So another day in Nadi town... to be fair there's not much happening on the mainland and your main decisions are where to sit and read with the best tanning/ not likely to burn spots (delete accordingly). So it was one of many lazy days at Bamboo hostel, and they had organised a trip to the mud baths. The only thing that put me off was the cost- it was $35 for transport to the mud baths. Not a lot of money but someone was trying their luck somewhere. I checked again when I knew the car was filling up, and the guy said it was still the same price. I said I would give him $20, and he said, yes ok, don't tell anyone. Well I'm telling the world, you sneak!
The drive takes you out of New town, and past the airport with the sleeping giants in the distance. Legend has it that the giants had too much kava and fell asleep there on the spot. There is now a beautiful garden of orchids at the bottom of where they lie, and it is also another attraction on the mainland but we didn't venture that far.
The route goes off onto a rocky side road. Gravel. And there had been a thunderstorm over night so there was puddles, and over flowing rivers. We had to walk the last part because the taxi driver didn't want to wreck his car which is understandable.
The mud bath
So we get there and meet our host for the day. There is a small hut which they also call a changing room, and here you can change into your bathing gear. Next she took us over to the mud pool, and put down a big bucket of mud: 'Cover your whole body, and don't forget your supermarket...' so we spent the next 15 or minutes covering ourselves in mud. Lovely. Its very good for your skin because of the sulphur content apparently. edit* I think my skin was a little bit softer afterwards!
Checking for missing patches
Then we had to let the sun dry the mud onto our skin, kinda like a mask but an all over body mask. The mud cooled down my body at first but then it started to bake onto my skin, and it changed grey like clay and made my skin feel tight. Yikes!
Drying off in the sun!
Once dry we lowered ourselves slowly into the mud pool. Its such a bizarre feeling because you take one step and your foot just sinks into the mud until your knee deep, and you take another step and the same happens. And you're supposed to wash off the caked mud in more mud! Fun times! Also, just to make your skin crawl a little- who knows what is crawling around in that mud... no one knows because you can't see what's going on. Clear as mud, my friends!
Ok so once we were done scrubbing off, we were taken over to the hot springs. The first pool our host took us to was small, and bubbling, and she said that this was the hottest one, too hot to go into so we followed a small shaded path til we came to another mud pool. This one was more of a caramel colour. It was lovely. Like a warm bath, but muddy. Very relaxing, and you're surrounded my greenery so its beautiful.
The taxi was only waiting for an hour so we only had time for a quick soak. There was a kava ceremony going on so we joined them for a couple of rounds. A couple of the girls hadn't tried it yet so I just told them it tastes like what it looks like... :]
Kava
MUD! Of course, I only said that to freak them out. I like Kava, and will write more about it in my next post. Ahh the cost of this experience, we were asked for $12 each. Which is not a lot but I also read somewhere that they asked for donation only so it might be good to check with your tour guide. Anyways, probably a once in a life time thing for me because it will for sure be more expensive in New Zealand. Enjoy!
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