We made it to Suva, Fiji yesterday around 2:45 pm. We were told we needed to check in by 3:00. Pandemonium ensued. The dinghy got quickly inflated, the motor on and all three of us going off to the wharf, where we were turned away and told to go to the yacht club and come around to the wharf. We dinghyed back to the yacht club and took a taxi. It was about 3:15 when we got to the wharf. The sign for Immigration was in dirt. (see image below) I kid you not. Security held us for a while and we were in Customs by 3:30. By 4:30 we had gotten through all paperwork and completely checked in. Susan and I walked through Suva and Steve took a taxi back to the Royal Suva Yacht Club to inquire about getting slip. During our walk we saw many people just getting off work. Almost all were men. We were walking through a mainly industrial area. The Fijians are Melanesian in origin and look much different from the Polynesians we’ve been seeing. Their skin is much darker; hair more curly. They make up less than half of the poplulation. The other big group are the Indio-Fijians. Their ancestors came here as indentured workers 3 or 4 generations ago from India. They too are dark skined with jet black hair.
Back at the boat we got cleaned up and went into town for Indian food. We asked at the yacht club where to go and they suggested “Singh’s Curry House.” I was expecting cloth napkins and table cloths. It was a steamer tray kind of place. They even had curried goat. Steve tried that. Susan and I both had curried chicken. We also ordered several side dishes. Everything was very tasty. The whole thing cost about $15 US. Very cheap for the amount of food we had.
We came back to the boat and went right to bed. I awoke this morning to the sound of a hurricane/tsunami/air raid/civil defense warning siren. It didn’t last long, so I suspect it was just a test.
Suva is a big smoggy city and promises to have true high speed internet. So, once again I’ll promise to upload some photos. Well, I promise to try anyway. (images in this post were added in 2020)
We’ll move the boat today to our slip at the Yacht Club. They’ve got to move a boat out of the way first. It’ll be nice to have shore water to waste. Even with the water maker we’re conservative with water. With a hose hooked up we’ll feel free to wash all the considerable salt off Honu.
The weather is lovely. Actually cool. We went out last night with long pants and jackets. The cab drivers were all complaining about how cold it is. It was probably in the upper 60s. Yes, I know, we’re wimps.