"Nadi, Fiji" Fiji Travelogue by JeanCooke

GALLIVANT ad: "cruise in comfort with skipper Julian May and cook, Laisa. 56' of luxury (built in New Zealand aboard this fantastic (monohull) yacht. Swim, snorkel, beachcomb, explore remote islands, warm tropical waters, beautiful beaches, palm trees."


June 2, 2000, Friday. ARRIVE NADI, FIJI

We left Rarotonga 10:05 am Thursday, June 1, 2000 and arrived in Nadi, Fiji at 11:40 am on Friday, June 2, 2000 for a 3 hour 20 minute flight. Because we crossed the International Date Line, we lost a day.

When Jim asked our Air New Zealand pilot and co-pilot in Rarotonga about flights to Fiji during the coup, they poo pooed the idea of any problem landing in; "As long as the problem is in Suva, the plane will land." Our plane was half full with less than 75 people going through Fiji customs, the rest going to the interim room to await continuation on to Auckland.

Rita and I slept on the plane until Art spotted Miriama Chambault by her tee shirt saying "Olympic Torch Bearer." Because of the recent coup in Fiji, she went to Rarotonga to represent her home island. She was chosen because she was the fastest runner in Fiji and full Fijian. She spoke of, "Very deep down in my heart the flames of emotion were moving carrying the flag (Olympic for Fiji)." During our conversation on Air New Zealand flight to Nadi, she was still very emotional and moved by the experience. She works and lives in Paris, France for the Ministry of Overseas Territory, Political & Legal Affairs. Miriama is an educated, friendly and warm person. This was her second time being chosen to carry the Olympic torch. Both times were just as emotional, she said.

On Nadi, all our bags were there in minutes. We appoached customs whose agents smiled and waved us right through. They inspected nothing and there were no patrolling guards. No one knew or cared about the pepper spray and Swiss Army knives several of us had in our luggage.

The shops, run by Indians, were mostly empty with shopkeepers passing time outside their doors trying to attract business or talking to one another.

Julian May, captain of the Gallivant, was not hard to pick out among the airport shops with his wide smile and white shirt, Gallivant stenciled in bold black letters. He herded us through the Indian taxi drivers vying for our business. Since no vans were available, we took 2 cars driven by one Indian and one Fijian. Our Indian driver was not happy with the coup and felt the Indians were getting a bad deal. The only military presence we saw that day in Nadi was one pickup driven by a non-uniformed man, hauling a bored soldier wearing camouflage fatigues and carrying an M-16 assault rifle.

We stopped at McDonald's for our lunch before heading to Denarau Marina on the Sheridan Hotel grounds where the Gallivant docked. The Gallivant is a Warwick 56 foot cruiser sailboat developed by a New Zealander.

MUSKET COVE, PLANTATION ISLAND

Luggage aboard, we met Laisa our cook, then sailed 20 kilometers to Plantation Island (Malololailai) for our first night at Musket Cove Yacht Club in Lakomai Bay (means come here). Anchoring included access to the Yacht bathrooms with flush toilets, running hot water (sometimes lukewarm to cold) and showers, which we utilized. On the return trip the toilets did not work but the showers did. Yachts can anchor at the marina and stock up on fuel, water and provisions from the general store nearby. Out the back door of the general store is a restaurant that serves ice cream with fresh coconut shavings, yum.

After arranging our groups' two-tank dive the next day at 9 am with Subsurface Dive/Pacific Parasail, Jenn and Jean swam in the shallow lagoon surrounded by the Plantation resort. The setting sun colored the sky in hues of red.

The Plantation Resort provides free BBQ facilities and an outdoor bar for tourists and locals. The circular spit of land is located at the end of the wharf. Bug spray would have helped to prevent our itchy bites. Laisa prepared the Spanish Mackerel Daniel landed on our afternoon sail. Beefsteak, potatoes and salad rounded off our first Fijian meal. Art ordered a Pain Killer at the bar but got a rum concoction with several juices- not the real Pain Killer from the BVI's.