IN the olden days, sea travel enabled people to explore the world around them, colonise territories of their choice, expand trade routes and establishment new settlements. In the Pacific, this has happened over hundreds of years. And if you are from outside Viti Levu, you’d most definitely understand that travel is amongst one of the best and most beautiful to see and appreciate the world around you.
Travelling comes with a variety of challenges and it takes a seasoned inter-island traveler to be able to weather the “storms” of island-hopping. Land travel on Viti Levu using vehicles has its load of issues but it is still a smooth sail when compared to sea travel. The geographical distances you need to cover, expenses involved and weather are some things that make travelling to the islands a hectic and crazy affair.
Travel light One of the secrets of travelling to the islands is “travel light”. Do not pack as if you are eloping with a lover or you are going to a point of no return. Only pack what you need.
The reason is simple; you’d embark and disembark from a ferry with your luggage a number of times, hop onto a bus and get on a fiberglass boat (if you are going to an outer island) so the lighter your load the better. Pack clothes made from fabric that does not retain odour after multiple uses (sea travel can make clothes go damp), breathes well and is lightweight. T-shirts and shorts are perfect but if you are going for a very important meeting, then semi-formal outfits are your friends.
Take photos Travelling to the islands is a perfect time to get close to nature and enjoy some of the most beautiful sceneries, sunrises and sunsets, that the eyes can see. Take lots of photos so that you can remember your adventures and show them off to family members, work colleagues and close friends. They’d all be equally excited as you when viewing shots in your photo album.
Note also that you don’t have to be a professional photographer to capture the most exquisite and exotic seascape, mountain or forest. When out in nature, everything is irresistibly stunning so you can’t go wrong. Just click! That shouldn’t be difficulty with the availability of smart phones in Fiji.
Accept momentary discomforts If you are an urbanite, it is sometimes easy to complain about your first moments of discomfort. But when travelling to the islands, learn to accept the unexpected, like sleeping on floor of the ship or relaxing on the bench of a bus shelter. You may also have to go without a decent bath for 24 hours or more, depending on where you are travelling to.
There may be no supermarkets around you so be prepared to grab whatever you can on the go. Otherwise, travel with a few snacks you can munch on and avoid being fancy and choosy, because you’ll be truly disappointed with the inadequate supply of food, beverage and life’s comforts. Be prepared for the cold Whether you are travelling in the cold or warm months of the year, visiting the islands will most often mean travelling at night, when the weather is expected to be chilly.
If you are travelling in the middle of the year, keep warm. Before leaving home, pack a sweater, scarf, a beanie or pompom, pair of socks and something long. The ferry may be overloaded so you might be required to sleep or sit on deck which is always very windy at night.
I normally take a sulu or scarf and tie it around my head when I walk outside the passenger saloon. It will keep you warm and comfortable throughout the journey. Trust me.
Take a bedsheet When space becomes inadequate on board a ferry, and there are no seats available, you might be required to sleep on the floor. Yes – on the damn floor and I’m not kidding. Do not sleep on the bare floor through.
Use a lightweight or dark-coloured bed sheet (not white). If there are no spaces on the floor of the saloon, you can sleep outside, or on the top deck, where you get to smell the freshest ocean breezes. Don’t forget your toiletry bag The best place to place your small valuables is your toiletry bag.
Make sure it has a spare shaver, deodorant, toothbrush, oir or moisturiser, and toothpaste and hairbrush. If you can, slot in pain killers or your medication, and do not forget your seasick pills. You will need the latter if you often suffer from motion sickness or if you are not used to the tumultuous boat journey.
Oops, do not forget toilet tissues. Toilet facilities on inter-island ships are not the best. Sometimes, they run out of TPs so take your own if you don’t want to find yourself in an embarrassing situation.
Get ready to meet strangers Perhaps one of the best things about travelling is meeting someone you’ve never met or seen before. Be prepared to take in a joke from a stranger. He or she maybe just be as nervous as you are or simply trying to create a conversation.
Be ready to make new friends and exchange contacts. Remember this, if you are travelling on your own, expect to sit in the bus with a stranger, sleep on the floor with a stranger, meet a stranger at the loo and share food with a stranger. Common it’s all part of travelling and it is all part of the adventure!.
