Wanna Taki, Waya Lailai - FIJI

We stayed last night on the Wanna Taki ‘cruise’ boat, consisting of a big room of bunk beds and a small TV, and an upper deck with a bar and some wooden tables for eating at. There were about 14 of us on the ship. The best thing was the air-conditioned dorm. The worst thing was being on this weird big boat, feeling slightly stuck. Like cabin fever, except rocking back and forth. The food was good, and the people were very friendly, but man was it ever hot. So yesterday we went snorkeling and saw some amazing fish (more of the same from the day before and a few new ones) in the afternoon. More swimming off the side of the boat and a bit of jumping off the upper deck (talk about a rush of water up your nose!). This morning I convinced the Danes to try kayaking, so we did that to the beach and back with a break in between for sunbathing in the water. Lunch and then back on the transfer boat to the next place. The best thing about that transfer boat is the popsicles and ice creams you can buy. There’s one that’s like a Creamsicle only way better pineapple flavoured ice around. The Chiruppos are lemon flavoured and next time I swear I have to try the “Golden Gaytime” ice cream bar just because. How could I not?!

This afternoon we left the Wanna Taki for the Waya Lailai (Little Waya) Ecohaven Resort. When we arrived at the island, we were greeted by a group of Fijians singing for us, and immediately we felt welcomed. Big smiles and hugs from a man named James. We could see little huts up the side of the hill and groups of people all around doing various things, some working, some playing, talking… Mostly just walked around and sorted out our ‘activities’ for the better part of the dwindling afternoon, since tomorrow is Sunday and that means no activities. So we’re going to go to church in the village and see what that’s all about, and after that, we rest. On Monday we have a jam-packed day so as to fit everything in before we head to South Sea Island!

I had overheard something about wearing a sarong to dinner so I asked about that. It turned out they were planning a big traditional Fijian meal and ceremony for the night, so that means sarongs and covered up shoulders for the girls. And don’t forget the flower behind the ear (left means single, right means “fully booked”). For awhile it seemed like dinner was running late, so we sort of hung about waiting to see what was happening (this was very much unlike the last three nights of drumming and then ‘dig in!’) and then James tells us in the dining area that we are to say a few words (I wish I could remember them, I think they started with a ‘b’ and then we had to repeat it twice) and wait to be invited to the grassy area by the villagers. We walked quietly over and sat down, facing a line of men wearing grass skirts and grassy decorative leis (for lack of better words…). One of them quietly clapped and said words and stirred the Kava in the bowl and then served it up one by one to a few chosen people sitting directly opposite them and then to a few elders. It was very very quiet overall. Then one of them said we were allowed to relax, the ceremony was over and we could take pictures, then we were offered the Kava:
-The guy holding the Kava approaches you
-You clap
-Say “BULA!”
-Return the bowl
To be honest it kind of tastes like muddy water but it doesn't taste awful, just odd. And afterwards your tongue feels a bit numb!

After the Kava ceremony the girls were welcomed up to get the food from the Earth Oven. There was chicken, lamb, pork, tarot root (sp?), sweet potato, pumpkin salad, potato salad, and watermelon. And a spinach thing that actually isn’t spinach but the greens from the tarot cooked in coconut milk. It was all quite good.

After dinner we were happily entertained by about 30 people singing and dancing, doing what I can only guess were traditional dances and songs. Really beautiful and James encouraged us to really whoop and clap at the end of every performance. At the end, we were invited up to do a few dances with the performers, which was heaps of fun!

I really didn’t know what to expect here so it has just been surprise after surprise after surprise. I feel so very lucky to be here – really on the other side of the planet, experiencing nothing further than I could have imagined from my life 6 months ago, honestly!

So here I am in this funny little shoebox of a room (a room to myself, even if it is literally the size of a shoebox!) surrounded by mosquito net (mozzy net?), I can hear the guy next door snoring his head off, people chatting out in the dining area and the Fijians singing and playing guitars. The waves are crashing out there and the stars are twinkling bright, there are some stray dogs roaming around and I saw a cockroach the size of my thumb by the outdoor washrooms, as well as a moth the size of my entire hand resting by one of the tired dogs. Also don’t forget the spider the size of my face in the toilet stall that I convinced myself I wasn’t afraid of until it scuttered away faster than any insect I’ve ever seen, causing me to jump up and out of that stall with an embarrassing little shriek. Most importantly though, while I’m setting the scene I can’t forget the rustling of the palm leaves, that’s very important because I think those are what will ultimately lull me to sleep.