Eye in the Sky: Fijian Tales - Of Wailoaloa Sunsets and Meeting Other Filipinos (Nadi)

Four hours was enough sleep for me. I felt recharged like it was a new day. It was 4 PM. I was going to recover within hours from my impending sore throat which, for me, was usually a prodrome for the flu. From my 3rd floor balcony, Wailoaloa Bay looked serene.

The gentlest of breeze blew from the west while I took a walk on the beach. I'd sit on the sand and just gaze contentedly at the expanse of the Melanesian ocean. This needed to be taken in. There wasn't a dramatic changing of hues from the sky but the scenery was calming.

Kumustahan with Filipinos

Then I met 2 Filipinos taking a walk. I noticed they were eyeing me on their stroll. On their way back, I nodded and smiled which started the conversation. Teddy and Marlon work as aircondition specialists at an ongoing construction for a hotel and mall nearby. They told me they were recently at upscale Laucala in Taveuni where cottages cost US$6,000 a night for the cheapest rooms, contracted out for their services. They were flown to the resort and back to install airconditioners.

The resort's owner is the Austrian big boss of Red Bull. Oprah Winfrey stays there whenever she's in Fiji. Actor Richard Gutierrez stayed there too.

They also told me about the scarcity of chicken in Nadi, and Fiji in general. Fish is their staple source of meat due to the vast supply provided by the Pacific Ocean. In Fiji, it is fish and vegetables; root crops particularly like the kava, spinach, sweet potatoes, etc.

Before Teddy and Marlon went back to "camp", they recommended Korean-run Grace Road Kitchen for their affordable and delicious meals. Grace Road is located inland, near the highway, about 4 blocks from Wasa wasa Road. I took note.

I waited for the last rays of the sun as they gradually faded. The sea turned from dark blue to black. Dusk in the bay is usually heralded by golden sunsets. It may not have gloriously immaculate fine white sands, but its sunsets are as majestic as they get.