Eight Go Wild on Vanua Levu

In a Suzuki Higer Minivan

There was David and Rekka from Pino who herald from Canada and create internet games on board for a living, Betsy and Ken from dark blue hulled Alcyone retirees from the US and Andreas and Birgit and Rob (driver) and me (side gun).

Monty at Budget sent us off with a gritty carpet and filmy windscreen but he was sweet and the air conditioning worked so we weren’t too bothered.

The snug little bus struggled up the steep slopes of the mountain range into lush rainforest and then over to a dryer climate with gentler winds on the leeward side of the island.

I had asked Monty for the road map I saw sitting on his desk thinking he would have plenty of others. In fact the islands seem to have very few up to date maps and brochures for the likes of us ‘tourists’ and our road map was dated 2002. Monty had explained that there has been little change over the years in the roads that are sealed compared to the gravel tracks and then he reluctantly handed over his map!

So we swept into what we thought was a little town called Seaqaqa thinking we had over shot the track that led to Palmlea Lodge where we were planning to relax and have lunch. I could not have wanted for more help at the fuel station, three local Muslims wanted to assist. The oldest explained that although one might think this was Seaqaqa from the name on the supermarket and filling station this is the district of Seaqaqa, Labasa is also in this district. The town was Natua and we had a ways to go yet.

Blue signs on the left Julie had said on the phone and there they were as we were leaving Tabia. The track at first routed through fields of sugar cane, over a single file wooden bridge like those on the main road and then the scenery became prettier with tamarinds decorated with their long dangly giant legume seed pods, flowers on trees and growing near the munching teeth of a tethered steer looking mournful possibly because of the painful looking weeping gash on his shoulder.

Up and down over little hills and there suddenly was the ocean to the north beyond Cacau Levu, The Great Sea Reef. Third largest barrier reef in the world after Curacao and the Australian Great Barrier Reef.

Thirteen years ago after 60,000 miles at sea Julie and Joe, then aged 63 and 69 respectively, threw in the anchor, sold their latest boat Apogee and bought this tract of land. With the skills of the architect that he is, Joe personally designed and built a spacious lodge, with a kitchen designed along the lines of a ship’s galley because that’s how he liked them and a split level dining room lounge area open to the ocean with glass louvres at each end where they wouldn’t interrupt the view.

Being near the airport it is easy for their clientele to fly from all over the world to Nadi international on the other island, hop across here and be met at the airport by a smiling Julie. When we went there they had no guests until the weekend so they spent much time with us telling us about themselves and their lives.

Unwanted by his parents Joe was raised on a ranch in Oklahoma by good friends of his grandfather and his ‘dad’ instilled in him the will to achieve and be rewarded by success. They met in Malta shortly after Julie’s husband had succumbed to cancer as sadly Joe will soon as he is afflicted with both Alzheimer’s and lymphoma.

I had sent ahead by phone our lunch order to make life easier for them and while Julie’s two helpers worked away in the galley we all took a walk down to the jetty Joe built years ago that carried us over the mangrove swamp and out onto the lagoon waters. Back along the grassy track strewn with coconuts I chatted easily with Birgit about this and that. Sadly for three of us, but not for the goat or me, home farmed goat was off the menu.

Julie served us with homemade iced lime juice on our return and then lunch with each of them at either end of the table being the most charming and interesting hosts.

Then Betsy and Ken, Rob and I headed for the 25 metre lap pool for a refreshing dip with a view to the little islands that dot the reef. Joe wandered down and showed Betsy and I the lovely garden full with flowering trees and plants and one of the Bures, attractively furnished guest room huts with spacious en-suite accommodation and a private balcony.

Julie had plans for a luxury camping (Glamping?) area and next week work starts on a shower block near the pool.

After a quick tour of the Lodge we returned to the bus where it was parked next to the wire-netted enclosed vegetable garden. Julie told us to pick any fruit or veg we liked knowing that as cruisers we are limited to small potted herb gardens on boats at best and I promised to put in a good word for them on Curly’s radio net the next morning.

All too soon because I could have spent a peaceful week there quite easily, we were on our way for a quick look at Labasa market before the two hour trek back to Savusavu, a cold beer at the bar and a pleasant wind down chat in the cool of the evening with our six friends.