One of the nicest accompaniments to hard work is good rest and relaxation. The several weeks in which we saw a couple thousand people, the loading and unloading of numerous medical bags each day, the heat and humidity had us looking forward to a few days of rest and relaxation. And what better place to rest and relax then Islands in the South Pacific.
We meandered through the Fijian Islands where we enjoyed the most beautiful sunsets and sunrises ever. The weather was exceptionally cool so every outing was perfect. We swam and snorkeled on any beach we could find and as a group we enjoyed each other’s company tremendously. We spent one day on a ‘private’ beach where we ate peanut butter and jelly sandwiches to our hearts content, swam/snorkeled for hours or just took the time to perfect the skill of napping. I elected to indulge in all three of these activities…
It was during my naptime under a most beautiful coconut tree that I recalled one of my most beautiful Fijian experiences. It had happened on a previous visit and I will never forget the significance of it. On both of these occasions it occurred as I woke up…seeing the blue of the sky as if it were sapphires, the green of the trees as if they were emeralds, and the sun shining through as if it were diamonds sparkling. And, remembering the beauty that is always before me and taking the time to enjoy it richly and deeply. This time was made for that.
Our time on the Solomon Islands was very much needed also. I actually loved that it rained everyday for a couple of hours (and about five inches) as it provided a nice reprieve from the heat. Of course the humidity that followed was…unforgettable. But, at the end of the day, the beauty that is the Solomon Islands prevailed and now it takes great effort to even remember the 105% humidity!
We elected to travel by small boats to one of the Nggela Islands. When we asked how long the ride was our answer was…dependent on the boat we took and if we had any engine problems. Anywhere between 45 minutes and a day or two. If we had no problems we could be there within the hour and if we had a problem it would probably take our boat driver 1-2 days to row over…suffice to say we did not have any engine problems and it took us four hours! I learned something very interesting about Island time. Time and distance really fall under two categories: a long time/far away or a short time/close by. Other than that it really is irrelevant. No one wears a watch and no one has an odometer!
As we rode over it was easy to begin to relax. The sound of the small waves slapping against our boat as the engine hummed almost sounded like a lullaby. We saw a pod of about fifty dolphins and I could not get a picture of a single one! It was very exciting and I found myself in awe, as they seemed to perform for us jumping high above the water and splashing down right along side of us! It was delightful!
Our arrival could best be described as one of those days you have on your bucket list for the South Pacific! Unbelievably beautiful is an understatement. Our rooms were modest but the lagoon was just steps away and there we found the most beautiful snorkeling ever. It was in those moments that we got lost in some of Gods most beautiful creations. Oh, how I wished I had an underwater camera to share the beauty we experienced.
On our last day before travel we decided to take a historical tour of Guadalcanal. The day was August 7
th and it was the 70
th anniversary of the invasion of this Island during WWII. We were in awe of the history of this place and enjoyed returning to these places of significant historical value. Places like Red Beach, Alligator River, Hells Point, Tetere Beach and Bloody Ridge. It was on one of these places (Bloody Ridge) that we received a beautiful gift. The gift was being at the right place at the right time and getting to meet the Commandant of the US Marines (he is the highest ranked US Marine Corps Officer) as they filmed a documentary for the 70
th anniversary of the Battle of Guadalcanal and the birthday of the Marine Corps. Famed historian John Islis was there revealing in depth the details of the infamous battle on Bloody Ridge seventy years ago. We were in awe of that moment and happy to be a part of something so significant.
The places we have been the people we have met are now integrated into the people we have become. I love the part of travel that changes me, humbles me, and reminds me of a perspective that I am too small to have created.
One of the nicest accompaniments to hard work is good rest and relaxation. The several weeks in which we saw a couple thousand people, the loading and unloading of numerous medical bags each day, the heat and humidity had us looking forward to a few days of rest and relaxation. And what better place to rest and relax then Islands in the South Pacific.
We meandered through the Fijian Islands where we enjoyed the most beautiful sunsets and sunrises ever. The weather was exceptionally cool so every outing was perfect. We swam and snorkeled on any beach we could find and as a group we enjoyed each other’s company tremendously. We spent one day on a ‘private’ beach where we ate peanut butter and jelly sandwiches to our hearts content, swam/snorkeled for hours or just took the time to perfect the skill of napping. I elected to indulge in all three of these activities…
It was during my naptime under a most beautiful coconut tree that I recalled one of my most beautiful Fijian experiences. It had happened on a previous visit and I will never forget the significance of it. On both of these occasions it occurred as I woke up…seeing the blue of the sky as if it were sapphires, the green of the trees as if they were emeralds, and the sun shining through as if it were diamonds sparkling. And, remembering the beauty that is always before me and taking the time to enjoy it richly and deeply. This time was made for that.
Our time on the Solomon Islands was very much needed also. I actually loved that it rained everyday for a couple of hours (and about five inches) as it provided a nice reprieve from the heat. Of course the humidity that followed was…unforgettable. But, at the end of the day, the beauty that is the Solomon Islands prevailed and now it takes great effort to even remember the 105% humidity!
We elected to travel by small boats to one of the Nggela Islands. When we asked how long the ride was our answer was…dependent on the boat we took and if we had any engine problems. Anywhere between 45 minutes and a day or two. If we had no problems we could be there within the hour and if we had a problem it would probably take our boat driver 1-2 days to row over…suffice to say we did not have any engine problems and it took us four hours! I learned something very interesting about Island time. Time and distance really fall under two categories: a long time/far away or a short time/close by. Other than that it really is irrelevant. No one wears a watch and no one has an odometer!
As we rode over it was easy to begin to relax. The sound of the small waves slapping against our boat as the engine hummed almost sounded like a lullaby. We saw a pod of about fifty dolphins and I could not get a picture of a single one! It was very exciting and I found myself in awe, as they seemed to perform for us jumping high above the water and splashing down right along side of us! It was delightful!
Our arrival could best be described as one of those days you have on your bucket list for the South Pacific! Unbelievably beautiful is an understatement. Our rooms were modest but the lagoon was just steps away and there we found the most beautiful snorkeling ever. It was in those moments that we got lost in some of Gods most beautiful creations. Oh, how I wished I had an underwater camera to share the beauty we experienced.
On our last day before travel we decided to take a historical tour of Guadalcanal. The day was August 7th and it was the 70th anniversary of the invasion of this Island during WWII. We were in awe of the history of this place and enjoyed returning to these places of significant historical value. Places like Red Beach, Alligator River, Hells Point, Tetere Beach and Bloody Ridge. It was on one of these places (Bloody Ridge) that we received a beautiful gift. The gift was being at the right place at the right time and getting to meet the Commandant of the US Marines (he is the highest ranked US Marine Corps Officer) as they filmed a documentary for the 70th anniversary of the Battle of Guadalcanal and the birthday of the Marine Corps. Famed historian John Islis was there revealing in depth the details of the infamous battle on Bloody Ridge seventy years ago. We were in awe of that moment and happy to be a part of something so significant.
The places we have been the people we have met are now integrated into the people we have become. I love the part of travel that changes me, humbles me, and reminds me of a perspective that I am too small to have created.
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