Gilligan, The Skipper and The Jet Ski

Day 3...
Today was quite fun. Actually, it isn't quite over yet, but I am waiting for our iPod to charge. We have been trying since we got here to download a movie. It still isn't downloaded, and it has eaten up our battery. We figure we will be able to watch it on the plane home. We are not worried; we are so tired at night that we just go to sleep after reading anyway.

Today was the Jet Ski Adventure. When we awoke, it was drizzling and looked a bit like Seattle. All I could think was, "I came all this way to Fiji; only now, I am plagued with clouds." The difference is that even with rain it is 80 and really really humid. The rain feels good. On a side note, since the shower is outside, it is quite fun standing in a warm shower with the rain falling on your head. Well, back to the jet ski adventure...I knew that we were in trouble when the Adventure Director told me the ride home would be "really exciting". To put this in perspective, we rode jet skis across the open ocean to an island about 20 miles away. For those who have been to Hawaii, it was like riding from Maui to Lani'e. Going over was not so bad. It was bumpy, similar to riding in Chris' boat, but not bad. We jumped some waves and did a few brodies to avoid big waves. It took us about 45 minutes to get to the Yaucan Island and Betiluva resort. I use that word loosely. It was beautiful, but had no guests. It was just us and our guide. On the way over, we passed many boats just anchored. I am sure they thought we were crazy.

As we got our snorkel gear on, and got the 'rules' of the preserve, we went on our way. AMAZING. Because it was overcast the colors of the coral were not as brilliant as I had hoped, but that was hardly a party ruiner. The coral was amazing. I felt like I was in the movie Shark Tale. There was Plate Coral, what our guide called it, that when Chris swam over it, it was wider than him. Large rocks of coral with stag coral, brain coral and plate coral...and a tire or two. There were these amazing little bright translucent fish that schooled around the brain coral. There were trigger fish, tangs, angel fish. They were big and small. Because the coral wasn't as bright as I'd excepted, the fish made a huge contrast. The yellows were really yellow; the blues really blue. Twice, we had millions of tiny brilliant blue fish swim as though they were following an ocean current. They didn't even try to avoid us; they just swam right around us. At that moment, I felt like Nemo in the EAC. Eventually, the sun came out and the coral began to come alive. It was like it was blooming. The tan stag coral became bright purple. The brain coral became yellow and green. It was amazing.

I began to get cold...I know that is a shock. We went in. As we sat on the white, broken coral beach, and let the wave lap against us, a white and black fish just swam between our legs. These fish do not care who we are and just go on with their day. We got out and sat with our guide on an old picnic table and ate lunch. Egg salad sandwiches, which were really scrambled egg sandwiches, were the order for the day. We had a great conversation about him, the island of Fiji and the people there in.

Pate' is a member of the Uprising Rugby team. They travel all over the world to play and win. Chris and I realized that the entire Uprising Rugby team works at Uprising in their adventure department. Not a coincidence at all, the Director hires the best players he can, gives them jobs, has a gym built for them to work out in, and has hired a trainer to work with them. Actually, they are practicing right now in a mowed horse field behind the reception area.

Pate' also pointed out the boats we passed as we were coming over. They were dive boats. They were diving with the bull head sharks. They are incredibly safe and don't bother people...hmm, really. I am just glad we didn't fall off.

After lunch, Chris and I walked along the beach and found hundreds of hermit crabs. It was so cool. They were no bigger then a knuckle, but they were everywhere. Loren will love the pictures. We also found these shells that the locals call eye balls. We are going to try and bring them home to the girls. They look like eyeballs. They are so cool. Finally, it was time to head back, and I have never been so thankful to make it back from an excursion.

The wind was about 20-25 knots. The waves were so big that when Pate' was over the crest of one, we couldn't see him. I was more wet from the ride home than I was snorkeling. My back hurt, my head hurt from jabbing into Chris' back, but my spirits were high. How much fun was that? It was like really riding a roller coaster. Chris kept screamin' yehaw! We made it home, and I kissed the sand.

We showered and I got a massage. It wasn't the greatest in the world, but it was so cool to be on a deck, over looking the ocean, with the breeze blowing, getting the kinks worked out. The ladies were very neat, too. They all have Westernized names, which I thought was strange since most name tags have authentic Fijian names. Bobbie's real name was Seatria. Fannies was Ureriria. I can see why they choose more Western names. Bobbie's family was from Nepal. Her mom and dad came over as indentured servants. When the British left, they stayed. She said that it was so bad in India that Fiji was a better choice for her family, even as servants. She was part of the Palm Sunday procession yesterday, and she gave me the scoop.

Apparently, it is an annual event. A group of church members, leave from Suva, about 1 hour away, and carry the cross all the way to Nadi about 3 hours from here. They stop at resorts and special spots along the way to share their stories and praise. At each spot, a person or persons is chosen to carry the cross to the worship site. For two years, Bobbie has been chosen. It is extra special because "Indians aren't allowed to carry the cross." I am not sure why because of her limit English. It seemed as though she was a convert to Christianity. She said at one time, "Life is hard, but God provides for all things." What a nice thought!

This brings me to my deep thought for the day. Pate' was describing villages and islands. He was saying that islands can have one village, or one family, or 9. Chris asked how they made a living. Pate' said, "There is no need for a living. The island provides them with what they want and what they need." People who don't need more than what they have and have been given. A lesson for today.

We walked to town to kill off the rest of the day. It was a nice end to a nice day.

Loren, dessert yesterday was very cool. It was a traditional Fijian dessert. It was stewed pumpkin in coconut milk. They put it in something similar to a manual crock pot and stew it in the milk. Then, they mash it and put sweetened pumpkin seeds on it. It was surprisingly delicious.

We miss our girls terribly, but know they are having the time of their lives. We love you all!
L and C