Bula! From Fiji

I already have learned more Figian than I learned Marquesan, Tahitian or Tongan. The reason is you can not pass a person or enter a store without someone greeting you and striking up conversation. And though everyone speaks English to a degree--everyone seems to take pleasure in teaching a few words of Fijian.

everyone in their party dresses...

 It hasn't taken long to discover why Fiji has been a favourite stop with so many of our friends. This is easily the friendliest place we've ever been--and not only is there a diversity of veggies to be had, we're back to near-Mexico prices. Good-bye $4 carrots.

Our arrival timing turned out perfect. After we pulled in and got our moring the wind rose and rose. Rather than fighting through it we wandered the streets and admired tapas and tomatoes, baskets and bokchoy. The next day our friends arrived and while it stormed we wandered through town and then caught up with them.

While we've waited for the wind to drop we've visited waterfalls and sugarcane fields and eaten a Fijian feast. They guys got their sulas and today we'll buy our gifts of Kava so we can visit outer villages. We're in Fiji man!!

**The only thing marring our lovely time is a sailboat called Quest was lost on the reef outside Savu Savu last eveing. We don't know the boat but listening to their mayday unfold was sobering and heartbreaking.