Blog
From cobblestoned Portuguese alleys navigated one-handed with a stroller to reef dives in Fiji, this is where the trips live. Told through words and whatever camera happened to be with me.
I shoot film and digital and travel with family in tow. These posts are part travel journal, part photography log, and part love letter to the places that made an impression. I hope they make you want to go see them for yourself.
Latest Articles
A Glimpse of Village Life
While the villages’ appearance was spartan by Western standards, it’s integration with its environment and the sheer abundance therein is nothing sort of astounding. Everything the Vunikurans need grows all over the village grounds, on the mountain slope behind, or in the sea.
There’s no place like home, Vunikura village Fiji, Nikon FE, 20mm Nikkor Lens, Kodak Ektar 100
Read Part I: Let’s Get Remote →
We seized the opportunity to visit the traditional Fijian village of Vunikura as a morning excursion from The Remote Resort. Located on the same eastern peninsula of Vanua Levu as the resort itself, it’s a swift 20 minute boat ride to the village shore. As we arrived, the residents greeted us with song and dance -a ritual you’ll soon grow accustomed to in this country- and then went back to their daily lives while our host, Paul, introduced himself. Paul had returned to his village following his formal education to help his people find ways to reconnect with traditions, while boosting their local economy to enable a renaissance of the village infrastructure. Our tour also came with a little tag-a-long, in the form of 5 year-old Michael, a precocious child who clearly got a kick out of meeting and “guiding” visitors such as ourselves around his home turf.
Paul & Michael, Nikon FE, 20mm Nikkor Lens, Kodak Ektar 100
While the villages’ appearance was spartan by Western standards, it’s integration with its environment and the sheer abundance therein is nothing sort of astounding. Everything the Vunikurans need grows all over the village grounds, on the mountain slope behind, or in the sea. From breadfruit to bananas, I hardly think we passed a plant that wasn’t used for food, building material, textiles, medicines, or revenue (and in some cases several of these simultaneously). Nobody “owns” the trees or bushes, regardless of proximity to home, the abundance is managed, harvested and processed communally. Chief among these crops is the Fijian’s beloved Kava.
Kava root, chopped, sorted and drying in the sun. NIkon FE, 20mm Nikkor Lens, Kodak Ektar 100
Kava consumption by local Fijians follows the tradition laid down by countless generations past. Basically, where you and I might sit down over a beer (or 3) at the end of a long day, Fijian’s prefer the relaxing and euphoric properties of powdered Kava root. It’s served by a host from a large bowl wherein it’s steeped in ambient-temperature water. The taste and texture is close to a thin silty soup, but the effect is certainly enjoyable and people always seemed ready to share some with us. Almost every town and village grows it’s own, and in the case of Vunikura as with many others, the crops are tended and processed communally. The revenues are not insignificant, with 1kg of Kava fetching $10 when sold to local wholesalers, who go on to sell it both domestically (for it’s typical ceremonial and social uses) and abroad to hungry Pharmaceutical companies seeking to capitalize on it’s effects for anti-anxiety remedies. It’s the roots of older Kava plants that house the magic. The older the root, the more potent it’s effects. If your tongue and lips are tingling, you’ve got the good stuff. Give it a try when you visit here.
Collecting water from the cistern, NIkon FE, 20mm Nikkor Lens, Kodak Ektar 100
“Fijian families can grow quite large” notes Paul with a wink as some kids run by us, “there’s no birth control used here”. All members of the family contribute and live together in houses that have few if any separate rooms within. Instead, houses are sectioned thematically with guests and visiting relatives sticking to the front of the home, while space is dedicated to close family as you move towards the back. Homes stay in the family for generations and many built from local palm logs, leaves and other fibers can stand for 80 years or more. Paul hopes to return his people to the use of traditional building methods and materials, and away from the cheap and easy corrugated metal that adorns many of the village buildings.
A Vunikura home, Nikon FE, 20mm Nikkor Lens, Kodak Ektar 100
The village children, on a break from school, strategically played nearby wherever we wandered. It was refreshing, no screens in-hand, sticks for horses (or swords depending on the needs of the moment), and a lot of laughter. Sure there were some Batman pants and Lightning Mcqueen t-shirts in the mix, but you got the sense that these kids appreciated the playground that nature has given them and the freedom their parents allow. Kids are schooled in the village until they grow to middle-school age, at which point they enter a boarding school system typically far from home. Paul reassured us that the system worked quite well, providing plenty of opportunity for kids to learn about the histories of the many Fijian provinces as well as the world beyond their shores. As with anywhere, some come back home, while others carry on to post-secondary institutions and perhaps move to the larger cities to follow their career aspirations. Still, you quickly came to learn that the Fijian family unit is very strong with deep rooted traditions and sense of belonging. Many of the people we met and chatted with on our Fiji travels frequently visited home on their weeks off, helping their parents and siblings with the family farms and businesses.
