Our trip literally started with a bang. The night we arrived in Nadi's international airport, the first Sunday in November, a loud 'boom!' shook the ground, while rockets whizzed skywards. Smoke filled the air but it wasn't another coup; it was a night of fun and celebration - Diwali, the Hindu Festival of Lights. Fireworks were only a minor part of the celebrations by the Fijian Indian community. As dusk fell we wandered the well-lit streets stopping to admire decorations and house lights. There was definitely rivalry between neighbours - the best of the houses were electrical works of art and there was candle power from hundreds of home-made lanterns. Local delicacies were a part of Diwali to be shared with others; we were offered a huge variety of traditional Indian foods, some hot and spicy and others sweet and fruity.

Next day we left for Rakiraki, the launch point for Nananu-i-Ra Island, the booming started again, but this was a massive thunderstorm with rain and lightning only the tropics provide. The main road flooded and after the storm passed we were delayed for an hour until the water receded. Halfway there uniformed Fijian resplendent in dark shirt, red belt and white sulusulu stepped onto the road. "It's a cop - with a radar gun!" said our stunned driver. We hadn't expected this in Fiji and our 65kph in a 40kph zone brought a $F40 fine!

The coast raod wove through sugar cane fields with cane cutting in full swing. We stopped for photographs and the crowd suddenly doubled as a second group of workers resting nearby wanted to join in. Sugarcane is Fiji's second largest industry after tourism, with the largest mill in Lautoka between Nadi and Rakiraki.

Our first view of Nananu-i-Ra was from Wananavu Resort above the boat harbour. Beyond the island changes in water colour marked hundreds of reefs and we dove many of them over the next two weeks. Our introductions was the Wedding Cathedral. Like most dives it began on a coral bommie less than five metres down, with walls mostly covered with yellow, red and white soft corals. Reeftops were in good condition too with staghorn, plate and brain corals and a mooring rather than an anchor was used. The moorings, set up by thelocal dive operators, have huge reef conservation value. Between the corals, anemones swirled, each with its colourful resident clownfish team. Our cameras came under fire as we intruded on their space; fingers were also attacked if we came too close to their host anemone.