Dave's Travel Guide to Fiji, Part duex

 Things I'll bring next time:

1.  A waterproof bag.  I don't know what they call 'em, but all the seasoned cruisers had one.  You put your cell phone, wallet, sunglasses, everything that can't get wet into it and seal it.  If you fall in, it floats.  If it rains, you don't worry.  Looks dorky but there is clearly a need.

2.  Magnifying glass.  Or the flip-down magnifiers I have in my shop.  I don't know who passed the law that states all useful product information must be printed in vanishingly small type in non-contrasting colors, but if I ever find them...  (Note the use of gender-neutral pronoun...)

3.  Redundant items:  microSD cards, phone, USB charging cables,  sunglasses.

Things I don't need to bring:

In the spirit of full disclosure, I almost made this section a whole post.  Was going to title it "You can get anything you want..."  Arlo Guthrie, Alice's Restaurant, for you Gen Xers.

I laugh looking back,  thinking that Fiji was this primitive backwater in which you can't find anything you need.    I packed sunscreen, soap, ibuprofen, collared shirts, all kinds of stuff that was readily available in Savusavu.  Now, *finding* it was often an adventure.  So much so, that if I get back to Savusavu I'm going to compile a list of stuff that boaters might need and list the stores that carry that item.  Plus I'll make a map - telling a newbie to 'go to Courts' is useless.

Prices/cost:

I think I've pointed out before the modest prices for restaurant food here.  My friend Tim (of trip Tim and Van) opined that it was cheaper (and often better) to eat out than prepare meals on the boat.

Fuel costs are high.  Two and a half gallons of premix (two cycle outboard fuel) costs about $30 FJD.  That's roughly $15 USD.  Ten gallons of diesel cost about $115 FJD.  Roughly $55 USD.  Actually, maybe those prices aren't that far out of line after all.

Fresh fruit and veggies:  The markets are wonderful.  There  seems to be an agreed upon price for everything, so comparison shopping is useless.  The vendors are immensely grateful for your patronage and learn your name quickly.  I would  just go up to a stall and ask who had fresh pineapple.  Most times that vendor would leave their stall, go and find me a pineapple and bring it to me.  Try and get that kind of service in Hancock.


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