Forgot to mention, the further problem encountered at the village was the spontaneous (I didn’t drop it or anything) of my laptop and phone (suicide pact?) which left me in a bit of a pickle.

My equally traumatic experience was just a few days before leaving the village, we were on one of the reefs when I saw massive red octopus, really amazing and intelligent creaturs! it was swimming and gliding along the bottom exploring the holes. However, when lavinia saw it, dinner obviously flashed in front of her eyes and a long battle (with much ink) ensued. Lavinia won. She turned its head inside out to kill it. I declined eating it for dinner.

on a similar note, kirsy says i should creat a guide to tasty reef fish recipe type book, sice i seam to have eaten a lot of them. this worries me! (because parrotfish IS tasty!)

Ok, so I realise it has been a while since I blogged, but I have a perfectly acceptable reason, honest of which the backbone is: the organisations organisation when down the proverbial pot, the remaining volunteers all left for a weeks ‘holiday’, in which time I, the only cavalangi in the village was concerned for my sexual safety, she jests you say, but alas I do not. Distressing at the time, funny now, once the boys had left and I was sat on the beach working (best office ever) a number of village men (at least half of which I didn’t recognise: it can be very confusing how people just appear in the village) started to surround me, with repetitive asking of ‘alicie, are you all alone tonight in the house’, ‘do you need company’, ect ‘Fijian Fijian Fijian, alicie, Fijian hahaha’ you get the jist, I was a bit concerned and decided to evacuate for the week (especially as I wouldn’t be able to get any water based work done with no one else around). So of I plodded to one of the island resorts, where in true English fashion I had a jolly good time splashing around counting fish, chatting to tourists and letting my knees see the sunshine (the sun is making a poor appearance in fiji, I am expecting those in Scotland to have  a better tan!)

Anyway, so after a week away we all came back to the village (apart from Austin who was 2 days late as per usual, attendance of 33% which is a FAIL for any university module). Anyho, it was nice to be back at the village, many of the families and a number of our ‘helpers/volunteers’ are lovely (lavinia, who bossed me around a lot at the beginning and was a bit scary, is now not so scary), and we got a good amount of stuff done, and I rounded up my data collection (one of my site had a lot less time spent at it but I am hoping that doesn’t confuse my analysis).

After 6 and a half weeks (in which my love for cassava grew: it is very good with salt) I have left the village (for ever ever, ever ever) and made the trek (first time in a car for 6 weeks) to kirsty in pacific harbour! :D

Staying in a dorm in a very nice (and cheap) beach resort with pool, restaurant and bar! All very exciting. Me and keith has a lovely catch up with cocktails yesterday (and pasta, not noodles, nor rice, actual pasta in a cream sauce yum yum). And after a breakfast of the best of both worlds: toast and cake, (at first I (stupidly) questioned the Fijian liking of cake for breakfast, but really it is genius) we had a day trip to suva (an actual ‘city’) where we act, shopped and dropped.  As the hibiscus festival has just started there was a fair ground at the park (none of the rides would of past English health and safety lol) and there was one which looked like a (very old and unsafe) version of the kids caterpillar ride from the pleasure beach!

The most exciting purchase being a bottle of red Australian wine (half the price of buying at the restaurant, so if you think about it logically, we were saving money) called ‘Alice white’ the bottle literally had my name on it, if that was not an invitation to drink it (on the beach because we are classy ladies) then I don’t know what was!

The plans so far for the upcoming week involve at least 2 days of diving (apparently I will soon be of the opinion that being surrounded by 40+ bull sharks is not an issues as they are ‘just like puppies’) and hopefully some other exciting activities (I’m going to push for doughnut riding and jet ski) as pacific harbour is apparently the ‘adventure capital of fiji’! (any obviously I will start my data analysis, obviously).

(mum, heads up: probably best you don’t read this next little section).

I have now been on 3 boat trips when I have been force to think ‘if this boat capsizes now, what valuables do I have in my bag and where are my fins?’ (fins being the difference between reaching land and not).

The first time was a boat trip in last weeks storm (it put the valhallah to shame) the second was the most recent trip to levuka when it seemed very likely  that the bottom of the boat would come off and the 3^rd today when hitting some very big waves at full speed!.

So last Saturday, a few of us attempted to get of the island. A 3 hour walk around the island asking at every village for a boat (the tide was VERY far out) and we eventually found someone who realised that some muddy desperate cavalangies would pay good dollar for a boat! The aim of the trip was quite simple some variety and beers (in the case of the boys) a ceaser salad for me!

On Sunday we have our first official day of :D and when to caqualai island where I got more than my knees out (I actually wore a bikini to the boys horror) and did my first (and likely only due to the current weather) bit of sunbathing.

A recent death of a village elder has resulted in a good show if sexism. If preparation for the funeral which the whole island attends (10 villages at 150-250 people per village) 4 days of fishing occurs using arrange of methods and at a range of sites. All very interesting, especially for my report, however due to the tragic occurrence of my sex I was not allowed to go fishing (though a spear gun in my hand is not the best idea) with the boys which resulted in a good deal of boredom.

We have again collected a new pet, a very smelly fruit bat names skunk. Some village boys, upon hearing we were rather fond of pets threw something at it and it simply fell out of the sky poor thing! It is making a good go through the banana stock and was released this morning (after being presented to Austin as his birthday present).  Whilst I am find with the many insects in jars, I am become increasingly filled with hate towards ants. Mainly because they invaded the peanut butter tub (I can understand why they wanted to do this, but I will never forgive them). In addition to everything being covered in ants, it is also permanently damp due to the amount of rain we have been having (apparently very unusual, I call its sods law, I don’t know who this sod man is but I am not a fan). The path down the hill is now a mud slip and slide and the biggest threat to my bones.

I am falling more and more in love with the reef, it changes every time I go for a swim and even though I can recognise so many fish now there are still so many I keep noticing! It’s a shame my camera doesn’t really do it justice. The reefs has also taken on a Hogwarts esque aspect in that we puts things in it and they vanish, especially the newly finished fish houses who location is still a mystery to me! FINALLY diveing of Saturday at Wakaya island so very very excited!

Today was an absolute result! One of the resort island wants a coral farm and will put us up for free for the night. So despite the weather I have squeezed into my sexy wetsuit and gone onto the reef, and after a long hard day of work (make want you want of the use of that word) had an dinner of chicken and sausages with pineapple of kebabs so I am now more stuffed than a parrot fish: which I have seen lots of today. There were loads of wrasse cleaner stations of the reef (which was soft coral dominated, very beautiful) also saw some cuttlefish which looked like they were synchronised swimming, a sea crate and some bat fish!

Tomorrow we will plan the corals we collected to day and hopefully start the process of restoring this reef which is an exciting prospect.