The Babbling Brooks

A New Adventure Is About To Begin.....

John has a dream. He's had this dream for a long time. He wants airplane #2 and he wants to build it. With the hangar and home construction behind us it came time to start taking a serious look at that dream and how to make it happen. It's going to cost $$$ and now is certainly not the time to start cashing in investments. God smiled at us and the dream and handed us a golden ticket. Most of you know that we are both retired air traffic controllers. Many of you have also heard that there is a controller staffing crisis that has been building for years and the FAA is scrambling to replace the controllers that are retiring (and resigning) in droves. That's where the golden ticket comes in. Those new hires have to be trained and someone has to train them. Initial training occurs at the FAA Academy in Oklahoma City and John has been hired as an instructor. He reports for duty on February 12th. We'll be leaving Mountain Dreams on Thursday with a few of our belongings to set up a temporary home in (hopefully) Yukon, Oklahoma. Our friends, Tony and Tonya (and Tony's brother, Perry), are already there doing the exact thing we are doing...stashing cash. They found a place in Yukon and we are hoping we can, too. We are looking forward to spending some quality time with them again. They moved away from Washington in 1992 and we've missed them! I'm also looking forward to spending some time with my RCS girlfriends...Dawn in Oklahoma City.....Char, Mickie, Tammy, and Joana in the Dallas area.....and Diane from California when she comes to see her Mom. Having friends there is going to make this a lot easier. We are so going to miss Montana and the Tobacco Valley! Maybe you're wondering if I'll be working as an instructor, too??? Don't think so...although it could cut our time in Oklahoma in half. I'm not ready to give up the free schedule and better health I've gained since I retired. I can spend my time scrapbooking, painting, hanging out with Tonya, reading, lounging at waterside, working on my photography. Oh yes, there'll be plenty to keep me busy!

The Iowa Geek.....Giveaway

This is the cutest thing! Jody is giving away a Kideo DVD. They will put a photo of your child in the video so that he/she is part of the action. I know Legend would love to be in the Spiderman DVD! Click HERE to enter!

 

Deposition

   From Wikipedia...Deposition is a process in which gas transforms into solid (also known as desublimation). The reverse of deposition is sublimation. One example of deposition is the process by which, in sub-freezing air, water vapor changes directly to ice without first becoming a liquid. This is how snow forms in clouds, as well as frost and hoar frost on the ground.

This is what I saw this morning when I looked outside...ice crystals forming in the sunshine. There it was in a beautiful shaft of sunlight...like glitter in a snow globe :)

5 Minutes for Giveaways.....Giveaway

Here's a giveaway to really get excited about! Have you heard about Peek?! It's the newest gadget that allows you to take your e-mail anywhere you can get a cell signal...and the best part is that there are no contracts, you can pay month to month ($19.95)...great for travelers who don't need it all the time. Peek has also recently added unlimited texting to the service! To enter click HERE !

The Most Memorable Valentine's Day.....Giveaway!

Jyl at The Post-it Place is giving away a $25 gift card that is good at Red Lobster, the Olive Garden, Longhorn BBQ, and Bahama Breeze. You don't have to have the most memorable story to win, winner will be drawn randomly! Click HERE to enter! 

Iowa Geek Online.....Giveaway!

 

This Janine King bag is being given away at Iowa Geek Online as part of the Bloggy Giveaway Carnival! You can enter by clicking HERE . Be sure to read all the rules when entering any giveaway! Good luck!

Fab Food Friday....Giveaway!

Here's another Janine King giveaway, a market tote! Click HERE to enter at Fab Food Friday. Thanks, Jody, for the great giveaway(s)! 

Have Kid Will Travel....Giveaway!

The first Bloggy Giveaway Carnival of 2009 is about to start! Expect to see some awesome giveaways shared here with a link to enter. I can vouch for the fact that it is possible to win...I've won a Nintendo DS game cartridge, a hand crocheted purse, handmade earrings, 2 CDs, a kitchen tool package, and a baby feeding set (Shayla...expect to see this arrive at your house!).  

This first one is a Janine King Passport Purse being given away at Have Kid Will Travel. Click HERE to enter and good luck!

