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Jaron Lanier
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Fiji: This article appeared in the Philadelphia Inquirer in 1998 (in updated form), the Grand Rapids (Mich.) Press in 1996, and the Miami Herald, Sacramento Bee, Asbury Park (NJ) Press, Reno Gazette-Journal, Austin American-Statesman and Torrance (Calif.) Daily Breeze in 1995. Last updated Jan. 20, 1998 By J.D. Lasica CASTAWAY ISLAND, FIJI — The foot-long flying fish came straight at us, backflipping through the jade lagoon. Surely, we thought, it would turn. But no — at the last moment the fish launched itself, hurtling past my shoulder, arcing over our small motorboat and landing on the other side in a perfect electric-green splash. My friend Joyce and I looked at each other, wide-eyed. It was another Fiji moment. This South Pacific island chain just might be the closest to paradise I'll ever get, unless I catch St. Peter napping at the pearly gates. Normally I'm not one to take exotic vacations, but last fall a friend and I decided to splurge a little by heading to the South Seas for two blissed-out weeks. This is what we found: blue lagoons and balmy breezes, coconut trees and sugarcane fields, lush rain forests and white sandy beaches, nautilus shells and perfect white orchids, unspoiled coral reefs teeming with impossibly vivid tropical fish, good food, great weather and, everywhere, hearty greetings of "bula!" from passersby on the street. The people, especially, were amazing. Fiji is a chain of more than 300 islands about 1,600 miles east of Australia. From the U.S. gateway of Los Angeles, it's a 10-hour direct flight to Nadi Airport on Fiji's main island. We chose Fiji for several reasons. The place is drop-dead gorgeous. Despite that, it hasn't been overrun with tourists (Hawaii, by contrast, gets 20 times more visitors). They speak English everywhere here (a former British colony, Fiji became a parliamentary democracy in 1970). And it's a different experience from the usual getaway to Mexico or the Caribbean. But most importantly, the price was a bargain for this part of the world. Fiji's national airline, Air Pacific, is offering a fare of $878 for an eight-day stay, including round-trip air from Los Angeles on a 747 and lodging in a beachfront hotel. We decided to divide our trip into three parts: exploring the main island of Viti Levu; kicking back at the water sports mecca of Castaway Island; and taking a four-day Blue Lagoon cruise to the northern Yasawa Islands. Each was worthy of a full vacation by itself.
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