Thanksgiving in Fiji

When my parents got their mission call last December, we were shocked to hear they were going to Fiji.  That is not a place anyone came close to guessing, especially since they had requested to stay in the states.  We were so excited for them but figured that we probably wouldn't be visiting them since the price for an airplane ticket was exorbitant.  Ali started tracking flights anyway and back in February, a deal came up that was just too good to pass up.  Pretty much it was two tickets for the price of one. It didn't take a lot of consideration whether or not to go-I knew that I would regret it forever if I didn't take the chance to go see what my parents were doing on their mission.  The only downside was that it was over Thanksgiving which meant we were a family divided on a holiday that is all about family.  Luckily, my kids were able to spend the holiday weekend with Gene and April and other family members.  More about their Thanksgiving later.  Let's talk about Fiji.

Our journey began on Tuesday, the 21st.  We had an afternoon flight so we got the kids off to school and tinkered around a bit before heading down to Sandy late morning.  We did a DI run then went to Gene and April's, who were driving us to the airport.  We weren't sure how busy the airport would be two days before Thanksgiving so we gave ourselves plenty of time to get through security-and then it ended up taking less than 15 minutes!  Oh well, better early and waiting than late and rushing.  We had one flight to Los Angeles and then some more waiting there.  It was the international terminal and it was so cool to see all the amazing possible places that you could go visit.  I was intimidated by this part but it was a breeze to get checked through customs and security.  We were traveling with Bryce and Erin and Jeff and Ali so we got a little silly while we excitedly waited to board our flight to Fiji.

The flight left at 10:50 pm that night and was 11 hours long.  It was truly not that bad.  I maybe had been dreading it and made it out to be horrible in my mind so the time went quickly and we were landing in tropical Fiji in no time at all...with the time change it was Thursday morning there.  We waited in line to get our passports stamped, and then to collect our luggage, and finally we were able to walk out of the gate...to see mom and dad who were anxiously waiting right at the front.  That was a great reunion, we were so happy to see them and they us!

Dad, Mom, Bryce, Ali, Jeff, Erin, me, Justin

My parents share an 8-passenger van with another missionary couple and they were able to have it for the entire week that we were there so that was super nice and saved us from having to rent a car while we were there.  The Nadi airport (where we landed) was three hours from Suva where my parents live and we were planning on staying on that side of the island for the first half of our trip.  My parents had stayed in a hotel across from the airport the night before since we were landing so early in the morning.  So we went there and changed and packed all the essentials for what we were planning on doing that day. (My mom had planned our itinerary-stuff they had done or that other couples had done and passed on.  She did an amazing job planning, it was just the most magical week!)

my dad driving on the opposite side of the road!

We were staying at a resort that my parents have a membership to so, even though we couldn't check in yet, we were able to drive over there and check-in our luggage.  We walked out to the back of the resort while we waited-this was our first glimpse of the tropical oasis that we were going to explore over the next several days.  And we got to put our feet in the ocean.  Amazing!

Ali, Jeff, Erin, Bryce, me, Justin

We hadn't eaten breakfast yet (it was still only 8:30 in the morning) so we went to a local shopping area and ate breakfast and walked around.  Then we were able to catch a boat/ferry that took us out to a tiny island...it was beautiful and I literally felt like we were on a movie set for Gilligan's Island or something.  We were able to watch a program and eat a Fijian lunch before we snorkeled for a while.  We found some incredible bright blue starfish!

Justin, me, Dad, Mom, Jeff, Ali, Erin, Bryce

with the warriors from the show: Justin, me, Dad, Mom, Ali, Jeff, Bryce, Erin

Jeff, Ali, Dad, Mom, Justin, me, Erin

Erin, me, Justin, Mom, Dad, Ali, Jeff

We spent some time walking around the island (which only took 10 or 15 minutes), relaxed on the beach, and went out on a partially submerged submarine thing to see the underwater coral and sea life.  Then we rode the ferry back to the main island to end our excursion.  That night we ate at the Mexican restaurant just there at the resort.