Sunday Smiles

          

Happy Birthday(s)!

     

Happy Birthday to two very special people in my life...my dear friend, Gigi, who lives in California (wearing her signature red visor)...and my dear sister, Corki, who is celebrating a "milestone" birthday this year. We love you both! 

Rubber Stamp Press, an Etsy shop....giveaway at The Funky Monkey!

    

 The Funky Monkey has a great giveaway this week. She is giving away a custom address stamp made by Rubber Stamp Press . These are honestly some of the cutest custom stamps I have seen anywhere. If you'd like to enter, click over to The Funky Monkey. Be sure to read all the rules to enter. The contest ends January 29th and is open to US residents only. Good luck!  

Helmar Adhesives Giveaway!

My friend, Tracy, is the United States representative for Helmar Adhesives which are from Australia. She has a fancy Vice President title of some kind which escapes me...sorry, Tracy :)...but she has shared a lot of information with me and our mutual scrap buddies about the wonderful products Helmar makes. She's giving away a great prize package of different types of adhesive to 2 winners ! Click HERE to get all the details and enter to win!! 

Change?

The Daily Show With Jon StewartM - Th 11p / 10c

Changefest '09 - Obama's Inaugural Speech

Barack Obama Interview
John McCain Interview

Sarah Palin Video
Funny Election Video

(You can turn the music off to watch the video by scrolling down and selecting pause on the music player.)

Inauguration Day

Did you watch? We did...and I hope that the grandsons got to watch at school. This is one of those historic moments that we remember throughout our lives and can tell you where we were when it happened. I am hopeful for the future because of some of the things President Obama has said and done between his election and this historic day. I am hopeful that he will govern from the center and not cater to those on the far left who want welfare for all and appeasement at the expense of defense. He made a lot of promises during the campaign and I think he now knows that he cannot fulfill most of them. I believe that he is a very smart man and a compassionate man. I truly hope we are on that road to you telling me "I told you so."

I hope you'll also take the time to thank President George W. Bush. I know there are a lot of Bush haters (those previously mentioned far left types), but the man kept us safe at a time when Americans were put in great danger on their own soil. He put his own reputation aside and made the tough decisions when they were required. He is not the demon in the economy mess...remember those Democrats who have controlled Congress for the last two years? I was appalled after the election when I saw voters being queried about who makes decisions in Congress and which party had the majority...Most of them put the blame squarely on President Bush and the Republicans when most of it belongs on the back of the Democratic leaders in Congress. You can leave a personal message of thanks for President Bush by clicking HERE .

Fiji Photos...

You'll find the link to our Fiji photos in the Smugmug list (on the left sidebar)...

How To Prepare For A Cyclone!

One more Fiji post.....I forgot I had taken these photos just before we left the resort on Wednesday. Before we left for Fiji I had read the comments on the Worldmark owners forum. One guy was complaining about not knowing a cyclone was coming until he saw the staff throwing the pool furniture into the pool. (This individual certainly qualifies for the Low Awareness of the Year Award.) Sure enough, this is what we saw when we looked out at the pool!

Sunday Smiles

I wondered why the baseball was getting bigger. Then it hit me.

Police were called to a day care where a 3-yr-old was resisting a rest.

The roundest knight at King Arthur's round table was Sir Cumference.

To write with a broken pencil is pointless.

When fish are in schools, they sometimes take debate.

The short fortune teller who escaped from prison was a small medium at large.

A thief who stole a calendar got 12 months.

A thief fell & broke his leg in wet cement. He became a hardened criminal.

When the smog lifts in Los Angeles , U.C.L.A.

The dead batteries were given out free of charge.

A dentist and a manicurist fought tooth and nail.

A bicycle can't stand alone; it is two tired.

A will is a dead giveaway.

Time flies like an arrow; fruit flies like a banana.

A backward poet writes inverse.

In a democracy it's your vote that counts; in feudalism, it's your Count that votes.

A chicken crossing the road: poultry in motion.

If you don't pay your exorcist you can get repossessed.

Show me a piano falling down a mine shaft and I'll show you A-flat miner.

