Fiji's capital

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14/4/09 = Re-union and the capital city of Suva

Woke up after a brilliant nights sleep. 8:30pm until 6am…that’s impressive even by my standards! Snoozed for a while - well you’ve got to make the most of it - then went for breakfast at 7:30. V.grey and gloomy day today; totally pouring with rain. Even had to put rain macs on…rain macs…in Fiji! En route to breakfast, called in at reception to check on progress of diary. They made one last call to Mango Bay to check diary was on it’s way back to me, then I went off to eat feeling much happier. Can always eat more when I’m happier. Managed some toast, followed by beans on toast, followed by a cup of tea. Yum 😊 Then headed back to room in rain. V.rushed because supposed to be meeting Fiji bus in town at 8:30, but Fijians don’t do rush! Got stuck at reception while lady dealt with several problems all at same time, in a v.slow and chilled Fiji way. Customer service here = v.different to England. Queuing system doesn’t really work…they will happily stop serving you midway to start serving someone else. All part of their lovely, friendly nature I guess, but you don’t appreciate that when you are in a rush!

Settled check then literally ran up drive and into town. Still pouring with rain and bags still uncomfortably heavy. Was a painful and sweaty experience.
1) Painful because bag had somehow been altered and ended up carrying all weight through shoulders. Passed the deep burn stage after 10mins and went to numbness.
2) Sweaty because had to wear rain mac = an excellent insulator! Body heat was insulated and amplified twofold…gross!
Got to town and collapsed in a heap outside a local shop. The lady there took one look at my red sweaty face and invited us to go in and sit down. Bless her. We chatted away to her (she was the usual friendly Fijian) and then she v.kindly rang the Fiji experience bus to make sure they were on their way. Lovely lady. This is part of the upside to the Fijian nature. 1hour later, the 1hour late bus arrived. Not impressed! Had already missed next bus to Suva. Ran over to bus in rain, stood outside while everybody filed out, then climbed in to retrieve diary. That was when tour guide passed on the message from the manager: “Sorry Natalie, we don’t have your diary”…..What?!

Got quite mad at this stage; they definitely did have my diary. I spoke to the lady myself on the phone yesterday and she described my diary whilst she held it in her hand. They DO have my diary! Made this point blatantly clear to tour guide and after much debating, she re-rang her manager and I then had to wait fo0r the manager to ring back. 15 worrying mins later, message came. “Sorry Natalie, we can’t find your diary”…Well you better! How can you lose a diary when someone has called 3 times to make sure it is safe? V.v.mad at this point. First they didn’t have it, now they couldn’t find it. Bus drove off and I stomped back to nice shop lady to see if she could help me. Again, she agreed to ring Mango Bay for me without charge. I got on the phone and asked to speak to the manager straight away. Before could even start my shouting, before the manager even said hello, she said “Natalie?…I’ve just found your diary”. What a joke! Another downside to the chilled Fijian nature. It is awesome to experience, but in a situation like this, bring me the organisation of England any day! Because of all the mistakes made, the manager offered to post my diary on to Nadi for when we got back there, but I no longer trusted her and so had only 1 option left = for me to get a bus all the way back to Mango Bay and pick up diary myself. Would make me and Deb even more late, but out of options now.

Nice shop lady told me that a bus was due, so plodded over road, in the rain and waited for it to come. It came more or less straight away…wow! Got on only to find it was a local, local bus and didn’t stop at resort. Thought it was too good to be true. Waited for next bus = Sun Beam, 20mins late; that’s more like it! Me and a Danish guy, who was also waiting, crammed on…and I mean crammed on. We got the last 2 seats. Bus totally full of locals and random animals they were carrying; could see this was going to be an experience. Bus moved off with a roar - got used to this now - but really didn’t think it was going to make it up some of hills…even driver looked worried. Not down to second gear, but first gear. Honestly think an average healthy person could have walked up faster. Was a very…enlightening 45minute journey, but was v.happy that driver remembered to stop for me; I didn’t have a clue where to get off. Jumped off, waved bye and prepared to walk the 15mins to reception. Manager had agreed to meet me, but bus was 30mins late, so I was late.

