{"id":17280,"date":"2025-05-09T11:19:46","date_gmt":"2025-05-09T15:19:46","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/agaaga.khoolbrew.ca\/?p=17280"},"modified":"2026-03-10T12:00:15","modified_gmt":"2026-03-10T16:00:15","slug":"monuriki-island-gifts-and-goodbye","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/agaaga.khoolbrew.ca\/index.php\/2025\/05\/09\/monuriki-island-gifts-and-goodbye\/","title":{"rendered":"Monuriki Island, gifts and goodbye"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

Monuriki Island is where the movie Cast Away was filmed. It’s known to the tourists as Cast Away Island, is only about 0.4 km2<\/sup>, and is uninhabited. It\u2019s made up of coral and volcanic rock.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Api and and his wife Nanni took us to the island one morning. The waters in this bay are complete clear.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n
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We had the whole place to ourselves; and we explored and walked across this shallow bay, looking at colourful coral and speedy manta rays.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n
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Neil taking advantage of a bit of internet access to check that the next week of plans are still in place. I forgot to mention that there was no internet access at the homestay. <\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n
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This is the view from our picnic spot. Lunch was fried tuna, yam, eggs, and sausages. <\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

We returned to our home base in the late afternoon, where we joined the Australian ladies to give gifts to the village kids. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

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We were told that the kids loved pens, crayons, and bandaids. Candy was discouraged since they don’t have access to a dentist. On one of our walks to the sand bar beach, we saw kids at school learning how to brush their teeth!<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n
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We each received a salusalu – the flower necklaces. The kids sang a few songs as a thank you.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n
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We also received shell necklaces. Lara is carrying Api’s daughter.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n
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While relaxing on the beach after those activities, we saw these bugs. Google identified the insect as the \u201cRed cotton stainer\u201d bug. It’s actually a pest of the cotton crops in Fiji because they carry a fungus that stains the cotton. The neat thing is when they find a mate, they remain in the \u201ccopula\u201d (end-to-end) position for long periods of time, including moving around their environment. That’s team work! <\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n
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The morning of our departure, Api, Ben, and another boy took us on a sunrise hike for views from the top of the hill.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

On the way, we passed their food gardens, both wild and cultivated.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Sugarcane, banana<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n
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Cassava<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n
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Papaya<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n
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Not sure what these were but given their care, they are edible!<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/figure>\n\n\n\n
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Mangoes hiding in the trees.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n
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If you look closely, you can see Ben scaling the papaya tree to bring one home for breakfast.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n
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A water reservoir with taro growing in front.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n
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The way up was wild and overgrown, and Api and the boys had to scout a path in places.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n
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We’re on the right track!<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n
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Looking at Waya Island.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n
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The sandy spit is under water.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n
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Wonder who lives in that house hidden in the trees?<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n
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Our home is almost directly below us – the larger boat is what we’ll be taking back to Nadi on Fiji’s main island.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n
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The kids crowding around Nolan as he prepares to fly his drone.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n
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Family photo on top of the island.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n
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And then it was time to say our goodbyes. <\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n
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One last photo.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n
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And we’re off! <\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n
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This trip was on the choppiest seas we experienced in Fiji. We started out sitting on the benches, but were being thrown about on the waves. Bill eventually had us sit on the bottom of the boat (he also did the same). <\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n
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1.5 hrs later, we arrived at Nadi Wharf, completely soaked! It’s quick to dry off in the Fiji sun. <\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n
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