The guy who fell onto an upholstery machine was fully recovered.

A grenade fell onto a kitchen floor in France , resulted in Linoleum Blownapart.

You are stuck with your debt if you can't budge it.

A calendar's days are numbered.

A lot of money is tainted: 'Taint yours, and 'taint mine.

A boiled egg is hard to beat.

He had a photographic memory which was never developed.

Those who get too big for their britches will be exposed in the end.

When you've seen one shopping center, you've seen a mall.

When she saw her first strands of gray hair, she thought she'd dye.

Bakers trade bread recipes on a knead to know basis.

Acupuncture: a jab well done.

Note: Thanks to my Aunt Jean for sending these to me :)

Escape From Fiji

Our new flight home from Nadi was scheduled to leave at 10:50 PM on Wednesday. We had been advised to go to the airport just after low tide to avoid be marooned on Denarau Island again. The reception desk arranged for a 4-wheel drive taxi to take us. They were the only vehicles able to get to the airport. The road has been badly damaged. There were huge potholes. Some of the deepest had been marked with a barrel sitting in the hole. Parts of the road were washed away. The usual 20 minute drive to the airport took a little over an hour. Some of the flood waters had receded (making it possible for us to get out), but we still saw a lot of high water. Many of the sugar cane fields have been badly damaged. The latest information I've been able to find is that at least 10 people have died, mostly in mudslides. There are 9000 people in evacuation centers. There is a boat missing with 18 adults and 6 children. Thousands of homes and businesses have flooded.

        

We arrived at the Nadi airport at 1:00 PM and found we couldn't check in till 7:30 PM. There was no place to sit near the international check-in counter, but we walked over to the domestic side and found an area full of brown leather couches. We were able to sit there and got a lot of reading done. We went back over to the check in counter at 6:45 PM and found they'd already started...another instance of "Fiji time". It took an hour of standing in line to get checked in. We had time for some dinner and then headed to security. Here, at the airport, is the only place we encountered unfriendly Fijians. The security guard decided our carry on bags were too big and made us go back and check them in. Why??? The only answer I can come up with is that we are American. We know they fit and they even fit in the tester, but he decided they were too heavy. The Australians, the New Zealanders, the Fijians, all had bags like ours that they carried on.The customs agents were the same way. None of them would crack a smile. After getting through the security and customs area, we found a hot, humid waiting area where we were to wait for boarding. There we were...400+ sticky, sweaty people waiting to get on the plane and there was no air conditioning. It was at that point that John decided third world traveling is no longer fun. When it was time to board they used the Fiji method...ignore the row numbers being called, everyone rush the gate. It took till departure time to get everyone seated and their bags stowed. Then...remember that incoming cyclone I'd mentioned? The wind had been fairly calm till early evening. By now it was starting to howl and the rain had begun. We waited in the hot, humid airplane with those 400+ sticky, sweaty people with no air turnedon for an hour. The engineer went into the cargo area to check the weight and balance of the airplane and the captain announced that we had to wait for a lull in the wind. It was miserable, but we were glad to know they were taking the necessary precautions to keep us safe. We arrived in Los Angeles an hour late, but had no problem getting through customs and catching our flight to Seattle. For just a minute I thought they were going to pull John off to the side and give him the grilling treatment again cause the agent sat and stared at his screen for a long time after looking at John's passport. (That's another story...before I started blogging.)We were so relieved to see a Starbucks at our departure gate at LAX. It's always weird getting home before you leave. We left Fiji at 11:55 on Wednesday, January 14th. We arrived at Los Angeles at 2:15 PM pn Wednesday, January 14th. No wonder I get confused :) We spent Thursday with our friends and drove home today (Friday). We were so glad to see the "Welcome to Montana" sign! 

Back in the USA

We are safely out of Fiji and back in the United States! We're staying with friends for a couple nights and plan to head for Montana on Friday. I was able to take a few pictures of the flood damage on the way to the airport. I haven't had a chance to look at them yet, but I will in the next day or so and will post them along with the "escape" details.

