BULA BULA Part 2

Thought I would split up the large post into 2 parts, and by the way, we do write with paragraphs but for some reason Blogger is not recognising them so all our words are all squashed together. So, imagine there is a big paragraph starting......HERE..........The wedding was on the beach at sunset the next day, the combination of the bride walking down a pathway made from planting palm fronds in the sand in a row, and the Fijiian choir singing behind us, made it a beautiful experience. The reception was held in the Treetops restaurant and the food was just out of this world. The most amazing selection of fresh seafood, exsquisite salads, fresh fruit and cakes left everyone feeling very full indeed. Tal said it was the best meal he has ever had and I would have to agree with him. It was a lovely night, especially as we had a babysitter from 9pm-12pm. There is a kids club at the resort which Tal and Rennie went to most mornings and had a great time doing different activities there. Jarra was a bit of a stand out, his blonde, curly locks had many women just walking past him reach down to touch his hair, and many men stopping to shake his hand and say “Bula”. He falls asleep most afternoons, usually when we are in a vehicle of some kind, the movement certainly helps, and then we try and find somewhere to lay him down. It must be so funny for him to fall asleep and then wake up somewhere different, like in the Zig Zag restaurant, waking up lying on his back on a hard wooden bench looking up at the lights on the ceiling, or when he fell asleep on the catamaran on the way home from Malolo, we put him in bed in one of the big pontoons. He slept for 2 hours and woke up in a fibreglass shell moving up and down in the swell. There is something special about spending time on tropical islands, the blue of the water under clear skies and wonderful sunsets each evening. The Fijiians are very musical, at all the resorts there was guitar players and singers at almost every meal and at visitor’s arrivals and departures, and their hospitality was first class, even though they get paid peanuts compared to what we are used to. The country is comprised of half Fijiians and half Indians. There is quite some hostility between the two races, the Indians looking down on the others as not being in the same class as themselves while the Fijiians do not like the attitude of their wealthier counterparts. Between First Landing and the refinery is a marina where many yachts from around the world are moored. Jarra and I spent a couple of early mornings walking around having a look at them, a very different way of life. I spoke to an American couple who have been away for 2 years and plan to spend another 3 years sailing around the world, a bit different to life on a bus but similar in many ways. It would be fun to do, maybe one day we will, although I would have to grow some potatoes on the roof so we could have fish and chips whenever we wanted. We did a lot of snorkelling while we were away. It was just awesome, the coral was brilliant, many different types of tropical fish, the water as warm as a bath, and just floating about, the only sounds your breathing and heart beat, looking into another world. Very relaxing and amazing. Helen and I also had our first try on a jet ski, I am still smiling from the experience, it is like riding a motorbike with no helmet, no traffic and no worries, on a vast, flat, expanse of blue water, riding into the sunset on a 500cc, 2 stroke machine, cool…… The kids spent so much time in the water, on the beaches and in pools, their swimming is really coming along well and they are so happy in that environment. A chain of shops in Fiji is called Rups Big Bear. It is like a $2 shop, full of cheap household goods, their iconic large brown fibreglass bear on top of the awning is quite a sight to see. Thanks once again to Zac and Sandra for having us. Zac’s skills at arguing a point of view are quite something, even if the view is preposterous (in my view, of course!), he will find a way to try and persuade the rest of us and it is good fun. It is nice to be home again, although a lot colder than Fiji, the bus started first turn of the key and we are excited to see what happens next!!