Bryce, Erin, me, Justin, Dad, Mom, Jeff, Ali

 

Friday-

This was Thanksgiving at home...Friday for us.  My mom had figured that the first day we needed to have an activity planned because we would be tired after the travel day and it would be good for us to be more on-the-go that day.  The second day was more laid back.  We mostly hung out at the resort that morning.  We all did the "aqua aerobics" that the resort offered and that was pretty hilarious.

this is the path back to our rooms

the swimming pool (it was super big so just a glimpse of it here) with the ocean just beyond

We dried off for lunch and went back to the shopping center to eat and get souvenirs for the kids.  We don't usually get souvenirs on the first day but my mom thought this would be the best place to do it.  Everything in Fiji is really cheap so that was a bonus!  If something was listed for $20, we could cut it in half + a little more to figure out how much it would cost in US dollars.

 

Once everyone finished souvenir shopping, we went back to the resort and did a little more swimming before going back to our rooms to get ready for dinner.  We were doing the buffet and show at the resort that night.  They had Fijian dancers and even a fire show (although Justin and I accidentally missed that, oops) and then karaoke after dinner.  That was pretty funny and had us laughing a whole bunch.  I have never seen true karaoke like that!  The show was cool but even more so were the bats.  Every evening at sunset, thousands and thousands of bats migrate to a different side of the island for the night.  I don't know why they do that but it was unlike anything I've ever seen.  I kinda think bats are gross but this was fascinating and we watched the bats and the sun setting for quite a while.

Ali, Jeff, Justin, me, Erin, Bryce

Bryce, Erin, Ali, Jeff, Dad, Mom, me, Justin

Saturday-

We were heading to the south side of the island this day.  Before we packed up and left, Justin and I and Jeff and Ali made use of the resort's kayaks and did some ocean kayaking.  So cool.

Jeff, Ali, me, Justin

On our way to Suva, we stopped at a zipline for a few hours.  There were seven lines and the people who ran it were so fun and laid-back.  They had us ziplining upside down and in tandem and we had a blast.  We loved the atmosphere there and we had a delicious pizza for lunch when we were done.

Mom, Dad, Justin, me, Ali, Jeff, Erin, Bryce

Justin, me, Jeff, Ali, Dad, Mom, Erin, Bryce

Justin and Jeff

After that it was the rest of the drive down to Suva. Passing through Fijian villages and getting a small glimpse into how they live.  We stopped at a place called the Maui Jetty which was just gorgeous. And Pacific Coast Harbor, a pretty beach where my mom and dad like to go on their free days.

Erin, Bryce, Mom, Dad, Ali, Jeff, me, Justin

We finally made it to our hotel - The Grand Pacific - and got all checked in.  My mom had made an appointment for a Korean buffet and it was close enough to walk.  It was a bit of a scary part of town, honestly, and I was glad we were all together!  The food was amazing though-we could cook our meat right at our table.  Justin put his stamp of approval on the meal.

Justin, me, Ali, Jeff

 

Sunday-

On Sunday we went to church with my mom and dad.  That was an awesome experience!  Everything is the same as home-sacrament, Relief Society-but so different at the same time.  My mom was teaching Relief Society that day but she used the Fijian sisters a lot and I loved hearing from them.  They are open and friendly and loving and I felt so welcome the entire time.  They were genuine and just so happy to have us there.

Church was early and my mom was feeding us breakfast after.  Their flat is close enough to walk to church so we walked back to their place and took a few minutes to walk around the temple grounds while my mom finished up some breakfast preparations.  The temple is tiny but such a blessing.  It is located at the highest point in Suva and the view at the back of the temple is very pretty.

Jeff, Ali, Bryce, Erin, Mom, Dad, me, Justin

trying to get a picture of the ocean view at the back of the temple but managed an intentional photo bomb from Bryce and a couple of non-intentional ones from a tired Jeff and Ali

actual view from back of the temple

We had a yummy breakfast, got changed, and headed out for a walk/hike through a rain forest.  There were several waterfalls, I tried to count but quickly lost track.  The boys didn't need a lot of encouragement to jump in pretty early on.  Ali went in shortly after they did but Erin and I stayed out a little longer...until we caved and jumped in as well.  And it was really fun and I was so glad I finally did it.  It was a great afternoon.

