Luckily we have to check in and out of every country as we have had a slippery grip on the dates, and at least by having to follow these procedures it keeps us a little more astute. So when it came time for checking out of Fiji it was a different experience, yet the same routine of Customs, Immigration and Quarantine etc. I won�'t go into the hoops our 2 visiting crew jumped through and with our layback selves trying to forecast the exact dates that the wind may blow strong enough to sail us all across the 470 nautical miles to Tanna Volcano. But this all made for a few grey zones on our details that customs and immigration wanted and is the sort of thing that rings alarm bells for both officials at the airport and marina, thinking we are trying to sweep people under the lush Fijian carpet. However they managed to get into the country ok once �"Captain M.G. Humming�" verified that he will be totally responsible for them until all we sign out of the country first thing Monday mo rning. The wind arrives as does the Monday departure day and I think we may have had a few red markings added to our exit papers. We arrived at the customs office located on the wharf where this old style office has paused in time, with walls that used to be white and government grey linoleum that the match-stick-thin Indian cleaner was trying to buff up the very last layer. He was busily working in and around my feet as I sat on the school bench seat waiting for Captain Humming to return from being questioned and awaiting for the �'holier than thou�' rubber stamp to get the final bang on our exit papers. I assume they then get filed into these mud-grey filing cabinets both the Queen and I are staring at. Poor Elizabeth has got water marks all along the bottom of her portrait gown as she has hung here over the past 50 years- may even have been from the Tsunami. After I tilt my head back to rest it on the wall I spot the �'discrete�' old wire hanging down 6�" from a puncture hole in the ceiling and wonder if someone else is also looking at the filing cabinets and more. On that note I up and off to find Captain Humming as it has been nearly an hour since I loaned the scratchy pens, powered out 5 of the passport details but paused at the year and had to double check we were in 2012. Around the corner 5 people pushing important papers joked with the cleaner who had now made his way to the waste paper basket duty at each desk. I hear the thud of approval from the all-important Customs stamp pound the desk and we both look up to see if that means we are free to exit the country. Customs allow you a full hour from the second that stamp hits the paper to get back and lift your anchor and set your sails, however as they tell us with an official straight face that Immigration office require that you leave immediately. The Customs / Immigration officer (who are one in the same person) pushes his complaining office chair from the low timber desk and announced he will now need to �"sight�" our boat. So off we go Captain M.G. Humming; First officer JG.; and the skirted official- like rub a tub tub out to where Condesa is patiently waiting with the eager new crew aboard. Once he had my �'20 cent tour�' he surprisingly verified he had seen whatever it is that he looks for when he goes from cabin to cabin. I always feel like I need to pass a white glove test, but to this day I am not actually sure what they look at. We bid farewell and he is taken back to the jetty where he had stubbed out his cigarette, to continue on with his duties. We pass a lot of our time with these lovely people who are responsible for the comings and goings of we boat-people and I totally understand their need for finite detail because who wouldn�'t want to stay here to see more of than 3 of the 360 lush pacific islands their waters. Knowing we had only visited 3 is probably incomprehensible, although believe me I have tried to persuade our Captain to stay longer . I had even taken to hanging with the people who have extended their cruising by yet another, year hoping their influence might rub off. Don�'t tell he who hums but when that didn�'t wash, I was the one who prayed for no wind and my prayers were somewhat answered. But this last day in September 2012 we are off to see the active Volcano on the island of Tanna and that is one we are all eager to see.