One of my favourite parts of any trip is the first drive you take through a new city. Floating through the Nadi traffic after my first international flight in more than two years, I noticed a hundred details: the bright lanes of bougainvillea down the centre of the roads, the complete absence of closed-toe shoes, buildings with slat windows propped open as far as they would go. My first impression of Fiji was of brilliant colour and lush vegetation. Everywhere we went, there were mango, papaya and coconut trees. I checked into my first resort of the stay – the Sofitel Fiji Resort & Spa on Denarau Island. This private luxury resort is a tourist hotspot for good reason: blessed with crystal-clear waters, exceptionally friendly staff and every convenience the tired traveller could need, it’s an oasis. I settled into my comfortable room, changed into my togs and headed right out for a swim in the sea, which was warm as bathwater.
After a quick shower, I was ready for a feed – something the Sofitel caters amply for, with multiple restaurants, including a seafood-forward cocktail bar and an upmarket bar and grill. Drawn in by the
