Don't just stay on the mainland. Although there are some wonderful resorts around the Coral Coast and some of the newer players are up with the style and luxury that would satisfy the most discerning tourist. The towns on the mainland are wonderful for those who enjoy immersing themselves in island culture, but for the person who is simply looking for sea and relaxation, these towns will offer little.

THE PEOPLE

The people of Fiji are mostly a mix of the indigenous people, who are a Melanesian group. They own most of the land and are proud of their collection of islands and their history. They enjoy an envious lifestyle of good education, abundant food from the sea and the land and endless warmth from the tropical sun.

If you have time with some locals, try kava. Personally, I think it tastes like mud with disinfectant, but some can tolerate it long enough to become very laid back and mellow. The worst that can happen is that you may become unable to stand and will fall over and sleep it off.

The second largest ethnic group is the Indians. Brought to Fiji to work the sugar plantations, they continue to work the land as well as much of the business both in retail and in the tourism arena. At times there is unrest between the Fijians and the Indians as the Fijians are very jealous to keep their islands in Fijian control.

I have stayed with Fijian people in the highlands, where the tropical jungle threatens to reclaim the dirt road almost as you drive over the bumpy tracks and I have stayed with Indian people. On the second large island of Vanua Levu there is the town of Lambasa which has a mostly Indian population. It is not a tourist town, but having stayed with Indian friends there, I have been left with lifelong memories of their hospitality and warmth.

FOOD

Try the local raw fish dish, kokoda, pronounced kokonda, as Nadi, the gateway airport is pronounced Nandi. Even though there was a time that I managed to contract coral fish poisoning from this dish, and thought I might die, I would still order it. The fish is marinated in coconut cream and eaten as a salad by the aqua cool of a resort pool is one of life's great experiences.

On the mainland it is possible to visit local Indian restaurants and for a mere few dollars, eat one of the best goat or chicken or lamb curries complete with fresh naan or papadum. Fiji meat marsala is a mix of spices that is distinctly the flavour of Fijian curries. Delicious!

Fresh papaya (Paw Paw), mangoes, pineapple grow in abundance and there is nothing like Fijian payaya with a squeeze of lime for breakfast. Resorts range from basic to very luxurious, but good value food is to be found everywhere.

PLACES TO GO

Vanua Levu has some hidden away resorts such as Namale. For those who can afford it, this is one of the most romantic hideaways that could be found on earth. Diving around this island is legendary.

For the general traveller it is easy to access the islands closer to Nadi. There are so many to choose from and each has attraction depending on needs. For families, Plantation Island offers safe beaches and many activities. Parents can wave goodbye to their children in the morning and know that they will be happily and safely occupied all day.

My favourite islands would be Castaway, where I still haven't managed to actually stay, but dream of doing this and Treasure Island. Treasure is tiny, circumnavigated in about 10 minutes. But it is the island of travel brochure dreams. It is circled by a reef that is part of a marine protected area. This means that even a basic snorkeler can float just a few meters from the shore and see in the clear water, parrot fish, angel fish and a swarm of sea life.

Across the water is the twin island Beachcomber. This is where the young go to stay in dormitories and to party. I have stayed here too and may have enjoyed it more if I wasn't into my first day of the coral fish poisoning! Hope that you never win the lottery of indulging in a fish that has eaten the dreaded fungal poison. It is rare to have this happen. I just got "lucky".

Take a Blue Lagoon cruise and visit some of the most pristine pacific islands that exist. Here the movie "Blue Lagoon" was filmed and the island where it was filmed has a luxury resort where the rich and famous still frequent, Turtle Island.

FIJI MAGIC

There is something about the air in Fiji. As soon as the door opens at the airport, a blanket of warm, perfumed air wraps itself around you and the magic of Fiji has begun. It is a world of laughter and song and sights to soothe stressed minds.

Tourism operators here know exactly how to create paradise with service and style. Even the true giant sized Fijians seem to know how to pad silently with a slow sway, setting the pace for tranquility and charm. But don't be fooled. The waiter with the fresh red hibiscus tucked into the tight mass of dark curls, who smiles that wide guileless grin, is just as likely to hold a doctorate in tourism, or politics. They just know what visitors want and they do it well.

PEOPLE

Clothing sizes were now selling in a wider range of sizes. It was noticeable that the people were also in a wider range of sizes! Where my own lack of height twenty years ago had seemed close to the norm, I now found myself dwarfed by many of the younger locals.

The mixture of ethnic people had changed a little too. There were many from the Philippines, mostly young women, often with blonde children in tow. These were the maids who had come in their thousands to satisfy the demand for maids for locals as well as ex-pats working in Singapore.

The most noticeable, were the number of Europeans who have flooded into the country to work. One suburb, Holland, was pointed out to be the meeting place for many. Here the ex-pat workers could find produce from their home countries in Europe or Australasia.

Twenty years ago a question about the many regulations and laws would bring muffled grumbles about Lee Kuan Yew and restrictions on civil liberties and freedom of speech. Today the same questions bring quiet acquiescence to the greatness of his achievements and the quality of life enjoyed by the inhabitants of this fortunate city. They are aware that they have an enviable lifestyle, prosperous and contented. Freedom to walk about at night and enjoy human habitation without the embellishments of graffiti and garbage, have somehow a greater appeal than the freedom to wantonly live in individual freedoms that mean pain for others.

