Arrival in Fiji's northern island, Vanua Levu at Savusavu, one of the ports of entry. A very quick and painless entry with officials from immigration, customs, bio-security and health boarding Juffa to complete forms and check out what needs to be checked, before a quick trip into town to change money to pay fees, buy bread and find out the lie of the land. The small town market has fresh veg grown locally, and Kava - a pepper root that is used to produce a drink with mild sedative and anaesthetic properties for sevusevu. 

  

Sevusevu is a central component of rituals and social gatherings and enables visitors (cruisers) to seek acceptance into a Fijian village. Kava is presented to chiefs in the villages as a gift, once accepted you might be invited to take part in the ceremony and drink grog, or not! 

Vanua Levu's volcanic history is still evident with hot springs now used for saunas, de-hairing a recently dispatched pig or just to cook the dinner. Locals stories suggest that the boiling springs were used to cook conquered foes … their powers were transferred to you when you ate them….nice!