A hike to the peak

At around 1600, S called out to me. It seems that she had arranged to do the hike. I thought it wasn't until 1700. But then Fiji had just started DST so times were a bit confused in the first week. So I put on my sneakers and joined her and the guide.

The walk took us around the back of the resort onto a jungle trail. It was strenuous at the beginning and the guide gave me adequate rest breaks, usually at scenic overlooks.

From this one we could see Kuata Island. Mynah birds were plentiful on Wayasewa. I wondered if they were also introduced. I asked the guide about the absence of children around the resort. It seems that the school age ones go to boarding school on a bigger island and return to their families in village on Fridays for the weekend. One could see the preschool ones on a village visit.

The views got better the higher we went. In the middle of the hike was a relatively flat section, but the guide warned us that we had to "be brave" for the final ascent. On the way he showed us various native food plants such as tapioca, wild sugar cane and a native nut I didn't get the name of. He was a bit surprised that I knew about tapioca but I explained that I grew up in a tropical country too.

It was an overcast afternoon so distant views were slightly hazy.

This was the final stage where we had to clamber over bare rock. The guide is holding a machete for cutting down vegetation along the way.

It was fairly windy at the top and refreshing after the hard climb.

You can see Kuata Island in its entirety in this shot.

The peak we ascended wasn't actually the highest of the island. There is another taller outcrop, but no safe path up it. The guide said that he had done it himself. But another thing they told us was that you could not claim to have visited Wayasewa without ascending the peak. But when asked, some of the locals said they had never been. A bit of marketing perhaps.

My companions at the top.

And the resort, way down below.

Descending was much easier. On the way the guide showed us a wobbling rock and narrated the legend to go with it.

It had started to drizzle and progressed to rain by the time we regained the resort. I was glad to shower off the sweat and grime.

Dinner was Indian flavoured. I liked the fruit most of all of the food on offer. There were other Fijian guests at the hostel who had a separate meal after us. We found out the next day that they were public health workers doing their rounds of the islands.

Despite the announcement on the board, there were no evening games, just a screening of the thriller Contraband from DVD. The DVD was so worn that it froze and skipped a lot towards the end. Anyway I was tired from the climb and glad to have an early night.