Latouka tour...

After chatting a while with New Yorkian Alex last night, I drifted off into a nice slumber, with only a few additions to my crazy bite count. In the morning I grabbed another Skylodge lite breakfast (2 toast, orange juice, cornflakes, coffee, plate of guava, for about 2.66 pounds) and then leaped majestically into the pool, which had just been chlorinated. Needless to say I still can't see too well now, which is a bit worrying, but at least the pain has gone. I researched tourist traps on the interwebs and showered before going to talk to my pal Johnny. Organised a day chauffeur driven tour for 20 quid, which was quite good.

Went to the garden of the sleeping giant, which is an amazing place at the base of a mountain (the sleeping giant_. Though I realised I'd only bought a micro sd to sd adapter with me, I used my cunning and whipped out my micro sd card from my phone and put it in my camera. After wandering around a while, I got free guava and passionfruit juice, which is amazing. Yummy. Ended with a short walk around the other side and returned to Johnny. He then took me to a village (Viseisei Village), where the first fijian landed 3500 years ago. It's very Fijian, and a woman greets you and takes you around the village (pop 350). My guide was Tanya, and she showed me the chief's hut, their church, memorial and many tables with traditional merchandise.

Random Facts:

• White meat tastes nicest, they even ate clothes of the missionaries. Tastes like chicken.
• 6 tribes (warrior, fisherman, spokesman, chief, carpenters, ....)
• Warrior tribe are like police, still give beatings.
• They used to bury the Chief with his favourite wife (while she was still alive!)
• Tanya is in the spokesman tribe. Everything in the village is shared, i.e. if you buy a TV, everyone uses it.
• There are 300 dialects of Fijian around the islands

I bought a cool bracelet device, gave her a "donation" and left with Johnny. On the way he also gave me various facts:

• Train line is only used during sugar cane harvest, very narrow gauge and mostly overgrown/tarmaced over etc, which has to be cleared every year. Train goes to Latouka where it is processed.
• Pine trees -> wood chips -> china/japan -> paper
• Pot holes in the road are from the crazy rain, especially from the cyclone that they had 2 weeks ago.

We headed quickly to a beach on the way to Latouka, which as it was high tide had only a metre of beach. Lots of debris from the cyclone however. Now in Latouka, 2nd biggest city, seems nice. Currently in a chinese where I think they hate me are are playing tunes like "Angels", "Time of my life", "Brick In the Wall" etc, very old skool., I got a whole pot of chinese tea for about 60p. Currently waiting on sweet and sour pork and lamb friend rice. I wish the pages of this book were waterproof. I'm meeting Johnny at 3 somwhere random, I'm sure I'll never find again.