Rapturous!

More adventures on Viti Levu

Having tested our legs on the last hike, we booked a week of exploring with Talanoa Treks. This time we climbed the two highest peaks of the main island, then spent two nights in a fancy hotel in the capital city of Suva. The next day we had a gentle walk to the biggest waterfall in Fiji and finished the week at a rustic resort on a small island off the North East coast of Viti Levu. This will be a photo blog.

The first hike was from the village of Abaca to the top of Mount Batilamu. Women and sometimes visiting men in a village are required to wear a sulu, a sarong wrapped around the waist. It is very difficult to hike in a skirt so we take them off at the edge of the village giving a new meaning to the word 'outskirts'.



Susan in Abaca in her sulu. Abaca translates as A B C pronounced /abatha/

Further up the trail we look more like hikers.

Greg, me and our trekking guide, Pau, halfway up the mountain.



From here the trail winds up through the rainforest where the magnificent Dakua tree grows.



The view above the 1800 foot escarpment looking South.



Greg braving the chilly water at the bottom of the trail.



We spent the night in a different village staying at the home of our guide. This was the first private home we've been to. In the main room there were sofas and armchairs but all pushed back against the walls. Our host and family all preferred to sit onthefloor. The walls were covered with swaths of different patterned fabric, posters, religious pictures and memorabilia. There were no windows. The floor was covered with carpet topped with home woven pandanas mats. Meals were eaten sitting around a cloth on the floor. We ate fish in a coconut sauce, casava, taro greens, tomatoes and rice. By 8:30 it was lights out and we slept very comfortably in a private room.

Next morning early, after a breakfast of home-fried doughnuts we set off to climb Tomaniivi the tallest peak in Fiji.

Profile of Tomaniivi


It's only 9 km round trip and starts out fairly flat but quickly becomes hyperbolic.

Ascending into the cloud forest

Notice the orchids growing on the tree trunks





The top with our guides Joji and Asiera


After two days in Suva at the Grand Pacific Hotel, Joji picked us up to take us to Nabalesere waterfall. This time we had company. The British High Commissioner/Ambassador for Fiji followed us up to the falls driving his own rental car. Usually he would never be allowed to drive himself and he would be surrounded by a security detail but this age of Covid had given him a chance to be himself. We, scruffy yachties were being chauffeured while he dealt with a broken gas gauge and shot suspension.


Greg in his sulu with our fearless guide, Amini
Nabalesere Falls Videos


These are the largest falls on Viti Levu. There is more water than usual because of the recent rains.

We scrambled behind the waterfall feeling like the scene in the Last of the Mohicans

We had two days left of our exploration of Viti Levu. Joji drove us down to the Ellington Wharf near Rakiraki. We had now almost completed the circuit around Viti Levu. We were picked up by a dinghy and transported across the windy bay to Nana nu-i-Ra island where we stayed for two nights at the McDonald resort. This rustic lodging is barely hanging on in this economic recession and we were very welcome.

Looking down on the resort. There is a good anchorage in the bay.



We spend the two days walking the beach, reading, and sleeping. For more pictures on our lastest excursion see the Gallery album "Viti Levu"

As a final note we have finally been granted permission to enter New Zealand. Now we are waiting to receive our visitors' visas and then we'll depart in the first weather window probably in the middle of November.