Carl speaks...

Well this is my first post on our blog. I have been as busy as a one armed brick layer in Baghdad. From the moment we hit the ground in Sydney, I basically have not stopped running. Actually that is not entirely true, I managed to sneak in a half days rest when we first arrived in Fiji. As far as holidays go, this has been far from relaxing, thus far.
I am writing this post whilst waiting for the ship to leave the wharf at Lautoka. This whole technology thing amazes me. We were waiting on the dirt road in Suva for the busride from hell and Nadine was on skype to her parents who were sitting at home on the other side of the world. Amazing! A lot has happened since Sydney. For starters I managed to spend $6200fjd on materials, transport and govt charges in 2 weeks. Never done that before! Also discovered that I can be a demanding bastard and managed to bargain down pretty much all retail outlets into giving me the best deal in Town. I thought I hated bargaining, but I must admit there is a certain thrill in getting a better price for something. Must be Scottish tight arse in me!
Everything has gone relatively smoothly despite a few days of stress here and there. For example, at one stage I was staring down the barrel of a few thousand dollars in Duty charges for all the freight that we have brought. That was until we discovered a distance relative works for the freight company and is close with the customs guys. He smoothed over the whole process and with a few hand shakes, deal is done. Same scenario but different customs guy and another relative, all that was asked was a small donation to their morning tea and everything was “set”, as they say here. It is definitely who you know here, not what you know.
So as I said before I am sitting on the ship, and I must admit by Fiji standards it is pretty good. Which seems to have somewhat allayed Nadines built up fears over the past week. At least this one looks like it is going to make it out past the reef, before it sinks, whereas the previous ship looked like it should have been condemned in the early 70’s. However I did notice that the life boats looked fairly well used which I haven’t as yet notified Nadine of. Best to wait till we are well out to sea, before I drop that little ditty! I must admit Nadine has been very good thus far with all the trials and tribulations of living with my relatives. I don’t think there are that many difficulties and at times think she carries on like a princess, but I guess I am used to the life here. The dirt and poverty by our standards don’t seem strange to me, and I mostly don’t notice it. I only see the things that we lack in our world, closeness to our relatives, willingness to forgo a lot of things so that these same relatives can be housed and fed, warmth towards visitors and relative strangers. I guess what I see and Nadine doesn’t is the sacrifice that these people make to house us in their tiny homes and share their meagre belongings and food. Wherever we go, we are given the best of what they have, our kids are spoilt rotten and nothing we ask for is too difficult for them to do. For this and the fact that they are my relatives, affords me the grace to overlook all the other things that they so sorely lack by our standards, and appreciate them for what they give.
Well the boat was meant to leave 3 hrs ago, by my calculations the timing is pretty good by Fiji standards. Some boats don’t leave at all! When we arrive in Rotuma, the first 2 weeks will be taken up with work for my cousins placing of the headstone for his grave. We were very close and the traditional period of 1 year of mourning will come to end in 2 weeks time. I am very happy to be here for this ceremony as I was not able to be here for his funeral. There will be a feast where plenty of animals will be slaughtered, baskets of taro will be uprooted and his headstone will be placed on his grave. This basically means shitloads of work for all of us who are close relatives. The work is very physical which will help me to get in shape for the upcoming work on the house which will begin as soon as the ceremony ends. The work is also a hell of a lot of fun. It usually involves us spending the whole day out in the bush, taking the piss out of each other and whoever happens to come into contact with us.
The thing that I look forward to most when we arrive in Rotuma is going for a swim, in the most aquamarine water you have ever seen. It puts most post card destinations to shame. Naturally I am stinging to go for a surf. Obviously this goes without saying. It looks like most of our fishing will be done at night as it seems to be easier to catch fish when they’re asleep, which suits me fine. I will load a few more recent photos, and try to convince Nadine that not everybody is interested in looking at photos , just of our kids.
Muchos love to all friends and family who are keeping track of what we are doing. Carl..
p.s. Photos will have to wait till we arrive in Rotuma.