11/20/2011, Vuda Point Marina
Part two. The fun continues.
We arrived in Nadi(pronounced Nandi), Fiji at just about 0500, a long time after leaving LA. With lots of food given out by a great airline and not much sleep, most of us were a bit bleary eyed and only semi awake when we landed. We rolled up to the ramp and as always, everyone jumps to their feet knowing that if they don't they will get passed by others that are in a bigger hurry than they are and just might miss something exciting upon exiting the plane. Yeah, right. Everyone just stands around and waits for the door to open and then they have get their luggage out of the overhead compartments and then trudge toward the front of the plane. When you get off the plane, there is a Fijian band(two to three guys) playing Fijian music to welcome you to Fiji. Of course, the same band was playing when we left Fiji.
Once off the plane, it's not clearly spelled out as to what line to get in. I mistakenly got in the line for transferring to another flight. Fifteen minutes later, after realizing I was in the wrong line, I headed around the corner and got in line where I was supposed to be. Of course, by now, I'm pretty much the last person in the line for Customs. They have all of three people from Customs waiting to check in all 350 of us that got off the plane. About 40 minutes later, I finally got to the head of the line for my entry back into Fiji. When you leave Fiji(and plan on returning) you MUST get a letter from the Fijian Government that will allow you to reenter the country. If you don't have that letter, well, getting back into Fiji get much more complicated. At least that is what we had been told. You would have to buy another airline ticket back out of the country. When I got to the head of the line, I proudly whipped out my passport and my letter all duly stamped and approved by the Customs Department in Lautoka(just up the road from Nadi). The Customs agent looked at my passport and then at the letter. It was as though he had never seen a letter like that before. He read it carefully and then called for a Supervisor. OK, what had I done now. Both read and reread the paper which basically says I'm "allowed back in the country and don't hinder my entrance in any way." After both had read it, they quizzed me about how I had gotten into their country(boat) wanting to know how many masts my boat had and what type it was. I answered their questions and they stamped my passport and ushered me through their gate.
Off I went now in search of all my bags(seven). I got to the bottom of the escalator and snagged a baggage cart. Heck, I grabbed two. I moved over to the baggage carousel and started looking for my bags. I'd put duct tape on everyone of them in an "X" to make it easier to spot. One came along and then a second(both with ripped seams). Suddenly, one of the baggage handlers came up to me and asked if my name was Hudson(never a good sign). Upon answering yes, he pointed at another of my bags that someone had already taken off the carousel and set aside. I was up to three of my seven and the rest were no where in sight. I was especially worried about my "carry on" that was taken in LA as being too heavy. It hod not only my new step down transformer but also all my prescriptions. I couldn't afford to lose it.
The carousel just kept on going around with less and less bags and less and less people waiting for their luggage. I finally stopped one of the handlers and asked if there were any more bags coming. Nope, this was it. I told him of my four missing bags and he pointed to a pile of luggage near where the luggage comes out from the wall. There sat all of my four missing bags. Someone had taken them off the carousel!!! I'm sure the sigh of relief could be head all the way out side the airport. With the help of the handler(he'd taken me under his wing) we headed for the baggage inspection station. Two carts and seven bags!! I had by far the most of anyone on the flight. I was also just about the last person through the checkpoint. With my handler guidance(he knew everyone), they took my first two bags and opened them up for inspection. The first one just happened to contain the 48 cans of Costco Albacore tuna(packed in water) that I had brought back(you can't get it out here and we love our tuna). The inspector looked at the cans and then looked at me. I told her we loved tuna packed in water, not oil as everything is out here. She glanced at the rest of the stuff in the bag and zipped it closed shaking her head. The next bag went just as smoothly. They didn't bother with the other 5 bags. It had been a long day(almost 0600)by then and I'm sure they just wanted to get some breakfast.
Once through there, since I had "declared" that I had goods worth more than $1,000 Fijian in my luggage(with seven bags, that was a no brainer), I had to go to another desk where an import duty could be assessed. Again, with my baggage handler at my side acting as a guide, I answered the agents question--"Do you have more than $1,000 worth of goods in your bags?" With me answering yes. "What were they" he asked--"Boat parts and food" was my answer. He looked at my paperwork and saw that I had come in originally on a boat and then just shook his head and then shook my hand and said go ahead. I was through and didn't have to pay any import duties on anything!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I'd caught a BIG break. No duties on what I brought in was wonderful.
