Fiji: When eyes and soul experience immense beauty simultaneously.

No wonder the Fijians are the happiest people on earth.

Vitu Levu

I began my short adventure on the main island, Viti Levu, at Beach House. I met interesting people, surfed fun waves out front, did yoga every day. Sometimes twice a day. Thanks to the lovely sister Carina guiding our morning bodies and exploring our chakras, our energy centers. Connecting to the warm air, warm sea. Connecting to the island spirit.

Then I ventured by multiple different buses to Nadi. I had fallen into “island time.” Everything took far longer than planned, but everyone smiles and welcomes you. It’s hard to feel a bad vibe. I caught a ferry from Port Denarau to Malolo Island.

Traveling by sea, witnessing lush green islands appear. Dressed in virgin white sand.

Malolo

I have been staying on a catamaran. Moored in a little cove on the crystal clear blue sea. You can see clear to the coral. Some places smooth as glass. Others peaking up into perfect shining waves. Rainbow coloured fish spiral out of the water. Dolphins spinning, dancing in pairs.

As the sun sets, the sky lights up pink and purple. Blood orange sunshine. Squeezing the last sweet sunny nectar. Then the deeper blues fill in the clouds around the last remaining sun beams. Big puffs. All day cotton candy is strung through the sky.

The sea. The sky. The waves. The vibrant reef.

sunset reflected over malolo lailai

…but the people.

Smiling. Happy. Warm. Open. Laughing. Oh, how they laugh!

…and oh, how they sing. As I lay on deck the boat, drifting for slumber, I heard the most beautiful choirs. Harmonies from the highest soprano melting to the lowest baritone. First just one group. Coming from somewhere on a nearby island. Then another group, from another beach or island. Singing different but with such passion. Such raw joy! But faint as it drifts across the smooth sea.

Unimaginable lullaby.

The full moon lights up the rippling salt waters.

I am intoxicated with gratitude.