Fiji me

Fiji is its own galaxy of islands. Flying into Nadi on the main island of Viti Levu, its straightforward to 'island hop' out west through the Mamanuca Group and then up into Yasawa chain in the northwest. Coming to rest at the Octopus Resort on the island of Waya, we took a thatched bure right on the shore with a little veranda in front and, at the rear, a shower open to the sky.

It was all golden sands, tropical fruit cocktails, and snorkelling in warm, clear waters. Schools of coloured fish swam among a bewitching coral wonderland of spiky bright blues and purples, and lilly pad-like discs in green and yellow. We were also joined by an old friend, Captain Morgan - a pirate chief and distiller of a fine spiced golden rum. At night, half-asleep under a mosquito net, the sound of the waves lapping on the shore felt close enough as to be virtually on the door step.

Fiji, definitely the way the world should be.