Day 37: (19 June 2011):
- On descent, see outline of reef & small islands with lights in the dark dawn.
- View of town & airport. Pass by downtown Nadi. More modern than expected.
- Friendly. Call out my name, guided to office then wait for Jit.
- ATM. Old taxi: but high clearance, speed over some giant potholes.
- See mountains of garden of sleeping giant. Man & woman giant.
- Sugar cane fields.
- Arrive in village & knock. Fi away, back afternoon. Api let me in. He groggy.
- Breakfast of tea & breakfast biscuits. Nap.
- Nap, write, read, talk until about 2pm. Often interrupted by people purchasing from home canteen. Lunch of chicken, noodles, cassava.
- People just lie down on grass mats in main room. Told me to take my pillow & nap in main room rather than my bed as room was too hot!
- Ask about etiquette. Say don't worry for tourists. Locals can't wear shorts on Sunday.
- Short walk around village. Basic but well kept church. Grass town square nice. Coast: see shore in distance, lots of rock fields on shore. Afraid to walk into private property. Hut near chief's house with giant kava (yaquona) bowl. Chief's house in a very tall bure. Well maintained. Shells on poles? Glass windows? Modern bure?
- Get back from 5 min walk, Fi is home with the small daughter.
- Popsicle. Chat. Arrange my schedule. Turns out she has quite a good business booking tours for Couchsurfers (only). Some bookings through Facebook as well. Main source of income. Interesting use of CS. Will stay again day before flight. Decide give the F$49 worth of rum as gift (before know of business). Hope she's not overcharging on commission too much!
- I smell like coconut for some reason (for a few days). (Maybe cassava?)
- She nap. I check exceedingly slow internet. Change flights.
- Go to neighbouring house: kava welcome ceremony. Clap, drink, "bula."
- Kava mixed in cut open fishing float on tire. Old cloth & bucket. Sit on floor on grass mats. Dark walls. Other room, people lounge & watch TV.
- Fijian medicine, chew leaves & wrap with paper & ripped plastic bag on arm: treat boil.
- Kids run around. Teach me card game. Store: sell, count money, etc.
- I leave @~10:30 to sleep, others go on until 2am.
Photos available at: http://mandarinmanmarktravelbriefs.blogspot.com/
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