The surest way to go was by seaplane (1hr) but we have just learned that they won't stay on islands overnight and will charge double to return to get us at a totally crazy price. A needs to get out there for a meeting so although his Foundation was going to pay it simply isn't worth double and he will try by boat next week instead. However, it makes me realise why he has travelled so casually round the world up to now as a 16 hour trip to his own island is almost as long as going most other places. We are disappointed, but we were so relieved to get here at all after a scare in Australia when the News reported an imminent coup again and we feared that Quantas might not take us. But apparently that was all in the heads of the Australians and although life is not straight-forward politically at all there is no coup on the books. The other aspect is that all Anare's sisters and brothers and most of the rest of his family now live on Viti Levu, having come over to work or for their children to go to secondary school here. To meet them and see their carvings and share a family feast we needed to be in Suva not Fulaga.
Snorkeling will happen from a closer island, possibly tomorrow depending on sea conditions and the views from the house are spectacular anyway. I've found time to paint whenever there has been a spare moment so we are perfectly content (understatement!). My major curiosity, after knowing Anare for 36 years was how someone with his extensive education (2 years Marine Biology at Fiji University, disrupted when the government asked him to go to England to study Estate Management in Cirencester, followed by Law, followed by becoming a chartered surveyor) and who travels round the world more than anyone I know, could deal with the simple island life which consisted of fishing, carving (his family's speciality) and weaving. From meeting his extended family, most of whom are fluent in English and well-educated, I think the answer lies in very much the same area as how we deal with 21st century life and our commitment to our religions and their rituals, something that is valuable to keep alive and practised and taken seriously but needs a separate niche from the machine-ful world of everyday.
So having explained all that I'll try to fill you in on some of the rich diversity of pleasures so far:
We flew into Nadi (pronounced "Nandi") on the main island Viti Levu at about 8pm on Saturday 20th and were met by A and his nephew in a comfortable air-conditioned car and were driven the 3+ hrs east along the main coastal road to Suva, skillfully avoiding some interesting
potholes. It was frustrating to realise that it was a beautiful drive but invisible in the dark so we arrived with little sense of our surroundings.
The house is built on pillars in the hillside outside Suva, leaving space for the car, washing, sitting in the shade, below, as well as a bedroom. It is very large, white and square, but with beautiful verandas round 3 sides both on the main floor and the bedroom floor. 
We woke to find that it has fabulous views on one side of the bay, mountains and small villages all set in lush green fields and forests. In his capacity as chief of his island A has responsibility for all the islanders wherever they live, so his house has to be open and available to them at all times. His large 7 bedrooms (many ensuite) are usually full and sometimes the downstairs rooms and verandahs too. Living here at present are his Mother, Asinate, his cousin and astonishingly calm housekeeper, her parents, 3 adopted children of 2, 4 and 10 (extended family members) and Tim, an American colleague. The huge living rooms on the first floor consist of a big open kitchen with entrance both ends, a room which is a dining room and lounge and on the other side of the kitchen another with woven floor mats only for cava ceremonies, rest and play. Then there is also a utility room, an ironing room and 2 bedrooms on that floor. Asinate's father works at carving outdoors under an awning in the garden during the day. Richard would love to have the warm weather to work like this, but here there are no loud machines either.
So what have we been up to in our first week here? A massive quantity of eating certainly. Asinate seems to provide endless delicious meals, often specifically Fijian dishes for us. Fish, vegetables and fruit may be cooked on a 'lovo' outdoor oven by some of A's nephews which consists of stones baked white hot over wood. They bake sweet potatoes, breadfruit and yams, till soft as well as a dish of big green ro ro leaves folded around tuna or coconut fillings. We watched fascinated as they pounded the breadfruit to a smooth paste in a large wooden dish held between the legs and mashed with an unripe paw paw held with 3 wooden prongs. This was mixed with coconut and sugar (latter is the main crop of Fiji) to make a very tasty desert. Other dishes are usually prepared on or in the cooker indoors. The wonderful variety of fish is usually cooked in coconut milk (We've been shown how to break them in half skillfully, but not yet tried ourselves) and the fish soup is then served in a separate bowl with the meal and is delicious. We haevn't managed to cope with eating fish heads which are the best bit, but it is enjoyed with relish by A, reducing everything efficiently to the bones. The fruit here seem to have stronger flavours than back in UK; paw paw, pineapple, mango, watermelon, limes, breadfruit (though this is starchy so eaten as bread or a sweet dish). Much of it grows in A's garden below. We drink a deliciously balancing ginger tea with milk, fruit juice, coconut juice or coffee. Enough for one blog. More to come.
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