The internet services here in Fiji are a bit rubbish, so I'm having trouble here. I will, however, valliantly attempt to educate you all abot the place. We were too tight to splash out on a guide book, so travelled in ignorance for the first few days. We've now found some info though, so no longer have to make up facts about the place to amuse each other.
Population - well, that was around 775,000 at last count (1996). There are native Fijians, Brits, and Indians. Apparently the Indians were brought over by the Brits to work on sugar plantations. It was a Hindu temple we visited back in Nadi on Sunday. So far we've only had one curry here, but it was a good one!
Fiji was ceded to Britain in 1874, and 96 years later it ceased to be a Crown Colony and became a self-governing Commonwealth member. Then it gets complicated. In 1987 it ceased to be a Commonwealth member after a Military Coup and a Republic declaraion. It re-entered the Commonwealth in 1997, but then in 2000 there was a Civilian Coup and it was expelled. In 2001, when democracy was restored, it again became a Commonwealth member. It seems to have been all go here in the last 20 years!
We're currently on one of the bigger islands, Viti Levu, on the east coast in the capital, Suva. On Saturday we're travelling back to the east coast, to the only other city, Lautoka. From there we're getting a boat on Monday to Waya Island to Octopus Resort for some beach luxury (in a backpackers resort - it was the cheapest island resort we could find).