Boldly Go Solo

Bula vinaka. Another hot, sunny day in store on the Coral Coast in Fiji. On the south coast of Viti Levu, Fiji's largest island. 

You know you're miles from home when front page news in the Fiji Sun is about the Kadavu Provincial Council in Tavuki and the news from all of North America is about six paragraphs.

I've learned much about the life in the villages here and the clans and the chiefs and the kava ritual. Kava is a drink made from a local root. Details to come in future posts. 

I have little time to blog and that's a good thing. I'm busy. Snorkeling over giant clams, for instance.

Saw one giant clam that was a foot-and-a-half long. Big enough to feed a family of four. The giant clams are native to the shallow coral reefs of the South Pacific. The mantles that we saw on the edges of the clam shells, stretched open to provide sunlight to the algae that are part of the habitat the clam offers, come in several beautiful colors. Purple, green, blue.

There's so much more to tell. But not now. Not when Fijian sunshine beckons. On the left are tweets from Fiji. I'll try to tweet and post when I can. Though I have only two days left. Two more days with some of the most incredibly friendly people I have ever met. 

As for kokoda, pronounced koh-KOHN-da (yes, I know there's no "n" in there but you'll hear one) is like ceviche, made with local fish, coconut cream and lime. Delicious!

Vinaka and moce (vee-nak-ah and moh-thay). That means thanks and good-bye. 

Photos: Ellen Perlman

1. Three boys in Navala Village. 2. On the road from Nadi to Navala.