There is no doubt at all that Fiji is the perfect sunshine holiday, particularly if you want to see huge mountains rising jaggardly out of the sea, white sand, coconut trees, and beautiful reefs chock full of wonderfully bright fish.

Sadly there seems to be a darker side, because picking up The Fiji Times yesterday didn’t reflect what tourists see. The front page was given over to the police, who have stated that parents are liable to 25 years in prison for negligence of their children, good, that sounds like a law we should all have. But the article goes on to say “it comes in the wake of the continuous deaths of children by drowning with more than seven cases recorded this year”

And three horrendous rapes, one of an infant and the other case two little pre-school girls while their mother was doing chores in the garden. A ten year old boy has taken his own life…….so is there something wrong in paradise?

I think that’s enough of yesterday’s paper, I wish I could report some good news or something funny.

Oh well! the Fijians lost 19-28 in the Rugby Sevens World Cup to…… Canada, not good.

Today, my last day here was spent on an island which was no more than a pimple of sand in a turquoise sea. So that is the memory I shall take home and want you all to think of.