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I asked to sit next to the Dutch girl, the only other solo traveler here. I hoped to get to know her — she spoke less English than I envisioned.

We sat in silence and finished our lunch, and then sat a while longer. Together, we listened to the waves gently brush against the coast as wooden boats teetered and tipsy Australians were being loud about something or other.

It kind of felt like feeding pigeons with an elderly Chinese woman in Central Park. Not that I’ve done that — but I could tell we were both just content to be there, present, and with a buddy. We didn’t have to talk about it. 

Fiji, August 2025
Ashkan R.