Getting to Suva, Fiji
 9/11/2008 (or should that be 9/12/2008?) through 9/13/2008
A large group of the usual suspects gathered at gate 103 in the Tom Bradley International Terminal in Los Angeles World Airports (also known as LAX). Barreling out of LAX on a Boeing 747 was an interesting experience as I’m used to much smaller planes. Feeling the great bulk of the trying to gather enough speed to reach escape velocity from the gravity of earth, I had some doubts about the runway actually being long enough. But we lifted off and were in the air with a VERY polite and dedicated flight crew.
10 hours in the air is about my personal limit for sitting still. However, we crossed the International Dateline and the Equator which helped keep the ride interesting.
We were really running from the sun, but then I thought, maybe we are running towards to sun. Seems the sun won whichever race as we watched the soft light of the tropical sunrise break over the horizon during our taxi to the terminal at Nadi Airport. So the loss of September 12th was not as painful as the excitement of being somewhere so different from home (Portland, Oregon, USA).
Customs was handled quickly even with the large number of people who arrived on the almost full 747. Many caught the same bus to Suva, but a few decided to try a different route and were adventurous enough to rent a car.
The bus driver knew his machine quite well and could judge space and distance with incredible speed. 5 hours later, after a winding, scenic tour of Viti Levu, we arrived at the Suva Holiday Inn.
Afternoons were spent drowsing in the heavy tropical humidity and listening to the rain hiss down to earth. Lucky enough for me, I am staying with a ex-patriate librarian, Denise R. from USP’s main library. She picked me up from the bus and we walked downtown to the open air markets to check out the many interesting items for sale: locally produced arts and the incredible variety of seafood, vegetables and spices.
Early to bed, early to rise means we get to go on the field trip the next day.
Lenora A. Oftedahl
StreamNet Regional Librarian
Columbia River Inter-Tribal Fish Commission
