in short, i don't feel like it right now

I'm back in Suva after a beautiful 3 1/2 days on the island of Taveuni (3rd biggest in Fiji) and it's cold and rainy here. I've been sitting in this internet cafe for almost an hour now and I'm getting tired of staring at the screen and itching to get back to the Cheatham's house for dinner. I'll expand eventually I hope, but here's the quick rundown:

Taveuni is gorgeous. After a dusty bumpy taxi ride in a van with a defective vehicle sticker and no shocks, we arrived at Susie's Plantation Resort. There were fruit trees everywhere and a stunning ocean view. We splurged on a slightly more expensive room so as to have a little porch and our own bathroom. We watched a BRILLIANT
sunset (that idea of covering a wall with sunset photos is already a possibility - each one's so different though) and the next 3 days were filled with singing, kava drinking (see below), and relaxing. If anyone's a snorkeller or diver, by the way. Fiji (specifically Taveuni) is the place to go. seriously. we snorkelled for about a half hour in the water where we stayed and I saw so many fish! I saw nemo(found him), and bright blue ones, and orange ones, and a sea snake that scared me out of the water. Schools of fish, different colored coral... and the divers staying at the resort (there were never more than 4 guests at a time though) said they saw dolphins, hammerhead sharks, and a turtle the size of the dining room table.

So the ritual at this place is as follows: In the evenings, a fijian woven mat is placed on the floor of the dining room or just outside on the concrete porch. The Fijian men who work there during the day or are from the nearby village come and sing, play guitar, and drink kava. The songs they play are fijian, maori, eric clapton, and more. The harmonies are beautiful and seamless. The men are very nice. We join them each night, sometimes for dancing as well. On to the kava. It's a root that gets ground into a powder and mixed with water to make a drink. It's a highly ritualized process when done in the village, but this was the casual version. A batch is made in a big bowl - pouring the powder into what looked like cheesecloth draped over a bowl of water. then the cloth is kneaded until the powder is
all incorporated. People are served in half coconut shells. When you are offered kava, you clap once, accept with both hands, drink it all down in one go, give the shell back and clap three times as a thank you. It's a sedative substance that numbs the tongue and, depending on how much you have, the lips and throat. I personally felt it in the back of my neck too.

I know some of you are surprised (or impressed) that I even tried it. Well, the first night I didn't. They were kind about it - one man (Wesley) even said it's not good to try things until you're ready. I agreed. The next night I had a very tiny sip and survived. I had a second serving and finished for the night. Last night I had quite a bit more. We were up late and this morning I think I had my first pseudo-hangover. We also didn't get quite enough sleep. But we're safe and sound and had a brilliant time over there. We're wishing we could click our heels away from gray rainy Suva back to the bright paradise of Taveuni. But the Cheathams await and this place is starting to smell bad.

So I'm off. More details later. And there are more details, don't fear.

Thank you for the comments - please keep them coming. It's really nice
to read them and hear from you. i feel the love. If you do post though
and feel comfortable enough, please put your name or initials after
your comment- some post anonymously and then i just don't know who you
are. ok. love to you all and happy belated thanksgiving.

ps. heidi! happy belated birthday! I realized i'd missed it back on
the 22nd but then the computer wasn't cooperating and then i didn't
have internet access. i'm sorry! hope you had a good one. love.