With my baggage handler at my side, we exited the Customs area and started looking for my taxi driver. I'd made arrangements for him to meet me upon my return. I'd warned him to not bother showing up till at least 0600 as I knew Customs would take a while. I was out and on the road by 0645 on the way for Vuda Point with the back of the station wagon taxi full as was the back seat. We pulled into the marina just after 0700. The driver took me out to just behind Zephyr and while he unloaded the car, I went down to see Tracy. I knocked on Zephyrs back rail. After a few minutes, she finally came out on deck with a pareo wrapped around her looking quite bewildered that I was there. She didn't expect me till the next day. I'd emailed her from the airport that I was under way, but the "International Date Line" had confused her. She thought I would be in on Tuesday, not Monday. Star and Paul on "Starstruck", came out to help me get the bags on board Zephyr. They're the people I had brought stuff for also. It was going to be like Christmas in November. Tracy and I slowly dragged each bag below deck one at a time and unpacked them setting aside the stuff for us and the things for Star and Paul. I delivered their goodies later that morning.
To say my butt was dragging was an understatement yet I was wired on adrenaline so I just kept going like the "Energizer Bunny". It had been a long flight with uncertainty all along the way. Would the bags make it? Was anything going to be missing if a bag broke open? Would Customs let me in with all the bags and how much was it going to cost me? Add that to many hours of sitting in a not tremendously comfortable seat(more leg room that many) and I was about to the end of the line. Yet I knew that if I went to sleep now, it would make adjusting to the new time zone that much harder. I managed to stay awake till 2100 before I crashed. Denver time would be 0100(the same day, just lots earlier). I was finally home.
So that's the way the trip went folks. Lots of running around all over town and even out of town. I did manage to visit our other boat(Sloop to Nuts) up in Dacono in a storage lot. She's nice and safe and awaiting our return. It will be different sailing a 26 foot sailboat on a lake after what we have experienced out on the ocean. But that's not going to be for quite a while.
Now starts the installation of what I have brought and the fixing of what has broken along the way. Lots to do and finally the time to do it. With cyclone season approaching, we will have plenty of time(between storms) to get it all done. Let the games begin.
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11/18/2011, Back in Fiji.
It's been quite some time since I posted a blog. I've traveled to the US and back so there is a good bit to write about.
I left here on November 1st for a flight set to leave on at 2200. I grabbed a taxi to get me to the airport as the bus schedule didn't work well for the trip. I got in at the airport at 1800 set for an easy 4 hour wait. I'd gotten on the internet to check in before even leaving the marina. Strangely, the connecting flight from Los Angeles to Denver had been changed to a much later flight. Did the airlines(Qantas) send me an update or atleast give me a reason for the change? Heck no. I made a few calls and after some conversations with someone in Suva, I got it changed back. This way, I would get into Denver at 1900 instead of the new time of midnight!
When I arrived at the airport, I found the flight was delayed till midnight. No reason, just a delay. At least they made it easier by giving out a $20.00 meal coupon at any of the airport restaurants. I talked to one of the security guards to see which he recommended. As I had a cart for my one piece of luggage, I went to the restaurant that allowed carts inside. For the first time since arriving in Fiji, I had a dish of chicken curry that wasn't that good. For some reason, they had added lots of chunks of tomatoes to the mix. It just didn't come out right. At least, with the meal allowance, I didn't have to pay for it. I headed for security a bit after 2000 for the wait.
We boarded about 2300 with what turned out to be a cattle call instead of the normal "we will be boarding rows 50 to 65". Instead, everyone jammed the doors trying to be the first on the plane even though we all had our seats assigned. What the heck, I grabbed my bag and joined the crush for the plane. The folks at Qantas kept calling out the boarding calls for the specific rows but no one cared. Push Push Push--get on the plane!!!
We took off just after midnight and once at altitude, dinner was served--at 0100 in the morning. It was a choice of sandwiches--chicken or beef plus a brownie for desert. The attendant gave me two. Not sure why, but who am I to turn down free food, especially from an airline. By 0200, the call was put over the intercom for everyone to close their shades of the windows. No clue why, but everyone had to close their shades. Hey, it's already dark outside. We don't really need the shades. I didn't understand the reasoning but pulled mine close. On we flew hitting speeds over 600 miles per hour with an outside temp of -70. Yeow, that's cold!!! The flight was set to last 11.5 hours getting us into LA just before noon, at least by Fiji time. LA time was just after 1300. My next flight was for just after 1500. I had some running to do since I had to be on a different concourse. Luck was with me and I made it with 20 minutes to spare. I took that time to change into jeans. Shorts we out of the question heading for Denver in the Winter. It's the first time I've worn long pants in close to a year, let alone shoes and socks! It all felt just too civilized.
