cutting losses

Alright, there's no reasonable chance of updating this blog with what has happened in the past month, and attempting it only leads to intimidated procrastination. So I'll cut my losses and start from now, and you can all just read my memoirs to fill in the details later (which this was supposed to be notes for --- I'm sure the tale will improve as my memory fades.)

So I got back to Fiji late Saturday night. Had an adventure unpacking my surfboard (wrapped in 2 wimpy sleeping bags stuffed with all my clothes around the fins.) My phone didn't work either, so I couldn't call the hotel without buying a ripoff phone card (80 cents a minute).

I couldn't find a cab that didn't want to gouge me either, but when you're white, at the airport in fiji at midnight, have 3 pieces of luggage and a surfboard and no phone, you're vulnerable.

But at least the Wailoaloa resort was kind enough to be open for me (and give me the fair rate.)

Sunday morning I ran into town first thing to the Vodaphone office to try to get my phone fixed, because I knew Kelsey was going through international calling cards like Carol goes through licorice (or Matt through Kit Kats), and also I want to get ahold of my contacts in Fiji and make the most of my last week and a half.

I lucked out and got offered a lift by two indian dudes sharing a spliff. Before I could even get a cab or minibus, no charge.

Well, everything's closed on sunday, and I knew that, but there was no way in the world I knew it was sunday. So I made a stop at the internet and the grocery (my cattle were in the muck) and back to the hotel for a lazy sunday since I didn't have my sunday clothes and backed out of spending $20 on a sunday shirt to go to church, after all, that's breaking the sabbath.

So I went swimming.

Met a local family who was staying there and made friends with the little girl by chasing her around the pool and nearly splitting my skull (I did split my nose.)

By the way, you can see their photos at:

http://klamathsystems.com/~fijiaaron/photos/wailoaloa

Also some that were taken by my crew mates at

http://klamathsystems.com/~fijiaaron/photos/sabine
http://klamathsystems.com/~fijiaaron/photos/timothy

Monday I got into town, fixed my phone, by paying the bill, and caught a minibus to Suva. Getting out at every stop along the way and unloading my surfboard which blocked the door. I must admit, I can't really complain about the shape it's in, though the first 2 days I had it, it seemed like it was destined to be shreds of glass and foam before I ever use it (which I haven't yet).

I hope to remedy that by going to Kadavu, at midnight tonight, on a cargo vessel, with Dodo, and staying at his cousins, or their cousins, something like that. Laisa's family. I've got a grocery list to take to them, which includes 5 kilograms of cucumbers, and I've got to take a barrel of Kerosene to someone, too.

So I better finish this email and go shopping. Oh yeah, I need to get some pirate DVDs as well. Check out "Sweet Samoan Wedding" and "The Tongan Ninja" I haven't seen either yet, but I'm putting money on the Samoan Wedding for much funny.

There and back again

Well, I made it to Australia, spend about 24 hours there, and came back to Fiji.

Probably no one is reading this anymore, anyway. I've got several posts I'd like to write, but I think I'll go to church today. I forgot it was Sunday and went into Nadi Town to try to get my mobile phone working, which for some reason, is not. Got a free lift with a couple Indian guys smoking weed and pitching tourism ideas to me, much the same as my own, but instead of on a beach, doing highland tours in villages.

I'll try to write some more later, and since I'll probably have all afternoon to sit in my hotel doing nothing, I can compose letters on my own computer.

If anyone reads this, sorry for such an anticlimactic return post. Send me some ideas of what you'd like to hear.