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Toilet
“You’re taking a picture of….the bathroom?” the woman asked me. (She was, obviously, unfamiliar with my work.)
So, of course I took a picture of the bathroom. And not just THIS bathroom either – I took several photos of the restroom at the airport on Taveuni.
(Now that I re-read this, it strikes me that maybe there is something a little odd about taking pictures of bathrooms. Perhaps I’ve said too much.)
Bouma National Heritage Park
Taveuni Island, Fiji
photographed 7.6.2013
Bus girl
The main town on the island of Taveuni is Somosomo Village; it’s known as a chiefly town, a designation indicating the residence of a chief who has descended from the traditional rulers of this part of the island. Somosomo Village has most of the island’s commerce, a school or two, and the transit center. Buses needing to make transfers at the center back into the dirt parking lot from the main road, which lets them pull straight out into traffic.
Our friendly guide Sepo told us that very few islanders have seen both the northern and southern ends of the island; the road’s not paved the entire way, and travel is costly. Instead, villagers from the ends of the island come to Somosomo Village once or twice a month to shop, then go back home. Sepo himself first made the trip all the way to the northern end of the island only a few years ago. (To put it into perspective, the island is less than 30 miles long.)
I spotted this little girl on the open-air bus that was headed south from the transit center.
Somosomo Village
Taveuni Island, FIji
photographed 7.5.2013
The night divers
The water’s so clear that the lights from the nighttime scuba divers were rendered as a cool phosphorescent glow. I was hoping for more of this effect, but that didn’t really work out.
That’s the difference between clear and murky waters.
Paradise Taveuni
Taveuni Island, Fiji
photographed 7.3.2013
Three clouds
A relaxing view.
So, instead of reading my usual yammering, stare at this until you feel relaxed…..there, don’t you feel better?
Taveuni Island, Fiji
photographed 7.1.2013
Boarding lounge
The benches at the open air boarding lounge at the airport are well-worn by the comings and goings of visitors to the island.
If you’re not up to the hour and half flight over from the international airport at Nadi, the only other way to get to Taveuni is via ferry. We were told that the crossing takes between 18 and 30 hours, which is kind of a wide range, and cuts significantly into a vacation. The plane’s looking like a better option, isn’t it?
Matei Airport
Taveuni Island, Fiji
photographed 7.6.2013
