Archive for category festival

Hibiscus 2011 Part 1: The Mother of all Festivals

Posted by Wilson in ...ofthemonth, festival, fiji, Food, suva, video, Video Post on October 7, 2011

It’s Hibiscus! Well…2 months ago. Taking to heart the concept of ‘Fiji Time’, here’s a video post (part 1) of the sights and sounds that were experienced at the Hibiscus Festival grounds during that week of fun-filled festive freedom.

Note: I am really terrible at naming parts of the car. I will seek forgiveness from my motorhead friends later.

And here’s the Youtube version:

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Happy Holidays!

Posted by Wilson in christmas, festival on December 25, 2010

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5 Ways to Celebrate Diwali

Posted by Wilson in diwali, festival, tipsntricks on October 23, 2008


Image source: www.allposters.com
Tomorrow Fiji is going to celebrate its Indian community’s national holiday of Deepawali.
A blur of blinking lights, blazing fireworks and scrumptious sweets, Diwali holds a special place in many a person’s heart. The festival is always preceeded by the occasional fireworks that echo during the day/night, and will eventually intensify as the special day gets closer. Various businesses will mark the occassion with a declaration of “Best Dressed Indian gets $50″, and cards are sent out to their customers passing on the usual well wishes as well as, coincidently, a special deal that’ll only be on till Diwali ends (So Hurry!). Blinking lights that were originally for christmas trees will be carefully strung up and around celebrating houses, each display an attempt to either outshow their neighbours, or to outdo the previous years set-up. Temples will note an increase in activity, both inside and out, with devotees visiting and children letting off fireworks outside the yard with their parents looking on in amusement.
To many, Diwali is all this and more (grog and booze sessions included), and with so many things to look forward to and only one day to chase it up, there’s a subliminal danger of missing out on the fun things that make Diwali what it is. However, fear not, as this blog will be your guide on some of the more interesting things you could do come Diwali night.
Of course, this ‘5 Ways‘ guide is for those who arn’t hindus and wouldn’t otherwise have their own list of things to do. Rather, this is aimed at those that on Diwali, would be sitting at home, twiddling their thumbs, and watching their dvd collection of Gulong while the rest of Fiji is out and about.
1) When in Rome…


What could be a better way to start off the Diwali then by dressing the part? Nothing gets you in the mood quicker then by doning the traditional garments from India. For men, there’s always the classic, stylish yet not too overbearing Jodhpuri suit, which looks great both for formal and work occassions, as well as, if chosen correctly, boosting your chances of winning the office dress up day competition ;) Women, as always, will always choose the ever enduring, gracefully flowing Indian sari, which is present in many forms and colours, and never fails to dazzle the onlookers time and time again.
Many clothes stores will be stocking Indian suits and dresses, and now would be the right time to get them, although as of late, compared to the previous years, shoppers have been somewhat slow to start the shopping rush. If shopping for Indian attire confounds you, don’t be afraid to take your Indian buddies with you, and let them take charge as to where to shop since you could always use a few pointers on the best places to go.
2) Dude! Sweet!
No, not that sweet, but rather the kind that either gets distributed to your house the morning after Diwali, or you end up gorging yourself on during said Diwali. It is during this time of the year where every self-respecting hindu will make it his/her job to cook up an unholy amount of delicious indian sweets, so as to satisfy the ravinous horde of friends, family and at times, uninvited guests who present themselves at the front door, baying for the fresh indian sweet delicacies that can sate their hunger.
It is during this time where you should by all means, take advantage of the vast range of sweets that will be made, and take it upon yourself to sample each and every piece, from the sugar coated, healthy-teeth-check, bone crunching Lakari to the circular, mouth-melting-moment, sometimes red sometimes orange never disappointing Jalebi.
If there was ever a time in Fiji for sweetophiliacs to prosper, this would be it.
3) Drive-by-Light-Setup-Admiring
Image source: www.indermezzo.com
Diwali is the Festival of light, and that fact is never more clearly illuminated (hooray for puns!) then through the dazzling display of flickering lights that are strung up on houses across the nation. A general sign that that particular household is celebrating the festival the traditional way, the various forms of light displays are always a sight to behold. From the old school candles and coloured boxes that lay scattered across the lawn to the megawatt, FEA-worrying, I’m-made-of-money, near Las Vegas show of might and power, with rows of rows of flashing light ropes that cover the house and on occassion, show laywaid planes the way home.
The best way to fully appreciate the show of lights is to grab a car and go for a drive. You’d be surprised at the vast arrangement details that each home will present, with some of the more creative ones being a pleasant surprise. The best places to visit are the streets away from the main roads, the suburbs as well as the upper class districts. If wheeled transport isn’t available, then a simple walk about with your friends is the next best thing, with the added advantage of lighting crackers along the way to lighten up the mood for the night.