Dad, Mom, Jeff, Ali, Bryce, Erin, me, Justin

Ali, Jeff, Erin, Bryce, me, Justin, Dad, mom

Justin and Bryce

Mom, Erin, Jeff, Ali, Bryce, Justin, Dad

Justin, Bryce, Jeff, Ali

My mom had found as many ingredients as she could to put together a Thanksgiving meal for us that afternoon.  It's hard to find turkey in Fiji but she managed to find one (and I'm sure she paid a pretty penny for it).  We also had mashed potatoes, rolls, salad...and some delicious fresh, local pineapple!

After dinner and dessert (not pumpkin pie but chocolate skor cake), we went to downtown Suva and the sea wall.  This is where my mom and dad like to go walking a lot.  We timed it right to see some more bats.  Again, it was just really incredible and we watched them for a while.  They were sucking the nectar out of some tropical flowers in the tops of the trees.  We walked past the President's house and through a garden with some cool trees and ended up back at our hotel for the night.  The entire trip I was a little fouled up on time...I was exhausted by 6:30 at night but pretty wide awake at 4 in the morning, haha.  So we called it an early night-our hotel was really nice and luxurious and it felt good to relax in that big bed each night.

the President's house is back there-this is our "surprised" face

Monday-

Monday was an adventure.  It's hard to name a favorite day or favorite activity, but this would probably be everyone's favorite day if we were forced to pick.

We first got up and had the breakfast buffet at the hotel.  My parents had had it before and had loved it-and it was great!  So much yummy food, we were all stuffed when we were finished.  They had just put up their Christmas tree in the lobby.  It felt weird to see Christmas decorations when it was so warm outside.

After breakfast, we drove to the activity for the day.  We boarded a motorized canoe/boat for a ride up the river.  It was about 12 miles up the river.  This was also our rainy day so it rained the entire trip but it didn't deter us from having a blast.  The trip up was amazing, I really have no words to describe it and pictures don't do it justice.  It was green and lush everywhere and felt like we had been transported to a different world.  Or it felt like we had been plopped down right in the middle of Jurassic Park.  The foliage was incredibly thick and blanketed the banks of the river everywhere we looked.  We also tried to count waterfalls here and lost track-but we had to have seen at least 20 in the 12 miles up the river.  It was so, so breathtakingly beautiful.

me and Ali

Mom, Dad, Jeff, Justin, Ali, Bryce, me, Erin

with our guide, Cookie

Jeff, Ali, Justin, me, Erin, Bryce, Dad, Mom

The destination was an authentic Fijian village.  This is a real, working village.  33 people live there and it is only accessible via boat (there is no road that goes to this village).  They invited us to walk around their village and see inside their houses.  They were so welcoming and even invited us inside to sit with them.  One woman was shredding coconut and another couple of women were weaving rugs.  The kids were adorable and friendly and ran around waving and calling out "Bula!" to everyone (Bula=Hello and you hear it everywhere.  By the second or third day, we got in the habit of calling out Bula enthusiastically to everyone because that is what everyone does there.)  Anyway, their houses were very, very modest but very clean and everyone seemed so happy and cheerful.

"Welcome to Sabata Village"

chief's house

inside the chief's house

me, Ali, Jeff, Justin...baby boy about one year old

Justin and Bryce

Bryce, Erin, Jeff, Ali, me, Justin (women had to cover their legs in the village)

We left the village, got back in the boats, and started heading back down the river.  We pulled over for a little hike up to a waterfall.  I kept taking pictures along the way because it was so pretty...and then we got to the waterfall and were speechless.  Just an amazing place that so few people get to see.  We immediately got in the water and then were shown a good place to climb up the rocks and jump in right at the base of the waterfall.  So awesome.  The water was cold but the air was warm so we didn't stay cold for long.  On our walk back down to the boats, the guide showed us one other place we could cliff jump and we all took advantage of that as well.