I arrived right on schedule. I actually got into Denver 5 hours before I left Fiji. It's that International Date Line stuff. I grabbed a taxi for the house. Our neighbors--Aaron and Dee Dee had turned the heat up and even gotten the car started so I was set when I got there. Neighbors don't get any better than the ones we have. With no food in the house, I got the car started and headed up for McDonalds and wanted to stop for some new gas as what was in the tank was over a year old. I had to use a battery charger to get it started but once she was on, I knew I should not turn it off for fear of it not starting again without the charger. I left the engine running while filling the tank and went through the drive through at McDonalds. Once home, I tried to restart the engine but the battery was dead enough that that was not about to happen. A new battery was in the cards for first thing in the morning. Oh, I forgot to tell you, there was a weather forecast for as much as 6 inches of SNOW set to fall durning the night. I so hoped the forecasters were wrong, but alas, they got it right for a change and I woke up to a good 5 inches of the dreaded white stuff. Out came the shovel and I cleared the driveway and sidewalk around the house. Aaron and Dee Dee were out also and it became a gang shovel. It's the first snow I shoveled in close to three years. I really haven't missed doing it especially after having just left 85 degree weather.
Off for Auto Zone for a new battery. Quick and painless as they even supplied the tools I had forgotten when I left the house. By the time I had that accomplished, it was just about time for my doctors visit. This was one of the primary reasons for my trip home. If you have been reading our blog for a while, you know the condition of the doctors and hospitals out here. You don't want to get sick out here. It didn't take long as both the doctor and I knew what we needed to do but I was in for a full workup. Even blood work(I HATE NEEDLES!!). The folks at the front desk know that Tracy and I take back what ever we can in medical supplies if we can. One of the receptionists went next door and got me a case of tooth paste to take back. They even threw in several pairs of reading glasses. All will lbe put to good use out here.
Every day was spent with a list of what to get and where I need to go to get it. Every night, I'd redo the list taking off what I had accomplished and add more things to the list as I got more emails from Tracy. God bless Skype as it allowed us to talk every evening about what was going on and about what needed to come and what didn't. I put well over 100 miles a dig running around Denver every day. Two and a half tanks for gas before I was done. Luckily, I did have time to have lunch with Jeff Keith, our X landlord from when we had our store in Littleton. It was great to see him and get him caught up on what and where we had been and what we had seen and experienced along the way. A great guy. That was about the only luxury time I allowed myself. It was push push push to get it all done before I had to pack up and leave.
I'd been ordering parts and supplies for several days before I left Fiji so there were several boxes waiting for me when I got to Colorado with lots more in transit. I'd come with one carry on loaded with one pair of pants(the blue jeans I put on at the airport), a couple pair of underwear and a bunch of shirts that were heading home so we could wear them later once we return home. All ones we have picked up along the way that we don't want to ruin. Add in a couple bags of sea shells and that was about it. I had a long list of what to expect for UPS as well as FedEx and USPS so I knew I was going to need extra bags. Goodwill proved the perfect place to two large bags. With my carry on, I was set. Three bags tops!!! Yea, right!! By the time everything showed up, plus what I bought, I need up at 6 BAGS plus an over filled carry on bag. I'd made an offer to our friends(Star and Paul)on "Starstruck" that I'd bring some things back for them also. I was loaded to the gills. Now each bag weighted in at close to 50 pounds. That's the max the airlines will take before getting huffy about it. I'd kept each bag at just under that just to be careful. The day I left, I placed a call to American Airlines(my first carrier)to make sure I could bring all six bags. "Sorry, you have to call Air Pacific since that is you international flight is with" was what I was told. Calls to them(actually in Suva, Fiji) came back with "Sorry, you booked the flight through Qantas, call them". Qantas said that since I was flying on Air Pacific, they would have to make the call as to what I could take and how much. Air Pacific said to call their baggage service in LA to get information. They told me to call Qantas again. No one would give me the information I needed. After about two hours on the phone, American Airlines finally stepped forward and told me it would be $25 for the first bag, $35 for the second and $166 for each bag after that. I finally had an answer. It wasn't cheap but it was doable. Now my ticket said I got my first two bags for free but I wasn't about to argue. At least they would take all my bags. As it ended up, the woman behind the counter at the airport gave me my first two bags for free and only charged me $150 for each of the rest of the bags.