Michael pushing his car along. Nikon FE, 20mm Nikkor Lens, Kodak Ektar 100
Checking us out, Nikon FE, 20mm Nikkor Lens, Kodak Ektar 100
Hanging out while mum’s work. Nikon FE, 20mm Nikkor Lens, Kodak Ektar 100
Paul’s aspiration is to put Vunikura on the map, both literally and figuratively. He’s begun working with his community to apply ancestral knowledge and techniques in the use of locally grown materials to restore their village to a more harmonious aesthetic with it’s surroundings. He joins them in the songs and dances that are their traditional methods for recording and retelling history, including the lovely concert they put on for us at the end of our visit. I loved the fact that they made it interactive, getting us to dance along as they explained the meaning of each song.
What’s next? Paul hopes to construct a purpose built cottage in the village for visitors such as ourselves to stay in. In fact, he’s hoping to list it on airbnb when it’s done, and what an experience that would be! A chance to truly immerse in the village life, rather than catch just a fleeting glimpse.
‘till next time, Vunikura Fiji, Nikon FE, 20mm Nikkor Lens, Kodak Ektar 100
Let's Get Remote
They don’t call it remote for nothing. Located on the far Eastern shore of Vanua Levu, in a bay that was once home to a palm tree plantation, The Remote Resort forms a wonderfully secluded oasis.
The Pier at The Remote Resort. Nikon FE, 20mm Nikkor Lens, Kodak Ektar 100,
The decision to visit Fiji was made quickly. Unusual for us, where months of analysis paralysis typically precedes any trip abroad. It had been a typically soggy Vancouver winter and spring, and we wanted to visit someplace a little off the beaten path (for us Canadians at least) with warm waters, palm trees and few expectations beyond that. We booked our flights in April for September, and promptly forgot to do anything else until the warm sunshine of July reminded us that we had a trip to plan out. While the Fijian islands are rife with beautiful mega-resorts our temperament has been to seek the quieter spots in the places we visit. Fiji did not disappoint with our options in this regard.
The Pier from above. DJI Mavic Air, Freewell Polarizing Filter.
The Remote Resort
They don’t call it remote for nothing. Located on the far Eastern shore of Vanua Levu, in a bay that was once home to a palm tree plantation, The Remote Resort forms a wonderfully secluded oasis. It took some effort to get here, a small plane ride from Nadi to Taveuni and then a 45min boat trip to the resort, but this just added to the sense that you were truly getting away from everything. There are 8 villas to choose from, all with spectacular ocean views, and a main pavilion that serves as bar, restaurant and meeting place. Other than that your backstop is a lush tropical jungle and your front yard is the crystal clear South Pacific -not bad.
Our Villa at Remote Resort. NIkon FE, 20mm Nikkor Lens, Kodak Ektar 100.
Coffee and breakfast at the main pavilion. Nikon FE, 20mm Nikkor Lens, Kodak Ektar 100.
We swapped to an unbooked villa at the end of our trip so we could stay a bit longer. Nikon FE, 20mm Nikkor Lens, Kodak Ektar 100.
The staff make you feel welcome right away, with a greeting song as your boat approaches the resorts’ lone pier. They’ve already taken the time to memorize your names, and use them throughout your stay. This quickly makes you feel like part of the family, and encourages you to try the same! You quickly learn that the Fijian’s are an extremely musical people, everyone sings and it seems no-one is bashful! From the pier our host, Katoni, takes us to our welcoming kava ceremony. We knew nothing about kava before that morning, but came to quickly enjoy the relaxing effect it has on the body and mind. And hey, we were here to relax, right? Well yes and no, see I’m a diver and one that’s well aware that just a few kilometers off-shore rests The Rainbow Reef, purportedly first documented by Jacques Cousteau himself, and considered one of the worlds great dive sites. While Remote lacks a dive shop of it’s own, they’re well set-up to connect you with one of the dive co.’s on Taveuni, and even provide a shuttle boat ride to meet them at the reef. Even if you aren’t comfortable with tanks on your back, the snorkeling right off the beach at Remote is second to none and ensures you don’t miss out on Fiji’s amazing undersea treasures. (More on the diving to follow in a subsequent blog post!)
The first day at Remote goes by in a blur and the deep dark of the true night sky quickly lulls us to sleep. In fact, we slept an average of 10 hours per night during our week-long stay here. A combination of the lack of light pollution and the soothing soft crash of waves against the shore forming the perfect sleep aid -assisted by a few sips of kava, of course.
Beachside torches being lit at dusk. Nikon FE, 135mm Nikkor-Q Lens, Kodak Ektar 100.