4) Fire in the Hole!


The main weakness of any kid or kid at heart, this is the primary source of enjoyment for many a child, me included. For as long as anyone can remember, fireworks and Diwali go hand in glorious multi-coloured, sparkly hand. Noisy, smokey, potentially dangerous, and at times costing a handy sum, they’re nonetheless the mainstay of any self respecting kid’s arsenal for Diwali night. While they may have a religious connection with the actual festival itself, the act of using fireworks has, over the years, evolved into something more akin to urban warefare, with gangs of children, and at times, consenting adults (ahem…me included) engaging in bouts of firefights. It is perhaps due to these activities that the current government has seen to it that 90% of fireworks be banned from retail outlets, leaving behind mostly sparklers and harmless light flares.
Of course, while it will be unprofessional, nay, illegal of me to recommend you aqcuire said banned crackers via unsavoury means, that doesn’t mean you stay off fireworks totally. There’s always the ones that are legal, and readily available to the public. Light flares, sparklers…yeah it’s pretty obvious either its been awhile since I’ve last visited a store during Diwali saleweek, or there really is a lack of proper crackers on sale.
In hindsight, Diwali isn’t about obtaining the biggest, baddest, loudest, most god-awefully named firecracker you can get so that you can aim at your neighbour’s house, grinning like a madman. Rather, look at it as an opportunity to chillout with your good friends, add a little colour to the night sky, and enjoy the mesmerizing effect that sparklers have both on the kids, as well as kid inside of you ;)
5) Invited Guests


Image source:photobucket.com
Wow. Diwali is looking to be quite the busy night. Sweets, dress up parties, sight seeing, fireworks, it all seems a tad bit overwhelming. What would you start off with first? Here’s a handy tip. Accept the invitation from your diwali celebrating indian friend to pay a visit to his/her place come Tuesday night, and then, in a flash of brilliance, achive all above mentioned points! Dress up in the brand spanking new Jodhpuri suit that you bought last week to impress the parents, snatch a ride to the house and admire the lights along the way, and after entering the premises and wishing everyone a happy diwali, gorge yourself on the snacks presented on the table. Then its to the front porch, where eager kids and unlit crackers await.
So there you have it. While this is by no means a comprehensive “5 definitive ways’ list, I do hope that whatever you may pick up from this post would be of some use to you on Diwali night. And remember, Diwali is all about celebrating together with friends and family, snacks and crackers taking an important second. Or a third, depending on whether the kid in you prefers gunpowder explosions to tastebud ones.
Your choice :)

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The Obligatory Happy New Year Post

Posted by Wilson in bloggers, festival on January 1, 2008

The first post of the year 2008!

Celebrating the new year in style, pink flip flops and all.
(Awesome cartoon courtesy of Awesome Cake)

Unfortunately, I have nothing great, nor funny to share, as a healthy dose of alcohol and a general sense of “I’ve been through this shit before” hangs over me like the reruns of XENA on Fiji TV.

However, I am neither dead nor cripple (my kidney would cry otherwise) and so it is with much relish and delight that Paradise Not Found: Abort, Retry, Fail? welcomes you all to a new year, the year 2008.

New Year Resolutions anyone? I have a few, one of them being of course dedicated to the continued running of this lovely catalog of all things Fijian, Crazy and anything remotely related i.e. this blog. If you don’t have anything in mind at the moment, fear not, you’re not alone. Even the big names in Fiji’s political scenes are coming up empty on a desire for resolutions and changes, such as Felix Anthony, who says, “I don’t have any new years resolution but I’ll continue doing what I have been doing.” (Mind you, the original sentence from the Fiji Times Website had ‘…continue doing but I have been doing’…)

Most publish houses use this opportunity to take a look back at the year 2007, but since this blog’s ‘year’ so to speak is in a few weeks time, I’ll hold that particular post back till the appropriate time.

