By Ann…
So Ann says to Bob, ” Are you going to mention the picture update in the blog tonight?”
Bob says, “What blog? Nothing is happening.”

How can that be? As I sip my evening Charisma I feel the exhaustion melting into my soul! So what did we do today? More preparations!

Specifically we have another batch of Ginger Beer, fresh baked cookies (hidden from Bob), and some more hard-boiled eggs ready. And more important to you, our favorite readers…pictures uploaded to the blogs from Lautoka forward. Everything takes time and everything is important.

But not too important for parades! This afternoon we heard a band playing on the dock opposite us. It was a good band so must be the Suva Police Band. I stuck my head out the companionway and confirmed my suspicions…it was the Police Band. I have missed them before and did not want to miss them again so off I went.

Fiji Band.

The Minister of Tourism, I think, was “christening” a new route for one of the large Captain Cook Cruise Ships. And the band was there to celebrate. I asked around and unfortunately the new route is through the Lau Group. We checked out their website and for about $8500 FJ per person, you can get a stateroom for the eleven night cruise through the Lau Group! The Lau Group is where Fuluga is. Fortunately this ship can not truly get into the narrow passes necessary to see the pristine Lau that we have seen. But they will be fortunate enough to see it from the bow of the big ship, a few miles off shore.

This is where cruising tops those big cruise ships, the up close and personal touch. Just sad to us to imagine coming out of the pass at Fuluga and seeing one of these monsters. But for some people it is as close as they will get. We count our blessings…cruising the Lau on Charisma…priceless.

But the Suva Police Band was wonderful. I ran over to take pictures and was personally greeted by the Minister of Tourism as well as at least half of the band members. After they left the dock they set up in the terminal and continued to play with such joy I could not leave. Good thing because then I would have missed the invite to dance with one of the band members! Yep, I was invited to shake a leg with the police! No witnesses unless the TV news camera got us, but the locals enjoyed my efforts!

It was a fun break to preparations. We are expecting to go into the Nadi Market tomorrow for the balance of fresh provisions, return to Charisma to do laundry and complete our ever dwindling list (it started covering seven -three inch post-it notes and is down to one and a half). The remaining items are just last minute reminders to stow the dinghy, plug the anchor chain hole, put away the BBQ…last minute stuff. Then off to Vuda Point, just a skip to the next bay, and check out on Thursday!

NZ, are you ready for Charisma?!