17 Jan. 10 -- Day trip on a sailing ship to Mystery Island, Fiji

Our destination for a day on a tropical island. Capt. Cook Cruises called this Mystery Island. Food, drink and snorkeling with colorful tropical fish came with this trip.




"Bula" "Bula", Fijien for Hello. They use the word all the time and seem to enjoy it. I suppose it's because all the foreigners understand the word and if nothing else, Bula will do.



Janet playing in the sand while the birds scatter.






"Showing off" a Starfish.














The most beautiful blue starfish we had ever seen.















Our ship on the way back to the mainland.

20 Jan. 10 -- Nadi, Fiji

In Fiji the drink of choice is Kava. It's a stupefacient that's used in ceremonies by the Fijians on all occasions. It's made of kava root and water, stirred and drained thru silk, must be silk. One day while walking thru downtown Nadi, Fiji the most incredible thing happened. We were led down this back alley by a dreadlocks Fijian who was going to show us the real Fiji and not the part of town taken over by the Indians. He was quite adamant about this. He took us to his shop and proceeded to introduce us, in ceremony using Kava. Doug was appointed Chief for the occasion. Janet was wearing shorts so her legs had to be covered by a Sulu. Kava makes you lips numb. We're bringing some home if customs doesn't object. Is it illegal? We don't know. "Dreadlocks" had been sampling his product all day.



This is market day in Nadi, Fiji





We had lunch at Tata's Indian Restaurant. Was a mystery how to eat our food, should we dip our bread? It was curry we think. Doug ordered white fish and was assured it was white but it was dark and uneatable. All things - curry. Tata does not mean "Tata".




Head Hunters like red hair or so says Janet.

19 Jan. 2010 -- Fijian Dancers at Wynden Resort

Fijian dancers at Wyndem Resort put on an excellent show. This was the after dinner entertainment pool side after one of many fantastic days in fiji.

14 Jan 10 -- Driving around the island - Fiji

We took a rental car, hired a driver and went around the complete island.

Most tourist and those selling day trips seemed surprised we would take the time, but we saw the island like most don't. Had a memorable time and wouldn't have missed it.

The local swimming hole. We were in the mountains, crossing from one sea shore to the other. The people are very friendly and those swimming waved for us to join them.





This is one of the many roadside markets. Janet bought some bananas, they are small compared to ours in the U.S. markets but very fresh and very good.



As we drove by this gathering, our driver told us this was a Fijian wedding.



Doug and his new friends. They sold him a coconut also.




Very entertaining and very happy Fijian kids selling mussels at the roadside. Their version of our "used to be" lemonade stand.

Janet having her first, very fresh coconut. The coconut was just opened with a machete. She poked a finger through the membrane so the milk would flow.





Two scenes of typical families far from the tourist areas.

The only draft animals we saw this day but this was not for the tourist trade.

14 Jan 10 -- Denarue Island, Fiji

Janet was first in the pool. On arrival in Fiji we headed for the time share on Denarue Island near the town of Nadi. Our luggage didn't make it but we did have swimsuits in our carry on baggage, so we were all set or so we thought. Our bags didn't arrive and didn't arrive. Doug's was two days late but Janet's did not show up for the seven days we were in Fiji.



Unlike men in the U.S., Fiji men have an option in dress. They wear a "sulu" on dress up occasions, a skirt. The police wear white skirts as a dress uniform.











We sat here many times enjoying the sounds of the ocean. This is the South Pacific.

14 Jan 10 -- Nadi, Fiji

Just got of the plane in Naji, Fiji. This is the tropics and was very hot and humid with us just leaving the US in the winter time. This is January but summer in Fiji. We lost a day, the 13th of Jan. but will gain it back when we fly back to the US in about a month and a half.

12 Jan 10 -- The Southern Hemisphere

Janet and I are on our way to New Zealand and points south. We expect to stop in Fiji on the way. Parked the Airstream in Laughlin, NV and a friend of Janet's drove us to Las Vegas to catch a flight to Los Angeles.

We had a long layover in LA but finally got on a big Air Pacific 747 for the 10 hour flight to Fiji.

Now we are just setting in the LA airport waiting for time to pass so we can board the plane to Fiji.