The Spirit of Fiji

I mentioned in a earlier post how friendly the Fijian people are. They just can't do enough for you and truly want you to have a good time. They have a great sense of humor and will make jokes with you if you show the slightest hint of a sense of humor. They apologize for the nasty weather we have found ourselves in...really! John called the Fiji Weather Service a couple days ago and the forecaster he spoke with actually said he was sorry that it was going to keep raining and get worse. Today the young man that rode with us to Port Denarau apologized to us that the rain had taken over our vacation and asked us to "please come back again". Yesterday we stopped in The Coffee Place for a mocha after we'd had lunch. We were sitting at a table and I noticed the Fiji music that was playing. The singer sounded a lot like Elvis and I really enjoyed the music. I asked the owner what the name of the CD was that was playing. She went to look and came back and said it belonged to one of the young men working there and there was no label on it. So I asked him. He wrote down the name of the singer for me and then told me he'd give me a copy of the CD. That's just the way they are. So he took my name and told me to come back today after noon and he'd leave a copy there for me with my name on it just in case he wasn't there. So I made a CD of some of the things we like to listen to for him...Josh Groban, Shania Twain, David Archuletta, kd lang, Johnny Cash, The Hollies, Elton John, and Secret Garden. When he gave me the CD and I told him I had a trade for him he was really surprised. I don't think he was use to someone giving him something, but that's just the way we are!

The 100 Year Flood

Today we needed to go to Port Denarau. We learned the shuttles were not running (what's new?), so were going to wait for a taxi to show up. The Worldmark manager was there in reception. He has been working hard to get people to the airport using his own vehicle when needed, making sure people have rooms to stay in if they can't get out, etc. He offered to take us to the Port. Along the way we mentioned that we were going to check out early and asked if it was possible to have our room held for us in case our flight couldn't depart. He said it absolutely was. He and the Fiji resident riding with us told us that this is a 100 year flood. It is the first time that the Fiji government has ever declared a state of emergency due to the rains. Apparently some of the water supply has been contaminated. I think I can attest to that as my insides have been reacting to that situation for a few days. I opened the $6.00 bottle of water in the room bar this morning even before we heard this news. We took care of our business at the Port, had lunch at Mama's Pizza, found some milk at the grocery (Score!), and took a taxi back to the resort. When we arrived we found a letter at our door from some senior vice president of Worldmark by Wyndham, South Pacific in Australia. It explained what was being done to help the situation here at the resort. Members with incoming reservations are being contacted to tell them not to come. They will not be allowed to check into the resort. It also said that if we choose to leave prior to our initial departure date, we will get our Worldmark credits back for unused nights. That is good news for us! (Returned credits=another vacation somewhere.) We are assuming that the North American club will do the same for us. We do have it in writing, so we have some leverage if they don't want to do it. The manager told us to plan to go to the airport tomorrow in mid-morning instead of waiting till later in the day. Apparently it's the high tide combined with the torrential rainfall that is flooding the roadway to the island. High tide is about 8:00PM tomorrow. The normal 20 minute ride to the airport is taking 90 minutes. So, we'll be spending a lot of hours waiting at the airport tomorrow and hoping our flight can go. We're going to look into buying our way into the Air Pacific business lounge tomorrow so we'll at least have a comfy place to wait.

 

  

 

While we were at the Port having lunch I looked out at the fountain in the middle of the shopping mall. It's one of those fountains that shoots streams of water up at random intervals in different places around the courtyard. There were some kids playing there in a steady rainfall. They had umbrellas and were standing over where the water shoots out. The water would hit the underside of the umbrella and spray all over. They were having a blast! And at the docks there were people bailing the water out of their boats.

 

  

 

There was a real torrent of rain when we got back to the resort. John keeps busy with the mop to get all the water up that comes in under the doors. It's nice being in an oceanfront unit where we can watch the storm, but we get the full force of the wind and rain coming in from the west. I may not be able to blog again before our newly scheduled departure tomorrow night. If not, the next time you hear from me I hope to be saying hello from the USA!

