After a Sea Day after Vanuatu, we arrived in the evening at Fiji. One evening and a day at Lautoka at the west side of Viti-Levu (largest Fijian Island), two days at Suva on the east side of Viti-Levu, and one day at a small town of Savusavu on the west side of Vanua Levu (2nd largest Fijian Island). The last stop was not what was intended - the cruise line had a problem with their paperwork, and after it was fixed the dock where we were supposed to arrive was not ready - so it was a no-go.
Our first stop, we went with a small group by shuttle to a nearby resort to watch the sunset, and to find one of the very few geocaches in Fiji. A very good evening. The tour operator 'made friends' with one of the members of our group, which got us the next day a tour to The Garden of the Giants to see a large number of the native/imported flowers and trees (the highlight), and to see a few local touristy hotspots.
The East side, at Suva, the largest city in Fiji, was much more industrial. Another tour on Day1 arranged by our West-side guide (she apparently has 'cousins' all over the Islands). The highlight here was a jungle Eco-tour on Day2 (through the cruise-line). It was different from the garden (which was mostly cultivated flowers and trees) - this was mostly rainforest, with a few cultivated sections (cinnamon, coconuts, peppercorns, kumquats).
Our 'makeshift' stop was a bit of a mess. Couldn't get off the ship (by tender) until almost noon. We mostly stayed around the town. After a walk, most of the group peeled away to go back to the ship. I chose to wander past one end of town, and then past the other (about 7 miles total). Nearing the end, I was near a chocolate factory trying to find some new birds (unsuccessfully) when a windstorm came from nowhere, and branches started from trees, so I thought it might be good to head back. As I got back to the tender-port, the skies opened up and it dumped maybe an inch in 10 minutes, causing tender-service to be halted for about an hour.
Not so many species of birds in Fiji, and a lot of them are small and stay in the dense canopies of the rainforest - so you can hear some but have little chance of seeing them. Got a few, though, even if the photo quality was not so great.
Arriving at Fiji:
At the resort - they built an island in the shape of a foot. This is the bridge to the foot:
Approaching sunset:
The foot has crabs:
Sunset:
Next day, at the Garden of the Sleeping Giants. Some flowers:
And a Jungle Myna (with a mustache above the beak) on a banana tree:
A Red-Vented Bulbul, with the red visible:
On the East Side, at the Presidential Palace, witnessing the changing of the guard. The guard wear sandals...
Jana standing next to the guard. no smiling.
Up in the rainforest, watching locals jumping into the pools:
Another beautiful sunset:
At the rainforest walk. A Barking Imperial Pigeon (way out there). And a Fiji Island Thrush (way, way out there).
As a 7 yr old, this would have been my job of choice:
Another beautiful sunset:
New Island. New views. Just after docking:
After finally getting to shore, first thing I saw was a mongoose running between cars:
Walked about 1km past the end of town and was fortunate to spot this in the distance towards the shore. In the upper center, a Pacific Kingfisher (and a blow-up):
Another butterfly. Probably a variant of a Fiji Blue Moon Butterfly:
Another Pacific Kingfisher, and a Pacific Reef Heron:
A pair of Great Frigatebirds way up in the sky:
Getting back to the shelter for the tenders back to the ship just in time:
Next stop ... Tonga!
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