Shipping things to Fiji can get extremely expensive. I'd bought a step down transformer(converts the 240 volts Fiji uses to the 120 volts we need to run the boat). Now that little piece of equipment weighs in at just over 30 pounds. It cost $279.00(similar unit here in Fiji runs about $850US). Shipping it with Fed Ex would cost $540US!!!!! So you can see why paying just $150 for a 50 pound bag was a smart thing to do. I'd even packed it in my carry on to make sure it got to Fiji.
The flight to LA went off without a hitch arriving in plenty of time to catch my flight set to leave at 2250 for Fiji. Heck, it was just 1500 LA time. I took my time with only one small hitch, my carry on wa too heavy for Air Pacific. They only allow you 7 kilos(about 15 pounds for a carry on. Mine was a lot closer to 50 or 60(that transformer was heavy). As it ended up, I had to check it. at least they marked it as "Fragile" and also marked it "Priority" so it would go in the plane first ahead of the rest of the luggage. At least that it what they told me.
I stopped at McDonalds for my last meal(not that much to choose from anyhow)before leaving the good old US. It's hard to say anything bad about "two all beef paddies, special sauce, lettuce, cheese, pickles, and onions on a sesame seed bun". It may clog my arteries but what a way to go. As I got through security and the TSA, I looked at the "departure board". My flight had been rescheduled to leave at 2130 from 2250. Heaven forbid they tell me that when I checked in. It was already after 2000 and I had a ways to go to get to the gate. I got there about 20 minutes before boarding so again, I had escaped from missing my plane.
This boarding went like the normal boarding in the US. It was not a mass push for the doors. Once on board, we all settled in and once in the air and at altitude, we got served another meal. Chicken on a bed of rice, along with veggies and two cookies for desert. Breakfast a few hours later was a cheese onset with mushrooms on the side along with chunks of potatoes. It came with a bowl of fresh fruit, a blueberry muffin and a cup of blueberry yogurt. Let me tell you, Air Pacific knows how to feed their passengers! I haven't seen food like that served on a plane(unless it was first class) in years. I felt lucky getting a free coke on American Airlines for my trip from Denver to LA.
This post has gone on long enough. I'll close now and fill you in on how Customs and Immigrations went when I landed. Add a government official and let the games begin.
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11/16/2011, Vuda Point Marina
Well, for two weeks while Bill was gone I expected him back on Tuesday. In my mind, I was SURE he was going to be back on Tuesday. At 7 am on Monday someone is banging on the back of the boat. I was SOUND asleep and bolted upright and looked out the portlights, I didn't see anyone, so I laid back down, a couple of minutes later, bang bang bang, I look out again and see Bill's legs in front of me. I pulled a pareo around me and went outside to be greeted by Bill and seven suitcases waiting to come aboard. What a shock that was to me. I had totally confused his arrival dates and days, I'm glad that I wasn't to pick him up at the airport!!!Yikes.
Jet lag has been a bit of a problem with him, the first day he was back, he was fast asleep at 7 p.m. Today, Thursday, he woke up at 4 a.m. is now taking a nap because he was falling asleep at the table at 2:30 p.m. I'm sure he will eventually get reaclimated, but so far it hasn't happened.
One of the things he brought back was a step down transformer to take the local 240 volt system to 120 volts to work with our American electrical system. We have been using our Honda generator on the back deck much to a French boats chagrin a couple of boats down from us. Yesterday, she came unglued at Bill and demanded we turn it off...didn't happen. Don't cross a jet lagged, electrically perplexed old sailor. It just doesn't work. Anyway, the transformer wasn't working with our boat system, it kept blowing the circuits for the marina. For two days the electrician for the marina tried this and that to fix the problem. They even changed out a 20 amp breaker into a 40 amp breaker to try to solve the problem. That didn't work. They contacted a couple of other guys who knew more. Yesterday, they tried again, but we were having pretty sparks come out of our circuit panel. Today, another guy joined the force and figured out that: 1. Fiji is wired totally different than the rest of the world.
2. Zephyr is a really American boat and is much more advanced than Fiji wiring.
3. The transformer is strange, two prongs put out 120 volts and one puts out 240. Hmmmmm.
So the long and the short of it is that the extension cords between the shore power is Fiji power wired, our transformer and boat is American and they had to redo the wiring in the plug so that what we as Americans thinks of as the grounding prong isn't hot and is actually a ground. So with that fixed, Bill's anxiety level went way down and life got better. I think he was getting ready to buy a ticket back to Colorado.
