I woke up at 6:30, just in time to watch the sunrise from my balcony. The mornings in Fiji are always a hazy pink and orange and remind me a lot of the sunrises in Asia. After doing a few stretches, I head down to reception to have a cup of tea and wait for the family to prepare breakfast. A breakfast spread of fresh fruits, homemade coconut buns and cereals is served and the family play ukulele and sing to us as we eat. What a beautiful way to start the morning! Sunday is the day of rest in Fiji, but the family still offers to take us to Blue Lagoon Beach, a near-perfect beach lapped by turquoise waters with rolling hills and swaying palms in the distance. After snapping a few photographs, I find a comfy spot to lay my towel and catch some rays. I’ve found heaven relaxing under the Fijian sun with a light breeze cooling me down whenever the sun gets too intense. The day only gets better as a lunch of freshly grilled fish is delivered to us on the beach and later washed down by a local Fiji Gold beer. After lunch, more sunbathing is on the agenda followed by a walk along the pristine beach to the bar at the end. I get chatting to a friendly Kiwi couple who are on their honeymoon and we have a drink together on the sunny deck. Worried I might miss the boat back I speed walk back to the others and then remember this is Fiji time and I needn’t have rushed at all. Back at the accommodation we share a wonderful dinner and celebrate Sophie’s birthday over chocolate cake.

Day 4 in Fiji and time is already moving too quickly. I’m making sure to make the most of every single second and count my blessings but I wish time would slow down a bit. I’ve only got three more full days here and I already feel sad about leaving this beautiful country. Guys, one week is definitely not long enough in Fiji, learn from my mistake. Today has been a busy day. I woke up again for sunrise and watched it from my balcony as I got ready for the day ahead. The sky turns a hazy pink long before it rises above the mountain and becomes visible. Soon after, I headed downstairs for an early breakfast before taking an early morning hike to the mountaintop. Even in the early morning, the heat was intense and the gentle breeze was welcomed. The hike was beautiful passing through a local village and fields of swaying palm trees. The views at the top were a hazy blue and where the sea met the sky was a blur. Back down, I bid farewell to the family and gave them all a hug as I boarded the boat bound for Blue Lagoon Beach. I spent a couple of hours relaxing in the shade, listening to music, chatting with friendly tourists, swimming in the pristine waters and eating our lunch on the beach again. I then boarded the Yasawa Flyer again to spend a night on Barefoot Manta. I instantly fell in love with this little island with its luscious green interior and three small beaches. I was keen to check out the beaches so I quickly sussed them all out and headed to the prettiest one to relax and watch the waves. After showering, I met Milana for some beers at the sunset bar and then we headed to dinner together.

What a day! But I could say that about every day in Fiji. Milana and I got up early to do the sunrise hike and met the others at the top. They left even earlier for some stargazing and yoga but we had a bit of a lie-in and just made it in time for sunrise. After working up an appetite we headed straight to the breakfast buffet which offered an amazing spread of fresh fruits, pancakes and an omelette station. To the beach we all went to soak up the sunshine cooling off in the sea whenever we needed. I’d heard great things about the snorkelling on this island so I wanted to see the underwater life before heading off to the next island. I went to explore the coral garden with Craig, a Kiwi guy I’d just met. I’m glad he accompanied me as the current was pretty strong and I would have been nervous to go as far on my own. After snorkelling we had lunch together, sunbathed some more and I took one last walk around the island before joining Milana for a beer and very nearly missing my boat because I was so relaxed having adjusted to Fiji time. A very short boat ride later I arrived at the island just opposite and soon met the beautiful Jessie and Ken. We spent the evening together drinking a couple of beers, dining together and watching the cultural show in the evening.

Another sunrise morning and feeling pretty proud that I’ve kept my promise to myself. Jessie and Kamber came and met me just as the sun was rising above the mountain. We lay on the sunbeds enjoying the early morning light and listening to the sound of the waves before heading to breakfast. The morning took us to the other side of the island to a remote beach which Jessie and Ken had discovered the day before. I’m so glad they shared their slice of paradise with us as we had such a perfect morning together snorkelling, sunbathing and having massages in the sunshine. We ventured back just in time for lunch before I had to say a sad goodbye to them and hop back on the boat. I had such an amazing time at Manta Ray island, not because of the place but because of the people who showed me so much love from the minute I met them. I wasn't sad for too long as I arrived at beautiful Octopus Resort where I enjoyed a couple of beers, a vibrant sunset and an incredible dinner with a couple of English girls I'd met on the boat.

It was my final full day in Fiji so I was determined to make the most of every second. I felt fully relaxed after my week of sunbathing, so I was ready for some adventure. I went for a short sunrise hike but the sun was hiding behind a mountain, so I only caught the end of the sunrise. I took the same track later in the morning but carried on to the other side of the island and what I found was breathtaking. Sparkling, sapphire waters in the foreground and towering rock formations in the background – it was a million times more beautiful than the resort beach. There were two beaches and one was home to a local village which I went to explore. I was greeted with ‘Bulas’ from everyone and some welcomed me into their home for coconuts and tea. They even let me peek into the kindergarten and meet the beautiful children. I walked across the other beach and couldn’t stop taking photographs because it was so damn beautiful. Tired and sweaty it was time to head back to the accommodation for an afternoon beer and swim in the ocean. I boarded the boat back to the mainland and I was as happy as a clam with the wind in my hair and tunes blasting out. I felt overwhelmed with gratitude and happiness from the most incredible week I had. I was the perfect mix between local life and luxury; adventure and relaxation; and alone time and socializing. I couldn’t have asked for a better week and couldn’t have known I would fall so hard for Fiji.