Our next two ports were Lautoka and Suva, Fiji, ports we have visited several times the past. They are also tough ports for us because 1) the ship docks in a city and tourist sites are not close by and 2) we’ve either already done or are not interested in doing the excursions that are offered. Excursion planning (which I tried, I really did try to do) came down to G telling me he would do
anything I wanted to do and me asking him if he would be willing to go to a mud pool (no), orchid garden (no) Hindu temple (no), take a 40 minutes boat or bus ride to a beach resort (no), watch yet another cultural show (not really), participate in another kava ceremony (no), or shop for souvenirs (a hard NO from both of us). This is pretty much the list of likely things to do from these two ports.
And just to be clear: all (actually, most…that shopping thing is always a no) of those things are wonderful the first time or two you do them. But there are things (like a beach day on Dravuni Island tomorrow) that are infinitely repeatable. And other things. like mud pools and Hindu temples that aren’t. Just sayin’.
Of course, when we realize that the ship is stable, nearly empty and that food and coffees are at the ready, it’s quite easy to talk ourselves into staying on board. That’s the exact thing that older cruisers used to do in the Caribbean and we could never understand it. We get it now.
In Lautoka, we lingered at breakfast for over an hour. I branched out and had a glorious avocado toast with smoked salmon, and I know for a fact what that would have cost me at a restaurant near our home (because I’ve indulged a few times, and, along with the specially coffees, this was truly a deluxe experience). And I loved every minute.
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| I’ve eaten all the blueberries on the ship! |
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| With mushrooms and spinach. A thing of beauty. |
I had the stable, not-too-full Terrace Pool to myself (of course I did) and had a fantastic workout while G watched from a lounger nearby, then I joined him to warm up in the sun.
After a clean up, lunch was another yummy soup in the Horizon Court, and then we sat in the shade on the Promenade Deck. We hadn’t been to dinner with Libres and Sulton (autocorrect always turns that into Stilton. Which would be fine, too). More soup for me, and the veggie stir fry. I’m sure I was short on protein, but I’ll make it up tomorrow.
We had great entertainment options for the evening. First, ship activities director Liberty Pessoa did a show singing songs of 100 years, from the 20s to the 20s. We love to go to these sorts of shows, but sit in the “just in case seats”. Just in case. Well, we did NOT need those seats during this show. She was incredible, leading me to scratch my head (on the non-bump side) and ask what the heck she is doing as an activities director. She will no doubt be a singing cruise director soon and move on from there.
Afterward we went to the Vista-less Lounge for comedian Jeff Green, an ex-pat Brit living in Melbourne. Funny, funny guy. He did mostly relationship humor with some tech humor thrown in, one laugh after another. We had again sat in the just in case seats and again didn’t need them.
Two great shows, live music everywhere. An abundance of riches. On-the-ship days in tropical ports with perfect weather are good days.
Today in Suva (the capital of Fiji) was a “rinse and repeat” day, despite the fact that we stayed in port until 11:30pm. 11:30pm pm on a Sunday night in Suva. Suva pretty much closes down on Sundays, period. But I’m sure the late departure allowed people to linger longer at the beach resorts, which is good, because, again, they are quite a drive or boat ride from the port.
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| Terrace Deck view this morning |
One difference today: being Sunday, it was Saturday at home. And Saturday means college football. Need I say more? I was up at 4am to watch Michigan lose to Indiana (sometimes, it’s tough to be a Michigan Wolverine. The Whittingham/Beck combo is making that most of the time). Another fantastic breakfast in Sabatini’s, breakfast #2 on the Terrace Deck (watermelon, natch), then back to the cabin to watch the BYU v UCF game. Whew, that was a game!! So so much fun to watch.
A pool workout followed, then I was bundled up in a robe watching more college football the cabin. Because that’s what I do. G came and went, but we stayed touch via iPhone and I believe I may have actually napped, which is good, because tomorrow will be a full, fun day.
Dinner with Libres and Sulton is such a treat. They know us and our line and dislikes perfectly by now, and could probably bring our dinner without needing to order.
Tonight’s Princess Theater entertainment took advantage of our very late departure from Suva. A local dance group called Vo (I think that’s the spelling) csme on board to do a folkloric show at 7pm and 9pm. But it wasn’t the usual “war fighter” folkloric show. It stated that way but changed over the course of the show to show the evolution of Fijian culture, including the Indian influence. It was all fantastic: the shoreline, the music the rhythm, the chireography. We loved it.
We sat out on the Terrace Deck for a few minutes, enjoying the lights of the Suva waterfront before calling it a night.
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| The back of the ship is so pretty at night |
