In search of the hot shower...

Bula from Fiji!  This is actually our last night here - we are off tomorrow for a few days in Vanuatu.  I expect we'll take 3-4 days - weather looks good for now.  We'll be heading due west, or fairly close to that.  We've been working here on our group presentation for the Festival of pacific Arts.  Some crews, like the Marumaru Atua and faafaite crews have great musical an dance numbers.  We have a poer point explaining the meaning of our Haunui haka.  As always, in port, we try to sniff out a hot shower. I've gotten closer here...figured out at the end of a shower yesterday how to get it warm.  For the most part, we've been in warm weather, but we had torrential rains the other day.  My fingers didn't un-prune until about 10 at night.  The people of Fiji have been very welcoming and supportive.  We stayed for a few days on the island of Ovalau, our second stop being the old capitol of Levuka, whci was a wonderful stay.  teh whole town paraded with us to the welcoming ceremonies.  We also had a traditional event as we arrived...three crew from each waka had to race to find a lady with a whale's tooth.  the kicker is that she is hidden in a crowd of other womens waving sulus.  I was one of the runners for my canoe, didn't get the tooth, but got a lot of cloth. We are actually at Suva Point, on the campus of the University of the SOuth pacific - looks like a great international school and has a good bookstore too.  Fiji is a place for our last major crew changes...Michelle Kapana-Baird, huia marshall, Te Miroa maxwell and Josh from Uto Ni Yalo left, and we welcomed Ema, Faumuina, Teone, Brendan and brought back Jef.  I'm feeling a little lonely without Michelle, but it will be nice getting to know the new crew.  We are getting closer everyday to the Festival, and one concern for us (and in vanuatu) is malaria.  All canoes got mosquito nets as protection.  Have got some good repellent as well.