To the mountains and rivers

Sometimes you get a second chance when you have forgotten to do something, and I had that chance when we went back to Nsmosi falls. If I hadn't decided to extend my time here again, if Christine had of been with us the first time, I would never have got to take the upstream photo of the bridge where we stopped for a swim last time and it is such a beautiful spot

Driving through the mountains, what do you see more mountains, close up and in the distance, covered in lush green foilage, ferns and orchids, cows grazing on the side of the road, or sitting on the road not anxious to move to let us pass and children walking along happy to see a different car.

There are a surprising number of villages in the interior, and who wouldn't want to live in such peaceful surroundings, beside a river for an easy swim, plenty of ferns to collect for food and a very rough road if you need to leave.

We took a loop road home this time, stopped by the river to have lunch sitting on warm stones while watching the children swim and Alex become the Fiji champion stone throw water skimmer getting the stone to cross the water and end up on the bank opposite. Stopped again for afternoon tea and a swim, where the sun was catching the mountain, when the left the sun had moved and the next photo of the same spot has the mountain in shade and the foreground in the sunlight.

It is said that mud baths are good for your health and Carlo certainly enjoyed two or three baths, followed by a dip in the clear water to wash off. This was a childrens only activity but parents had plenty of exercise running away from the mud 'monsters'

Another great day in Fiji and planning our next outing.

Cruising up the river on a showery Fiji day

After days of rain we were undecided if we could make our trip, the weather report said Tuesday cloudy but fine, (how wrong they were), it rained most of the way to Navua, Chris made a quick trip to a bargain shop for rain jackets, and bought all their stock (3) and some plastic ponchos, (the ponchos had ripped before we put our life jackets on) We were going on a no-frills Navua river cruise, We loaded our bags and people into a motorised canoe and we were off up the river,

It didn't matter that there were light showers, crossing the rapids was spraying us with water, it was a cool 22 C but we had our jackets on and at every turn of the river there was amazing scenery, we decided wet or fine the trip was worth it

There were trickling water falls, short waterfalls, long waterfalls and more waterfalls all the way up to our destination. A waterfall lover's delight

Then a short walk up a gorge to the rock pool at the base of the grandest waterfall of the day. We were pleased it had been raining as the waterfall was realy gushing, it was nearly too cold to go in the water but everyone was wet anyway, so a bit more water didn't make any difference, I didn't go in but I was wet as well from the boat ride and then the fine misty spray filling the air.

We had our damp picnic lunch, sitting on wet rocks at the edge of the pool, enjoying Natures backdrop

More rain as we returned down the river and what better way to finish the day than afternoon tea at The Pearl

A World of Change

The drive to Natadola is long and Koko's is a new place for refreshments, they even sell Vonu, but we had a coffee and the boys had a strawberry smoothie that looked like it was made with strawberries and not artificial colour. We made it to the airport with 5 minutes to spare to pick up Chris, and the to the Intercontinental in time to see the dancing and have Indian Dinner.

Next morning what a surprise. Our pre-breakfast walk to the beach showed the changes the bad weather and floods had brought. Lots more sand on the beach in front of the hotel, but worse, its now impossible to walk the long beach to the point, Lucky I had walked to the point last time I was there as now its impossible unless you want to swim

In 1983 the mouth of the river opened up and closed again after six months, so Nature has repeated the first act, the shoreline totally changed, sand dunes and trees gone and even the road the locals used, all swept into the ocean, silting up the coral and leaving lots of debris on the beach on either side

Now there is a flowing river, with sandy banks and deep drops into the water, changing the best beach in Fiji, hopefully not permanently if Nature does a second act.

But something hasn't changed, the view where the pool meets the sea at high tide and further to the horizon.