Fiji

My first visit to Fiji lasted for only a few hours. I had a long layover between flights from Kiribati to Tonga, so I left the airport for a little. But it was my second visit, a few months later, that gave me the chance to properly experience the country.

I based myself in Nadi, where I explored the beaches, visited colorful Hindu temples, and wandered into a local backpacker hostel, where I was introduced to kava, Fiji’s traditional drink. Even better, I reunited with my Argentine friend Rama, whom I’d met earlier in my travels. We had managed to coordinate parts of our Pacific island journeys so we could explore together. Along with Gabi from Brazil and Pablo from Spain, two fellow solo travelers, we hiked through the lush countryside and slung mud at each other in one of the island’s famous mud baths. Fiji is undeniably beautiful, but what I remember most is experiencing it alongside a group of travelers who, just like me, had found themselves on the other side of the world in search of adventure.