I unpack the FIJI DIARY from November of 2002. And I
notice that the last entry is about our mutual vow to keep bliss on
Pacific Bliss. I find that ironic, since this very subject had been
the topic of our discussion early this morning, as the light dawned
in more ways than one!
Gunter woke up overwhelmed by all the tasks remaining to be done on
Pacific Bliss, now that we have brought her two huge boxes of presents
from the States—actually three boxes, including the roll of charts.
She now has parts for the head, back-ups for Ray (our autopilot and
ship’s computer), zincs (grounds that attach like a ring around
the propeller shafts), galley supplies, e.g. a new cutting board—you
name it. All are unpacked and piled throughout the salon. And Captain
Gunter abhors disorder!
“Cool it,” I advised. “We can have order in our heads,
even though there is apparent disorder on the boat. After all, we cannot
take down the protective tarps, make the beds, or unpack our library.
In fact, we shouldn’t even take the coverings off the salon cushions,
because she will be five more weeks in the relentless heat of the tropics
while we tramp New Zealand. So let’s make a plan on what we can
do during this one week before we leave again.” I could see Gunter’s
drawn face relaxing as we turned on the lights in our seaside bure here
at the First Landing Resort. We made a pot of coffee and sat in our
screened porch as the birds loudly greeted the arrival of dawn’s
first light.
“That’s why I need you,” Gunter hugged me tight,
“to set me straight.”
The tide began to roll in, lapping at the grey rocky shoreline less
than 60 feet away. Only the porch steps, the sidewalk, and a short hedge
separated our bure from the narrow strip of beach. We took it all in,
happy to be ensconced in our seaside bure, and delighted to be back
in Fiji. We were at bliss again.
Click on the thumbnail to see a larger version.....
• Lois on the Porch with her Morning Coffee
• Our Bure at First Landing
• Porch of Seaside Bure
• Bathroom of Bure
Somehow, we had been unable to keep that atmosphere of peacefulness
and bliss, so ubiquitous in the South Pacific, in our home back in San
Diego. It was not for lack of trying.
We had marveled at the view of Sail Bay from the west-facing windows
of our condo in Pacific Beach, San Diego. We made sure we were home
each day in time to maintain our ‘sundowners’ tradition,
dutifully sitting in our chairs facing the Pacific Ocean as the orange
rim disappeared behind the horizon. We relished the wines in the cooler,
the ice in the door of the fridge, and especially, being able to use
all the water and electricity we wanted. But it had all faded much too
fast.
We traveled to Texas, to Germany, and on to France visiting relatives
and friends—enjoyable except for catching terrific colds in the
harsh winter of Europe. Then, after the holidays, our spirits were dampened
with the death of Gunter’s 90-year-old mother. He returned again
to Germany. And on top of it all, was “the war.” No, the
Iraq conflict had not yet begun when we left the states, but it dominated
the news and cast an anticipatory pall over everything. We tended to
spend too much time glued to cable news programs and internet sites—a
habit we are forced to break here.
There is no CNN or Fox News here to mitigate our peace. Gone are the
sound bites and flashy visuals. In their place, we wake to the sounds
of the chirping birds and incoming tide. In the evening, we watch the
sun set and the moon rise over the Mamalucas as we slowly sip our sundowners.
Bliss is back.
(Insert) Photo Captions:
• Sunset View from our Bure
• Moon Rising Over the Mamalucas
• Flowering Tree at the Marina
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