November 22,2023
First off, there is the fin problem. I felt like a bobbing apple as the very gentle waves kept me from finding my foot. Putting on fins to snorkel is simple for anyone with less mileage and wear and tear on their joints than I have. Nick and I decided that sitting in the shallows would help the process. The problem was that each minuscule wave, created by a passing boat…or even a passing child with a floatie, caused me to upend. It was pure Laurel and Hardy, and it was clear that I was Hardy.
However, once the fins were in place, the magic of the reef was just below us. Bright blue star fish, Nemo’s cousins everywhere, greens blues, stripes… all the colors promised among the coral. The highlight for us was a very fat, very timid, 10″ bright yellow fish trying to hide under a rock. Hiding with that color was not going to work.
So many things to do, so little time. Fortunately everything is on Fiji time which is the universal time frame for most islands, Hawaiian, Belizian, etc. Note the cultural dance at 6:30. Caught some photos from the video I took.
The next trial of the day is having to make a choice between curries, fish, beef stews, veggie dishes, homemade breads, and lots of tropical fruits. Fortunately, we figured out in the first 24 hours that it was not required of us to eat everything all the time. In the tropical heat and with a minimal amount of walking (other than to and from the dining area) it seemed prudent to be a little more prudent in our food choices. Both of us have mainlined pawpaw (papaya) and have tried clearly regional dishes but have tried to slow down on the more western fare for fear of bloating beyond the clothes we have packed. Given that our attire hasn’t really moved beyond bathing suits, we could be in for a surprise when we get to New Zealand and are required to wear actual clothes…
These guys were having fun and bringing the audience in. I know that fire dances can be trite, but they still bring a sense of wonder to those of us with less coordination. Note on the schedule above the Island Cultural Dance snuggled in between the Happy Hour and Dinner. Life is tough.
Which reminds me…we actually are doing laundry every day. Mainly our bathing suits, which we wear into the shower, get the salt water off, and then hang out to dry. As Nick is the laundry king at our house, he enjoys his moment of hanging clothes out to dry in the heat and checks on them often. It is his only domestic chore…he is managing his withdrawal from daily chores relatively well, but hanging the laundry seems to keep him centered.
The problem of choice comes up with the daily schedule. So much to do. We have adopted the Fiji approach and taken in just a few of the many activities.
This is a panorama of our bathroom at Barefoot Manta in Fiji. I am standing in the doorway to our bure.
Ah…the bathrooms. My sister Diane would be enthralled. Each of our bures (cabin???) have en suite bathrooms. Very cool…but even cooler are the bathrooms themselves. They are attached to the room but are completely outdoors, fenced in for privacy. Because they are outside, they are spacious, contain at least one tree on which the shower water pipe is wound with a cement basin, and often tiled with local rock. Decorated with hanging plants and many tea plants, etc, the bathrooms make you smile. The toilet is well-placed so that you have a complete view of your indoor garden while managing your more mundane affairs of the day.
To get a feel for our shower, follow the pipe up the tree to the shower head. There is warm water, but not much is needed…ever! Barefoot Kuata has a more rustic approach to the outdoor feel with lots of local rock. Note that the steps lead up to a tub mounted behind the shower. We thought this would make a wonderful “hot tub moment” but we couldn’t figure out how to fill it and we were too lazy to climb the rocks.
So you can see why I lament “Woe is me!” The issues we face daily just proves how strong we are.
Fiji is totoka (awesome).
~Wendy and Nick