Aljazeera and the US Congresswoman

One of the television stations received here in Fiji is Aljazeera. Muslim is the majority religion in Fiji. We have been watching now and then. As expected, it is heavily anti-Israel in it's coverage of the current situation in Gaza. But here's what really appalled me. A few days ago, Cynthia McKinney was on as a commentator. You may remember her as the US Congresswoman that tried to circumvent US Capitol security, then slapped an officer and complained that they should know who she is believing that because of her lofty position she should not be subject to any security rules. When charges were brought against her she cried racism. (I believe she lost the next election held in her home state of Georgia.) So, there she was on Aljazeera sympathizing with Hamas and bashing not only President Bush, but the United States of America. Yes, I know she has a right to say whatever she wants...but does she understand what has been sacrificed for her right to say it? I doubt it.

Update.....Western Fiji

We have officially been declared a disaster area. The severe flooding and mudslides have caused major damage and at least 6 deaths. We are okay here on Denarau Island. As you can see from my post for the Australians the weather was better today, but not as good as expected. We did get a shuttle bus to Port Denarau for groceries and lunch at the Hard Rock Cafe. The grocery was out of milk and bread. As we walked past the bakery on the other side of the shops they were pulling fresh bread from the oven, so we scored a loaf! We weren't able to find milk anywhere...unless you count soy milk, which I don't. While we were there the shuttle service decided to quit for the day and get their employees off the island. We were able to get a taxi to take us and our groceries back to the Worldmark. The other thing we accomplished today was to be rebooked for a flight home. There's no use in staying here to watch the storm. We'd rather be home watching the snow fall! And we have plenty to do at home getting ready for our next adventure...more on that when the details are worked out. It wasn't easy getting rebooked. We are on an Air Pacific flight that is operated by Quantas and we were booked by American Airlines. We called the special phone number Air Pacific has set up for people trying to get out of Fiji and they were able to book us for the flight Wednesday night to Los Angeles and then an Alaska Airlines flight to Seattle. They could put it in our itinerary, but it had to be confirmed by American...which has no office in Fiji. Air Pacific gave us a number to call in Sydney which turned out to be some railroad. We put our thinking caps on and went online to the American Airlines site. It took a little digging, but we were able to find the directions for going through an AT&T operator to get the call out of Fiji and connect to their 800 number in the United States. So, we are confirmed. (Note to self: On all future international flights check for airline number from destination country before the trip!) But...it depends on what the cyclone headed our way does. It is forecasted to arrive...tada...Wednesday night! Our departure time is 10:50 PM. We are keeping our fingers crossed that 1) we can get off the island 2) we can get to the airport and 3) that the flight can depart before the storm hits. Once again we are using our standard Plan B...Stay Flexible!

For the Aussies!

For those of you that e-mailed from Australia asking about conditions on Denarau Island...The weather was better today, but not as good as was forecasted. We had showers off and on all day. This evening the wind really picked up. The shuttles were running today and most of the stores and restaurants at Port Denarau were open. But some of them closed early when they saw the heavy rain starting. The Denarau shuttle quit running early and left many of us at the Port. Our choices to get back to the resorts were walking or a taxi. Apparently much of the flooding has receded. However, there is a cyclone coming this way. It is expected to reach Fiji sometime Wednesday with heavy rains and high winds through the rest of the week. There is a Fiji Meteorological web site where you can get more specific information, sorry I don't have the addy right now but I'm sure you can find it by searching...after all, you found me! I would suggest checking with your airline and resort before coming anytime before Sunday. We are expected to have a repeat of this week with flooding being possibly worse. Bula!

 

Drying Out (for a bit)

             

