While we gave Tieton some more TLC, we also took the opportunity to explore the nearby cities of Nadi and Latouka.

Transportation

Taking public transportation can be a kick, and at FD$2 (US 90 cents), quite the entertainment value. We took the 30 minute bus ride from outside the fairly remote Vuda Marina to Latouka, Fiji’s second largest city, with a population of about 70,000. We paid our fare in cash and many of the Fijians paid with their automated commuter cards, which they swiped as they boarded.

A woman who worked in marina’s kitchen boarded with her toddler granddaughter and explained to us that it was the granddaughter’s first bus ride. We also suspect that ghost-like Herman may have been the first gray-haired white man the toddler had seen, because she didn’t let Herman out of her sight.

Music selection seems to be the driver’s choice, as well as the freedom to use his cell phone regularly. The driver swerved around potholes on the mostly two-lane road, occasionally diverting to a pullout to pick up passengers waiting under a covered bus stop. At one stop, a tour van occupied the pullout, which caused the driver to block traffic. The the bus driver shouted at the tour driver and started taking pictures as the tour driver made haste to leave as. Such drama!

Loaded with our shopping, we took a taxi back to the marina. Our driver Ili shared that he’d like to visit family that has emigrated to New Zealand, but that he can’t get a passport until he gets married. It seems that Fiji may be trying to stem the flow of young people leaving the country.

Sugar

The sugar industry came to Fiji in the early 1900’s, and along with it came many indentured servants from India. Many of them stayed, becoming successful business owners with native Fijians working for them. In the 1980’s, East Indians secured a majority position in the elected government, which was overthrown in a coup. Somehow that settled down and things seem fairly peaceful now.

Sugar is still one of Fiji’s primary industries and most major roads have small train tracks beside them; many with small rail cars stacked with canes. Heavily laden trucks also labor along the two lane roads with congestion relieved by the occasional passing lane. When we were in Nadi, which boasts Fiji’s international airport, we watched as traffic was halted to allow the 100-plus-car train lumber through town.

Sugar may also be why many of the older Fijians, especially in the villages, are missing their front two bottom and top teeth. Many of them suck “lollies” huge lollipops that saturate their teeth with sugar, and I’m sure many are still chewing sugarcane. Visible gold dental work is also a status symbol for some.

Vuda Marina

We had work to get done, and there aren’t a lot of choices in Fiji. A close second to the Aitutaki harbor, the inner basin of Vuda Marina can be very challenging. Although the marina is improving their facilities, the older inner basin uses a Mediterranean mooring concept where boats rest side-by-side with fenders in between. We were positioned bow-in, while other boats were stern-in. The challenge comes in that the docks are fixed, rather than floating, which means that you’re either stepping up or down to the dock. Sometimes it is necessary to step through several boats to get to the dock.

At our first dock, we had the luxury of testing a dock step prototype that a clever yachtie developed so at least we had something secure to step onto, along a handhold. I’m glad that I had something to help me get used to stepping on the boat rail from the dock. Our subsequent docks were more challenging, including one awful night where Herman was up all night fending off a concrete dock.

The good news is that other than the inner basin dock, the marina facilities are lovely, the cruisers friendly, and the staff extremely friendly. I enjoyed daily yoga led by a variety of residents, followed by coffee at the cafe. We met new friends with whom we attended a nearby native dance performance.

Best of all, after returning to the states for a new grand baby, our friends Sally and Rusty finally arrived from New Zealand! The marina welcomes international sailors arriving at the customs docks with beautiful Bula! songs, which is such a nice way to mark the end of a challenging trip.

What’s Next

We’re going towards the more touristy Yasawa group, so we can explore the options available if we have guests next season. Rusty and Sally will cruise with us for a bit before they head off to investigate another marina to store their boat for the cyclone season.