Just to add to his anxiety level, you should realize that the generator decided to stop working the day he got back and two days after arrived back the engine decided to do it's usual and die with air in the diesel lines. Today is did it twice while we were trying to charge the batteries. Zephyr can be a pissy little girl when she gets a mind to do so. So Bill figured out the generator problem and that is resolved...it had run out of oil and the auto shutoff was engaged, but we have to still work on the engine problem. It is getting really old. I'm sure Bill will tell you the same when he starts to blog again.
Tonight we are going over to First Landing for a pizza and beer night. Italy, Norway, Australia and the USA will be represented at the table. It should be just what the doctor ordered.
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Susan
11/11/2011, Vuda Pt. Marina, Fiji
While Bill has been gone, I don't have any hours per se and I can get up and go to bed when I want and eat or not when I want. Today, I didn't budge out of bed until 9:00 am, how bad is that, huh? I made my breakfast and my tea and sat out in the cockpit and watched out the aft end of Zephyr at the billion dollar view we have overlooking the Nadi Bay looking to the west and seeing the Mamanucca Islands. Wow! It hits me every day that I'm in Fiji. I really never honestly thought we would make it this far, especially during that first year of hell we went through refitting Zephyr. Those days seem so far away and long ago....all but forgotten (at least I try to really hard). Right now the watermaker is running and the generator is running...nothing (knock on wood) has broken today and I'm in FIJI!
Have a great day everyone.
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11/11/2011, Vuda Pt. Marina, Fiji
Last night I had dinner with the cruiser's off Teka Nova, an Italian boat with a name I can't pronounce and Star Struck. We all went over to First Landing for pizza and beer. We had a wonderful time swapping stories. All of our boats are staying here for the cyclone season.
The weather is definitely changing. It is more humid and the thunderstorms pop up in the afternoons. The marina is no less traveled than it was last month, it is still full, but the difference is there are fewer people walking about. The boats headed to New Zealand are mostly gone and the days are getting slower. The heat probably. An average day is around 85 degrees, not bad you say, but the humidity is climbing into the 78 to 80 percent range. That makes life really HOT. The kids would just lie on top of the floor boards over the water tanks and stay put until the sun went down, so the ac unit has worked miracles in that respect. They, the kids, are friendly and sleep in their normal haunts of the cat tree or on the settees. Life is GOOD!
I went to the little market today that is on the opposite side of marina and bought some beautiful vegetables, gorgeous ripe tomatoes that were from a garden up the road a bit. I'm looking forward to a BLT tomorrow.
Bill has started to pack for the trek back. He thinks that he will be bringing back SEVEN bags. Qantas charges $5.00USD per kilo (2.2 lbs.) So I'm thinking the excess baggage is going to run around $400. USD. Bad, but still much less than freighting it in, it would be around $1000. +. Hopefully, the duty on everything won't kill us even more. Time will tell. He leaves on Saturday at 4:30 p.m. Denver time and gets back on Tuesday 5:15 a.m. Fiji time. Long haul, about 20 hours in the air.
I had a marvelous lunch with Ib and Yadranka off Aeolus. Ib made Danish meatballs that were pure heaven. I asked for the recipe so I'm going to try to replicate them. We'll see how that goes. Any tips, Lene???
More later.
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11/06/2011, Vuda Pt. Marina, Fiji
I did a little of everything today. I started putting on the covers over the teak railings on the boat while it was cool this morning and I worked on that until I was dripping then we kept getting too close to the boat next to us on the starboard side and bouncing off with fenders between us. A little too close, so I worked and work with the lines and got us more centered in the little pie shaped space we are in currently. I thought everything was fine, I was satisfied.
Inside I went to have breakfast and surf the web for a bit, then I did a bit of stitching on my Prairie Schooler Rest & Be Thankful pieces. I read and finished a Janet Evanovich book then I had a wonderful dinner with Star and Paul of Starstruck. Lots of great conversation and delicious food. Thank you so much you two.
The one thing that did happen today that was unexpected was when I was going to get off the boat to go to Starstruck was that I climbed over the cap rail to make the long stretch to the landing and it was a foot or so farther than I could reach, so I had to totally retie the boat ! That made me really late to dinner. Star thought I'd had a heart attack or some similar malady. I was really late.... I guess I should have checked that out earlier. Hmmmm.
Anyway, it was a lazy day in paradise. Talked to Bill on Skype. Everything is perking along. So far only one company used the US Post office and the package got sent to our forwarding service. Hopefully, Monday it will show up there so we can get it sent to Colorado before Bill leaves next Saturday, Denver time.
Oh, I will be sure to say hello to Mohammed when I see him next.
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