DAY 32 - SUVA, FIJI - FEBRUARY 28, 2010

LAND AHOY MATE. WELL, ALMOST. WE WENT TO BED KNOWING ABOUT THE 2 EARTHQUAKES, JAPAN AND CHILE, HOWEVER THE SHIP WAS A BUZZ WITH NEWS OF THE PENDING TSUNAMI HEADING THROUGH THE SOUTH PACIFIC.

GEORGIA AND I WERE EATING BREAKFAST ON DECK 9, YOU KNOW THE PRIVATE VERANDA WE SHARE WITH OTHERS, AS THE SHIP ENTERED THE HARBOR. EVERYONE WAS TALKING ABOUT THE TSUNAMI AND FELT WE WERE NOT GOING TO STAY IN FIJI. SEVERAL MINUTES LATER THE CAPTAIN ANNOUNCED THE SHIP WAS ORDERED TO DROP ANCHOR AND WE WERE UNDER A TSUNAMI WARNING, PROBABLY UNTIL ABOUT 10:00.

ALL TOURS WERE OF COURSE ON HOLD UNTIL WHENEVER. GEORGIA TOOK A NAP AND I SENT E-MAILS TO THE KIDS AND RETURNED TO THE ROOM AND WATCHED FOX NEWS. MOST OF THE ATTENTION WAS CENTERED ON HAWAII AND VERY LITTLE NEWS WAS GIVEN ABOUT OTHER PACIFIC ISLANDS. WE WAITED FOR MORE INFO, EITHER FROM FOX OR THE CAPTAIN.

THE TSUNAMI WAS TO HIT HAWAII AT 11:05 AM AND THERE DIDN’T SEEM TO BE THAT MUCH GOING ON IN HILO, WHEN THE CAPTAIN LET US KNOW WE WERE GIVEN PERMISSION TO DOCK. AS WE GOT CLOSER TO THE DOCK A FIJIAN MARCHING BAND GAVE US A HEROS WELCOME. ONE TOUR WAS CANCELLED COMPLETELY, BUT ALL THE OTHERS WERE PUSHED BACK. OUR NEW MEETING TIME BECAME 10:45 IN THE LOUNGE.

I GUESS WE RECEIVED TOTAL CLEARANCE WHILE SITTING IN THE BAY BECAUSE SOON AFTER THE SHIP WAS SECURED AT DOCKSIDE WE WENT ASHORE TO JOIN OUR GUIDE AND BOARD THE BUS FOR THE COUNTRYSIDE AND FIRE WALK EXCURSION. WITHIN MINUTES WE WERE ON OUR WAY. EVEN THOUGH OUR GUIDE, JOE, HAD A POOR P.A. SYSTEM, AND THE WINDOWS WERE OPEN DUE TO NOT AC, HE TALKED NON-STOP THE ENTIRE TRIP.

IN LESS THAN AN HOUR WE ARRIVED AT THE COMPLEX FOR THE FIRE-WALK. IN AS ALL THE BUSES HAD NOT YET ARRIVED, WE HAD FREE TIME TO BROWSE THE MANY SHOPS IN THE FACILITY. THERE WAS ONLY ONE PROBLEM, IT WAS SUNDAY AND BECAUSE FIJI IS SAID TO BE A VERY RELIGIOUS COUNTRY VIRTUALLY NO ESTABLISHMENTS WERE OPEN. WE HAD 45 MINUTES TO DO NOTHING, EXCEPT HIT THE HEAD. WITH THAT BEING ACCOMPLISHED WE WAITED UNTIL JUST ABOUT 1:00 FOR THE LAST BUS TO SHOW UP.

FOLLOWING A WINDING PATH AND ENTERING THE OUTDOOR THEATER, WE FOUND SEATS WE FELT WOULD PROVIDE THE BEST OPPORTUNITY FOR PICTURES. I MIGHT ADD, “WE DONE GOOD.” THE NARRATOR MADE HIS INTRODUCTIONS, BEGAN EXPLAINING THE LEGEND OF THE FIRE-WALKER AND THE SHOW WAS UNDERWAY.

