| Let me tell you about the first time I ever came | | | | the majority of fresh water available on the island |
| across the splendor of a coral reef. At the time I | | | | because it was scarce. They switched off the |
| was going on a trip to Fiji. In fact, it wasn't | | | | lights at 10 pm and didn't switch them on until |
| exactly a trip to Fiji but actually a prolonged | | | | morning because there was a single electricity |
| stopover. I was traveling from Auckland to Los | | | | generator on the whole island. I didn't have a dive |
| Angeles and they offered me a stopover in Fiji | | | | license and I was on the island for a short time so |
| only for only $20. I took the chance immediately | | | | I had to choose a snorkel instead. I had heard |
| because I realized that I will never again have the | | | | many legends about Fiji's diving but I had to give |
| chance to visit Fiji for $20. I had spent six months | | | | it up. I was so impatient to explore the coral reef. |
| in rainy New Zealand and I wasn't prepared for | | | | On the next of my stay on the island, I hired a |
| Fiji's whether. I just couldn't stop sweating. It was | | | | snorkel and a pair of fins and I rushed to research |
| hard for me to adapt to eighty-degree weather | | | | the coral reef, which was in front of the resort. |
| and ninety percent humidity. | | | | I cannot describe how I felt when I dove into the |
| I was planning to do basically nothing while I was | | | | warm water. It was wonderful. It was as if I was |
| on the Fiji Island. All I dreamt about was to see | | | | in a different world. I saw the coral reef! The |
| the coral reef. I was going to stay a couple of | | | | coral reef was like an aquarium full of fish of all |
| days and to be specific four days. For any case, I | | | | different colors and sizes. Oh, God, this coral reef |
| took my packable hammock and some books. I | | | | was a mere miracle. I felt like I was in a full-sized |
| spent the first night in Nadi. On the next day, I | | | | model of a marine museum. Little neon-colored |
| caught a bus and then a boat to one of the far | | | | fish went in and out the coral reef. Large fish |
| islands. When I got to the island, I was surprised | | | | were guarding the shelf of the coral reef. |
| when I found that they had the hammocks | | | | Parrotfish were trying to ground on the coral reef. |
| already set up for me. | | | | I dived all day long. I explored the coral reef all |
| The island was very small but it was wonderful. It | | | | around the island. In the evening, I had my back |
| was so small that it took only three hours to walk | | | | sunburned and I couldn't stand my salty hair. |
| all the way around the island. Only two resorts | | | | However, I was convinced that the next morning |
| were situated on the island and they were next | | | | I would be exploring the coral reef again. |
| to each other. Rainwater collectors made up for | | | | |