Day 25 - Latoka, Vita Lavu, Fiji Day 2

 I got up at 5:45, dressed for the day and went to breakfast at 6:30. After breakfast, I picked up the crossword and paper and returned to the cabin. I worked on the crossword puzzle and read the paper. I did not have a tour scheduled for today as it was part of a modified itinerary. I took the tour rating paper to Tom's cabin at the other end of the ship and decided that I needed to let my legs rest some today after yesterday's workout. I stayed in the cabin and read until 11:30 when I went to lunch. After lunch, I went to deck 3 and took some pictures. I returned to the cabin at 12:15 and watched the Vikings - Chargers game. I was more sore all over so I showered and dressed for dinner after the game and watched TV until I went to dinner at 6:55. After dinner where I had a table for just me, I walked by the stores, but didn't see anything to buy yet. I returned to the cabin and updated the blog. I didn't  go to the show but read and watched TV until I went to bed at 9:30.

The most scenic shot from the ship

Lots of vendors

And many tour operators
 

Day 24 - Lautoka, Viti Levu, Fiji

 I got up at 6 and dressed for my zip-lining tour and went to breakfast at 6:40. After breakfast, I picked up the crossword and paper and returned to the cabin. I worked the crossword and read the paper. My tour time to meet was 8:15, so I read until time. I went to the World Stage to wait for my tour to be called at 8:15 and it was called at 8:30 and we went to the bus and left at 8:55. It was a 1 hour 50 minute drive over some really rough roads. We arrived 10:45 and signed a list and got geared up and listened to an instruction talk before starting up the long stairs (maybe 100) to line 1, I had to stop several times to get my breath back and then I got to the launch deck for line 1. I got hooked to the line and then took off. Apparently, I gripped the cable with my glove early and I stopped a few feet short, so the man at the landing zone had to come out and pull me up. After climbing as many steps again to line 2 (with several rest stops) I did much better going down line 2. Again, another big climb to line 3 with the requisite stops. I made an even better descent this time. After looking at the steps up to line 4, I told Joe, that I was ready to wait for the group to return for the lines down, so he stayed with me and I rested for about an hour and when they came, Joe said that we would go together and we did the first line down (my fourth) and then the second one together again and on the last one I went alone so he could get a photo of me on my camera which it turned out were very short movies. Later they served a lunch but I wasn't very hungry, so I had a slice of banana and a small piece of cake. We boarded the bus at 1:00 and then drove to a photo op near the Indian Hindu Temple under  construction. We then stopped for a 30 minute shopping break where I stayed on the bus.  We got back at 3:15 and I downloaded my photos and cleaned up for dinner. I went to dinner at 5:30.  After dinner, I went to the get a seat at the show to see Flip Schultz' comedy show. He was very funny and has been on HBO, Last Comic Standing, Comedy Central, and much more. I found an invitation to another Cruise Specialists cocktail party along with a Cruise Specialists rating sheet for yesterday's tour. I updated the blog and went to bed at 10.

The mountains as we approached the Zip-Fiji station 

Some of the guides going up with us

We got our instructions

Joe stayed with me after the third line.

The new Hindu Temple being built

My biggest bruise on the tour, maybe from bouncing against the side of the bus rather than the zip-lining

Resting after a climb

Day 23 - Suva, Figi

 I got up at 6, dressed for my Castaways tour and went to breakfast at 6:35. After breakfast, I went to the library to get the crossword and paper. I returned to the cabin and put on sunscreen for my outing today and worked the crossword and read the paper. My tour meets at 8:15 in the Ocean Bar . We docked at 8 and were cleared at 8:07. I went  the Ocean Bar at 8:20. We were called at 8:50 and the bus was loaded and we left at 9:05. We got back at 1:05 and I exchanged 40$ for 84Fiji$ on my way back to the ship. We managed to miss any of the rain outside that we had while on the bus.  I downloaded the photos and updated the blog. I cleaned up at 4:15 and dressed for dinner. I went to dinner at 5:30. After dinner, I went to the show which was Patrick McMahon, a country singer doing Johnny Cash, Bob Dylan, Kenny Rogers and Glen Campbell. He was alright, but the Australian accent didn't quite work. I returned to the cabin at 8:30 and went to bed at 9:30.

 The Description of the tour was as follows:

Share in the secrets of Fiji’s heritage and experience the many aspects of this friendly, hospitable island, full of smiles and colors.

Begin your exploration with a drive through the city of Suva to the village of Togalevu. Along the way, enjoy viewing the daily activities of the local people.

Your experience of village life begins with a traditional kava ceremony welcome and a briefing on important Fijian protocol. Try a sample of the national drink “yagona” made from the powdered root of the pepper tree and served in a bilo (half coconut shell). Next, learn about the many uses of the coconut plant, including scraping of the coconut to produce coconut milk. Try a sample if you like! Enjoy refreshments while interacting with your hosts and meeting the young men and women of the village.

Then, bid the villagers goodbye as you continue through Suva’s prime residential areas up through Tamavua Heights, before you head back to the city, driving by the parliament house for a photo stop. Have your picture taken with the guards at the gates of The Government House, which is home to the current president.

 

Village elementary school

Fiji's widest river

The Cava ceremony

The master of ceremony

The village church

Wicked flowering plant

Tom Mullen talking to the master of ceremony

Sports arena

Hindu Temple

The guard at the entrance to the Presidential Palace

Day 22 - At Sea

 I got up at 6, got dressed and went to breakfast at 6:40. After breakfast, I went to the library and got the crossword and the paper before returning to the cabin. I worked the crossword and read the paper. At 9, I went up to 5 to  read for a while. I returned to the cabin at 10:25 since the traffic on 5 became such that reading was difficult. I went to lunch at 11:30 and when I returned to my cabin, I found my laundry back from last night. I put it away as I watched the Tampa Bay - Detroit game. The reception was nearly worse than the game. Next I watched the Texans - Seahawks game. I showered at halftime and then watched the end of the game before going to the Lido Market for dinner as I didn't feel like eating in the Main Dining Room. I returned to the cabin after dinner and watched TV for a while and then read until I went to bed at 9::30. 

Day 21 - Apia, Upolu, Samoa

 I got up at 6, got dressed while watching Eagles - Vikings game. i went to breakfast at 6:30. After breakfast, I went by the library to get the crossword and news before returning to the cabin to continue watching the game and working the crossword. When it became apparent that the Eagles were going to win, I went ashore for about 15 minutes and looked at the local handicrafts near the ship. It seems that the;y cater mostly to collectors and women, so I returned to the ship for the Washington - Cowboys game. I went to lunch during halftime and came back in time to see the interception for touchdown. Great game. I then watched the 49ers - Falcons game until halftime when I went to the Local Cultural Presentation. After the show, I returned to the cabin to see the end of the game. After the game, I got ready for the Great Gatsby Night dinner and party. I went to dinner at 5:55 and ate with a couple from a prior night and a new couple from Montreal and 2 single ladies, one from Dallas and one from California. After dinner, I went back to the cabin to wait for the start of the party at 8. I found a new towel animal on my bed. I went to the Great Gatsby Night at 8. I returned to the cabin at 8:50 and updated the blog. We set the clocks back 1 hour again tonight. I reset the computer time and went to bed at 9 and read until 9:30 when I went to sleep.

The gangway and refreshment tent

All the tour buses 

The story of the Tatau

 

My new towel animal

 

My Great Gatsby outfit

The suspects in the necklace heist