Our new friends and neighbors, the honeymoon couple from Minnesota and Wisconsin, stopped by to take us up on our offer of borrowing one of our two wifi dongles. We’d offered several days ago when they weren’t able to get online at their vacation rental house after trying for several days.
With over 16 gigs left on Tom’s device, it was unlikely we’d use the balance before leaving Fiji. With our upcoming cruise in three weeks and five other cruises circumventing Australia, it would have been nice to be able to use the balance of the data on the devices when the ship docks in Fiji on a few occasions. Unfortunately, the data on the SIM cards expires 60 days from topping it off.
 |
| The Bollywood dancers prepared for their performance. |
With wifi expensive and metered on most cruise ships (a few ships are offering an unlimited package), it would have saved us metered data time while in Fiji ports. Long ago, we decided to stay on the ship when in ports we’ve visited in the past, unless there’s a particular venue we missed on a prior visit.
Yesterday, we checked in for the upcoming cruise on January 5th. Always a time-consuming process, requiring that both passports and a credit card be available during the online check-in, we worked our way through “pages” of inquiries. With no printer (our portable printer died) we’re unable to print the copies they request for check-in at the pier.
 |
| A band performed before and after the dancers. |
Over these past years of travel, we’ve learned that paper copies of transport documents simply aren’t necessary other than for passports and visas. For the greatest ease, we take a photo of our “tickets” on my phone, bringing up the photo as needed when we check-in.
There’s never been a single occasion where this has been a problem. The days of finding a printer at the hotel or an “office supply” store in a small remote village are long in the past.
This method also applies to flights, trains, tour venues, and cruises. We even used the photo of our tickets when boarding the Eurostar (the Chunnel) when we traveled from Paris to London in August 2014.
 |
| The locals perform their routine on Saturday nights. |
It’s hard to imagine we’ll be aboard a cruise in three weeks. It will have been seven months since our last cruise ended in Sydney when we immediately flew to Cairns, picked up a rental car, and drove to Trinity Beach where we lived for three months.
Our biggest concern when cruising has been avoiding the “cruise cough” which can spoil a number of days of cruising. Of the 11 cruises on which we’ve sailed to date, we’ve ended up with the cough three or four times. Preferring not to whine here, we haven’t made a big deal. But this time, we’re determined to avoid any illness.
Regardless of a passenger’s immune system, it’s easy to fall prey to one of the many cruise-related illnesses including the dreaded Norovirus which fortunately we’ve never contracted. Fanatics about washing our hands, not shaking hands, and steering clear of others who appear sick, we still have become ill.
 |
| There was a post blocking part of our view but I didn’t want to obstruct anyone else’s view by standing. |
Implementing a few new protective actions, we’ve emphatically decided on the following:
1. Twice-daily mouth rinsing with pure organic unrefined coconut oil for at least 10 minutes on each occasion.
2. Twice-daily mouth rinsing for 5 minutes with hydrogen peroxide (kills bacteria and happens to whiten teeth).
3. Under no circumstances touch another guest; not a hand, not a shoulder, not a hug. When hearing a sensitive type of story from a guest, it’s easy for women to reach over and touch her hand in a supportive manner, especially me. Many people aren’t offended by the kind and caring touch of another. Men are less inclined to do this. I know these simple acts have been instrumental in our previous illnesses when in most cases I’ve become ill first, then Tom.
4. Washing hands immediately before and after eating and using offered sanitizer at every possible opportunity.
5. Using a linen napkin wrapped around our hands when serving ourselves in buffet restaurants, immediately tossing the napkin after serving, taking a new napkin to use with the meal.
6. Carrying hand sanitizers. We have several packets of these we carry with us throughout the ship that cleans both surfaces and hands. I have no concern over the dry skin using these frequently can cause. A swipe of coconut oil on my hands totally reduces any dryness. As a matter of fact, I’ve been using coconut oil as a face and body lotion both mornings and nights and am thrilled with the results.
 |
| The couples were in sync while dancing the traditional Bollywood type performance. |
Hopefully, these amped-up proactive measures will serve us well.
Yesterday, we decided on a long walk to the neighboring market we’d yet to visit located in a gas station on the Hibiscus Highway. At our relatively leisurely pace on the rock-covered roads, we estimated we’d be gone for over an hour. With an overcast sky, the walking was easier than on a sunny day.
Over the past three days, it’s been cloudy for most of the day, making walking a little easier. The mozzies aren’t as bad here during the day as they were in Savusavu.
 |
| Many of the guests joined in the dancing. Neither of us likes to participate “on stage” during performances of any type. It’s never us on the stage! |
When we dined outdoors on Saturday night at the Uprising Beach Resort, only a few swipes of repellent kept me free from bites. The only bites I’ve received have been while hanging the laundry outside especially on these cloudy days. Learning my lesson, I now use repellent on laundry days.
As for the walk, we checked out the merchandise in two tiny markets finding little we use when all the meats were of unknown origin and frozen and with no produce other than potatoes and onions.
Leaving the area of the markets we spotted a vegetable stand across the highway. Could we possibly find lettuce, a product difficult to find in Fiji? Alas, we were in luck. We purchased six small bunches of lettuce, a few carrots, and a bunch of green onions for a total of FJD $10, USD $4.69.
 |
| Another view of the astounding sunset on Saturday night at the Uprising Beach Resort. |
Tom only had FJD $20 bills in his wallet. The kindly vendor had no change suggesting we take the produce and return when we have a $10 bill. When we head out tomorrow for the roasted chickens at the Arts Village, we’ll get change and stop to pay her on the return drive.
The ants are under control. There are no cockroaches running across the polished wood floors. We have plenty to keep us busy at home today and we’re as content as we can be.
May your day be filled with contentment and ease.
Photo from one year ago today, December 14, 2014:
 |
| TJ is the king of video, rather than taking still photos. He does a great job. The scenery on the many drives we took together on the Big Island was outstanding. For more details, please click here. |