- five days on the Tui Tai
Appearances can be deceiving. Last night we moored off what looked like a luxury resort on the tip of Rabi island. This morning we went ashore to investigate on mountain bikes. It turned out to be a pleasantly ramshackle village with a church hall, volleyball court and not much else.
Passing by a Rabian bloke, I notice he used the blade of his machete to swat a fly away from his face.
Mountain biking seemed like a good idea, but after the first giant, swoon-inducing hill I was over that. We stopped at the first beach and ended up staying there pretty much all day.
The crew sent over some deckchairs. Around noon they brought lunch (beef curry, rice and rotis) and a well-stocked chilly bin.
Fast forward to 4pm. Crewman Timoti had a roaring fire going, heating the rocks for tonightÕs lovo (Fijian hangi). Overhanging palms and a steady onshore breeze kept things cool.
Liga, Aggie, and a bunch of crew arrived in the inflatable for a volleyball challenge. They were 10 times better than us, but we seemed to win an equal share of games. Fijians are natural diplomats.
It was our final night aboard Tui Tai. The crew set up shop on the back deck with guitars and a Kava bowl. Plenty of Fiji Bitters were downed as we dissected the last five days. Everyone agreed: the Tui Tai had been a great experience.
The divers raved about their dives. While there was plenty to do, no-one felt pressured to over-exert themselves. The scenery was praised. The Americans were totally in love with Fijians. The food and the crew got rave reviews.
Later that night the Tui Tai cruised the moonlight towards Savusavu. The wind rustled the sails as a thousand stars danced above the silhouettes of distant islands.
Tui Tai cruises
5 nights from approx $1550 share twin, includes all meals and all activities (except PADI dives).. Also 3 and 4 night packages available. Price excludes flights
See www.tuitai.com for details.