On Thu, 8 Nov 2001 John Hauer <[log in to unmask]> wrote:

>Fiji, yes!
>We'd like an invite, too. That's during our summer break from school...
>{Although, it may be during their hurricane season.}
>
>As some of you know we were in Fiji last February.
>We dove Beqa Lagoon and Taveuni.

Sorry John .. I had forgotten about your detour there .. it's old age ya
know ;-)  Should have put in your web page for folk to check out.

>For Beqa Lagoon, if it were me, I'd call the resorts myself and look for a
>deal. Centra was hurting when we were there. The manager was ready to bend
>over backwards for a group. He can arrange everything - buses, diving,
>jungle trips, shopping trips, whateve you want. He's also a very nice
>Kiwi.

That sounds like a nice all-rounder for a group tour .. and being looked
after by a friendly Kiwi too .. wot more can you ask for ;-)

>On Taveuni, we had a lousy boat, so be careful about bookings. Incidently,
>the lousy boat operation claims to be the Scuba Diver's #2 best resort in
>the world. I don't know how they did it. I can't imagine divers being that
>ignorant of quality dive operations. Also, we saw much coral bleaching
>here. I'd try somewhere else if that matters to you. Or if you must go,
>avoid the popular resort of Garden Island.

2nd best resort in the world!! Ya joking.. in their minds maybe. More like
2nd best resort for Taveuni ;-)  There was coral bleaching around many
islands in the Pacific mostly in the shallow areas where the cooler waters
did not flush the area out on a regular basis.

>All in all, we found Fiji to be a major surprise. The people were
>great and there was hardly anyone there. The diving was fun and warm.

Diving that is FUN and WARM ... diver heaven :-)

>There are very fancy resorts there too. When we started, we had a travel
>agent doing some booking for us. She found us the Jean Michael Coustau
>place at $3000/week for two (no flight, diving nor food). A no go. In
>contrast, at Pacific Harbor, we paid about $1100 for two for 10 days with
>diving included- food was extra as was the air tickets.
>
>If we did it again, I think we'd go to Pacific Harbor and one place new -
>an eastern island??/
>
>I hear Naia is a great liveaboard, but pricey. If you want a liveaboard
>and don't worry about money, go for it.
>
>Now here's the best thing about Fiji.... You have a great chance to get
>our Aussie dive buddies to join you there. It is a relatively cheap ticket
>from Sydney. Imagine the party you could have....

Hmmm I can see a miniNEDfest growing out of this. Bit like the time I was
on the liveaboard MV Bilikiki and passed the rowdy lot (full of partying
Australians ;-)) on board the MV Solomons.
Viv