THE RITUAL, FOR SHOWMANSHIP, TAKES AN ENDLESS AMOUNT OF TIME. THE LARGE RIVER STONES WERE HEATING SINCE 9:00 IN THE MORNING. ALTHOUGH THE SEATS WERE SEPARATED FROM THE PERFORMANCE AREA BY A NARROW LAKE, YOU COULD EASILY OBSERVE THE FIRES SHOOTING OUT BETWEEN THE LOGS, BRANCHES, SHRUBS AND STONES. THE TRIBAL LEADER CLOSELY WATCHES, AND INSTRUCTS HIS COLLEAGUES IN MAKING THE FINAL PREPARATIONS FOR THE TEAM OF WALKERS.

ONCE THE AREA HAD BEEN CLEARED OF DEBRIS, THE LEADER STANDS ON THE HOT STONES AS A SHOW OF LEADERSHIP FOR HIS TEAM. HIS FELLOW WALKERS BEGIN A SERIES OF DEFYING ACTS WHILE CROSSING THE STONES. THE USUAL MUCHO TYPE THINGS, LIKE STOPPING ON THE STONE PART OF THE WAY THROUGH AND GLEEFULLY SMILING TO THE AUDIENCE, BROUGHT A ROUND OF CHEERS AND APPLAUSE. THESE 7 FELLOWS CONTINUED TO CROSS THE STONES IN VARIOUS DIRECTIONS FOR 20 MINUTES BEFORE MOVING ON TO OTHER FIJIAN FOLKLORIC DANCES AND TRADITIONS.

ALL I CAN SAY IS IF THE SHOW WERE AT NIGHT, THERE WOULD HAVE BEEN A RED GLOW FROM THE FIRED STONES, ADDING AN ADDITIONAL EXCITEMENT TO THE COURAGEOUS ACTS. DAY OR NIGHT, I DON’T DO RED HOT STONES. IT WAS VERY ENTERTAINING AND BELIEVE IT OR NOT, EDUCATIONAL,

THE WEATHER WAS NOT VERY COOPERATIVE AS RAIN SHOWERS, SOMETIMES VERY HEAVY, MADE THE DAY QUITE DREARY AND ADDED A FEELING OF DEPRESSION TO THE POOR SURROUNDS OF THE OUTLYING SECTIONS OF SUVA. THE BUSINESS AREAS CLOSE TO THE PORT WERE NOT MUCH NICER, MORE LIVELY, YET, AND PERHAPS BECAUSE IT WAS SUNDAY, NOT REALLY WHAT I EXPECTED FROM THIS RESORT PARADISE.

MOST OF THE PEOPLE ON THE BUS JUMPED AT THE OPPORTUNITY TO GET OFF AT THE ONLY STORE OPEN, YOU GUESSED IT, A JEWELRY STORE, LOOKING FOR BARGAINS. GEORGIA AND I CHOSE TO RETURN TO THE SHIP.

WE WERE TIRED AND HUNGRY, THE HUNGER WON OUT. WE STOPPED IN AT THE BUFFET FOR A QUICK SNACK. WELL, THE SANDWICHES AND OTHER SELECTIONS MADE IT MORE OF A MEAL THAN A SNACK. NO LONGER HUNGRY, WE RETREATED TO THE CABIN, TOOK A NAP FOR SEVERAL HOURS AND WENT STRAIGHT TO THE EVENING ENTERTAINMENT IN THE LOUNGE.

THE PIANO PLAYER FROM THE CASINO LOUNGE WAS GIVEN CENTER STAGE IN THE BIG LOUNGE. DANIEL OLIVER GAVE A SUPER PERFORMANCE AND RECEIVED A STANDING OVATION FOR HIS EFFORTS.

LAST BUT NOT BY ANY MEANS LEAST, ALTHOUGH IT IS THE LAST THING FOR TODAY, WE WENT TO THE DECK PARTY IN THE PACIFIC LOUNGE. YOU SAY, HOW CAN A DECK PARTY BE IN A LOUNGE? I COULD SAY IT RAINED, BUT THAT WOULD BE AN UNDERSTATEMENT, IT POURED. WE STAYED FOR HALF AN HOUR, TOOK SEVERAL PICTURES OF THE DESSERT BUFFET CREATED FOR THE OCCASION AND SHOT OFF TO BED.