Where to Go!

We spotted this lovely little graphic in a recently published cruising guide (hopefully they won't mind if I re-use it here. We liked the image because it nicely sums up our next couple of months here and about. More background can be found here. Looks like fun to me!

Visiting Suva

Well -- over the past 8 or 10 days we have worked our way through the boat trying out all the various systems. We had a slow period in the middle where we were needing some help with the various pumps on the boat. Our freshwater pump, for example decided that last week was the end of its run -- but to be fair it may have had something to do with our vigorous cleaning of the water tanks. Anyway the 'Yacht Shop' which is about 20 steps away had a usuriously priced replacement pump and, well, we had no choice. We have had similar problems with the shower drain and with the head (toilet). Our fellow cruisers helped us out on the last one letting us know that a 1/2 cup of vegetable oil works wonders in the head -- who knew?

Fiji's Trans Canada Highway...

More recently we rented a car for a couple of days and drove around Viti Leuvu. We drove the King's Road around the north part of the island toward Suva (Capital). We very much enjoyed that trip and were amazing at how beautiful and rural that part of hte island is. There is not too much traffic so as you drive through each village folks hear the car before you arrive and are waiting at the side of the road with bananas, and various other tropical delights for purchase. Regrettably one person can only eat so many bananas.

Lunch at the Novotel in Lami Bay -- we'll be back

Floating in Fiji

We are enjoying a wee break tonight. Patrick has been here this week and that has been wonderful. What a strange and wonderful world where he can prepare for mid-terms right here with the aid of a Mobile broadband USB key. Wonderful for Maureen and I to have him close as we work through the slightly hectic transition.

We have decided to minimize our intrusive repairs and renovations (on the advice of the repair guy here). Instead we have focused on cleaning and discovery. The boat has been mostly full of pleasant surprises as much of the extra stuff is truly here and in reasonably good shape. Things like blue masking tape have been in abundant supply so that we have not spent too much on anything except the basic consumables (zincs $F45 and bottom paint $F371 x 2 cans).

We are still learning how to shop. Lautoka has a truly fantastic market with abundant fresh food. Only problem is that we don't know what any of it is. On the plus side, we have learned that Liquor World delivers right to the boat!

We think our plan will be to spend the next week or two checking out various boat systems: cleaning water tanks, learning how to turn on fuel, that sort of thing. There are a variety of small jobs but we should be able to push off from the dock later in Feb. Musket Cove is just 12 miles away so we should have lots of opportunity to learn how to set a anchor, etc... Within close proximity of help.

Maureen is finding it 'quite warm' and has made it her business to understand how to operate BOTH the 110 volt and 220 volt fans. For my part I have been happy ever since we turned the refrigeration on and Fiji Bitter is served ice cold, more or less on demand.

Now that I think of it that also corresponds to the slowing of forward progress...