Vanuatu and Fiji

I got my revenge from Jeff putting me in danger on these trips!

Mystery Island, Vanuatu

Vanuatu is an island nation that was under both British and French control (together believe it or not) until the 1970s.  Now it is a popular tourism spot for Australians.  Originally, we had 2 ports in the country, but the other island is still rebuilding after a one two punch of earthquake and cyclone both in December.  We did visit Mystery Island so named during WWII.  The US built an airstrip on the island in such a way that the Japanese could not figure out where the planes were going and coming from.  Now this is a little island as in you can walk around the whole thing in 30 minutes so it is kind of amazing that A there is an airstrip here and B that it could be so well hidden!  Also no one lives on this island.  The locals believe it is inhabited by spirits so it is taboo to live here.  All the recreation we will be offered is brought over from the main island.

Landing strip behind us is hidden by the trees from anyone at sea level

We arrive in the morning and can see coral reefs forming a circular barrier around part of the island from our balcony.  While the ship is quite close to the island, it takes the tenders awhile to get us to the pier because they have to swing wide and go slow to avoid all of the coral reefs.  The cruise line and our cruise director really undersold this island.  If it were in the Caribbean, the cruise line would be bragging about the private beach they have for their customers.  There were lots of little booths where there could have been shops set up - we only had a couple; there was a hair braiding place and some clothing and trinkets to buy.  Also saw several options to do a local indigenous tour again I think aimed for larger groups.  There was an area set up as kind of an old village and I got my revenge from Jeff putting me in danger on these trips!

Jeff and I reserved 2 deck chairs under a sun hut, massage and a drink for the afternoon.  Unfortunately, it was not the best day for the beach.  Quick moving showers came across a couple of times in the afternoon and it was overcast most of the day.  Still, we enjoyed ourselves.  

Our cabanas

We snorkeled some with just our masks right off shore and saw a fair amount of fish and some nice coral.  Jeff went out further than me (no big surprise there) and tried to photograph some of the wildlife he saw out further such as a blue starfish.  After one last good blow, most of the cruise passengers were leaving so we packed up our stuff and walked around a bit exploring more of the island. While there was still an hour of time left for the beach we were literally the last 2 passengers to leave.

iPhone through a watertight case didn't work well

Island where evey one lives

Local Beer after a swim

Lautoka, Fiji

We were told that Lautoka is a major sugar producing area and that the port was definitely industrial.  The gorgeous beaches you see in advertisements for Fiji are outside of town because this is definitely a small city.  The British brought sugar to the island and it has done quite well here.  The write up for the city bragged how the roads are all properly sealed and drained and there are nice subdivisions in the area and real building codes.  Not sure if they are telling us that to emphasize this is a well-run prosperous country or if there is a history of poor buildings, etc. that I am unaware of.  Our first-choice excursion was unfortunately canceled so we have chosen one that we are not real sure how it will work.  It is the beach comber which sounds like we will have a taste of this and a taste of that.  In truth we had a wonderful day because it was sunny and the place was great.

Our little island for the day

Beach Comber Island is a beach resort on a small island/motu.  I think they said the TV show Love Island was filmed there, but not positive on that.  I am positive that the even smaller neighboring island was where they said the Tom Hanks film Castaway was shot.  We had around a 45 minute boat ride from the port to this island.  We got there and found a time table of things we could do and a comment that we were welcome to partake in some or none of the activities.  The only bad thing was they ran out of beach chairs and umbrellas.  When Jeff and I walked around in the afternoon, I think we saw around 20 to 30 rooms/cabins that could be rented.  We overheard one couple say they had been there 6 days.  There was a boat that took you out a little ways so that we got to a good reef with a drop off for snorkeling.  It was some of the best snorkeling ever.  The fish were getting fed while we were there so maybe that was part of it, but I snorkeled right in the middle of schools of fish several times I mean I was surrounded by these little silver with black stripe fish.  Saw some purple fish, bright blue ones, a school of fish with yellow tips at the bottom that looked like they were sleeping to me.  We had to come in before even I was ready because another boat was there and a bunch of jet skis.  Later on we snorkeled from the beach too.  There I saw some unusual coral and a fish with colorings that was obviously meant to blend in with the coral.  Jeff went further out and saw over a dozen bright blue starfish.  They also fed us lunch and served us some free drinks and performed a little bit of traditional music and dance.  Too soon it was time to head back to the ship.

