The past week has proved tough for one of our May 2010 expedition team in particular, with Becky Sadler admitted to hospital for treatment for an infected foot caused by a blister that she picked up whilst snorkelling the reefs. With conditions in the village being unsuitable for recovery, we were gutted for Becky as we had to transfer her across to hospital in Fiji’s capital, Suva.
With our expediton leaders, taking it in turns to make visits to be with her and monitor her progress, we thought that her time on the project had come to an end and she would be returning to the UK to recover in the comfort of her own home. However, Becky was absolutely determined to stay on in Fiji, and after waiting patiently in hospital for her foot to heal, she was at last given the all clear by the doctors to make a visit back to Niubasaga village.
To surprise the team, our leaders kept Becky’s return a secret, and it was a fabulous moment for Becky to be reunited with her gapyear team and of course her Fijian family. Becky has been an absolute star on the expedition thoughout, meeting the challenges of project work and village life with a huge sense of commitment and always with a massive smile, and it is testament to her character that her Fijian mum Joanna had tears in her eyes saying goodbye. Now as the team head for the coral coast, Becky has a final week in Fiji, resting her feet by the swimming pool, she certainly deserves a great final week in Fiji!
Hello and BULA T.P bloggers 
it’s Becky here… you know the cripple one! Well after an epic week on the island of Moturiki living and loving the styles of Fijian life I found myself with a lovely swollen foot.
Not to get to ahead of myself, the build was amazing. To watch a structure being built from nothing up to a timber structure and roof and now finished has been amazing. Not only that I’ve loved teaching hockey and netball to the children of the Nasauvuki school, they’re all so loveable and cheeky. I really formed a strong bond with my Fijian mummy and daddy… the best icebreaker in the world Yorkshire gold tea!!!!!!! Instantly got chatting and I thoroughly enjoyed the Fijian lessons and chats with vakatower and Joanna. I also tasted some marvellous Fijian foods such as daruka in lolo and fresh fish every evening, off course after we had said masu.
So I spent 3 days in Levuka hospital, and had tons of visitors from random moturki people who came to visit me just because we were from the same island … I love Fiji lol. After that I got shipped into Suva hospital with husband number one (expedition leader Benjy). I had a thirty dollar operation and lots of i.v antibiotics … rock on. Okay Fijian hospitals can get v. Boring, I am so thankful for having my husband’s there! Every day for like 5 hours me and Benjy would chat, I would whoop him at card games and occasionally we’d escape the hospital and venture outside for some off road wheelchair riding!
Monday came and I was still stuck in this hospital! By this time I’d made a great patient mate called Una! She’d regularly escape the hospital and go to the shops and buy some balsami and cream buns for us both …. Yes she was an absolute legend! Also Monday I had a change of husbands and expedition leader harry would be hanging out at the hospital for the next 5 or so days. Harry bought a laptop with films…. omg soooo great! Plus he bought an absolutely lovely lovely card from the team where they’d all wrote get well messages I loved that so much, it cheered me right up!
When I finally got discharged, the insurance company thanks to the help of the legendary U.K guy (Simon) got me a sweet set up in the holiday inn with free breakfast buffet in the morning! Honestly I have never appreciated so much luxury, a pool, TV, aircon, a fridge and the Japanese rugby team!!!! So me and harry had to change my dressing everyday and still do, it’s so funny, although we’re getting very good at it now!
Thanks to the U.K guy once more, I was allowed to return to Niubasaga for the goodbye ceremony. The moment I heard this I was so ecstatic it was unreal! When harry piggy backed me from the boat into my house I saw vakatower and gave him the biggest hug! Next thing I knew I heard a stampede of people running towards my house shouting Becky…Becky!!!!! Everyone came in and I gave them all huge huge hugs, it was so good to be home. All the kids and adults popped their heads round and said hi and glad to see me home! Next thing I knew, I was in my jamba dress sitting in church. It was a great service. Lucy, Tim, Benjy, and James did 4 fantastic speeches and managed to get through the whole speech even though everyone of them were teary eyed. The feast in the village hall was delicious, and the fresh food (not hospital food) was absolutely to die for! After that we all got our grog on and had a great session of hop hop, that lasted until 7 am in the morning which is when the boat left for calaqai island. Lucy price and Anna were the hardcore team members who lasted all night and didn’t sleep!!!
Saying goodbye was always gonna be awful, and it was. Everyone of us was crying and it was really hard leaving the island as they all sung and waved us off. Right now I’m sat at bar of the Club Oceanus and it feels so weird! Everyone is having such a good time and even Jason went for a shark dive today this is definitely gonna be a fantastic end to an epic trip.
Becky
P.s I would just like to say how thankful I am for having Harry and Benjy visit me in hospital they so fantastic! Sota tale xxxx
