then had a special surprise for Cole’s birthday!! The kids all secretly signed a card William and I bought, then we brought over a little birthday cake for him and sang happy birthday!! It was the perfect Fijian birthday, and everyone was excited for the opportunity to celebrate him. We wrapped up our day with Moonup, and everyone is looking forward to tomorrow because we get to go surfing!!! Talk again soon, thanks for reading!!
Vinaka,
Caitlyn & William
Here are some shoutouts from the kids!!
Charles- Dear mom and dad I’m having the best time right now and really enjoy my group and all the activities we’ve done so far. Love you
Llewis- Hi mom and dad I’m having a great time I’m making a lot of friends and making the best experiences I don’t wanna leave. Also yall didn’t pack enough love yall
Cole- yo mom and dad I’m having a fun time at Fiji rn. I’ve met lots of new people and a few of these people I have given funny nicknames. Oh yeah happy bd to me as well. Miss yall can’t wait to see you guys. bye.
Margaret- Hey mom and dad Fijis been great so far! It’s been so nice meeting new people and hanging out. I love and miss yall you much!
Soleil- Hi mom and dad! Fiji has been amazing and the village was so much fun! I love and miss you guys! I can’t wait to see you soon!
Caroline- Hey mom and dad! I’m having the best time ever!! I don’t ever wanna leave Fiji it’s so pretty! Also I loveeee my group! Miss yall so much and love yall!!!
Frances- Hey mom and dad I miss yall!! I’m having so much fun I love it here!! I love my group everyone’s so fun!! I don’t want to leavee!! Love yall!!
Knox- Hey mom and dad, this trip is amazing and I love the group. the activities are super fun especially the village. tell Owen and Leo that I miss them. love yall
Raines- Hey mom and dad!! I miss yall so much and I’m having so much fun! I love the people in my group and the village was so much fun! Tell Evie and Carter I said hey! Love yall!!
Lilly- hey mom and dad, Fiji is so fun and pretty. My group is great! I love you guysss
Julian- hi mom and dad, Fiji has been elite so far. I’m having fun with the fellas and there’s really not more you could ask for. Love you guys.
Graham – hey mom and dad Fiji is going good see you soon love yall.
Safe Arrival in Fiji!
July 12, 2024
Hello Fiji Families!
We heard from our leaders this afternoon that the group arrived safely in Nadi, Fiji! We are so excited for the group to get out there, and can’t wait to hear all about their exciting adventures over the next couple of weeks!
Please remember our leaders and students will be unplugged during their trips, but we will be posting trip updates throughout the next two weeks! This will allow you to follow along with the trip. You can also follow us on Instagram, @moondanceadventures, to see more of what we are up to!
-Moondance HQ
