Bula! it's Fiji time!

We spent a relaxing week in Wananavu Beach resort in Viti Levu main island of Fiji. In the end of the trip we wanted to just dive last few times and relax so we decided to take an all inclusive package. We did 11 dives in five days and just relaxed the last day. Diving was really good! We saw white tip and grey reef sharks almost during every dive. The coral colors and fish life was really great. Highly recommended place to dive in Fiji. There are some pics in the web page of the dive shop taken during we were diving there. You can check them out here.

The resort was really nice too, it's basically in the middle of nowhere. The resort has a small beach though we never swam or sunbathed there since after diving you don't really want to go to water anymore. On the last day we did a bit of swimming in their nice swimming pool. Food, which was included of course was good and there were way more than enough it ;)

Some countries have weird questions in their customs forms. The Fiji form is a good example.

We had a cute pet in our bure. These fellows, after growing up a bit, eat insects so they are very welcome.

Maija and other divers getting ready for a dive trip.

Reading at the pool. We have to say that the kindle is quite handy!

At lunch and at dinner there was always live music in the restaurant. During dinner they also served Kava.

These flowers were used in decorations.

Lazing in the hemmock...

At the moment we are in Sydney until next Wednesday. Sydney is a nice city, it's lovely to walk around here. We maybe do also a trip to the Blue Mountains.

Some bridge... Looks familiar.

Kraftwerk plays here on monday

-Maija & Olli

New Zealand - South island

South Island is probably the most beautiful place we have ever been. There are mountains, lakes, rivers, waterfalls, sea and ocean and amazing nature. If you are a nature lover this is the place to go! But if you are an extreme sports lover this is STILL the place to go! =)

We flew from Auckland to Christchurch. We were in Christchurch in 2009 before the massive earthquakes (2010, 2011) and remembered it as a nice, small city.  Now everything has changed. Contstruction is just beginning. Buildings are still in bad shape, being demolished or totally leveled. There are only few restaurants open, streets are blocked. Somebody said it takes almost 20 years to rebuild everything. 

Anyways, we decided to drive south the same day in order to get away from Christchurch as soon as possible. We rented a car from the same place as three and a half years ago. And we actually got the exact same car as then! Nissan Pulsar still going strong… or not so strong as you will see later :)

We drove south but didn't have any strict plans where or when to go.Well, except for one thing. Many restaurant in South or North island has had a sign that advertises "Bluff oysters". So there we got a good excuse to go to Bluff which is almost the most southern point of the south island. Not to eat the nasty oysters of course but just… well, just because we wanted to see is there is something else special about Bluff. It turns out there isn't. Oh well.

During our two week stay we walked a lot. There are just so good hike trails all over the place. We also did jetboating in Queenstown (mecca for extreme sports and other fun stuff) and a helicopter flight in Fox and Franz Josef Glaciers  This was our first time in helicopter. It was a lot of fun and also very amazing way to explore the glaciers.

Milford Sound is an absolute must visit if one comes to New Zealand. Just the drive from Te Anau (nearest town) to Milford Sound is unbelievably beautiful and full of hike trails and photo opportunities. Apparently Milford Sound is New Zealand's most visited tourist spot but definitely for a reason. Quite remarkable… We have been there before but this time we did a cruise to see the fjord from a different point of view.

Nice surprise in a random motel... Would you like to have a cheaper room with a sauna...? Why, yes of course! Notice the spray bottle as löylykauha.

What works as car heater in Finland works here in hotel rooms.

Soup of the day and shrimp cocktail.

Lamb shanks.

Nice thick steak.

Green lipped mussels from Bluff.

Bluff.

Moeraki Boulders.

Queenstown lake

It is autumn here so rowan are ripe.

We walked a lot...

...and little bit more.

We found a Monkey island.

There was a dog...

...but no monkeys.

You could collect your dinner right at the beach.

Mirror lake

Views on the way to Milford Sound.

Mitre peak at Milford Sound.

We did a cruise at beautiful Millford sounds. 

Seals were just chilaxing.

There were probably 4-5 different cruise operators.

Kea, a local mountain parrot. Likes apples.... and window seals of cars.

The Chasm.

A house passed by.

View from our motel in Queenstown.

The car almost left us to the road. Fortunately it stalled right next to a workshop.  We got lucky =)

Ready for a helicopter flight.

Pilots negotiating about todays route....

We landed on the top of the mountain. (Snowlanding was not possible because of wind)

Glaciers looked amazing. 

Some pictures from the demolished Christchurch. It is depressing town nowadays so we can't recommend spending any more time than is needed.

This cathedral is right in the center of Christchurch...

Temporary bank in a container.

We were going to stay in same hostel as last time but this was all that was left... Containers keeping the remaining wall erect until perhaps some day they will reconstruct the building... our room was just behind the palm tree.

Tomorrow, it's Fiji time!
We decided to end our trip in tropical Fiji that we loved last time. We'll have a one week diving holiday there, this time staying on the main island Viti Levu instead going to the beautiful Yasawa islands.. Then we'll spend a long weekend in Sydney before flying back to London and Finland in the end of this month.

-Maija & Olli