Port Denarau, Fiji

Jean on the dock in Fiji

After a day at sea (two days on the calendar because we crossed the dateline), we arrive in Fiji. The dateline is the 180th meridian of longitude. It is both +12 and -12 hours from the Greenwich Mean Time (GMT) meridian. What happens when we cross the dateline is that we re-position ourselves from being 12 hours behind the time in England, to being 12 hours ahead. That accounts for the loss of a day. Jean is particularly distressed by the change - she is not willing to give up a day of her life.





The day in Fiji is clear and temperatures are in the 90s. The ship cannot get close to port - so it is a 20 minute ride on a tender to get to the dock at Port Denarau. Unlike Pago Pago, Fiji clearly is prepared for tourists. On the dock is a Hard Rock Café, with a band playing. There a lots of upscale stores. Nearby are exclusive resorts including the Westin and a Hilton.

Fire Walker

Scare them with spears

Big clubs are impressive

We are taken to the Westin to watch a Fijian fire walking ceremony. Only one tribe, we are told, has the ability to walk on white hot stones. The ceremony includes shouts, songs, drums, and brandishing of spears and clubs, along with the walking on the stones ceremony.

Afterward, we have a brief stop at the largest Hindu temple in the South Pacific. Finally we visit Jack’s - which has clothes, as well as handicrafts. The wood carvings remind me of handicrafts that I saw in the Philippines.

Hindu Temple

In general, cruise ships discourage passengers from drinking their own alcohol or wine. However, on route to New Zealand, the ship is selling bottles which you can take and drink in the stateroom. It’s just in time, as we have exhausted our Gin.

Sumner has come down with a cold - annoying. After Fiji, we head almost due South - with two days at sea before we arrive in Auckland, New Zealand. We continue to rehearse with the Soundwaves choir.  Tonight is another formal evening - cocktails with the captain and his senior officers in the Queens Room. Even with the date change, we have not been away from the mainland for two weeks.