SAFETY AND COMFORT

Singapore has to be one of the most modern and comfortable cities to visit as a tourist. It is easy to get around with signage in English, Mandarin, Malay and Tamil. The MRT suburban rail system is fast, reliable and easy to negotiate.

Personal safety is as good as it gets anywhere. I saw five school girls come to eat at a city food hall. They casually placed their bags with all their personal belongings at a table and disappeared to buy their food! There was not thought of anything being stolen in their absence.

As it is considered culturally poor practice to put a bag on the floor, handbags are often slung over the back of a seat while dining. Singapore lacks the tension that often accompanies a traveler in a strange place. It means that exploring this city can be a relaxing experience, at least from the fear of some villain watching for the unsuspecting tourist to pounce on. People continue to be helpful and friendly.

SHOPPING AND SIGHTSEEING

Singapore needs more than a few days to do properly. Sights include the Jurong Bird Park, the zoo, especially by night and Senosa Island. But visiting the various regions of the city can be just as interesting. Orchard Road is a long lushly lined boulevard. The huge tropical trees provide shade for the wide walkways and everywhere there is space, tropical plants add flashes of colour.

This shopping strip can provide days of shopping, as it is a long line of enormous shopping malls from the very expensive and chic to bargains and tourist trinkets in the famous Lucky Plaza.

The Marina area has theatres and more huge shopping centres including the largest in Singapore, Suntec. Here the magnificent theatres with the distinctive huge domes, originally depicting microphones, but more reminiscent of the forms of enormous durian fruit, dominate the landscape. Around the marina there are park-like gardens and a waterside walkway where a visitor can see the statue of the Merlion, the symbol of Singapore, across the water.

A visit to Little India to sample excellent curries for as little as S$4.00 per plate is a must and don't miss the conglomeration of goods sold in the Mustafa Centre. Visit Arab Street for a browse through Persian carpet shops and purchase some wonderful material from one of the many shops there.

China town is worth a visit, though it is a little touristy, but the old shop houses are preserved well and there is still something of an atmosphere in this area that is of interest. For cheaper eats, visit one of the hawker stands outside of the tourist strips. If you are not so adventurous, Smith Street has a range of good restaurants to try.

Visit the old Raffles Hotel which has been beautifully renovated and preserved. The glamour of the age has been retained, especially in the hotel lobby and staff present accordingly, especially the turbaned and white jacketed doorman.

Clarke Quay looks a bit tired by day, but is a good diversion on the way to China Town. It looks like it rocks at night, with many restaurants and nightclubs.

When the shops have become too much, a quiet walk through the botanical gardens, culminating with a walk through the orchid gardens to see the national flower in its many different forms, is a tonic.

EATING

Hawker stands are the basic level of eating. The government monitors these stands for hygiene and awards owners with a grading system. The best receive an "A". Each stand must display their grading. If there is no grading, the stand may lack any standard, best to stick with graded stands and "B"s and "C"s are still fine to buy from. Try some of the desserts such as pineapple and coconut or mango and almond jelly. Many of the desserts come on finely crushed ice. These are delicious, especially in the humid heat or after a spicy curry.

Food halls offer a wonderful range of foods from the wider region, Malaysia, India, China, Taiwan, Thailand. The best food halls in my opinion are the Food Republic food halls. There is on Orchard Rd and I found one in Suntec that had a theme of an old library. It felt rather odd sitting amongst panels of old books while eating, but the food was excellent. I tried dumplings in the shape of goldfish… interesting.

Restaurants range from basic and cheap to very exquisite and expensive. To try some of the signature dishes of chili crab or pepper crab, my favourite, visit Newton Circus as the hawker stands there all specialize in seafood. Or if you have the chance, visit one of the huge eating conglomerates at East Coast. Crab is sold per 100gms, so this makes the dish a little on the pricey side, but well worth the expense.

The local water is safe to drink, therefore ice is a welcome addition to drinks. Food is an art in Singapore, and a way of life! Make the most of the different tastes. Forget trying to eat Western food, the local food is the highlight. Forget trying to find good coffee. Cafes are everywhere but good coffee in my hunt was not to be found. Much of the coffee comes from Malaysia and is a dark roast, often made worse by the preparation.

SINGLISH LAH?

Singaporeans converse using many slang words. Coffee is referred to as "kopi", if someone seems a little slow on understanding, they might be asked, "why you so blur?" Or when someone acts in a way that is questionable, a friend may say, "why you so like that?" Tenses can get a little mixed but are always understandable and at the end of almost every second sentence comes the expression that simply means, "you know?" or endorses a sentence or question, "lah". This is a very catchy phrase lah, you hear it everywhere in Singapore lah.

What a vibrant city. It gets better every twenty years. I must make a note to visit it a little sooner next time. And next time, I will remember to take an umbrella. Ask a local if the rain is going to clear during the day, the answer may be, “I don't know lah. It might. It might clear then rain again later lah. Never can tell what the weather might do isn't it?

Singapore. My tourist T shirt reads: Food shiok lah, everything fun to see lah, everything to see must buy lah!