Although Fiji was never on my must-see list, my week in Fiji turned out to be one of my most memorable holidays.

Fiji is under army control due to a military coup but the presence of soldiers was kept to a bare minimum. We arrived at the Nandi airport to a wonderful welcome of indigenous singers in their colorful shirts and sulus (Fiji's national dress - a skirt worn by both men and women). After customs, we were greeted with the sing-song phrase "Bula" and a shell lei. There was some delay until the bus left but everyone is so laid back and friendly that we never felt the stress.

The bus drive was approximately an hour until we arrived at the Shangri-La's Fijian Resort & Spa, Yanuca, Fiji Islands, situated on its own private island. Again our arrival was met with singing, guitar-playing and fresh juice being served in the open-air lobby. We were taken to our spacious two-bedroom, two-bathroom suite which was away from the main "hustle and bustle" of families with children (but still hardly hustle and bustle).

There were three pools: one close to our suite, one adult only and one large one on the main beach

where almost everyone congregated. I preferred the adults only pool when I felt like a swim. But the highlight, for me, was the incredible lagoon. A large area was roped off and I could indulge my love of snorkling, among the colourful and varied reef fish. The fins and mask were complimentary for two hours and I looked forward to my daily and exhilarating 'fix.'

Another complimentary sport was the kayaking which was alot of fun after I got the hang of it.

The resort offered tennis and golf but neither interested me but I did enjoy strolling around the lush island, surrounded by swaying palm trees, and greeting staff and guests with a hearty 'Bula.' The one disappointing feature was the lack of unlimited beach front to walk on because of the rocky landscape. There were many weddings held on the beach and it was so special to watch and be a part of the festivities.

I'm really not a foodie person but I love a buffet breakfast and this one offered plenty of fresh sweet pineapple, mango, papaya and sugar bananas, as well as the variety of eggs and native smoked fish.

The only time we left the island was to visit family staying at the Sheraton which is in the heart of Nandi and is surrounded by the many large, well-known resorts. The town itself was very rustic and natural but I was happy to return to my island paradise and perfect lagoon.

We went during Christmas and because its school holidays it was especially crowded with Australians. The weather was ideal, and there was always a balmy breeze.

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