Set off and after just 30secs, a car approached and stopped beside me. It was the manager, with my journal. She was 30mins late too; don’t know why I’m surprised? Such a relief when she handed me my diary. Should have been mad after all fuss, but couldn’t contain happiness after she handed it to me. Said my thank you’s, then headed back across road to catch next bus. Bring on interesting experience number 2! Could hardly believe it when a bus pulled in less than a minute later; a Sunbeam bus too. And…not just any old Sunbeam bus, it looked like a coach. Got on to find luxury padded & reclining seats, a toilet on board, TV’s and a movie playing. How can this be the same company? Craziest of all, it was actually cheaper than the tin can bus I got coming…and that didn’t even have windows! Crazy Fiji! Sat back in my reclining chair - chair, not metal bench - and enjoyed the journey; don’t know that I’ll ever get a bus like this again.

Had hoped could stay on this bus and go all way to Suva, but they wouldn’t wait for me to run and get Debs. Understandable I guess. Got off to meet Deb again and stood in rain for next one. Took about 20mins for a Pacific bus to come, but in came just in time as rain started to get really heavy. Another busy bus, but managed to get a seat. Took 1 ½ hrs to get to Suva. Again, rode through lots of towns, villages and markets on way, until finally arrived at busy bus station. Suva looked different to 2 other small towns straight away. As soon as got off bus, guys with wheelbarrows ran over to baggage compartments trying to get peoples luggage for them. Glad we had our bags with us. Lots of people milling around, lots and lots of buses, a big market and lots of hustle & bustle. Didn’t look like such a nice place to be honest; quite dirty and run down…v.city! We were heading to Raintree Lodge = hostel out of town. Had to get a taxi = a shame. Haggled to get a cheap enough price and he took us for $10. Chatted all the way there and pointed out all landmarks. Again, the usual Fijian friendliness.

Hostel looked nice when arrived, but always hard to see the good in a place when weather so grey and gloomy. It taints everything. V.impressed with room though. Just 2 of us sharing a private room = bliss, and it had a mosquito plug & tablets = even better. Didn’t stay long because wanted to go into town and was already 3pm. Headed back out into rain to catch bus. Bus = lot lot cheaper than taxi. Not waiting long before a taxi pulled over. Waved him on, but since he was going into town anyway, he offered to take us in for same price as bus. Brilliant! Jumped in and asked him to drop us off somewhere that was good for shopping; needed some postcards and fancied a nosey round. He dropped us at some kind of shopping mall. Really wasn’t the cheap market I had in mind. Had a quick look round, but it looked more like Debenhams than a market, so walked back to market had seen near bus station. On way, found a really good bakery. Got a hotdog to put me on and Deb got a cake. Wondered to market then, only to be completely disappointed by it. Was really small and really rubbish. Suva is supposed to have good markets…we didn’t find any!

Did find a cheap place to eat and got a chicken curry and rice for only $5. Bargain! Toddled off to find a seat and eat. Was then that got accosted by the TAT lady of Fiji. She sat down next to us, all cute and old and offering ‘friendly’ advice, then soon started with trying to get us to book things and spend money. Unlucky love…already booked our Fiji trip. Learnt that lesson the hard way in Thailand anyway! Ate what could of huge meal, then headed back to nice bakery to get something for breakfast. Got a big banana loaf - surely can’t be that bad if made with bananas? - and then some apples from fruit market. Found post office for postcards and again tried shopping mall after being directed there again. Still rubbish. Really can’t find these amazing Suva markets! Gave up in end and went to a v.dodgy looking internet shop instead. Up some rough looking stairs and into a gloomy shop. Well, it was cheap. Did about 30mins on blog and then internet went down. Happened just as I pressed save…how typical for me! Waited 15mins as the guy in the shop tried to get the connection back, but it didn’t happen, so had to accept that lost 30mins typing again. Travelblog = rubbish for saving!

