Today, I was looking forward to moving to a new accommodation, Barefoot Manta Island Resort on Drawaqa Island. I was relieved because I had grown tired of the service at Oarsman’s Bay Lodge. I woke up promptly, and breakfast was scheduled for 8 am. It was satisfactory, a standard meal.
Following breakfast, I settled into my hammock, enjoying a moment of relaxation with my book. The weather started a bit cloudy, but as time passed, the clouds dispersed, and the sun emerged once more. At approximately 9 am, one of the staff members requested payment, prompting me to return to my room to retrieve the necessary funds.
Disappointing Service and Unmet Expectations at the Lodge
Inside their office, they informed me that they could only offer a discount for dinner and not a daily meal plan, as I had initially requested. The woman explained that they hadn’t anticipated such a high number of guests, resulting in the necessity to place me in the dorm with Fijian individuals. She clarified that the Fijian guests had paid for a dorm and were accordingly accommodated.
Despite hearing her explanations, I became convinced that they simply didn’t care about my situation. Why should I be concerned about their management issues? All I sought was fairness, to receive the same treatment as the other guests. I expressed my willingness to settle the payment but made it clear that I wouldn’t recommend their establishment to others.
Massage Gossip
I received a receipt, then headed back to my room to pack a few items into my bag. As I returned to my hammock, I noticed Valeria, the Italian girl, waving at me from the massage table, where she was receiving a massage from one of the staff members. Aware that I also had a voucher, she gestured for me to join. I shouted back that I was fine and reclined in my hammock.
Following her massage, she approached me and shared, “The woman giving me a massage said not to invite you over.” Curious, I inquired, “Why not?” She explained, “She didn’t want to give you a massage.” I chuckled and responded, “I don’t want a subpar massage, so finally something I agree on.”
Following lunch, we waited until 2 pm for the transfers to the large boat. We bid farewell to Elina and Robin, as they were extending their stay for a few more nights.
Sailing with the Yasawa Flyer
As we departed from Oarsman’s Bay Lodge, the weather was getting better. I was relieved to be leaving that unpleasant place behind. The staff showed a lack of enthusiasm and didn’t seem to care much. I empathized with Elina and Robin, as they were unable to secure a booking at the neighboring resort, Blue Lagoon, which was fully occupied.
After a 10-minute wait at the location, the Yasawa Flyer arrived, and we boarded within the next 10 minutes.
Sunbathing, Music, and a Forgotten Book
Once on board, I invited Andrea to join me on the top deck. Despite the wind, the sun was shining, and it wasn’t cold. Valeria laid out her towel for sunbathing, and that’s when I realized I had forgotten my book in my bag. I facepalmed, as I had left it in the hammock on the beach along with my towel. While the beach towel wasn’t a big concern due to its weight and size, the book held significant value. I had read about 20 chapters in the past few days and was thoroughly enjoying it.
I assured myself it was fine; the third part of the book was safely stored in my large backpack, and I could retrieve it at Barefoot Manta Island Resort, where I would be in an hour. Rather than reading, I opted to listen to music and bask in the sun. Life felt good in that moment. Spending time with Andrea and Valeria was delightful, and they even taught me some Italian. Regrettably, I wouldn’t see them again, as they were headed to Korovou Resort on Naviti Island with Jacob, who was currently seated inside the boat.
Time flew by, and after an hour, Andrea and Valeria disembarked from the flyer. Now alone, I glanced around, realizing my phone battery was nearly depleted. Without my captivating book, the journey felt incredibly dull. Engaging in conversation with new passengers, I struck up discussions with a group of American girls who had just concluded their volunteer work on the island.
Thirty minutes later, the boat reached Barefoot Manta Island Resort, and I was granted permission to disembark. Regrettably, I forgot to capture any pictures of the beach; it simply slipped my mind.
A Warm Welcome, Beach Exploration, and Exciting Activities
As the small boat approached the beach, a group of Fijians in blue shirts greeted us with a charming and welcoming song. Their warm gestures included handshakes and words of welcome. After completing some forms and presenting our vouchers, the lady instructed us to follow her colleague for a tour around the island. The island boasted three beautiful beaches: Sunset Beach (where we had arrived), Sunrise Beach, and Mantaray Beach.
During the tour, we received information about the opportunity to swim with manta rays at the dive shop, an activity I planned for the next day. Additionally, there was a volleyball field, and the island offered various free activities throughout the day. At the dive shop, complimentary tubes were available for use, provided they were returned afterward. Some people were leisurely drifting in tubes at Sunset Beach, enjoying a beer.
