Being Connected

During our time in Fiji we've had some ups and downs with the job and our emotions about being here, so as brother mason, Tadd decided to turn to the local guys for support, as he would if he were at home.

"Steve" answered right back to Tadd's email a few months back, and has been very kind with his advice and support in trying to understand the "Fiji way." So when we were headed back to Suva again on our holiday, Tadd went along to the local meeting.

Obviously I wasn't allowed to go... and Tadd can't divulge anything about the meeting, but he did seem to enjoy himself, and has decided it would be a good thing to get in touch with his brothers everywhere we go on our future travels.

Oh and the reason Tadd's the only one wearing a "skirt" has nothing to do with some strange funny-handshake ritual... that's the thing down here in the island... the guys wear sulus ("soothoo")... so the next step will be to get Tadd a kilt!

Another Country, Another Waterfall

 So Lindsay and I finally got a chance to take some time off work and travel around Fiji for a couple of weeks. Our first day “off the island” we headed inland on an open aired bus.....

 Lindsay had a specific request to do some “non beach related stuff”. We stopped outside the captial city in a place called the Raintree Lodge. Very nice for a backpacker resort with a wonderful view of a pond from our room's balcony.

 

There was a small forest preservation area that she convinced me to hike with her. There had been lots of rain lately, so the road into the area was a bit muddy. Besides what Scott Blunk said about buying flops a couple of sizes too small to avoid getting dirty, we managed to flip mud from our flops up the backsides of our legs anyhow!

Once the hike began, we realized how small the area was and why they didn't bother with signs when the trails split. You could here the water running down the river and the kids yelling with excitement!

Shortly, we were at yet another waterfall in another country, this time, FIJI!

The picture after the splashing around in the chilly water is more entertaining. COLD? In the tropics you ask?

We were impressed with the work that has been done in regard to the bridges, step supports and especially the steps carved right out of the bedrock.

The years of river water have strangely left large boulders yet carved a way through them as well. There were cool stepping stones and beautiful mosses. It was wonderfully cool and quiet next to the running water.

AND THEN....................ANOTHER!

Now, why is it we have to hike UP so much farther after a waterfall than we do DOWN to get there? Or is it just me? I had to turn around and shoot this particular stretch of stairs, or what is visible from this angle. Feel the burn.

We returned to the resort and enjoyed our beautiful room with a view for a nap and a watched another episode of Horatio Hornblower's adventures on the laptop before happy hour and TV (What a treat!) proud of ourselves for getting out there and stomping around in the bush for some exercise.