Was 7pm and already dark as stepped outside. Made our way back to bus station to try and get a bus back. Took quite a lot of doing, with 3 people helping us and getting on 2 different buses before found right one. Even saw rats scuttling along floor in process. Not nice. Got on bus - pitch black now - and prayed bus driver knew where to drop us off. No way would be able to spot hostel in dark, especially since it was set into forest. Wasted 15mins sitting stationary in bus - keep forgetting Fiji bus - then bus sped off towards Raintree Lodge. It was moving so quick that didn’t recognise anything as he flew passed; all could see was the blurred outlines of shadows in dark. Please don’t forget to drop us off. Thankfully, he didn’t forget us. He dropped us off in darkness and we hurried along into hostel. Asked in reception about possibility of a school visit in morning - lady told me to come back in morning…day before = too advanced/organised for Fiji time - then headed off to bed with nothing else to do. Wrote postcards and diary for a while, then got another early night at 10pm. Fiji mainland = all about the early nights.



15/4/09 = The Jungle ride to Voli Voli

Had another good nights sleep except for waking up a few times because head was aching with lack of pillow. Wide awake by 6am and read book until a more suitable hour. Deb woke up at 7ish = a more suitable hour, then we got ready and went for breakfast. Turns out Raintree is a nice place…looked lot better in daylight and with slightly less grey sky. Is built next to a river, in jungle. So, when sit down in restaurant to eat, is a really good view over water. Nice place to have breakfast. Deb got her fruit and yoghurt and I got a cup of tea to go with the banana cake I bought yesterday. Yummy. I know it can’t technically be healthy to eat cake for breakfast, but I did follow it up with an apple if that helps?...and surely it can’t be any worse than pancakes doused in syrup! Ate, chilled next to lake, but then had to rush and pack up to leave. Had asked lady about a school visit again this morning and after making a phonecall, she turned to me to tell me she had booked us to see a school at 9:30. I was only enquiring!

Packed up, then went out to road to catch a bus to Tacirua Primary School, a local Fijian school. Didn’t have to wait long before one came, was just a shame that bus driver forgot to drop us off and drove straight passed. A really nice old lady pointed this out to us - she had over heard us ask where we would like to be dropped off - and then got off the bus with us and flagged down a taxi to take us back to school. You really can’t meet a more friendly and genuinely helpful person than a Fijian. She arranged with a taxi driver to drop us off in right place and even made him fix a price. Lovely lady. Short journey and got out of taxi to a full view of school. Was set in an L-shape with a huge, green playing field in front of it. Ready to walk over and find reception when noticed 2 groups of children sprinting over to us. One group running up pavement, another running across water logged field. They had come to carry our bags for us…how sweet. Think the headmaster had sent them, but still x Resisted urge to hand over my 20k backpack - could do without permanently crippling a child on my first visit - but followed them back along path as they carried our small bags. Passed the classrooms and all the smiling, waving children and arrived at office.

Office was a small space, with a box room at back which was head teacher’s office come P.E. storeroom. The office space in front also doubled up as staff room. Head teacher was a big, friendly fellow and came out to sit down with us straight away. He told us a bit about school, asked about us and then got to showing us around. Classes were organized like ours with years and age groups, except more ability grouped, with some children being kept back years if they weren’t ‘bright’ enough. Classrooms didn’t run in age order though, so we visited them randomly. Basic = not quite the word. The rooms themselves were wooden huts with flaps for windows. Inside, there were small, thin wooden desks, with a least 2 children cramped onto each, mostly 3. They had blackboards - something I haven’t seen since I was at school and have had the luxury to avoid in my teaching career - displays made of posters the teachers had drawn or written, or in the best case scenario, posters so tatty and scruffy we would definitely throw them away and that was pretty much it. Definitely no computers or modern technology of any kind, except the old IBM PC in the office. The kids were unbelievable though; so smiley and friendly. As soon as head teacher walked in they all stopped what they were doing, stood up out of seats and said Good Morning. They were amazed by us; could do nothing but stare...and whisper...and giggle. We smiled politely back.