Otherwise, its just another day in paradise folks. Continue on your merry way please.

And stay away from knives.

What’s your new year’s resolution?

PS: With the new year, a new banner is needed. 2 Fools waiting on the new year, party prepared and primed up. A big thanks to Awesome Cake for the cartoon. Give him some love folks, by dropping by his blog.

And send him some cake.

And don’t forget to CC me as well ;)

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Its after 1am. Do you know where your taxi is?

Posted by Wilson in festival, taxi, tipsntricks on December 26, 2007

image source: USP website

Its the festive season, and late night clubbing is in full swing. After an evening full of music, dance and saliva exchanging, closing time brings with it a unique challenge that everyone who doesn’t have pre-arranged transport home face.

Catching your very own taxi.

Unlike overseas, where cars are about as affordable as a flat screen television, transport is something of a luxury that the lucky few have access to, the rest of us reduced to mere zombies straggling the side of the road in an attempt to convince any taxi driver that we are the ones worth paying for their now much needed service.

There are a few times in a day when taxi drivers, who number in the hundreds making competition something of a life or death situation, can afford to be picky with who they take on as passengers. During peak shopping hours (the shopper with the most plastic bags is more likely to be staying the furtherest away from town), a little after 5pm (all white collar workers are duly marked and picked), and of course, nightclub closing time.

As with the previously mentioned peak times, taxi drivers take their own sweet time, picking out potentially paying passengers who don’t look like they’ll :

a) Vomit onto the driver’s car floor/gear/brand new speakers.

b) rob you of your hard earned cash, and perhaps stick a screw driver into your side while they’re at it.

c) ask to be taken to their destination, and promptly pass out in the back seat. A search of said passenger’s pockets reveal nothing but billiard tickets and lint.

d) go through a combination of (a) (b) and (c). Nasty.

After reading the above points, it’s painfully obvious what to do to ensure that your chances of stopping a taxi are high. Of course, it doesn’t stop there. There’s quite a few more points to pay attention to. It’s almost an art really.

1) Get out of the Clubs early.

I know, leaving early when the whole scene has hit its peak is like, well, I’ll leave the comparison to you. But exiting before everyone else does have its advantages. Key 3 words of this point? BEFORE EVERYONE ELSE. Its as simple as that. Beat the competition by being first out of the clubs, at anytime before 1am, therefore making it easier for the taxi drivers to pick you and you alone. Let the rest of them fight it over after closing time :)

2) Try not to look like a Drunk Fuck.

I sa drunk saraga!!!!!!11!1!

Hmmm, guess you didn’t take the first point to heart. Oh well, not to worry, you still have a fair chance of catching a taxi – if you sober up abit first. No taxi driver in their right mind is going to stop for someone who’s retching their guts out onto the pavement, though they do make exceptions if said vomitter was a hot chick. However, do note that a taxi driver’s self preservation comes to heart when considering a passenger, and if you’re found to be a total drunk fuck, then consider yourself demoted to ‘yet another transportless douche bag.’

3) Have a girl with you. They help :)

These people have “guaranteed taxi passengers” written all over them.


Generally, stopping taxis involve a number of people, namely you and your friends. You can increase your chances of stopping a taxi if you have a member of the fairer sex by your side (or if you are a girl, then you don’t need to be reading this point since you’ve already got your ride home), since taxi drivers see female companions as a sign that these guys most probably won’t be interested in trouble. Guy(s) + Girl = Safe Passengers! Works like a charm.

4) Move away from the Competition.

You don’t want to be here after the show finishes.


It’s simple really. When you exit the clubs, try moving to a spot that isn’t choked up with other late night patrons. The less people around you, the easier it is to be singled out. Moving towards the source of traffic and away from everyone else is always your best bet for catching a taxi.

Bear in mind that the above pointers are not absolute guarantees that you will have taxis clambering over each other to get to you (unless you’re Paris Hilton), but heeding their wise advice should make it easier on you to obtain a paid ride home.

Of course, there will always be the X-Factor, where, even though you’re as drunk as hell, can’t recall your name, and have little green fairies showing you the way home, miracle of all miracles, some taxi driver will stop his cab and kindly open the door for you. These events do happen, though rarely, and it is best to take advantage of the moment, albit carefully.

Above all, remember to enjoy yourself this upcoming new year and be safe. We need our readers in one piece for the next year. For the Ego boost and all.

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