Life in Fiji  (2008.01.02-2008.01.06)

The seventh week

2008.01.02 (Day 465)

Forenoon: I went into town to internet.

Then I visited ASCO motors again, to get information about ordering the drive shaft. They still hadn't found my motor's catalogue yet. I also spoke with an other Indian guy. Later the Hungarian YAMAHA office sent me the catalogue and the code of the shaft. I forwarded the information to ASCO motors.

Predictably it would cost 75,000 HUF (~ 430 USD). So it's expensive!

Maybe I try to have one done, I have a few addresses for it. I request for proposal from these companies.

I don't want a new motor, even a smaller outboard one couldn't fit in the stern, because of the solar panel.

I ate fish and chips for lunch, cost 2 FD.

Then made the shopping: 2 canned beef: 3 FD, puff-pastry 2 FD, Indian candy: 1 FD

In the evening, I was reading in the boat.

2008.01.03 (Day 466)

It was raining all day, so I couldn't work.

Forenoon I was watching the rest 2 films.

Lunch: soup

In the afternoon: reading.

I spoke with Hans and Mo about the mast.

So, Mo's coming back to work on 17th of jan. and we straighten it back. It's going to be fixed to the rail of the crane, and I press it slowly to the rail in the middle. Then I put a plastic tube, filled with PUR foam, inside the mast (was suggested by Hans). So the tube is strong, but not heavy and will boost the mast. I can buy the foam in the local sailor shop, but maybe it's cheaper in the city, I'll look around.

Shopping: spices: 0.p FD; candy: 1.8 FD

Dinner: canned beef with bulgur

Reading and then internet in the marina from evening till morning.

2008.01.04 (Day 467)

It's raining all day, so I can't work again.

In the morning I had walked to the marina to check my mails. Then had an ice cream.

All day long I was mainly reading and listening to music - meditating.

Lunch: scrambled eggs with onion and toast, then a soup

Afternoon: chatting with friends on the beach.

In Hans's opinion the world's uncorrectable. So, you can just "escape", that's why he's sailing for 30 years. He's been living around Fiji for 9 years, now he wants to settle down here and requests for citizenship with his wife. Many people is sailing to the Pacific ocean, and they're living on the small islands for months, then sailing again.

Maybe I'm too young, maybe I'm a perpetual optimistic, but I think world's correctable. So, I don't want to settle down here in the paradise, because the world can be fixed. Many people tells me to stay here, marry a pretty Fijian girl and have a bunch of kids. My plan is sailing back to Europe.

Internet whole night, almost till morning.

2008.01.05 (Day 468)

It's raining again!

I spent the whole day at Bobby, copying music and dealing with Skinny's new mp3-player. I had lunch with them, then had some beers. I finished the antibiotics today, so I could drink beer again. I didn't drink anything at new year's eve, but it didn't bother me.

2008.01.06 (Day 469)

I got the Yamaha parts list '80/'81 catalogue. My engine is 8B S. The drive shaft is broken, the code is 655-45501-00 (Short 644 mm). It's very expensive, 430 USD. I measured my broken shaft: 420 mm.

This is a Yamaha modification, Saildrive.

The original drive shaft was shortened or remade. So there's no point to buy a new one, because I can't buy this size. I'll weld it or have a new one done at the shipyard. Tomorrow I'll visit some suggested yards with my friend. My plan is to sent him in, so I can get local, not tourist price. It's at least a 30% difference!

I ate noodles for lunch, it's an instant 85 g soup. The price is 0.4 FD, so the inhabitants always eat this. So am I.

Shopping: 1 l milk - 1.55 FD; 1 kg sugar - 0.86 FD; ice cream - 0.4 FD

In the evening I went to the bar of the Club just to hang around. I was speaking with Skinny, Bobby, Gerry, Mike and others. What were we talking about? Nothing special. During 2-3 hours maximum 2-3 sentences grasp and interest me! This time it was Marty. After 20 years of work he had left Australia and started a new life in Fiji. He transports tourists to the islands by motor boats. He has been doing this for 3 months, but he's not sure if he stays here. He decides this month. Interesting. Many people stays, only a few of them want to go back to "life".

Dinner: scrambled eggs and toast.