Bad Trip to Fiji (Micro Fiction)

Posted on by Prior...

Bad Trip to Fiji (fiction word count: 150)

After watching the Truman Show, I decided to visit Fiji. I arrived safely, but my luggage didn’t.

I had to wear ill-fitting clothes provided by the resort and without my vitamins, energy was low. A travel agent misunderstanding had me three nights in huts with the couples-getaway group. I eventually received an individual hut but instead of waking to azul water, I was greeted with brush and a “Keep Clear of Edge” sign.

Midway through, the Duruka gave me dysentery and after a quick city tour on the last day, I had to wait six hours for a shared taxi. It was then that I laughed – sitting on a bench – as folks hustled and diesel lingered.

The silver lining came later: Florida never felt so good. Now, I only vacation on the mainland. Sometimes I buy Fiji bottled water and sip it slowly – just so I can keep perspective honed.

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Duruka, or Fijian asparagus, is the unopened flower of a sugar cane shoot and it is a popular vegetable used in many Fijian dishes. Often cooked in lolo (coconut milk).

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63 thoughts on “Bad Trip to Fiji (Micro Fiction)”

        2. No, that way I can throw off the police that are listening, they think I’m American but I’m actually from Siberia talking to you from the Gulag, and here is freezing so I and me friends have uped the up the anti, now is 50 thousands of dollars.

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        7. really? how interesting and I bet it tasted really good. sounds comforting.

          My dad sometimes made us this dish with canned peas, tuna, and cream of mushroom soup poured over toast – ever hear of that?

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        8. I made that dish in home ec class except crusts were cut off of white bread and buttered and pressed into muffin tin cups, put in oven and toasted. Then you’d pour the creamed tuna into the little toast cups. Definite comfort food of childhood.

          Liked by 1 person

        9. wow – that sounds pretty fancy for a canned dish – and I guess the recipe is old (thanks for sharing that)
          and maybe I will make it my aim to have it that dish this year (sometime) to stroll down memory lane….

          Liked by 1 person

        12. and side note- ia m signing off – but really enjoyed the comment chatting tonight – it is so fun when we catch someone live (online) sometimes

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  5. I enjoyed the story and I love the last line! Makes me want to go out and purchase Fiji water. 😉

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    1. well you might be better off just filtering some water yourself (they have those nice activated charcoal cartridges) because I know many folks who claim bottled water is not all of what is talked up to be….
      the plastic storage and all that

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  6. I loved this story which read like a journal entry. The reasons for the holiday are so spontaneous (which I adore) – having never watched the Truman show they feel spontaneous. From there everything is balanced, the narrators journal entry, their feelings, their outlook, their life. The silver lining is a nice touch. home Sweet Home. And the realisation chuckle on the bench is so very me. Thanks for posting this, Prior. You have a gift, ma’am, sir, son or daughter, whomsoever you are! 😀

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    1. oh Kelvin – you have to promise me you will try and watch the Truman Show movie. Please….
      and i enjoyed your feedback a lot – and the journal entry part was cool to read because I guess i was going for something like that – originally I tried doing really long sentences that just went on and on – but it did not work out. But I was going for informal and almost vetting

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    1. now that is just fun to read and it shows you how the blogosphere can be so enriching. Your having been there is just fun to connect to this fiction piece.
      and it does not surprise me that you have been to fiji – but it does surprise me that it was this very resort – now that is just cool
      anyhow,
      fiji is not really on my list to visit – a few other places are – but we never know what a day might bring forth… or what lies ahead.
      and I smile to think of it and I would love to trey their food – I will just bring activated charcoal capsules and betaine with pepsin – and maybe some mms (or do you have any other tips as this is what you do regularly in your travels)

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      1. I think you’d love the food in Fiji if you ever added the place to your list – fresh and delicious. But steer clear of the kava – that can do you in quickly. What places would you like to visit next?

        Liked by 2 people

        1. funny you would mention kava, I actually bought some a couple years ago – while down in Florida – well my sis bought it for me – and I still have the huge vat of it – anyhow, the couple of times I made it (as tea) it wired me up (and I guess it is a calming thing – and is this what you were talking about – also called kava kava)
          and I would have to get back with you on “where” I’d go next – hmmmm
          but thanks for asking – and sure wish I could do what you have done – just for a week or two – ha – you (and the capn’) must be so physically strong

          Liked by 1 person

  8. Love your street view picture! I completely understand how one could feel worst when your planned trip does not go as smooth especially in the areas about where you stay or transportation.

    Liked by 1 person

    1. well you hit the nail on two crucial things – the “where you stay” and the transportation part….
      can make or break a trip

      and side note – there is a certain culture slang where folks say “where you stay?” when they ask your residence or where one resides…
      “Where you stay?”

      Liked by 1 person

  9. Clever little tale that makes the return the best part of the vacation! And the Fiji water was the icing on the cake.

    Once I went to St. Lucia and my luggage (but not my husband’s) was lost. I wore the same dress (paired with my husband’s shirts) for the duration. The suitcase appeared the day before I was to go home. I guess my suitcase must’ve booked an entirely different trip than I did.

