We had a good christmas in Tamarama with family and friends. We built the xmas tree as a family project over a weekend. It was made with recycled materials, with painted leaves and cardboard.
A few days later we took off to Fiji - firstly with two days in Denaru then catching a ferry to Treasure Island, 17km from the international airport.The island is one of three islands traditional held by one clan from the main island of Fiji. A village owns 50% of the resort with a 99 year lease, and some of the staff hark from that village and have worked at the island for over 20 years. The people are friendly and welcoming, great with the kids, and apparently, terrible at cooking.
We arrived on New Years Eve which was a bit challenging, as preparation and rearrangement of the facilities was underway for the party that evening. The party was wonderful with lots of singing and dancing, fire sticks and hula type swinging, with the evening ending with David and Trinity jumping into the pool at midnight, while India slept nearby on a sun lounge. She slept through the fireworks, not moving a muscle.
We settled into our Bure, hammock out front, with a view through the palms to the waves lapping the beach, an umbrella down on the sand with to banana lounges waiting for us. The island is very small and takes 15 minutes to walk around. There is nothing dangerous there other then relatively harmless sharks.
The day we arrived we saw a small fin just off the beach beside our Bure (traditional hut), and I sent Trinity down to the water to investigate. It was a beautiful little black tip reef shark. David feels less confident now with my watching over the children. Trinity seemed quite happy with the pool after that.There were lots of endangered species roaming the island (one of the reasons we chose it). You can't move far without tripping over a Banded Rail, a slow witted bird that cannot fly. Easy pray for hungry folk (a bit boney if you ask me). Also crested iguanas and hawks beak turtles (of Nemo fame - dude), amongst others.
Soon after arriving Trinity asked to go on a fishing expedition with hand reels. It was an hour of pure delight to watch her bafflement as to why people would go fishing at all. The area around the island is a marine sanctuary, and though the boat goes beyond the sanctuary they still encourage you to throw the fish caught back.
On the trip back I asked what Trinity had learned: 'I learned not to go fishing' she responded. A job well done.We swam, and snorkelled. It is very funny to try to spot the Aussie at a resort - the ones in full length sun shirts, plenty of sun cream and hats (even in the pool).
David finally
took the time to get his open water dive ticket after years of resort dives. I see diving in our future. The water was clear, lots of beautiful coral and fish outside our Bure and around the island. 
David got to go on some magnificent dives.The kids enjoyed the kids club and pool. They got to be in fashion parades and dance performances at dinner for the rest of the guests. Which they hated, as you can imagine, shrinking violets that they are. They learned to shave coconut flesh, searched for hermit crabs in the dark, and had their hair braided.
Sadly, the day before I was booked for my dive trip I sprained an ankle and had to sit by the pool for the rest of the trip, self-medicating. But I made it through okay.
See India trying to help me find zen after the fact.
My favourite story is the one of some keen guests ready to go skinny dipping one night, near the lights shine on a certain beach. They tromped down to the sand, rather happy with thoughts of what was to come. And then they saw ten little fins circling in the light - reef sharks that feed on the fish attracted to the light. They did not make it in for a dip that evening. We did verify and there is in fact circling fins each night at that spot.
I got to have my first ever helicopter ride on the return trip from Treasure island to the airport. We came home entirely satisfied, rating this trip to Fiji as our second favourite trip ever after Bintan.David went on to take the girls to Terrigal for four nights, with side trips to two zoos (continuing research for Trinitys goals to run a zoo when she grows up).
I stayed in Sydney to do an art course and enjoy my first time without the girls not involving work. Bliss!
