Fiji..again!

The temperature is 35 degrees Celsius in the cabin today. That would
probably be bearable if not for the 95% humidity accompanying it!
But I have fallen under the spell of the tropics once again, the slow
rhythm to life that greets you at every turn.
It took a couple of days to adjust following 30 hours of travel from
Victoria to Nadi. But Korean Air was wonderful and they made the
transition as painless as possible. There are the cruisers who stayed
for the cyclone season and those who have returned. There is the
yacht club bar, the First Landing Resort and all the familiar haunts.
Toketie has survived a direct hit by cyclone Mick and another that
passed nearby. But she is showing her age with the wear and tear of
the Pacific crossing and two passages between New Zealand and the
tropics. The topsides have numerous rust spots and the December
cyclone and its accompanying 100 mph winds drove rain below and
flooded the battery box. I believe I have salvaged the house
batteries, new in NZ, but the starter battery melted down when the
water shorted the terminals. So after two days of cleaning out the
compartment and all the electrical terminals, I am shopping for a
replacement. Sounds simple enough but in Fiji, nothing is simple. It
is difficult to source a new one and requires many conversations and
trips to town. But the house batteries are up and running and
charging so I have a fridge and a light to read myself to sleep.
Fortunately the temperature drops and is almost bearable at night.
Netting is required on all openings to keep the mosquitoes at bay.
The fish on the barbeque was fresh Walu tonight and the beer is cold
and cheap.
So far from family and friends and missing my first mate dearly, I
take a day at a time and dream of people and places yet to be found!