While the world (Australia and NZ now included) continued to grapple with COVID, day to day life in Suva continued in a very real but incredibly surreal way.
Abby headed off to Ovalau with Weightlifting Fiji to open the Levuka Satellite Training Center…..in business class.
Weightlifting Fiji Board.
Back in Suva, the kids and I headed out on the NicNic:
We tended to our garden…Lettuce!
We…err, Tui and Eseta prayed…
IYFA soccer tournament!
Front flippin’ at Matanivusi…..admittedly, Daddy got in a bit of trouble from Donna / Brian for allowing/encouraging this one….won’t happen again.
Dave and I after a sketchy boat ride back from Namuka Passage….drenched but alive and boats not at the bottom of the ocean.
Tui Boy and Tui Girl!
This shit is noise. I am plotting my escape my escape from the UN…… Have you ever thought that you are replying to a friend about a moderately offensive email not realising that you actually hit reply-all to about 3,000 staffers of the UN, World Bank, High Commision, Embassies, and ADB with the words, “This shit is noise, I am plotting your escape from the UN”, then in some quick thinking you send another reply a few minutes later to the same 3,000 people with a quick apology and a slightly self deprecating comment about being the captain of the UN cricket team which in turn went even more viral that the first reply but this time making you a hero to hundreds if not thousands for saying what they all feel and then after 6 weeks of practice as co-captain of the UN Cricket team with Hassan who sent out the initial email and then the two of you guide the UN to win a big cricket tournament in Suva? No? Well Abby did.
Not the best place in the wold to learn out to roller-skate, but Lucy gave it a go….
Right next to Tui’s pre-kindy school is Marist Primary ….just one of those buildings that you think about taking a picture of for years…and then one day, you pull over and finally take a few.
We played with dear friends…..
As did Lucy and Shiyana…
After 4 years of no relationship with the US Embassy, two things happened
The new ambassador Joseph Cella (Trump appointee via CPAC) arrived in Suva ahead of his family (7 pro gun home schooled kids) and we struck up an unlikely friendship that started in a coffee shop…..not discussing politics.
We then met Brit and Brendon via their boy Rowan who is pictured below and William’s new bestie.
The result was actually a healthy and fun relationship with the US Embassy and a string of invites to holiday parties and other functions……until Brit/Brendon moved to India and Biden became president. So long Joseph….it was actually quite fun and we will miss you and our relationship with the US Embassy has gone downhill since….
One of the absolute treasures of Fiji is walking through our garden and looking down at a flower you didn’t see the week before.
