The raging wind whipped up the rain and battered our bure, even the insects took refuge indoors! It was a pleasant shock to have a praying mantis fly in, land on my hand and turn it's eyes my way with a look that said 'let me have 5 minutes, I'm knackered flying about out there'.

Fortunately Tomas span away from the mainland and spared us it's wrath. In fact it raced away sucking the rain clouds along with it, leaving us with the calm AFTER the storm!

Quite surreal really, it's very hot, there's no breeze at all and Tomas feels like a fast fading dream.

Location:Fiji

I'm standing in knee deep water 20 meters out with coral gardens around me, 100 or so meters to my right waves crash on the barrier reef, the sky is blue the ocean turquoise. Facing forward 30+ mph winds buffet me, to my left those same winds have pushed angry clouds on to the lush green hills of Fiji. Black tipped reef shark circle me oblivious to the oncoming huricane.

This is why we travel, moments like this priceless yet free.
Who knows what tomorow will bring, live life now I say.

Big and bad


Riteshni Singh And Ana Niumataiwalu
Sunday, March 14, 2010
TOMAS intensified to a category three hurricane overnight with damaging gale force winds extending to about 280-370km from its centre.

Fiji Meteorological Service director Rajendra Prasad said it was expected to develop further into a category four hurricane before landfall, projected to be in the northern and eastern parts of Fiji later tonight.

As people in the projected path of the destructive winds battened down for the worst, emergency services were put on full alert around the country.

The effects of the system will be felt within the next 36 hours, Mr Prasad said.

At 2pm yesterday, the category two Tropical Cyclone (TC) Tomas was located at about 570km north-northeast of Udu Point.

Mr Prasad said the system was slow moving and it was not a good sign for Fiji.

"It gains strength along the way," he said.

He said TC Thomas had maintained its intensification trend and was estimated to have average winds of 55 knots (100km/hr) and momentary gusts of up to 80 knots (150km/hr) close to its centre.

According to its new projected path, Tomas is expected to start affecting Fiji from early Monday.

"Associated strong winds and rain bands will arrive later tomorrow (Sunday)," he said.

Last night, the National Disaster Management Office advised people to take the warning seriously, saying this could be the worst Fiji has seen.

Our first glimpse of a new country and one we have never been to before is from the plane, tropical beaches and lush hills await.





Bula (or welcome/hello) always accompanied by a smiling face. Welcome to the friendliest country, and welcome we are.
Tropical paradise but it's rainy season not that anyone has told the weather gods, the sky is blue and the sun is shining, the sunsets are amazing.







We are staying on a bure (booray) a thatched hut with shower and toilet, directly on the beach. After 7 weeks camping this is luxury and in truth regardless it's pretty amazing.











We have 5 days & nights here, the snorkelling is amazing, the coral not so good but the fish are many and varied, the water clarity excellent. Even the stingray we swam with was more exciting than scary!

Having said that, as I upload this we are cyclone warning from Cyclone Thomas which is heading in our direction...