The Friendly Islands are behind me now. I sure miss Tonga already! After doing that tourism geography project last year it was totally worth it to visit. Earlier my flight touched down safely at Nausori Airport. I went through customs and got another stamp. Officially I've been to Fiji three times although I've spent a total of only about three days. Focused on getting a lift into Suva I thought I'd ask around. The taxi from Fenton's house to the airport last week was $30 and I wasn't ready to fork that out again. I asked a couple in the parking lot and they agreed to give me a lift part way. Raskhesh, the driver dropped off his wife before taking me a little further to a petrol station. He topped up his tank and then pointed me in the right direction. After getting some energy drinks I crossed a roundabout and was nearly hit by a car. Driving is on the left so it can be confusing for someone coming from a country with driving on the opposite side of the road. I stuck out my thumb to hitch but a taxi driver stopped. He knew where Sardar was located said it would only cost $3 and take about five minutes. Recognizing the area he let me out, and Fenton wasn't home so I hung out at the internet cafe. Nora and I chatted about riding around Tonga; she said it's a better idea to rent a bike rather than bring my own. In many countries road bicycles won't last on the (often) dirt or heavily-potholed roads. After hanging out online for awhile I went around the corner and visited the Muslim family who I told you about last week. They were happy to see me and I told them about my experiences in Tonga. They told me to come by this evening for dinner. One family member said "everything is too fast in America." He's right! Americans don't know how to take it easy and enjoy life; everyone is in a hurry all the time. That's why I really enjoy Tonga, Fiji, New Zealand, and many other places. At around 5 PM Fenton was home. I put my stuff away and hung out with Fenton before he invited me to go have a drink with him tonight. I wanted to go to the internet cafe again so I could talk with Teressa. Surprisingly she wasn't online again. To take my mind off the matter I wanted to do something unusual. In reality I'm on an island adventure but virtually I was on a space adventure, reading about interplanetary, interstellar, and intergalactic travel. It would be so amazing if I could travel to other planets, stars, or distant galaxies! However it's not likely to happen in my lifetime. Fenton had left and I didn't get his key but he saw me and brought it over. Tonight I was a guest of honor with a multicourse feast! The family made jackfruit, potato, and chicken curry, rice, and tomato chutney. They made me so much food I couldn't eat it all. Someday I'd love to travel around Fiji for a few months with only a small amount of money. With my experiences it's very feasible. You'll never starve in Fiji, and even in Tonga I was fed enough food everyday to the point I was stuffed. The son works at the Fiji water plant in Lautoka. I used to drink heaps of Fiji water but it's an expensive habit. At about 8:00 I said goodbye after thanking them for their hospitality and getting a few photos. They gazed out the window as I headed back to Fenton's house. Earlier, Fenton told me I wouldn't be allowed in clubs wearing shorts and jandals. Taxis are everywhere in Suva so it's always less than a minute of waiting, and the prices aren't bad either. Fenton works for Suva's FM 96 radio station. He's very good at his job. While he was on air I sat at the computer and researched other travel destinations. He was off at 11 PM and we walked into central Suva. We visited a club and the music was extremely loud. Fijian beer tastes a bit sweet (I don't drink much beer anyway). We hung out for like an hour and then went to another club. Never would I have thought Suva would be this lively at night; as I said last night you'd think everything would shut down early. The music was far too loud so I hung out outside with some locals, drinking kava. By then my head was spinning, so I called it a night and got a taxi back to Fenton's place. Friendly Islands this morning, and now I'm back in friendly Fiji. I lay on the bed and I'm out.