The rain stopped some time during the night. The wind level is back to normal.The standing water on the paths has receded. There was some damage to the beach at the Radisson next door...palm trees down and small landslides. There doesn't appear to be any damage to the beach here at Worldmark, but there are some signs that were ripped out of the ground around the pool and some chairs damaged that blew around outside of the restaurant. Last night I saw the manager. He had just come from giving a farmer a ride to find his cows. He had gone to the access road to the island to check the water level and saw the farmer wading across in water up to his neck to look for his cows. Today there is still no shuttle service and we didn't get any answer when we called the grocery, the coffee shop, and the Hard Rock cafe at the Port. We munched on what food we have left during the day and then decided to walk over to the Sheraton to see if we could get something a little different for dinner than the limited menu here. John called first and they said they'd be serving dinner starting at 6:00. We made the walk and saw the shuttle coming out of the Sheraton entrance! When we got to the Sheraton we found a sign on the restaurant door saying..."Sheraton and Westin Guests Only". So we left and saw the shuttle pulling up to the door with a sign in the front window saying "Sheraton and Westin Guests Only". We realized then that it was only going between the 2 resorts. We walked part way back then decided to go out to the beach for the rest of the walk. When we got to the Radisson we saw someone eating pizza! And they let us riff-raff order some! While we were there the sun started to set and we were treated to a gorgeous sunset of pinks and oranges! I hope we'll get to see one from our beach next time. We are hoping this will end tomorrow and we'll be able to get some supplies and make arrangements for activities off Denarau Island!

 

PS: Just read the notice here in the reception area that tropical depression #2 will be arriving on Wednesday with strong winds, heavy rain, and severe flooding! Great!

 

 

Sunday Smiles

Still Raining!

We are still afloat on Denarau Island. However, access to and from the island is still cut off. Nadi town is under water, but apparently the airport is still operating. There is a sign at reception with a phone number for passengers of Air Pacific (that would be us) who aren't able to get off the island to catch their flight. We've still got 9 days to worry about that and if it keeps raining for those 9 days, we'd better be building an arc. Here at the Worldmark John continues to mop up the water that blows in under the doors and windows and our oceanfront, top floor unit gives us a front row seat to the wind and water blowing in from the west.  Every now and then we hear thunder and see lightning. There are still people in the pool that don't seem to know that water and electricity don't mix. We wade through standing water to get to reception or the restaurant. The restaurant has been "take away" only with a very limited menu for the last two days. I imagine we'll get tired of burgers and deep fried fish if this keeps up too long. I will have to get really hungry before I can stomach a Fijian hot dog and they will have to be the only food left. We were able to get the last box of lasagna noodles and a can of sauce at the tiny store here at the resort along with some chocolate, baked beans, and Pringles. We also got a bottle of wine so John can continue his doctor ordered regimen. The rest of our food supply consist of a half loaf of bread, 3 cans of tuna, half a bag of crackers, some cheddar cheese (which is the "sharpest" tasting I have ever had even though here it is marked "mild"), one small apple, half a small jar of peanut butter, a can of soup, and 7 cans of Pepsi Light. It'll be several days before either if us starves:) We are thankful that we have an uninterrupted supply of power which means we can keep the air conditioner running. It is raining, but it is still very warm and very humid. The television reception is good most of the time, but when the rain is coming down in sheets we do lose the satellite. Check back in a day or two...I hope to report sunshine and blue skies!

Marooned!

 

Bula! We arrived on Denarau Island to a beautiful, sunny day. We are on the third (top) floor of one of the oceanfront units. We can see the pool, people watch, and look across the ocean to some of the outer islands.

              

Monday evening we learned how to take the free shuttle that serves Denarau Island and went to Port Denarau for dinner at Hard Rock Cafe. The next morning we tried the little coffee shop at the Port and were pleased to find a mocha that's as good as Starbucks! (It's not the beans I'm addicted to...it's the mocha powder!) That evening we attended a Lovo here at Worldmark. It's like a Hawaiian luau...a chance to try the local foods and see native dances. Preceding the Lovo they had a kava ceremony. Kava is a slightly narcotic drink that the locals make and drink in friendship. We watched as they prepared the kava. John was brave enough to give it a try. Before drinking he had to clap his hands, then down the entire cup and clap twice more. The host then claps three times. Not sure what all that was about....but I knew better than to try. John said it had a slight tobacco taste. All I could think of was the Kassa we had in Russia under the same circumstances. I had to smile nicely while I desperately looked for some bushes where I could toss it out! Each evening there is a sunset ceremony by the pool. They serenade for awhile and then the torch lighting begins. Each time something is about to happen near the pool they beat the native drums to let us know.