The headteacher introduced us to all of teachers and classes as we walked round and we chatted briefly, then wondered around room. Looked at some of work kids had done and was quite amazing...especially maths. They were doing maths harder than the kids I teach of the equivalent age, but in the very old school way though. The head teacher and the teachers said that the work was all boring, and loking at the books, I would agree. They worked solely out of textbooks, textbooks that didn't have any pictures, any colour, just streams of tiny writing and problems to solve. Poor kids. And that was for the lucky ones! The kids had to buy the work books themselves - school didn't provide things like that - and so that left the poorer kids without any book at all. They were forced to sit next to someone who did have a book and then copy it out on paper word for word. Poor kids. I can imagine the reaction of my kids if I made them do that for every lesson, every day. The teachers didn't like it either, they were really bored with it all, but funding = practically non-existent. Was really shocked when head teacher told us kids had to pay to go to school, and we're not talking about Private School, this was the poorest school I have ever seen. They didn't have to pay much ($10), but they had to pay a fee every term and buy their own equipment and books. He admitted that this meant some kids didn't go to school at all. They couldn't afford it and were more valuable to their parents if they worked at home or sold things. Really sad. Even worse with High School = $50 per term, so even more kids don't make it that far. You could be the cleverest kid in the class, but if you can't afford the fee, you can't go to High School. A constant cycle of poverty! Can't imagine why the government would think that was a good idea!?

Headteacher told us as we wondered from room to room that it was the main testing time for the children as it was coming to the end of the year. They sat in silence working, but he had no qualms about taking us in and disrupting them. He gave the quick introductions then just told them to carry on. Didn't notice a single kid that managed to 'just carry on'. So many contrasts to school here and home, is hard to think of any similarities. But, the bribery and payment was the best. First noticed it when headteacher stopped one of the older boys, gave him a note and told him to run to shop and buy cream buns for all the adults. If he went fast enough he could keep the change. Brilliant. Then one of the teachers, who was actually a really cool guy, admitted that he paid kids to do jobs, finish their work and then help other kids. He had a set group of 'paid helpers' in class, who were the cleverist children, so used to help other kids, like mini-teachers. Now that's an incentive to be clever if nothing else!

For all it's differences and what seem like negative points, everybody was happy here, especially the kids. The teachers were very poorly paid and had v.little equipment, but their job has got to be one of the most rewarding of all. And the kids were all v.respectful, v.polite, v.happy. Asked head teacher about that, because it was quite noticable and he said that the children do respect authority...they fear authority. Don't know that I like the word 'fear' in that sentence, but I would definitely like a chance to teach kids that are that so appreciative and respectful.

Breaktime was at 10:30 - even though most of the kids were already loitering round having finished tests early - and we watched some of them playing. The girls had the same old universal hand clapping games that all girls play and the boys did the same old running around, who knows what game that all boys play. I guess kids are kids no matter where they are from. We sat down in office/staff room and receptionist had set out a table full of tea, coffee and cakes. Felt incredibly guilty that head teacher had bought cakes for us when we didn't have anything to offer him, but was even more rude not to take one. They were v.nice actually and managed to gulp down the coffee even though I hate it. Chatted more about school, watched the kids as they sang and danced happily as part of their Christian class, then had to say our thank you's and leave. Had a big journey ahead to Raki Raki and really wanted to get there before dark. Was a great visit though; am really pleased I saw it. Was exactly as I imagined, but still totally shocking...if that makes sense?

