Moving to Fiji......
I've had a couple of opportunities like this in Samoa and Morroco. At the time I had a lot of other exciting things going on so didn't take them up. I don't regret it. I guess it all depends on timing for you. I guess packing it up for 2 years and living in a developing country may never seem like great timing but if you're fairly footloose and fancy free it could be an amazing adventure.
You may find that although the quantity of your surfs plummet,the quality goes UP dramatically if you can get a boat out to Cloudbreak every weekend.
Scottishsponger, like Staitey has said if you're footloose and fancy free go for it , the world is your oyster.
Wow what a lifestyle opportunity to say the least....!
We only get one chance in this realm, so what I'm saying is go for it bro, they didn't build Hadrian's wall for nothing....?
This is your chance champ make it happen and enjoy the quality of awesome waves as what Staitey has put forth.
Good luck .Thenk ye (uncoly)!
Thanks for the comments and opinions Staitey and Wellymon - I appreciate it. You've both pretty much convinced me to give it a shot. I can always come home if it's really bad.
Go for it ....don't like it or it turns to shit bail cheap airticket out and on homesoil in a few hours.
Och! That's guid!
EDDIE WOULD GO!!
Yeah but look what happened to him .
nah go for it . You only get one life at a time .What an opportunity.
Do it man, I missed an opportunity to work in Fiji 20 yrs ago, was offered the job with five days to pack my shit and get there, only problem was I had no passport at the time.
I can tell ya from personal experience that one of life's great pleasures is working and living in foreign countries...it's without doubt the best way to invovle yourself with local people and culture, experiences that can never come from just travelling through on ya average holiday junket. If ya open and honest, you'll get taken to places and have adventures normally reserved for locals only...makes me want to call the boss right now and tell him to get me back on an overseas contract just writing about it, fuck Port Hedland;-)
With the bonus of world class surf, can it get any better...and memories for life that will be priceless.
trippergreenfeet wrote:Do it man, I missed an opportunity to work in Fiji 20 yrs ago, was offered the job with five days to pack my shit and get there, only problem was I had no passport at the time.
With the bonus of world class surf, can it get any better...and memories for life that will be priceless.
TGFeet, thee old passport issue..! Happens too so many of us, We tend to forget about that important little booklet of freedom. Yeah you'd be pushing that to get done in 5 days for sure, Although....? I think it cost more money.
Yeah hang in there with the Port Hedland champ (dirty ol town), the tide will change soon ;)
Scottishsponger what kind of work have you been offered...? If you don't mind me asking....
wellymon wrote:Yeah hang in there with the Port Hedland champ (dirty ol town), the tide will change soon ;)
Scottishsponger what kind of work have you been offered...? If you don't mind me asking....
I'm hanging al'right, but the pricks keep throwing on three month extensions...I'm no clairvoyent but I can see this dragging on for at least another 12 months, that'll take this job out to 18 months in total.
Yes SS, enquiring minds would like to know, or at least a couple of nosy bastards anyway.
Gold TGF, So true tho.
Maybe Old Nosy Bastards, but I was the fourth kid and Mum and Dad had did the right thing by then apparently.....?
Suva really isn't the best place in fiji to get surf. There is a few options but its inconsistent and / or pretty average. If you have a tolerance for travel (a few hours + boat time) and you're getting paid a usd/ aud denominated salary you'll be okay tho.
Trippergreenfeet - thanks for the insight, better double check me passport eh!?
Hey Wellymon, the work I've been offered is in Engineering. There's a few big building projects underway in the country right now being undertaken by global consultancies.
Blow-in-9999 the Suva location was one of the things putting me off. If the job was Nadi based I'd probably already have packed my boardbag. Although I've heard lots of expats live in Pacific Harbour along the Coral Coast where you can get a boat out to Frigates from there.
It's that old quality vs quantity thing. Fewer surfs but much better quality. What's everyone's opinions on what improves your surfing? Frequent average surfs, or fewer surfs at top quality breaks?
scottishsponger wrote:It's that old quality vs quantity thing. Fewer surfs but much better quality. What's everyone's opinions on what improves your surfing? Frequent average surfs, or fewer surfs at top quality breaks?
If ya commited to staying fit and flexible, IMO you will be a better surfer going for quality over quantity anyday. Cross train, do something to keep the balance and reflexs sharp and you'll find ya self ripping it up even with long lulls between sessions.
There ya go S-S, good question, right on the button champ.
I would love to read other people's answer to this question ..!
My 2 cents worth, is the latter, Fewer surfs at top quality breaks for sure, you can not beat quality when you can already ride a bike without trainer wheels ;) you know what I mean...?
On one hand I believe it's all about time in the water , but having said that good waves definitely let you open up your performance to improvement no matter what level you're surfing at.
There must be waves on the north side of Fiji if you are in Suva so Nov - April when the North swell is running there will be opportunities. When the Southern Hemi fires up, you really need a boat as all the waves are out on the reefs, bar a couple. A round trip to Cloudbreak is usually $100 fijian dollars and your own boat is $500 a day. That roads are pretty bad too and a lot of driving from up there will be torture. Less quantity more quality. Good luck in your decision.
Fortune favours the brave.
Thanks for the replies guys. I was wondering, has anyone surfed around the Coral Coast/Pacific Harbour much and if so what is it like? Obviously Frigates is a class wave, but there must be more breaks around here. There's not a lot of info out there on Fiji though (except Mamanucas). Got the Stormrider guide/MSW which lists a few spots on the South Coast, but haven't found much other info. I reckon this is the area I'd be surfing, rather the driving to the East cost every weekend to surf Cloudbreak.
A spent a couple of weeks at Hideaway Resort on the Coral Coast with the family in 2012. There's a fun right straight out the front which really turned on for a couple of days. I drove around a bit and saw plenty of potential but nothing world class. That said, weekend runs to Tavarua would be enough to keep anyone happy. The people are great, the fishing's great - I say go for it.
I've surfed (on a lid) both the coral coast and Mamanucas. Most of the non frigates set-ups are somewhat inconsistent on the coral coast. Plenty of options tho so you'll generally be able to find somewhere. The main issue with the coral coast vs Mamanucas is that the former is more spread out. I'mm not sure the quality of waves is actually significantly worse if you have your own boat (or love for paddling) & transport.
Would you move to Fiji? I've been offered a job in Fiji for 2.5 years but I'm not sure whether to take it or not. It's a good job so that's not the question, more the lifestyle (I.e surfing) factor and whether I'll actually get much surfing in. Currently really enjoying life on the Mid north coast of NSW and get plenty of waves (2-3 surfs per week min) including before and after work. Is the difficulty and expense of accessing waves in Fiji going to seriously dent the amount of surfs I get and have a knock on effect on my fitness, skill level etc? Would appreciate any advice from anyone whose lived there or knows someone who has. I'll be based in Suva and working Mon - Fri. It's a first world problem, I know.