 

                           

         

The Worldmark has a shopping bus that goes to Nadi on Wednesday afternoons. We took it and they showed us where the grocery, handicraft store, and vegetable markets are, then dropped us off. John and I took some of the time to walk over to the Hindi temple. It is the largest one in Fiji. The detail on the buildings is amazing! On the way back we stopped at the butcher.

          

 

 

The weather turned on us Wednesday evening. We are in a monsoon! It quickly goes from no rain to sheets of rain and we have very high winds. At least it's a warm rain :) Yesterday (Thursday) it rained all day. We stayed in and read, watched the people out in the pool, and I worked on organizing the photos we've taken while here. You have to give an A+ for effort to the people out in the pool and hot tub, but you also have to wonder where their brains are when the thunder starts and they are still in the water! We had a small flood in here last night. It was so windy that it pushed those sheets of rain under the window. We also had water running down one of the walls and puddling on the floor. When we went to the reception area this morning (Friday), we learned that we are marooned! So much for my morning mocha...Denarau Island is alright. But Nadi town and the area between here and the airport is flooded. We talk to one Aussie who had just come in from the airport. He said the water was over the bonnet (the hood) making their way here. The staff had to spend the night here as they could not get off the island and the manager will not bring anymore people from the airport. He may have to find rooms for the ones he has that have checked out this morning.  The shuttle is not running because the workers can't get here to drive the bus. There were 40 or so people standing in the reception area trying to figure out how to get to their flights. The manager had made it through the floods in his pickup and offered to take some people "at their own risk". He had also has arranged for a helicopter ride out (there's a chopper pad just down the road) and was trying to get some boats so that he could take people to the Port where they could get to another dock and a taxi ride to the airport. So here we are again today watching the rain. It does seem to have let up some, but we still have periods of extremely heavy rain. John checked the forecast and we are supposed to have 57mph winds tonight. It's a good thing we are adventurous! And we're glad we are here two weeks...we're not wasting our whole time in the rain! We are thankful we still have electricity!   

 

      

 

I'll fix any goofy formatting when I can. I'm about to run out of Internet time. Check back! Bula! 

 

            

Bula!

from Fiji! We had an uneventful flight followed by a long day at the pool till check-in time. The Worldmark here is beautiful and boasts one of the largest pools in the southern hemisphere. The people here are the friendliest we've ever encountered in our travels. They are always waving and shouting "Bula!"...at the people on the shuttle bus, across a field, on the beach. Everywhere we go we are greeted. They shake your hand and can't do enough to help or make you feel welcome. Today I stopped to listen and take a photo of a band playing their native music. Before I could get the camera to my eye I found myself seated with the band and John with the camera.  It is warm and humid...remember it is summer here!  I am e-mailing this post as we don't have a handy or inexpensive internet connection. If the formatting is odd....I'll fix it later. Bula!!

Sunday Smiles

Checking in from LAX

Well....I was going to share some photos, but the connection here doesn't seem to want me to upload. We had an uneventful flight from Seattle to Los Angeles. John and I made our way to the international terminal and looked in vain for Air Pacific ticketing as we wanted to see if it was possible to upgrade using some of our miles. When we asked we were told they would be taking over the space that was then occupied by Aeroflot. Oh, yes! Then we remembered that we'd had that same problem here before looking for Quantas. We fed ourselves and then headed to the ticket desks. We looked again at the departure board and discovered that our flight had just been delayed 2 hours. When we got to the ticket desk we were told that a crew member was sick and the replacement needed theextra 2 hours to meet the rest requirement. No worries! It means we'll arrive at 7:30 AM on Monday, the 5th instead of 5:30 AM. That's actually a good thing because we won't be able to check in to our condo until the afternoon anyway...less time for sleeping beside the pool :) As for upgrading, we found we couldn't use our American miles even though they are partners because they don't have the authorization from American to dip into our accounts. Hmmm...I seem to remember we'd had that same problem once before, too! So here we are cooling our heels and trying to keep ourselves amused. I'll check in again when I can!

Happy Birthday to Me! We're on our way to.....

Denarau Island, Fiji :)

The last time I checked there is no internet available in our condo, but we'll have access at the office or at an internet cafe nearby. We'll arrive back in Seattle on the 20th. I'll blog when I can!