My Roommate Svetlana
After the tour around Barefoot Manta Island Resort, we learned about our assigned dormitories. I was allocated to Bure 4 at Sunrise Beach. With my backpack in tow, I headed straight to my designated spot. A fellow tour member, a German girl named Svetlana, also arrived at the dorm. Engaging in a pleasant conversation, I discovered that Svetlana had left Russia and moved to Germany at the age of seven.
Expressing my envy about her lower bed bunk, I jokingly suggested a switch. “No chance you wanna switch?” I quipped. My dislike for the upper bed stemmed from the increased difficulty of using my laptop; the elevated position posed a risk of hitting my head against the ceiling. Svetlana had also visited Sumatra but had a completely different experience. Starting in Medan, she found it to be a dirty and noisy city, eager to escape as soon as possible. I recalled the challenges of finding suitable accommodation in the bustling city.
Sunset at Sunset Beach
We chatted for about 15 minutes, and then I opted to recline in the hammock and listen to some music. My phone had a bit of charge left, and I didn’t mind if it ran out of power. After about 30 minutes, I decided to head to Sunset Beach to catch the sunset. Fortunately, I was in luck, and I took some beautiful pictures. On my way back, I captured images of the lobby building of Barefoot Manta Island Resort, where the tables were all set for dinner scheduled to start in an hour. It was 6 pm at the moment. The organization was impeccable, and the staff was delightful, providing a vastly different experience from Oarsman’s Bay Lodge. Finally, I found true enjoyment in my holiday here in Fiji.
The Disappointing Discovery
I went back to the dorm, or more accurately, the 4-person dorm. These were petite shacks with one bunk bed and two single beds. The single beds were already occupied, but our roommates hadn’t arrived yet. I searched for my new Game of Thrones book and discovered it was only Part 1. I facepalmed; now I was truly disappointed because I had planned to spend the day reading in a hammock.
In the middle of my search, our roommates arrived, a pair of Canadians from Montreal. Dan, 32, had been on a two-year travel journey and was now spending a few weeks with his sister in Fiji. Kim, 29, held a prominent position as a sales director for a fashion brand, which entailed frequent travel due to her job. I shared my situation with Kim and offered her my Game of Thrones book, as I no longer needed it. I was frustrated with myself for lugging around a useless book for five months, thinking I had Part 3 in my bag.
To address the missing items, I decided to visit the reception and inquire if they could contact Oarsman’s for my towel and the correct book. After providing some details about the items, the staff assured me they would make the call later since Oarsman’s was currently unresponsive (how typical).
Dinner Delights and Friendly Vibes
I returned to the dorm and engaged in more conversation with my roommates. I was relieved to find myself in the company of genuinely friendly individuals, considering my initial concerns about ending up with unsociable people. Soon, the sound of drums signaled that it was time for dinner. While I can’t recall the exact meal, I do remember it being delicious, a significant improvement from Oarsman’s. Dan expressed that it wasn’t quite sufficient for him, mentioning that he would request another plate if the portions were similar to what they had experienced before. His sister Kim, feeling a bit nauseous, decided to pass her plate to Dan, who was more than content with the extra serving.
At our table, we were joined by a German guy named Sebastian and a German girl, Catherine. The conversation flowed smoothly, touching on various travel topics, and it seemed like everyone was enjoying themselves (except perhaps for Kim). I also had my first Fiji Gold beer, and I found it quite enjoyable, ultimately consuming three in total.
After the delightful dinner, the staff treated us, the guests, to a musical treat with three beautiful Fijian songs. Their voices resonated with beauty, and the heartfelt performance had everyone in awe. The staff exuded genuine pride and joy during the performance, and I couldn’t help but smile and applaud along with the rest of the audience. Following dinner, some guests left the table, but Dan, Svetlana, Catherine, and I stayed until the end. Engaged in conversation, I enjoyed a moderate amount of alcohol, a habit of mine when having a good time. Dan shared captivating tales about the manta rays and even showcased some videos from his GoPro.
Squeaky Roommates and Midnight Adventures
At approximately 11 pm, we returned to the dorm, and Dan shared stories about mice and rats. While Svetlana was in the toilet, Dan spotted a mouse behind my backpack in the corner. Quickly reacting, he moved my backpack, and I observed the mouse scurrying along the wall underneath Kim’s bed. In a moment of disgust, I retreated with a scream, and we all burst into laughter over the unexpected encounter.
In the evening, the mice made a return appearance (and there were more of them) as they scavenged from the garbage bin. They scurried around the room, but I remained safely tucked away. The next morning, Svetlana informed me that she could feel them on her bed too. I chuckled, considering I had the higher bunk bed and nothing to complain about. ‘Thank God you didn’t want to switch beds earlier on!’ I remarked.
I worked on reports until 2 am, making significant progress. Before calling it a night, I watched an episode of How I Met Your Mother.
