Tag Archives: MS Oosterdam

Dravuni, Fiji — Part 1


Tendering onto Dravuni Island

Tendering onto Dravuni Island

We had one more stop to make in Fiji before continuing our transpacific crossing.  This time it was the island of Dravuni just south of Viti Levu.  Dravuni is incredibly small — less than a third of a square mile/.8 km².  The highest point of the island is 130 feet/40 meters.  The resident population numbers around 125.

A Dravuni Beach

A Dravuni Beach

Being so small it only takes about forty-five minutes to circumnavigate it in a small motorboat, which we did.  But be forewarned.  Once we rounded the northern tip of the islands the waters did get rough.  We felt like we were aboard the S.S. Minnow just before it ran aground on the shore of an uncharted . . . well, you know that whole sad tale by now.  I’ll post a fun shot of our motorboat guide and his nephew on this week’s Fun Photo Friday.

Neighboring Yaukuve Levu Island

Neighboring Yaukuve Levu Island

Being such a small island Dravuni’s residents receive much of their needs via regular cargo shipments.  One such shipment was in port the same day we arrived.

Cargo Run

Cargo Run

There are no roads and no cars, but there is a school on Dravuni.

Dravuni School

Dravuni School

The people were friendly and eager to sell their wares to us tourists, but they weren’t pushy about it.  I found the people fascinating photo subjects who were willing to take posing directions.  If you’ve been following my blog for any length of time then you know I’m more landscape-centric, but I had an absolute blast photographing the residents of Dravuni.  You’ll see some of those shots on this week’s Fun Photo Friday as well.

Tenders at the Dock

Tenders at the Dock

Look for more images from Dravuni on Wednesday and Friday.  Until then here are a couple more images:

Dravuni Sand and Sun

Dravuni Sand and Sun

Chillin' Beneath the Shade

Chillin’ Beneath the Shade

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Fun Photo Friday — The Best of Viti Levu


Fiji is Tugging at My Heart

Fiji is Tugging at My Heart

Hope you enjoyed this week’s travels to the Fiji’s Viti Levu.  I promised on Wednesday to show you the charming school from the village we visited, and here it is:

Rainbow Schoolhouse

Rainbow Schoolhouse

And here are the students:

Tourist Recess

Tourist Recess

Here are more of my favorite shots from our two ports of call here on the island:

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Viti Levu, Fiji — Suva and Navua River Cruise


The village

The village

Our next stop on the island of Viti Levu was the Fiji capital city of Suva.  But we didn’t spend long here, as Ursula had us booked for a little adventure.  After a short bus ride we boarded boats for a ride up the Navua River.

Navua River boat ride

Navua River boat ride

Our first stop was to a charming traditional communal Fiji village where we were greeted by friendlies.  That’s good, because only a few hundred years ago the Fijis were known by another name — The Cannibal Isles.  Fortunately everyone we met was on the wagon, so to speak.

Village dancers

Village dancers

Fijian Bure

Fijian Bure

Still, you didn’t want to be the one who offended the villagers.

It wasn't me.  Honest.

It wasn’t me. Honest.

Here we selected a “leader” for our “tribe” who represented us to the head of the village.  After a detailed briefing on the dos and don’ts we were officially “greeted.”

The Villagers Welcome Us

The Villagers Welcome Us

Greeting ceremony — one wrong step and you're on the menu!

Greeting ceremony — one wrong step and you’re on the menu!

Following the official greeting we were treated to a dance of the village warriors.

War Dance Ritual

War Dance Ritual

War Dance Ritual

War Dance Ritual

There was a brief break while we waited for lunch.  He hadn’t arrived yet.  Just kidding.  Anyway we toured the village and met with villagers before heading out to the barbeque.

Village Bure

Village Bure

Sing along

Sing along

Our village guide

Our village guide

Then it was time to go out and dig up our Bob-eque . . . er, Barb-eque.  What ever.

Guess who's for dinner

Guess who’s for dinner

In-ground oven

In-ground oven

After lunch we visited the village school (you’ll see that on Fun Photo Friday), shopped some really nifty crafts, and boarded our boats to continue upstream.

Along the Navua River

Along the Navua River

Farther upstream we left the boats behind us and trekked into the dense jungle.

Trekking into the jungle

Trekking into the jungle

And what brought us into the jungle?  A magnificent waterfall.

Navua River waterfall

Navua River waterfall

Come back for this week’s Fun Photo Friday with my favorite shots of Viti Levu.

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