Organizing; Enjoying Fiji

April 5th, 2006
Our first morning in Fiji. We were up early for breakfast and a strategy session. We spent the morning calculating drug dosages, plans for IV catheters, etc. Not like in a clean/sterile hospital, lots of things to think about out here. We also met with ‘the guys’ from the resort, who are going into the villages with us–what they will say to the chiefs and villagers to smooth our way. We then spent several hours dividing all teh supplies into 3 groups, so each team has what it needs.

Tanner, one of the teammembers, is going to start ophthalmology school in the fall, and he brought a few pairs of donated reading glasses, as well as many pairs of sunglasses. He started out with one ‘patient’ and before you knew it, he had just about the whole staff there. It was really neat to watch him help all those people out. Many of them have scarring on their eyes, from years on the water with the sun’s reflection, and no protection. Tanner was so great with all of them, and they were so grateful.

The rest of the day was spent in fun–volleyball (I re-injured my knee on the first serve), soccer, snorkeling, swimming. Sara and I walked around the grounds to the parrot ‘enclosure’–an open sanctuary where the Kadavu Shining Parrot can be safe and fed. This year was the first year that they nested there. The parrots were being hunted to extinction before the resort owner put a stop to it. There was only one in the enclosure, but we were able to get close enough for pictures. These birds are absolutely gorgeous. They wake us up every morning with their screeches for breakfast.

Gord went out spear fishing with the guys. He didn’t fish, just waited in the boat. They came back with the most amazingly colored fish–turquoise, red, orange, yellow. Also a LARGE lobster. Fish for dinner!

I went snorkeling again–coral of blue and green. Fish like I have only seen in an Aquarium. Getting into the water is the easy part, you just roll over the side of the kayak. Getting out, thats another story. Donna had me in stiches as she tried to get herself back in…I was in and holding the thing steady. Well, she got herself out of the water, and in the boat, but she was flat on her stomach!!! I had tears rolling down my face I was laughing so hard. Everyone said they could hearing us roaring from shore. I was pretty sure I was going to have to do all the paddling, but she managed to get herself upright without tipping us both over. I’ll have to look into a waterproof video camera!