A heartwarming stay in Yasawairara
Tuesday 18 October – we’re back in Malakati Bay, Yasawairara and as soon as we anchored, Rattue came out with his army of strong men to get the solar panel and battery for Miriayana’s house.
It was a tricky job as it was on the roof of the boat, but we managed to get it on the long boat safely and they took it back along with some of Geoff’s tools, so they can make a start on getting it installed for her. Rattue has invited us to a feast tomorrow night to celebrate, and has asked Geoff to take him fishing again tomorrow morning so he can catch the fish for the dinner!
Wednesday 19 October – Up very early this morning so Geoff can collect Rattue at 6.30am. Jo and I decided that rather than stay on for the fishing expedition, we would go into the village and also have a walk. Geoff said he would be back in about 1 ½ to 2 hours to pick us up from the beach. What a morning we had!
Miryiana’s delightful 4 year old daughter met us on the beach and we went back to their house where she was just preparing the breakfast for her and her two brothers. We sat on the floor of the corrugated iron kitchen building that is opposite her house and watched her give her children, who were sitting very quietly on the floor, a breakfast of crackers which they broke into boiling water with brown sugar. Beautifully, well behaved, polite, children. She then proceeded to cook them fish on a fire she had made from firewood accompanied by a dollop of white rice, which she put in two plastic boxes for their lunch. The boys put their plates away and went into their house and came back in their pristine school uniforms.
We said we would walk to the bus meeting place with them, the bus takes them to the Bukama District School - so pleased we did. When we got there all the kids were waiting for it, the bus is not big enough to fit them all in, so it has to make two journeys, the first being at 7.30am. We just could not get over how well behaved those kids were. They queued for the bus and the driver, who we later found out was the headmaster, did a temperature check on each child and on they hopped. He then asked if Jo and I would like to go on the trip with them – we were delighted. Two kids got off-loaded and in we went.
Apart from the amazing scenery we passed through, so high at one point we could see the Pacific in three directions, it was a wonderful to drive through the greenery on the road, which for most of it was a track with the government having laid concrete on the crucial corners and higher points. When we arrived, the Headmaster showed us the two classrooms with the first arrivals who were already sitting nicely at their desks, they don’t start the serious lessons until 9.00am when the second lot of kids arrive. All the lessons are in English. We said our goodbyes and the Headmaster asked one of the other teachers to drive us back and pick up the remainder of the students. It was a 35 minute bus ride each way, and before there was a bus, the kids used to walk it! When there is heavy rain the bus can’t run on the track so the kids go by boat and walk the rest of the way.
Jo and I then headed for a walk and had a look at their gardens of cassava and pawpaw, then headed for the beach. One of the most exquisite ones we have been on with no-one else there except us. It was gorgeous, beautiful turquoise seas and crunchy white sand, with swaying coconut palms, you really have to pinch yourself to know it is real. We had a lovely lounge about and finally spotted Salanjo coming around the corner, now 4 hours since we left it! Geoff finally docked and we waited, and waited, and waited for the dinghy to come and pick us up! Nothing! Finally, Jo put her flippers on and swam out to the boat to find the three guys enjoying a beer in the cockpit! Not that it was a problem sitting on that lovely beach, but the 2 hours had turned into 5 hours and we hadn’t had any breakfast before we left and had run out of water!!!
We have been invited by Rattue, the Chief, for a feast tonight, and Miriyana, Rattue’s wife, Weni, and their cousin Birisila are spending quite a bit of the day preparing it for us. We have been asked to arrive at 6pm. In the meantime, we had a quick sail to another bay and a lovely swim. When we came back Jo and I had a sort out of the sheets as there are so many on the boat and we thought some would be useful for Miriyama. We also made a big bowl of salad and put together some sausages and rissoles as our contribution to the feast (and to ensure I got something to eat as we knew the menu would definitely feature fish!).
We arrived at 6pm on the dot, and they had laid the table with their best pure white tablecloth and china. There was so much food, grilled waloo from the morning’s catch, stuffed land crabs, Kokoda, rissoles, sausages, casava, salad, it really was a feast. The ladies sat down on the ground next to us with all the kids and once we had finished, the rest of the feast was passed over to them (thankfully the food was plentiful and the bottle of ketchup we took proved very popular). Then all sorts of relations randomly appeared and sat down and enjoyed the food as well. It was a wonderful night, everyone so happy, all the kids around. Birisila said she wanted to say a few words, she said that they had nothing to give us and were so very thankful for everything Geoff and Earl had done for them, she was finding it so hard to talk wiping away her tears and was so emotional. It really was so heartwarming. What a beautiful night we had.
Thursday 20 October – we picked Rattue up at 8.30am, we are giving him a ride into Nanuya so he can catch the ferry back to Denarau to sort out the frame for the solar panel. The one that he ordered on Geoff’s behalf and we picked up and delivered, is larger than the previous one Miriyama had and won’t fit in the frame. A new one is required so Rattue is organising it on Geoff’s behalf.
En route to Nanuya, we stopped at Malakati as we knew Suzanne had returned to the kindergarten and Earl and Jo really wanted to meet her and give her the suitcase of supplies they had brought up from New Zealand. She was so thrilled with them all and the kids just couldn’t stop saying “wow” every time something was taken out of the suitcase and put in front of them! So lovely to see. They sang us a few songs before we left and I am sure the rest of the day will be spent going through all the treats.
