Move over Gates Foundation; Lunacy on Vunisei and Vunisea
One crazy trip- Annapolis to Fiji in 13 years (LORIENT in the distance) L'ORIENTals- we didn't forget you. We've been busy, busy, busy completing another 100 days off the grid. After bidding farewell to Jessie James, the James Gang (his family), and the other lovely residents of Matuku it was time to refuel and re-provision. Nine weeks in the "way off the grid" Lau group has a way of consuming all of your supplies. We pointed L'ORIENT towards Suva, the capital and major port of Fiji. At the risk of discouraging tourism in Suva, I'll just say it's an abrupt transition. The desolate beauty of Fulaga and Matuku vs. a working fishing and industrial port with hundreds of Chinese fishing boats, rusted sunken freighters recalling cyclones of years past, and a diesel fuel sheen on the water. Yuck. We enjoyed a few restaurants, did some shopping, and resolved to get out as fast as we could. We needed everything. Fuel, fruit, vegetables, you name it. Cyclone ...