Erin, Bryce, me, Justin, Ali, Mom, Jeff, Dad

Justin and Bryce

me, Justin, Erin, Bryce, Ali, Jeff

Then it was one more stop on our way down the river for lunch.  They fed us a meal right on the bank of the river.

Dad, Mom, Justin, me

some of the guides

This is where we did not get back into the boats but on tubes instead.  We floated the next stretch of the river on the inner tubes and this was the best stretch.  Most of the river was pretty calm but there were stretches of white water as well and it was a blast to go through those parts.  Our guide, Cookie, was great and took good care of my parents.  He even let all eight of us hook together and guided us through the biggest rapids.  At one point when the water was calm, all the guides got together and sang a Fijian hymn...we were in more of canyon area and it was so quiet and peaceful and they had beautiful voices that harmonized so well.  We didn't understand the words they sang but it was so cool to hear them sing.  After tubing for a while, we met up with the boats and finished the rest of the river on the boats until we were back where we started.  It really was an incredible day.

our group is on the left

me, Justin, Erin, Bryce, mom, Dad, Ali, Jeff

incredible view-can you spy a waterfall-Justin and I are in the forefront

Cookie, Dad, Mom, me, Justin, Ali, Jeff, Bryce, Erin

That night after we got back and changed, we drove to the market area of Suva.  This is where my parents get all their fruits and veggies and they even go to a specific butcher here as well.  This was a little eye-opening and daunting.  I had a hard time imagining my parents navigating this...but they do all the time!  It was busy and crowded and not very clean.  I have never seen anything like it-the market had to cover a couple of blocks and it was just produce of every variety.  Foods I didn't recognize along with lots of pineapple and other tropical fruits.  There was a flower market at the front of the market and I loved seeing the pretty, tropical flowers.  We also visited a grocery store and got some funny/weird foods to take home to the kids.

We left that area to find dinner at a nicer place.  I was relieved to find a pretty normal restaurant for dinner that night. 

Tuesday-

This was our last day.  We had to be all packed up and checked out early that morning.  We were attending the temple that morning at the 7:00 am session.  I love visiting new temples and especially this one and the opportunity to see where my parents spend the bulk of their time.  This was a great session and neat to be in the temple with my parents and siblings.  We also were able to meet the sisters that my mom works with in the temple and they were the best.  They kept hugging us and kissing us and telling us how much they love our mom.  She loves them as well and they all have a special bond because of the time they spend serving in the temple.

After the temple, we had breakfast at my parents flat and then started our drive back to Nadi for our flight later that night.  But we had plenty of time before that so we filled our last day with fun!  

Our first stop was a picnic on a beach.  My mom had made sandwiches and we had fruit and chips and cookies.

Dad, me, Mom

Jeff, Ali, Justin, me, Mom, Erin, Bryce

We drove to Sigataki where we were riding bikes on an old sugar plantation.  The plantation is not functioning now so they had turned it into a tourist attraction.  It's hard to explain but you can see in the pictures that the bikes are on the old trolley tracks and that's how we traveled through the plantation.  It was a blast!  We rode through a couple of villages, called out "Bula!" to everyone, passed some schools, weaved in and out of coastland and farmland, and saw amazing scenery before ending up at a quiet little beach.  We were able swim and snorkel a little.  The water was shallow and we walked out super far in the ocean and could touch the entire time.  We counted lots and lots of those bright starfish that we had seen on our first day.  They served us fresh fruit for a snack and coconuts with straws in them to drink the water (I didn't care for this).  Then we biked back.