Waved constantly as the kids shouted "Bye Maam"..."Bye Madam". So cute. It actually turned out to be a bit of a Queens wave because had to do it for so long. Trudged up path, out of grounds and back onto road to wait for next bus. Thankfully, didn't take that long, but was a v.tight squeeze onto a busy bus. Just a 10min ride into town, then had to find another bus to take us to Raki Raki. Usual friendly Fijian people helped us out, but was bad news to find that next bus not until 1:30 = 1 1/2 hrs away. Bummer. Sat and chatted to an Albino Fijian, which was a v.interesting experience, visited the market again as one last look for souveniers - no joy - and then when came back, bus had come early, so jumped straight on. Had to wait on it for a while - this is Fiji afterall - then set off on long, cramped journey to Raki Raki.

This was one of the strangest and most interesting journeys so far. Raki Raki is at the top of the island, and Suva is on the right hand side, so instead driving all along the coast, we were taking the 'jungle road' directly to it. The name is appropriate...it does exactly what is says on the tin. Wow...what an experience. Passed through herds of cows, all species of farm animals, children at sides of roads playing, people with and without stalls selling, run down tin houses and wooden shacks, kids climbing trees, groups of guys rugby training in muddy patches with the slightest bit of grass, bridges that were half built and led to nowhere, endless trees, mounds of green and roads that definitely weren't 'roads'. The roads were a mixture of pot holes, gravel and lumps of stone. Tried to sleep through most of 4hrs, but the banging of my head against the metal seat really can't have been good for the brain. Ride was so bumpy, people would have paid to be thrown around like that in a theme park!

When did properly open eyes, it was to the bus man telling us that we were only 10mins away from the Voli Voli resort. V.good news, except he followed this by asking us how we were getting there. Duh...seemed like a bit of a daft question! Didn't understand until he explained that the bus only ran along the main road and Voli Voli was set right on the beach, 6kms inland, down a dirt track. Nobody had told us that. Concluded that we would have to get a taxi, but even that wasn't a simple solution. The road was just that, a long, straight road. There was no town, no shops, no taxi and we didn't exactly have a number we could call. The v.nice bus man dropped us at a taxi guy that he knew and we had no option but to get in. Didn't even bother asking price, we were in no position to barter and I already knew it would be a rip off. Set off down another dirt track - would have been impossible to walk - and got some amazing views over sea as taxi climbed steep hills. Voli Voli = set in most northerly part of Fiji, so had ocean all around it, not to mention several lumps of land and islands. A beautiful setting.

Finally arrived, got totally ripped off by taxi driver and arguing didn't work, left him and plodded into reception to check in. Looked like a really nice resort; v.exclusive feel about it. Right on the beach front and really beautiful. Despite this, wasn't my favourite place, was actually one of my least favourite places. After travelling all day on bus, really wanted to get out and go for a walk, but Voli Voli = so remote and cut off that there really was nowhere I could walk. The tide was in so there was no beach and there was only 1 'road' in and out, which was the hilly dirt track we had just driven. Would be the perfect place if you wanted to be totally cut off from civilisation and staying somewhere so remote, but I felt a little trapped. Had a wonder onto the bit of beach that remained so that could watch the sunset, then 3mins later, headed to the bar to get some food. The Fiji Experience bus had met yesterday were all in, so quickly ordered food before them. Still took nearly an hour anyway - Fiji time. The tour lady from the bus couldn't believe the whole diary fiasco and the manager did have it afterall.

Ate, drank and chatted to 2 guys from bus that had met on Robinson Crusoe. Those Robinson Crusoe people get everywhere. Was 11pm then and headed off to bed. Few people already sleeping, so we went straight to sleep too 😊

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Photos

A mini break
Reward for finishing tests early. I know how my kids would do on tests if I said they could play out as soon as they had finihsed!

Universal playground games
Even I used to play that as a kid...different words of course, but still.