by Krista | Jan 12, 2011 | Plucky Thursday
Mornin’ luvs! I promise I WILL get back to telling you about Fiji soon, but I just had to share these photos from yesterday. My friends and I heard the bridges to town might be opening, so we piled into cars and headed out, hoping to get to the grocery store for milk, bread and such.
It was absolutely gorgeous with bright, warm sunshine and billowing clouds scudding across the sky. We got stopped at the first bridge for a short wait, but they let us through and we drove over slowly, agog at the water rushing past only a few inches beneath us.
We drove along rutted dirt tracks because the pavement (known as bitumen to Aussies) had been picked up and washed away into neighboring fields.
At last we made it to town. Cars were lined up along the highway and side streets, Aussies sitting on the grass or walking the riverbank as they waited to see if the bridge would open. We wiled away the hours picking up hamburgers for lunch and sitting under a large tree shooting the breeze. It was fun to be out there with everyone, each person with their own story of surviving the flood. After five long hours the barricades were removed and we were waved forward. We were one of the first across. I could hardly believe my eyes as we rolled over the bridge. The entire city park was under water, only the eyes of a giant plastic hippopotamus visible above the water line.
We made it to the shopping center only to find half the shops closed – their owners unable to get to town. The grocery store had half empty produce shelves – the result of farm land under water, the crops flattened, trucks unable to bring in supplies. We got two of the few remaining milk cartons, some fresh fruit, and then we headed home again.
It was an amazing day, one I won’t soon forget. The sun is out again today and slowly but surely the water is drying up, stream, river and pond levels going down. It’s good to see the sun.
by Krista | Jan 11, 2011 | Compatriot Wednesday
Good morning, luvs! Much to my delight I awoke to SUNSHINE streaming in my window!! It is gone now and black storm clouds are billowing ever closer, but I had it for a few minutes and loved it. 🙂
Things are rather dire in much of Queensland right now with massive flooding just down the road from me. I’m safe and sound at a friends ranch atop a plateau, well out of reach of the raging flood waters, but we have been stranded, unable to get to any towns because the roads and bridges are awash. We’re going to venture out today though, see if we can get to town.
I managed to get conjunctivitis in both eyes this week – eeesh – but thankfully we were able to get to the doctor and the chemist just before the roads flooded. The water was literally only a few inches from covering the bridge as we crossed over! I loved going to the doctor in Allora. I felt like I was in a western movie, wide streets lined with buildings that look straight out of the Old West. I fully expected the office to have a spittoon in the corner, but was disappointed. 🙂
Yesterday my friend and I had enough of being housebound and decided to brave the elements for a trek through the ranch. We donned Wellies, overalls and raincoats, called for the dogs – Fletcher and Whombat – and headed out.
The ground is positively saturated, with several inches of standing water over most of it. Any depression in the ground is now a lake or pond and streams are gushing along through once dry fields.
The animals are happy though. Whombat and Fletcher frolicked wildly, utterly delighted to get themselves sopping wet. The horses are devouring the abundance of green grass, and birds are flitting about eating the mosquitoes and other bugs that are flourishing in this new boggy environment.
It was such a fun hike. I couldn’t stop smiling as we sloshed through endless water, taking pictures of Scotch Thistle and prickly pear, burnt out logs and wildflowers. Even in the rain this is beautiful country.
Tomorrow I’ll tell you more about Fiji, but today I thought you’d like to see a bit of the soggy world I’m in right now. 🙂
by Krista | Jan 11, 2011 | Gulliver Tuesday
Good morning, luvs! I’m writing to you from sopping wet Australia. I don’t think I’ve ever seen so much rain in my life – and I live in Washington! In a few minutes I’m going to go hiking in spite of the wet and hope to get some pictures for you. 🙂
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After a scrumptious breakfast my first morning in Fiji, I decided a ramble was in order. I only had one day there and wanted to make the most of it, so I grabbed my camera and walked out to the beach, keeping a wary eye on the black storm clouds rolling ever closer.
I love the beach at Sonaisali Island Resort. While there are portions of white sand (see below) the real beach is a gorgeous, silky soft black sand with ribbons of gold that glisten as the waves roll in and out. I walked up and down the beach, the warm salt water and soft sand pure therapy to my feet still sore from tramping all over the Netherlands and Germany.
It was such a peaceful outing and I felt the stress ease out of me with each crash of the waves and gust of warm, salty air. Soon the rain arrived, falling gently at first, more like a fine mist than a downpour, but then the heavens opened and it fell in sheets, drenching me to the skin. It was so warm I didn’t mind a bit, and continued to wander through palm groves, eventually making my way back to my cabin where I sat on the porch and enjoyed the torrent.
A bit later I went for another walk and tomorrow I’ll tell you all about my discoveries. 🙂
by Krista | Jan 10, 2011 | Bootstrap Monday
Hello dear ones! How I’ve missed you these past few days.
I arrived in Fiji in the wee hours of the morning, groggy but smiling as I wandered through Customs to the sound of four jolly Fijian chaps singing their hearts out in welcome. It was gloriously warm and humid and I basked in the weather so very different from the snow and ice I’d left behind.
The day started off right with the airline losing my luggage then finding it ten minutes later! Hooray! I stopped by the ATM for some Fiji dollars, found a cab and headed out through the countryside to my hotel. It was a gorgeous morning, the sun rising over lush green hills and fields of sugar cane. My taxi driver was a delightful Indian man who told me all sorts of stories from the area and even pulled over by the side of the road so I could capture the sunrise.
Much to my surprise, instead of driving me to my hotel, he dropped me off at a small dock and informed me that a boat would be by shortly to pick me up. I was thrilled to discover that I had inadvertently chosen a hotel on an island, one reachable only by boat. 🙂
Sure enough, within a few minutes this beaming fellow welcomed me aboard and soon I was grinning happily as brisk sea breezes tossed my hair wildly and awakened my oh-so-tired self. I was greeted at the dock by another beamy chap. I LOVE the genuine smiles and loving natures of the Fijians. They make you feel like long-lost friends coming for a visit.
I arrived at the Sonaisali Island Resort in time to get an early morning breakfast, and found the perfect perch beside the pool, mere yards away from the ocean. Fresh passion fruit, watermelon, and red papaya with lime juice made me a happy camper.
At last my room was ready and I hurriedly showered, changed and headed out for some treks around the island. More on that next time… 🙂
by Krista | Jan 5, 2011 | Compatriot Wednesday
Good morning, dear ones! After getting home late Monday night from Amsterdam, I am now nearly packed and ready to leave for Fiji and Australia in a few hours. Phew. I’m SO excited to see my dear, dear friends over there, but I’m one tired girl I tell ya.
My first stop will be a long layover in Fiji. I’m hoping for blazing hot sunshine to warm my bones, but since it’s the rainy season…
…I’ll probably get skies like this. I don’t mind a bit though. I’m just so grateful for this trip, for the chance to rest, be warm, and visit with people I love so dearly – even if it’s to the sound of torrential tropical downpours. 🙂
It’s going to be a long two days of travel from Vancouver, Canada to Los Angeles, CA then Nadi, Fiji and finally, Brisbane, Australia. I can’t wait to hug my friends SO tight then settle in for good, long talks and jolly adventures as we go camping, hiking, and exploring in beautiful Queensland.
I’ve got my camera and extra batteries and am all set to chronicle it all for you. 🙂
Now I MUST get packed!!! Love you all dearly and am so glad I get to share this adventure with you. Big hugs!!