Justin and Jeff

Bryce, Erin, Dad, Mom, Jeff, Ali, Justin, me

The bikes was our last activity.  It had been a great week, we had done and seen so many things, but it was time to make the long trek back home.  I was ready to get back to the kids and home.  It wasn't hard getting back and I was so grateful that all the travel days went so smoothy-but it was a long trip back when you calculated in the time change.  When we woke up at 5 am that Tuesday morning, it was 10 am on Monday morning in Utah.  We went to the temple, did the plantation bike tour, drove all the way back to Suva and caught our flight that night at about 9 pm Tuesday night Suva time.  That was about 2 am Tuesday morning in Utah.  We had an 11 hour flight back to LA, several hour layover there, a slightly delayed flight from LA to Las Vegas and we caught our flight from Vegas to Salt Lake at 7:40 pm Nevada time, which I believe is 8:40 Utah time.  We finally landed in Salt Lake Tuesday night at 9:30 or so.  So, if you are keeping track-waking up that Tuesday morning Fiji time and going to bed that same Tuesday night Utah time...and I think we calculated it to be a 36 hour day!  Phew!  But so worth it.  This trip was a trip of a lifetime-we made memories that I will never, ever forget.  I was so grateful that we got to go and have that experience-for myself but even more so for my parents.  It meant so much to them that we could visit them and see what they are doing on their mission.  And I was so touched and grateful to see the work they are doing, the people who they are serving, and how they have just come to love the Fijian people and their culture.  I am very proud of their service and know their lives, and ours, will forever be blessed because of it!

***

I am going to quickly document the kids' Thanksgiving week, which was good but not nearly as good as ours, haha.  We left on Tuesday before they got home from school so they were on their own that night.  We originally thought we would take them to Sandy when we left to go the airport but they didn't want to miss class or activities that were going on that day.  So Molly came in clutch and was amazing-that day and the entire week!  Just that Tuesday alone, she got Brynn to cheer, Ivy to clogging and a birthday party, and then picked everyone up when they needed as well.

They stayed at our house alone that night and then Molly drove them to Sandy Wednesday morning for the Thanksgiving weekend.  It actually worked out really well that we were gone over Thanksgiving because the kids didn't have to be to all the places.  As a bonus, Rachelle was there for Thanksgiving this year.  We haven't seen her for a while and the kids really loved spending time with her for a few days.  They had Thanksgiving with Gene, April, Brett, Rachelle, Eric and Heidi and their kids.  Tiana and Evie slept over with the girls one night.  Rachelle and Molly went to a movie.  Outside of that, they just hung out at grandma and grandpas.  I had to get all my pictures off of the kids' BeReal posts.

Ivy, Rachelle, Brynn, Molly

Rachelle dressed Brynn up as Cindy Lou-Who

They went to church on Sunday morning and then Molly drove her, Stockton, and Brynn home so they could get to school Monday morning.  They had dinner at the Webb's that afternoon but then were on their own that night and the next morning.

Molly, Brynn, Kelton, Stockton, Jake

April brought Ivy home Monday afternoon.  Molly had late practice in Midvale Monday night but the other kids got themselves to bed and Molly got everyone off to school Tuesday morning.  Our neighbor helped with Ivy since her school starts an hour later than everyone else's.  Then Molly did her rock-star thing again that afternoon and got Brynn to cheer and Ivy to clogging.  She needed a little help getting them both home and I was able to get another young woman from our ward to help out with this.  Molly had an event that night that she needed to be to-the Heber Valley Chamber of Commerce Gala.  She had made a movie honoring a couple of the chamber members who had passed away in the past year.  She had been working on it for several weeks and they were showing it at the gala that night.  She was also accepting an award that Justin was getting-since he couldn't be there, they had her go up and accept the award.  She hated loved that!

third in from right

Stockton and Brynn had some friends over that night...dubbed "the gang", a bunch of kids from the ward who we love.  They technically weren't supposed to have friends over with us gone but we didn't get after them too much.

Ivy, Hallie Whimpey, Stockton, Brynn

We were so glad to get home that night, but maybe Molly was happiest to have us home over everyone else.  She had even stayed up to greet us that night even though everyone else was in bed.  It was so good to be home!  I was so impressed by Molly and how she was so responsible and got everyone where they needed to be and when.  She was awesome the entire week and we made sure she got an appropriate payment for all the work she did.  The other kids did great to help out as well but we were all happy to be back together and for life to get back to normal!

And here is our 2023 thankful tree!