I am on the other side of the world. No exaggeration. The most direct way to get home would be through the center of the earth. I have also crossed the international dateline, so for all you folks in the USA reading this right now, it's tomorrow here. The future isn't too bad, don't worry.
Fiji is great. The landscape is beautiful and the water is blue. I am spending tonight at a place called The Uprising, right on the water. The dorm building (actually a big room with a bunch of bunk beds) is a traditional thatch-style structure with a big balcony overlooking trees and the ocean.
The way out here was interesting, to say the least. I rode in a mini-bus or big van, whichever you'd like to call it with a bunch of Fijians. We listened to the same fiji christian praise cd on repeat the whole way out. I heard the same song four times. The driver did not pay much heed to the Rules Of The Road, or at least what my sense of self-preservation interprets the rules to be. In Fiji, drivers are supposed to drive on the left side of the road. This man, however, drove on either side indiscriminately. Also, he tailgated other vehicles so closely I could have reached out and touched them. He also passed slower vehicles without regard to whether or not he could see the opposite lane before going into it. He passed on blind turns. Occasionally, he swerved back into the left lane just in time to avoid certain death. I made it in one piece to my destination, but I would be lying if I said I did not wonder if I would make it.
Fijian people are very nice, and greet people warmly. I have heard nothing but praise for these people before arriving. However, my guard remains up pretty high. I hope it does not remain like that. Today a man asked me (with genuine interest) my reason for being in the country and where I was staying. I was suspicious, but I don't think my suspicion was warranted. He just wanted to chat. I think it is headlines I read in the states that has me in this train of thought. I know I should never completely take my guard down with people I don't know, but I think relaxing about it would do me good.
Well, that about brings me to where I am now. I'll update as the adventure progresses. I'm excited to see what happens next.
Vinaka
Fiji is great. The landscape is beautiful and the water is blue. I am spending tonight at a place called The Uprising, right on the water. The dorm building (actually a big room with a bunch of bunk beds) is a traditional thatch-style structure with a big balcony overlooking trees and the ocean.
The way out here was interesting, to say the least. I rode in a mini-bus or big van, whichever you'd like to call it with a bunch of Fijians. We listened to the same fiji christian praise cd on repeat the whole way out. I heard the same song four times. The driver did not pay much heed to the Rules Of The Road, or at least what my sense of self-preservation interprets the rules to be. In Fiji, drivers are supposed to drive on the left side of the road. This man, however, drove on either side indiscriminately. Also, he tailgated other vehicles so closely I could have reached out and touched them. He also passed slower vehicles without regard to whether or not he could see the opposite lane before going into it. He passed on blind turns. Occasionally, he swerved back into the left lane just in time to avoid certain death. I made it in one piece to my destination, but I would be lying if I said I did not wonder if I would make it.
Fijian people are very nice, and greet people warmly. I have heard nothing but praise for these people before arriving. However, my guard remains up pretty high. I hope it does not remain like that. Today a man asked me (with genuine interest) my reason for being in the country and where I was staying. I was suspicious, but I don't think my suspicion was warranted. He just wanted to chat. I think it is headlines I read in the states that has me in this train of thought. I know I should never completely take my guard down with people I don't know, but I think relaxing about it would do me good.
Well, that about brings me to where I am now. I'll update as the adventure progresses. I'm excited to see what happens next.
Vinaka
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