Excursions and Activities
If you wanted to spend your entire visit somewhere between your villa, the beach and the main pavilion for food and drinks you’d easily have a wonderful time. But if you’re the restless type like us, there’s plenty to do outside the confines of the resort, and the staff are happy to accommodate. The “Hidden Beach Castaway Day” is a must for couples, a way to get even more remote than the resort itself. Dropped off with a picnic lunch and drinks, the rest is up to your imagination. Honeymooners take note.
The Hidden Beach at dawn. DJI Mavic Air, Freewell Polarizing Filter.
The Hidden Beach, Nikon FE, 20mm Nikkor Lens, Kodak Ektar 100.
If you’re feeling particularly adventurous, the Manta Snorkeling experience might be right up your alley. Easily one of my favorite sights under the sea, I jump at any chance to see them up close. The site is all the way up near Rabi Island, so it’s a decent boat ride but the scenery along the way is lovely as you’d expect. Gather up your courage before jumping in because the water is deep and in our case quite wavy. My wife Victoria -who is a fan of neither of those scenarios, nor large sea creatures- drew inspiration from the 76 year old Venetian couple who were the first to jump in, to then leap in after us and join the search for these majestic creatures. The Mantas didn’t disappoint. With 5 meter wing-spans and the grace of ballerinas, they swam straight at us in an undersea game of chicken before tilting just slightly downward and passing beneath in formation. On their second pass (me being me…) I decided to try and join their formation, taking a deep breath and diving down, kicking hard with my fins to keep up. Approaching from the side, they saw me coming and remarkably one let me get close enough to gently pet the side of its wing. I can tell you there is nothing smoother feeling than a Manta’s skin. Well out of breath, I dashed for the surface excited to share my story. In total we experienced 5 passes by the Manta group, and when it was time to say goodbye they swam to the surface and waved at us. I kid you not. We all stared awestruck at the experience, and eagerly chatted about it as we munched our snacks on the ride back to the Resort.
The “Leader” of the 5 Mantas. Olympus TG-3 with Dive Housing.
For a taste of traditional Fijian living, the morning visit to the nearby village of Vunikura is a must. We almost skipped the opportunity due to some kava-induced laziness but I’m glad we gathered up the energy to go. I enjoyed it so much I wrote a piece just on that brief but beautiful little trip.
Vunikura Village, FIji. Nikon FE, 20mm Nikkor lens, Kodak Ektar 100
Just Relax
Our modus operandi is usually to explore the living daylights out of the places we travel to, and inevitably come home somewhat more burned-out than when we left. With this venue we were quite happy to depart from that approach, and just take each day as it came. All I wanted to do was soak in the energy of my surroundings, whether that meant sitting on the beach, or strolling the short jungle path behind the resort to catch a view. I used my stomach to tell the time for me. Hungry? It’s probably time to head up to the pavilion for a bite of lunch. Here I’ll add my one note of caution for would-be visitors to the Fijian Isles: food and drink is heavily taxed, and of course the remoteness of many of the resorts just adds to the cost of getting that food to your plate. Luckily, portion sizes are large, so within a couple of days Victoria and I were comfortable sharing dishes for some of our meals just to ensure we didn’t come home to an over-full credit card. That said if the opportunity to enjoy an entire open-flame cooked snapper for dinner on the beach presents itself, say yes!
I’d be remiss not to make note of the optional daily massage package. You can enjoy a different treatment each day (and we did), with the most memorable being a full-body palm leaf wrap to soak-in the moisturizing oils! I’ll admit I just enjoyed the laugh at looking like a human Zongzi in that case. Of course, you can opt to take as many or few treatments as you like, but given this was the start of our trip we decided to dive into the relaxation head-first.
Victoria enjoying the sunrise. Nikon FE, 20mm Nikkor Lens, Kodak Ektar 100
Palms lean as the sea pokes through, Nikon FE, 20mm Nikkor Lens, Kodak Ektar 100
Parting Thoughts
The Remote Resort is a wonderful place to pause and enjoy an unspoiled corner of our world. I didn’t see a single contrail in the sky the week I was there. Think about that for a moment, when was the last time you could say the same? The staff that are delightful to interact with, the nature is ready to stun the senses and accommodations are carefully designed to augment your enjoyment of it all. The dark nights without light pollution, and gentle waves lapping the shore allow you to really sleep deeply. Catching up on sleep has magic powers as far as your health and energy is concerned (If you don’t believe me, read this.), so I think that in itself really helped me enjoy my time there to the fullest. With all this, the Remote Resort becomes a very difficult place to leave. Have we set the bar too high right at the beginning?
Sunrise. Nikon FE, 20mm Nikkor Lens, Kodak Ektar 100
The Road to Hana and beyond — narrow roads, raw coastline, and the question every traveler faces: turn back, or keep going?