“The slower you go, the more you see.” Simple and powerful!
New Zealand couple Merryl Park and Ian Flux speak directly to the heart of something many of us forget in the hustle and bustle of modern life.
Sometimes, we need to slow down to truly see what’s in front of us. We need to appreciate the beauty, the warmth, and the spirit of our nation. We sort of take many things for granted.
Park and Flux, cycle tourists in their late 50s and early 60s, have been pedalling their way across Viti Levu, taking in the breathtaking landscapes of our home and the essence of our people.
Their journey from Nadi to Sigatoka, Suva, Natovi, and then Ovalau, wasn’t a high-speed dash through the country, but a slow, deliberate experience of connection, curiosity, and quiet observation.
They didn’t come here for five-star resorts. They came for the real Fiji. They came to ride along gravel roads, pull over for trucks on the old Kings Highway, and share a humble cup of tea with strangers. In doing so, they found something many of us have perhaps stopped noticing.
They see the magic of our every day life in Fiji.
In Namarai Village, when they couldn’t reach Rakiraki in time, they were welcomed by a family who offered them food and a place to rest. It was a simple gesture, one many of us would probably take for granted, but it moved them deeply. It was a reminder of the kindness that lives in our communities, unforced and genuine.
We often talk about progress in terms of infrastructure, development, and speed. We talk about revenue generation and the domestic economy. But sometimes, real progress is found in slowing down, in choosing to look around, to breathe, to listen, to appreciate who we are as a people and our incredible home.
Tourists like Merryl and Ian see the richness of our culture, the beauty of our forests and oceans, and the openness of our smiles. But what they see as special, we sometimes overlook. We rush past the sunsets, ignore the sound of the waves, forget to greet our neighbours. In our familiarity, we risk becoming blind to what makes us extraordinary.
Our tourism industry thrives because of the very things we may take for granted, our warm hospitality, our unspoiled nature, our diverse culture, and our peaceful way of life.
Let’s face it, visitors come from all corners of the world not just to see beaches, but to feel something different, something real. That’s our greatest strength.
But we must protect it.
If we want to continue welcoming visitors who leave with stories of unforgettable experiences and heartfelt connections, we need to preserve the things that make Fiji what it is. That means caring for our environment, our coral reefs, our forests, our rivers. It means respecting our ecosystems, keeping our towns and villages clean, and ensuring that development is sustainable.
It means nurturing the spirit of kindness, generosity, and humility that lives in our people. The big bula smiles, the shared meals, the helping hands, they matter. They are our identity. They are what people remember long after their flights home.
Park and Flux saw a side of Fiji that cannot be captured in brochures or travel adverts. They saw us. They saw our heart, our land, our way of life.
Let us fall in love with our home, our culture, and ourselves. Let us slow down!