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    1. oh wow – that was exactly what I was thinking of – and if we had more words (which I am glad we don’t – cos 150 is the lure) but if we had more words I would have maybe mentioned they had to buy sandals too big or a really ugly swimsuit. but I laughed when you said the same dress and then digging through the hub’s clothes. Yes – your luggage went elsewhere for a while – and at least you got it back – some never see their stuff again

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  10. I enjoy seeing my daughter, grandsons, and parents in Florida. I do not enjoy Florida and I sure wouldn’t like Fiji. There are things about places that make us grateful for other places we don’t like, and I found that completely relevant, a universal truth. Sometimes the only way to see the good is to see the absence of bad. Like, yes, I bet I would enjoy Florida more after a trip to Fiji. This was a great take on the prompt and I felt all settled in to read the adventure. I was sure Pegman protagonist would get sunburn.

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    1. hahah laughing at pegman getting all sunburned – yup – he is so light colored he would.
      and girl, do not even get me started on Florida – and I feel like we might have gone there on this State before. if not, I know I have with others.
      I have a love – hate relationship with that place. It would take too long to explain – maybe sometime when we sit having some turkish coffee and hours to pass – cos that day might come – just never know –
      anyhow, isn’t it weird how Florida is so diverse depending on where you go? that always blows me away –
      and I am curious as to which part your family resides….

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      1. My mother was born and raised in St Augustine, moved north of Indianapolis for her senior year of high school and ever after lived on the northeast side of Indy…until she didn’t anymore, having moved to south Florida. For privacy reasons I’ll not name the place, but I’ll tell you it’s not as ritzy as its northern neighbor Naples and awfully close to Sanibel.
        My daughter lives in Pensacola, which I prefer and have visited many, many times throughout my life. For one, it’s cooler and breezier, with deciduous trees. For another, it’s 11 hours away and not 16. Oh how I pray my parents move inland and up! lol

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    1. yeah – well I know that one way to take it could be that florida was the home – but I was more referencing it as a local place to vacation.
      Because even though wanderlust has everyone international bound – Florida is still one beautiful place. Fishing in Fort Pierce, boating in Destin, or beachside in Plantation or Stuart –
      and so I think my silver lining was that good old fashioned and easily accessible Florida “never felt so good” – and they have teal water beaches in some spots – and then St Augustine is one of my favorite places just because I love its charm.
      but we used to have jokes – “what is a new yorkers favorite wine?”
      “I wanna go to Florida”
      whine – get it!
      and then I learned that in the gulf coast area there used to be jokes about the Kansas people buying up all the property – just like ijn the early 1990s in Colorado all the California folks were eating up cheap land and houses – well didn’t new yorkers help build Miami – along with the locals and drug money? lol

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      1. Yeh, I’m glad I still have family and friends in Florida so one of these days I can start visiting (once there are fewer critters at home)! Don’t get me wrong, I dread that but I do miss going places! Before I lived in Florida, I think that was pretty much my mantra (whine): I wanna go to Florrriida! heehee! Well, at least Miami still has the drug money….. :O 😆

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  12. Florida is good, in fact! My husband wanted to go to Florida again. It would be a 4th time for me. Oh, Fiji… how is it compared to Solomon Island? My husband wanted to join a diving group to go there diving. Upon research, the recommendation is to stay on a cruise ship, don’t go inland…

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    1. oh really – that is so interesting about solomon island – and I have heard that a lot of mexican resorts suggest not leaving the resort.
      and speaking of diving – I almost included that in this snippet – maybe that this traveler only got to snorkel when they booked for the real dive – and then maybe they liked the snorkeling better and all the inconveniences gave them more of a “needed” “kind of experience.
      and side note – did you hear about the false missile alarms sent out to people living in Hawaii?

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        1. well a text and TV alert was sent out saying that Hawaii was under an attack and it said it “was not a drill”
          and people hid in closets and bathtubs for almost a half hour.

          turns out – during a shift change someone “pressed the wrong button”

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  15. Sometimes you just can’t win… pity it was Fiji though. It sounds like a great place to stay. BTW if ever you lose your luggage for real, what I’ve found works best is sheer persistence. You stand at the desk saying, “But I don’t understand. You’ve lost my luggage. Where is it? I checked it in properly and you lost it!” If you keep this up for long enough (like, hours if necessary), eventually they pick up the phone and start calling people, and your luggage gets put on the next flight to you.

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    1. well thanks for the tip on persisting – wow – sounds like you grate them down and get things done.
      I try not to ever check in bags anymore – which prevents the loss cos my bag never leaves my side – has the challenge of going with “less” (and you might even have to buy clothes on the trip) but keeping the bag with me has helped so much.
      But then sometimes they get ya at the boarding door – you are about to step onto the plane and they walk up and might say “all the carry on space is full and we need to take your bags and place them below” – and – um, so now I try to board as early as possible so that does not happen.
      and side note- it amazes me as to how thin the luggage has gotten – I am sure for weighing concerns – but have this cool little samsonite piece – it is collapsable – and in a fun color. Things have changed in luggage world for sure – and thx for the tip on lost luggage

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