Wednesday 24th

The sound of the same alarm awoke us 3 times only this morning followed by the sound of drums for breakfast. We reluctantly crawled out of our bed and headed for the table. Today was fried bread, fruits, custard cake and cereals. Tummies full we went off to the beach for a swim before the tide went out and had a sunbathe before lunch. Lunch was fried eggs on bed of lettuce tomato and bread covered in a tomato sauce, there was also a Fijian chow mein which was rather good. Chips were a novelty too! After lunch we returned to our hammocks and Myles even put on sun cream, it was hot today! Afternoon tea was served and rather than coffee Myles just had boiling water. This wasn't to drink just to shave, it's been a week and he thought it was horrible. Shaving with cold water is just as horrible but less so than being unshaven haha! After this we went back to the beach and as the tide was back in we went for another swim. We headed back to the dorm to meet our new roomies, it's only a small dorm so we are sharing with 4 others, 3 Germans and a British student studying medical science. He has come to Fiji to work in a Fijian hospital between terms. This evening Myles was determined to get a photo of moonrise as he had missed it the past 2 days and it was full moon tonight. Stood outside for half an hour, camera on tripod, waiting with everyone making fun because there was no moon and joking saying there's no moon tonight. Dinner was an hour early tonight as it was Fijian night. I was still adamant that there was going to be a moonrise so brought all my camera gear set up to dinner and hid it in the corner. This Fijian night was FAR BETTER than any other night we have had. The whole village came to this one! We sat down for the traditional cava ceremony. They say prayers chants and then pass round the cava. It looks like muddy water and tastes pretty much the same however in Britain it's a class C narcotic drug but seemed to have no effect on Myles. Most people just get a numb tongue. Laura didn't try it though.... Again the women went first for dinner, it was very similar to the food we had at our first island, apart from the freshly caught octopus which we watch them catch 3 hours before so it was really fresh. Dinner finished and Myles spotted something oh yes he was right after all this. Moonrise. I was the only one with a camera as everyone else thought I was an idiot, I also was the only one who got a proper photo and didn't use an iPhone. We returned to the dinner table to many people wanting to see the photos. The village then treated us to songs and dances from their tribe including axes and spears! Laura danced with them and we thanked them very much and headed to bed for the night.