Colo-I-Suva Forest Reserve
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9/14/2008Â
Bright and early Sunday morning, 23 intrepid explorers set out from Holiday Inn Suva in search of adventure in the vicinity of Suva. The Colo-I-Suva Forest Reserve seemed to provide a picturesque hike through the South Pacific Rainforest. (Denise R. coordinated the adventure and arranged all the details like permits and guides.)
Light showers spatter us as we drove toward the park. People were warned to carry umbrellas or raincoats to avoid getting soaked. Yeah, right. Being from the Pacific Northwest of the U.S., a temperate rainforest, I live for rain showers and actually prefer them to sunshine. Of course, that could be the fair skin talking too.
Being librarians and their close relations, we knew that we did not know enough about the park and so hired two guides to show us the park and talk to us about the flora and fauna of the area. One of the first creatures we encountered was the giant millipede that inhabits the Pacific Islands. These millipedes were the length of my hand, tip of middle finger to heel of palm, and I don’t have small hands (I can cover an octave on the piano). So very large bugs, ok. But the twist, they are venomous and humans tend to react badly to the poison in their feet (all of them) and their pincers. So, don’t pick them up to try to pet them.
We followed the very well laid path through the park down the hill (yes, DOWN). A lovely stream trickled down the hill with us and formed waterfalls, riffles and pools along the path we followed. While the trail was well maintained, a few of us whined as we walked down over slippery rocks, rotting leaves and seemingly rickety bridges. Many who know me will understand my reluctance to cross these little bridges. However, looks can be deceiving as they are built to last as evidenced by my crossing them safely.
The jungle was amazing. Many of the explorers saw quite a few birds. I was focused on the water and how soon we’d be swimming in a warm tropical pool. The diversion of watching the water flowing over the rocks kept me sighing with regret each time we passed a pool of water which begged to be swum in.
After just an hour (which seemed to be several) we reached a lovely pool complete with rope swing and waterfall. Yippee!! Slipping into the water, the temperature was a bit cooler than expected. Warmer than the ocean at home, but not quite the warm tropical pool we expected. Several of the explorers were brave enough to swing from the rope into the pool, which turned out to be quite deep.
We were limited to just 20 minutes in the water, though I suspect we took a bit longer with the excitement over watching friends and loved ones swinging from a rope over the water. But we had cooled off and were ready for the return trip to the bus. What goes down, must go up. We had parked at the first parking lot, at the top of the hill…the steep hill we had just hiked down. Up, up, up we climbed to the second parking lot and then up the road to the first parking lot where a number of us collapsed for the ride back to the Holiday Inn.
Once again, I was amazed by the bus driver’s supernatural driving skills and the command of his machine. Several spots on the road I wondered how an SUV got through, much less a bus. But the bus driver’s superhuman relationship with his bus ensure the safe return of all 23 intrepid explorers to the hotel. Thank you to the U.S. Embassy for providing our transportation.
The afternoon was a rest period before the Welcome reception at the Holiday Inn. Not everyone attended, but we were all happy to see our LONG-TERM friends as well as the new friends we were about to meet. Wine flowed, people met and chatted. Hors d’oevres circulated. We were informally welcomed by Joan Yee and Elizabeth Winiarz, the conference convener. And then we started the Conga line by the microphone to introduce ourselves. Next year I think we should play the name game.
Lenora A. Oftedahl
StreamNet Regional Library
Columbia River Inter-Tribal Fish Commission
