Finally got to take my bike for a spin, first time since July. Now I understand why people think biking long distance is hard. It never was for me, until now, I am out of shape and riding for a few hours hurts more than it ever did. The roads here are narrow, with lots of buses and trucks, and sub par quality. But it is fun, I am going for a ride again today.
The boat is now anchored in the harbor of Port Denarau. This is on a peninsula that is completely covered with tourist resorts. There is a sort of strip mall at the harbor with a selection of restaurants. The resort tourists come here to spend their evening (if they manage to get away from their pool). Interesting to meet a completely different kind of tourists. All standard tourist attractions can be done here: lots of different day charters. There is even a Hard Rock cafe, and I am NOT going there. The food is way overpriced, but I hope some of the money spend here will help the local economy.
Had a funny coincidence the other day. When I was in Savusavu, on Fiji Day (last Friday) I ran into four retired Californians that were doing a one week cruise on the Reef Escape. Their next stop was going to be Tonga. Then Tuesday evening, just when I had arrived here, I ran into them again. They invited me to their table and shared their adventures. Their cruise ship (which is a bit of and overstatement, it originally was a flat bottom barge on top of which they have built the accomodation, which gives quistionable seaworthiness) ran aground on a reef. They were stuck there for almost 10 hours, the generator broke down (sucking in too much sand in the cooling water) for a couple of hours as well. We had a picture taken of us, but not on my camera, maybe when they read this they can email it to me.
I have been varnishing my cockpit table, is starting to look nice. This varnishing is really not a bad job, I am considering to have a start with doing Morning Light’s teak in varnish as well.
The north side of Vitu Levu. In Fiji, the trade winds come from the south east, which makes the south coasts of the islands wet and green. The northern coasts are a lot drier.
More coast line.
Vitu Levu.
Reef marker and the reef behind it. Navigating around Fiji is a lot of work for someone used to crossing the wide open ocean. For almost a whole day I was hand steering and Arie (the wind vane) was resting.
My neighbors for two nights: Sea Dove. Two retired Kiwi’s who cruise Fiji few months a year.
Morning Light at sun set. The smoke is the burning of the sugar cane fields.
Cruise ship in Lautoka. On the right you can see the big sugar mill.
Main street of Nadi.
About 50% of the Fijians are from Indian descent. Most of them live in or near the cities, the outlying islands are mostly inhabited by the people from Fijian origin.
Sugar cane loaded on train carts. The rail system is the narrowest rail I have ever seen.
Sugar cane field with the mountains in the back.
Indian architecture.
The other tower of the same building (not sure if it is a temple or not).
View of the road inside the resort. The whole island is a private road with a gate at the bridge.
If you book a trip to the resort, this is what your housing could look like. Can’t say I am impressed with the architecture.
awesome photos of Fiji