Suva, Fiji

We had a very relaxing day at Suva. But then Fiji is just about a second home vying with Australia but then Oz is too big to be really like home. The ships tours were the same old, same old, so we wandered out hoping there would be a boat trip to an island but no. We ended up renting a car, a nice little Toyota Yaris, and tootled south to a resort called Uprising down Pacific Harbour way. We had done a tour down here last time to a posh resort which was all very nice but the beach didn’t look very inviting and those that went this time thought the resort was looking very tired. But then that’s a bit like Fiji. Even the buildings in progress look old. I thought, though, that Suva looked better, much tidier and even has a new mall. We just had to go left and keep on the main road til we reached Uprising – only 18 ks or miles away according to the port lecturer. After quite a while we checked the map. You know, if all else fails!! It was actually 51 ks each way!! Hoppy was all prepared for a swim with shoes, towel and snorkel BUT no swimsuit so we had to go to the shopping centre at Pacific Harbour and buy one. I was there in the mid-seventies when things were only just being planned so it was good to see a nice mall, lily ponds, back-packers, a cultural and craft centre and restaurants. Quite nice really. He got a very locally made pair of shorts for $25. nicely patterned with red and white flowers on a black background – perfect. We made our way back to Uprising and were made welcome. There were quite a few there from the ship. We could have pulled off the road near a beach access but things were probably more secure at a resort. Anyway then we would have to find somewhere for lunch. The resort was very nice – not too up-market. It had self-contained burees facing the beach and off shore islands, a nice restaurant and several bars with the usual water sports and tour area and craft table manned by a local. What to buy. Hop got the usual swords with names carved in and a mask. Hard to know what to get but we like to contribute something to the local economies and that’s all there was. Certainly it was a place you would go to if you were ever in the vicinity again – very friendly and relaxing. Next mission - the beach for a swim. It wasn’t that inviting but we were determined to have our last swim of the holiday. The water was warm but the breeze caused an unpleasant chop so that was short lived so on to the pool which was nice although no warmer than the sea but obviously warm enough ‘cause I went in! Next – lunch – I had a tasty coconut bowl of kokoda (you know – fresh fish marinated in coconut milk with a little onion, capsicum and lemon) and cassava chips. Hoppy had beer battered fish with potato chips – perfect. All so fresh and tasty. A beer each topped off the meal. Fabulous. Then it was “Bula vinaka” and back to the car. It was an interesting drive and the car makes the road seem so much better than a bus. We searched out the mall in Suva to get some tobacco for Hoppy’s brother in law but after parking and going up and down a few floors we were told it was a smoke free zone which mean no tobacco was sold either. Because we hadn’t made a purchase we had to pay for parking but that wasn’t much. Hey more into the local economy. Of course we had to refill the car so how to find a petrol station. Well, just keep driving. Easy to find your way back then. And it worked. Petrol is about the same price as home. Now to find our way back to the port. No problem to the Hopster of course. All was well and we were back aboard with half an hour to spare.

So off to NZ. Two days at sea and we’ll be in Auckland. Things are getting scarily close to finishing. At the moment we are about 100 miles off NZ being the nearest land. The sea was unbelievable glassy this morning but there’s been a steady lurch. What can we complain about? We just hope the good seas stay with us across the Tasman. It’s definitely colder at 15C and the sea at 17C, not that that matters at all to us. We have a bag packed to take off tomorrow and leave at Rodney’s – yeah that will make life easier.  Bye for now. Love from us. XXXXXXXXXXXXXXX