Bula from Fiji

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Well, the big Adventure is underway. We've been in Fiji for about 4 days, but already the time is starting to blur... we're on 'Fiji time' which, by all measures, is slow, serendipitous, and relaxed. A few morsels:

So far, everything is absolutely beautiful. I love the trees and plants here. All hte flowers are so pretty too. On the way here we stopped by the side of the road and bought 22 mangoes for 3 Fiji dollars: about $1.25 US. All the people here are incredibly nice and helpful. I wish pepole in America were this friendly. Whenever we see people-either they wave and speak to us or the other way around but there is always a friendly reply. I can't believe that we are finally here in FIJI... amazing! well, I'm going swimming in the pool now, so until next time.... Megan

Megan and I went down to get a bite to eat. I wasn't hungry so I didn't get anything but Megan got two spring rolls. This nice Fijian all of a sudden walked up. He asked us our names, asked us where our parents were, and then walked away. He came back a minute later with a band who played us a loud, sweet welcome song and everybody eating around us looked at us. I was embarrassed at first but I soon started clapping and grinning like it was the 4th of July...... - Nathaniel

Yesterday we went up to a waterfall... we paid respects to the chief of the village by being part of a kava ceremony and drinking the root of the kava plant. The chief was very dignified, graying hair with very large strong hands. I liked him immediately. We each drank some of the kava (a watery drink made from ground kava roots, a mild sedative) saying some words before hand and thank you in Fijian 'Vinaka' afterwards. The kava had a 'root' taste and immediately made my mouth numb. After gaining his blessings, we hiked to the waterfall, swam, and had a lovely snack of fresh fruit.

On the way back, I talked to Jona more about religion and healers. Though Jona said that there is no longer an indigenous religion, all have converted to Christianity, or are Muslim or Hindu, he did say there are native healers who used the plants to heal. He also said there was witchcraft still practiced in the interior, but that healers could help people by using certain plants. --Walker

Snorkelling is always a treat.. this is a tidal flat. Old coral heads, covered with seaweed now, rise out of the water at low tide, but deeper leads and sandy holes remain underwater even at low tide. Getting to the breakers at low tide wouldn't be very easy, but most of the good stuff is further in anyway. Today, saw a small spotted moray eel, and a Crown of Thorns, a bizarre looking animal about 16' across, with spines all over it's arms and little sucking tentacles underneath like an anemone... supposedly they wreak havoc on reefs by killing the coral animals that build the reef. Of course, there were lots of tiny little turquoise and neon blue fish swimming all over the coral. I love snorkelling: hanging suspended in another fascinating world, with ever-changing colors and always new things to see. We've snorkelled in much more spectacular places than this, but it's never boring and there are always new things to see.

Tomorrow, we go to Malamala Island, a perfect little 6 acre sand island, fringed with reef, to spend the day snorkelling. Friday, we're off to New Zealand. Fiji is great, and it's hard to believe that we're just beginning this 2 1/2 month trip.

Uploading pictures from the camera to this website is going to depend on technology that we may not find in Internet cafes... hopefully we'll be able to do it at some point, but for now it'll be text... stay tuned!

All for now, Doug