Foto: the island Tivua (bron: Ronald van der Veer)
Fiji - At the harbor, we park the car and hurry to the pier. With ten minutes to spare, we board the Ra Marama, a three-masted ship. I estimate there are about eighty people on board—slightly more than I had expected beforehand. I am greeted with coffee and cake. Of course, the welcome greeting "Bula" is heard frequently. At ten o’clock, the ropes are cast off, and the sailing ship leaves the harbor. It’s good we made it just in time. The weather is good and the sea calm—a perfect day to enjoy on an island. The sailing trip is less romantic than expected. The ship sails under motor power in about ninety minutes, in a straight line to the island. The jib sail is hoisted, presumably mostly for show. Overall, it’s a nice trip. Meanwhile, the crew sings songs on board. We approach the island of Tivua. I estimate the island is less than two hundred meters in size. There are trees and thatched huts on the island. Around the island is a paradisiacal white sand beach. This is exactly how you imagine a Bounty island. The boat docks at the pier. From here, I walk onto the island. Under one of the shelters lies a beanbag chair—a perfect spot to relax. We put down our things. I put on my swimwear and run into the clear blue seawater. Wonderful. I let myself be carried gently by the waves. Although two boats with tourists have docked on the small island of Tivua, everyone has found their own spot. I walk to the end of the pier. I put on my fins and snorkel mask. I jump into the sea. Around me, I see coral—mostly colorless. This makes the colorful fish and bright blue starfish stand out even more. Back on shore, the lunch buffet is ready: bread, salad, and various kinds of meat. The weather is beautiful today, and everything on the island is well organized. The sun is strong right away. I try to stay in the shade. Under the thatched shelter, I enjoy the beauty around me.
Video
Viti Levu highlands
Fiji - We head into the mountains. The asphalt on the road is surprisingly good. Everywhere we had read warnings about poor unpaved roads in the mountains. This morning, the staff were still unsure if we could take the inland route to Nadi because of the poor ...