FIJI

Well, we finally got a few pictures posted from our adventures in Tonga and we hope you like them. We are currently in Fiji trying to make arrangements for this island we're going to go stay on called Yanuca (pronounced yah-NU-thah) where they take you out to a reef break called Frigates Pass. Anyways, the past week has been a little on the uneventful side, but still fun nonetheless. We took the ferry back from Vava'u last Wednesday and arrived back in mainland Tonga on Thursday morning. Since everyone we knew had either already left Tonga or was busy working, we mostly just hung around, relaxed, and made preparations to leave for that Saturday. Saturday evening we flew into Nadi, Fiji, where we stayed at a cheap backpackers place. Early Sunday morning we took a taxi into Suva and made it in time for 11:00 Sacrament Meeting. I was surprised to see that they had a piano, but no one who played for Sacrament meeting. So when I went to go get some practice in after sacrament (the first time I've touched a piano since we left) there were some Fijians who were excited to find out that I could play. So we went through some of the hymns I could play and cross-referrenced the numbers in the English Hymnal to the Fijian Hymnal and got everything read so i could play for the 1:00 sacrament meeting. Meanwhile, Austin made use of his charm that has proven to be effective on people who don't even speak much English and found someone who not only gave us a ride back to the couchsurfer we're staying with in Suva, but also fed us dinner. Dinner was a sweet experience. Fijians are just as hospitable as Tongans, and this family treated us like royalty. My favorite was the Kava. After dinner, some of the Father's friends came over to talk some business and to socialize over a bowl of Kava. Austin chose not to join in, but being my first time I couldn't resist. Just so you know, they take the kava root and pound it up into a dry, powdery pulp. Then they take the kava powder and put it into a porous bag and soak it in a large specially made wooden bowl with water. Once the water has become murky enough that it just looks like dirty pond water, it's ready. We all went outside on the balcony and took our places around the large wooden kava bowl. They offered me the first drink and I accepted. With a couple of claps and a "Bula Vinaka!", I swallowed my first little bowl full. Kava doesn't have a whole lot of flavor, but it leaves a slight numbing effect on your mouth. Everyone in turn had their own drink and then came some socializing. Since it was all in Fijian, I spent my time watching intently as the man directly across from me began rolling some brown, dried out leaves in a carefully ripped shred of newspaper. As he smoked his little joint I noticed that whatever he was smoking had a sweeter smell than normal tobacco, so I asked what it was. All they told me was that it was Fijian Tobacco, and who knows what that really means. Anyways, I already had 5 little bowl fulls when they pulled out some more Kava pulp and reloaded the sack to get a little more flavor when I decided to quit. I just felt a little tired afterward (it takes more than 5 bowls of kava to give me a buzz, i guess). So here we are at Tim's house (the couchsurfer guy) and we'll soon be on our way to couchsurf with some of his friends. Until next time, we love you and hope all is well. Keep Smiling! (that's for you, Dad)