Welcome aboard BC Ferries, Please Remove Your Shoes

Walked in the city of Suva, Fiji’s capitol, in the Friday morning heat.  Visited Thurston Park and the Museum.  Those grounds and the grounds of Government House next to it are fenced by a project undertaken by the Chinese Government.

Found a place to have lunch of fried rice and chicken with spinach for a vegetable.  Returned to the hotel and sat in front of a lobby fan waiting for my taxi driver who would take me further on a city tour before going to the ferry.  We had arranged that and the price yesterday.

My driver, Raj, was on time and soon we were zipping about so I could get photos of all parts of the city.  Visited the University of the South Pacific which is set in a hilly landscape.  Some very modern facilities built by the Japanese government.  The Japanese also built a modern hospital.  Microwave towers on every hill and it seems everyone is talking on a cell phone and you always hear them ringing.  Rates are half a cent per second, (30 cents per minute).  We toured through a poor village where Suva provides water and power for free as the people pay no taxes.  Buses are well used and a $1 ticket will get you from the country villages into the city.  Schools and students, most in uniform, were spilling out of schools and onto buses as we concluded our tour about 3:30.

The ferry we approached on the dock at 4:00 pm was apparently the best of Fiji.  But it certainly needed work!  Raj dropped me off right at the ramp to the car deck blocking vehicles trying to get off.  But people and vehicles were coming and going.  Those arriving were herded to the left where a ramp and a man checking tickets.  I had to laugh when I saw he was wearing a BC Ferries vest.  He explained that this was a BC ferry, the former Queen of Prince Rupert!  He introduced me to George, standing a few feet away.  George is a Fijian who left his country to seek his fortune.  He was a chief engineer on many BC Ferries runs.   On a holiday to his homeland, he took issue with the owner of the local ferry company asking why he did not provide better service.  He was told “Get your own boat”.  So he did.  Unfortunately, there is nobody else qualified in Fiji to operate this boat so George has been stuck here with his family still in Vancouver.  He was pleased that they would be coming to Fiji this week.  Since George has taken over the route, people have flocked to his boat, renamed Princess Lomavita because BC Ferries would not allow him to keep the same name.  His competition has given up the route in favour of a route to New Zealand.

But the ferry has suffered greatly.  Washrooms are the worst.  George explained that Fijians do not know how to flush.  But mechanically they miss the maintenance of the BC Ferries.  Otherwise, add paint, replace all carpets in the general lounges and it would be much better.  The walk up the ramp leads directly to a carpeted lounge with families camped out wall to wall.  The air was stifling, I could not stay in the room.  I think it was a mixture of humidity, carpet cleaner and the odors that the cleaners were intended to remove.  Sleep just would not come no matter where I tried.  The after deck would have been the best place if it were not for the ghetto blaster and the authorized smoking.  For $30 extra, I could have booked “first class” and would have access to the forward lounge with high backed chairs.  If I had known, it might have been worth it.  The beauty of being outdoors was the breeze because inside it was stifling, especially with all the smells emanating from the carpet.  Oddly enough, all passengers are to go barefoot wherever there is carpet, carry your shoes for the outer deck or go barefoot there as well.  All that assumes that people’s feet are cleaner than their shoes.  However, I saw a brighter side to the boat in the morning just before we docked.  I ventured to the Coastal Café.  It is not used by most Fijians.  The carpet is clean and the tables and chairs look like good BC Ferries stock.  I had two eggs and pancakes for $8 and felt I had done well.

Docking reminded me of Croatia as we stern tied to a wall.  One exciting stop was done at 3:00 am in a remote spot.  The only light was the ship’s stern spotlight and the constellation Orion.  Locals in barefeet stood on the dirt road which ended in a concrete block in the sea which was the dock of Corro Island.

Jim met me with his dinghy and we made our way to this tiny marina which I will describe later.  Lynda has been on the boat for a month and doing a lot of cleaning up.  Seems that Jim and Alice have lived here for two years and have not ventured far.   The boat looks like it and Lynda has made a list.  Today I already fixed the dinghy motor and his computer.  Tomorrow the leaky water line to the head needs repairing.  And Alice is now leaving the boat and returning to Ontario.  Fortunately for me (and Jim too) Lynda seems able to handle grocery purchases and a trip into town is next.  Very hot.  Apply sunscreen.

Following the hot shopping and unable to find the meat we wanted in this small one road town, we retreated to the boat.  Had a swim, a cold beer and now dinner.  Monday I need to be registered here as a crew member on this boat by the Fiji Government and we will then set sail for at least a week.  We will be away from any internet connection.