Sail Away

Suva, Fiji

On our second stop in Fiji, we did a tour with River Tubing Fiji so yes we were in a inner tube for part of the tour.  We started with a bus ride for about a dozen of us to the tour company's main location.  There we could change into our swimsuits and got fitted with a lifejacket and an inner tube.  After that, we got in long boats for a nice, simple boat ride.  Well, there was a rapids area we had to walk on land, but a pretty tame boat ride.  We are on the Nuvau River.  Along the way we saw several waterfalls which are all from springs not rivers.  One of the waterfalls had been used in the movie Anaconda and was the key waterfall - we have to watch the movie now.  The river is in a gorge with the sides much higher than the water and all heavily forested and green.  Remember we are in the tropics!  Our first actual stop is a traditional village.

Waterfall on right was used in 1997 Movie Anaconda

The people here are living a traditional life style.  We are told it is one extended family.  The houses are simple, but sturdy and tend to be off the ground.  The ladies are still cooking over open flames outside of the main house, but they do have electricity from a single solar panel on top of most houses.  While we were there in the daytime, I did see some lightbulbs hanging around.  Basically, they are modern subsistence farmers.  Some of their produce is traded in town for other ingredients.  Along the river we saw individual cows tied up and learned they belong to local villagers.  While we were there, we pretty much only saw women and young children.  Seems the older kids were away at school and the men were up in the hills working their farm plots.  Because the river can flood quite high and sometimes quickly, the children go to a neighboring village for school and spend Monday through Friday there assuming it is safe for them to come home on Fridays.  Each village that sends kids to this school take turns having a couple spend the week with the kids and look after them including feeding them.  Back in the village others look after their other children and their farms for them.  Our guide, Solo showed us how high the river has flooded at times, I think it was a good 30 feet above the current level.  

Left: Banana, Mango, Taro
Right: Village

After the village, we got back in the longboats and rode back down the river some to a spot where we got out of the boats and hiked a short distance to a pretty waterfall with a pool at its basin.  About 20 years ago, some locals improved the path to the waterfalls by concreting the path and making a nice base at the basin.  We all got in for a nice refreshing (cold) swim.  

That dot at the base of the falls is a certain someone's head

We then headed back to our boats and back down river some to another take out spot where they had a lunch set up for us.  They had a covered area where they had some tables for eating at and a buffet set up.  The buffet was what locals eat so we started with buttered white bread then onto cassava which is their potato equivalent and some other dishes including a fish and chicken dish.  Then it was time to inner tube down the river.  We got some instructions which had me confused as to how to go across the rapids - where do you want my feet so I don't flip out??  Then Solo asked if we would like to group up to go down the river which I jumped at, and others followed - now I was not as concerned as to what I did with my feet!  We ended up with a group of 6 of us floating with our feet and arms interconnecting the tubes and being pulled by Solo and Jimmie who were paddling for us.  I found it interesting that all of them used flip flops as paddles.  Before long everyone was in at least a twosome and being pulled by an employee.  When we got to the rapids or a low spot Solo would yell bottoms up and away we would go.  Jeff and I were in the front of our group so we really got wet once or twice on the rapids.  We were all yelling for fun and me with my mouth wide open ended up with a mouthful of river water.  At another spot on the way,  all of our little boats (another tour group joined us), stopped and all of the guides sang 3 songs in Fijian.  They all had nice voices.  I was suspicious that at least had been a hymn because I heard hallelujah and the Spanish version of Jesus.  Someone else asked them and was told all 3 were religious hymns.

  Click here to see them sing. 

Then it was time to be on the move again.  We could not live on island time, or we would miss our ship.   I suspect they were watching the clock closely on us, because after a while, the long boats showed up without other passengers and eased up next to us and we were told to grab on so we got a pulled for a ways.  Then the boats left and there were the photographers, after the photographers the long boats magically appeared for a little way again!  We pulled out of the water at one spot and wonderfully they had a bonfire going which felt good because the water was cold and there was a breeze.  Then they had us hop in the long boats for the last trip to their pier where we hopped out and all put nice warm dry clothes on for the ride back to the boat.

Two guides navigating us through the river

We screamed like teenagers

Fun day for all

I think the reason they were worried about the time was that it was Friday afternoon and just like the States that means more traffic.  On our way back to the ship, I saw many school kids and some adults looking quite smart in a combination of a dress shirt with a tie and a sarong.  Fiji came across as a relatively prosperous place and a very religious one.  Even one bus company's logo included Jesus in it something about being the One.  We made it back to the ship before our deadline, but unfortunately after the temporary stalls of goods had closed - oh well.  Time for a sea day.