Home Again Home Again Jiggidy Jig

We spent several more days in New Caledonia.

Jess came down with the chicken pox. We had already had a few rough crossings so we decided to call it quits on the south pacific.

It took several days to get home.

We woke up around 5:30 a.m. on October 23rd. Left the boat by 6:30, saying goodbye to our dear captain and the yacht we'd shared for over a month.

A lovely shuttle ride through the countryside of New Caledonia made me understand why people love it so much. The city we had been in was definitely forgettable. But the other parts of the island were simply breathtaking.

The first plane took us from New Caledonia to New Zealand. Ah how I wish we could have stayed there for awhile.

The next plane took us from New Zealand to L.A.

That was followed by a plane from L.A. to Charlotte, NC.

Then on to D.C.

We arrived at 11:55 p.m. on October 23rd. It was the world's longest day! Whoever said there are 24 hours in a day never traveled crossing the international date line.

I don't know how many more hours than 24 it was. But it definitely wasn't just 24.

My friend, Carolyn, had booked a hotel for us near the airport. Unfortunately the phone number I had to call the shuttle didn't work. I ended up having to take a cab.

We finally got to sleep in a real bed by 1 a.m.

I set the alarm for 9:30 a.m. so we could enjoy the free breakfast. We fell fast asleep soon after.

Checkout was at noon, so we packed quickly and left just in the nick of time.

Carolyn picked us up and took us back to her place where my car was waiting. We transferred all our luggage and I began the drive to Radford.

We arrived at home at 7:30 p.m. We didn't even bother to take anything out of the car. We were so happy to be back in our own beds. We both fell fast asleep.

Jess and I both woke up 1 a.m. Heaven only knows what time zone we were in.

By 2 a.m. we had fallen back asleep and we slept until noon.

That night I went to sleep at 10 p.m. and again didn't wake up until noon the next day.

The weather here is chilly. Many of the leaves have already turned and are falling off the trees. Ah how I dislike fall and winter.

People ask me what I thought about the whole trip. It's still too early to tell all the wonderful insights I've gained by visiting the South Pacific.

I do know this.

I love living in a climate where you can wear tank tops, sarongs, and flip flops all the time. My skin loves the humidity. Tropical flowers are glorious. I love  living on the water in a yacht. I've never liked cold or winter. Fiji is fabulous!

When I'm away traveling, or even when I'm not, I rarely think about what's happening somewhere else. I'm fully immersed in the moment I'm in.

My son, however, kept thinking about home. He actually had tears in his eyes when he returned to his own things in his own room.

I completed most of my new book on this journey. I got up many mornings before anyone else was awake and wrote, sipped tea, and basked in the beauty that surrounded me.

Talking to one of my dearest friends on the phone soon after my return, she remarked that I had a calmness, a confidence, and a new tonal quality in my voice that was noticeable.

I'm still working on getting all of me back into the time zone I'm living in.

I'm finishing up the book and putting together a new workshop series. The first one is being planned for Charlotte, North Carolina.

To find out more about my books, products, long distance energy healing sessions, workshops, and more, visit Dolphin Empowerment and join the mailing list.

Fiji was Fabulous,
Debbie Takara Shelor 

Adventures in the South Pacific - Issue 30

Who Cares About a Language Barrier?

Kids don't for sure.

The family from Belgium that we met in Vanuatu were on the dock at the marina this morning. Jess is playing with them, as well as another blond non-english speaking boy. Hide and seek works in any language.

I love that.

When I logged onto my computer this morning, even Blogger was in French. Oops. Luckily once I logged in it knew to give me English.

I remember enough from high school that breakfast was fairly easy to order.

Let's see how the banking goes?

 
Debbie Takara Shelor

Adventures in the South Pacific - Issue 29

It's chilly here . . .

I had to break out my blue jeans. I haven't had them on since the plane trip to Fiji over a month ago.

Since then, I've mostly been wearing bathing suits or tank tops with a sarong, wrap around skirt, or shorts.

The wind is fairly brisk and the sky is clouded over.

It was raining for awhile when we arrived yesterday.

After Fiji, it feels downright cold here.

Brian refuses to abandon his shorts for long pants. He added a sweatshirt though. I have no qualms with bunding up in long pants, a long sleeve shirt, and even a sweater or wind breaker if the need arises as we head out exploring again today.

If you've been reading my previous blog posts, you may want to go back and check them out again. I've finally added the rest of the photos. I've taken over 1000, so obviously I'm only posting a small fraction of them. I've also taken several videos including one of the most recent dolphin encounter.

Brian is off for a run.

Jess is still asleep.

I'm enjoying the view from the marina and my first cup of hot tea for the day.

Trying to remember my Frnech lessons from high school,
Debbie Takara Shelor

Adventures in the South Pacific - Issue 28

New Caledonia . . .

We anchored near one of the islands for several hours. We were resting before going through this crazy pass and on to the marina at Noumea on Grande Terre.

New Caledonia is almost entirely French Speaking. And Noumea is considered Paris of the South Pacific.

So far the prices reflect that idea. After taking several hours to clear quarantine, immigration, and customs, we were free to explore.

Brian and I took our laptops to the cafe at the marina that has free wifi. When we were done catching up on email, facebook, and blog posts, we headed back to the boat.

We decided dinner should be a meal from outside the marina.

We found a McDonalds. Surely we wouldn't eat there.

We found a park with huge pilars with American colors. Turns out to be a tribute to the American soldiers who helped keep New Caledonia free from 1942 to 1946.

We couldn't seem to find anything else. Finally we stumbled across some trucks. These are the little vans where you can buy cooked meals. There were 3 trucks all offering Chinese food. So we decided tonight would be Chinese.

After ordering a few simple dishes, we were billed $4,600 Francs - that means $46 U.S. for 3 chinese take out dinners. Yikes! I'd heard the prices were seriously inflated, but I truly had no idea.

We brought the food back to the boat and ate it with chopsticks while watching Into the Wild.

Brian turned in early. Jess and I finished the movie and then were off to bed ourselves.
 
On to exploring more of New Caledonia,
Debbie Takara Shelor

Adventures in the South Pacific - Issue 27

Breakfast with Dolphins

I had just come off the early morning watch - 3 a.m. to 6 a.m. - and was heading into dream time when Jess woke me up saying, "I saw dolphins."

We all rushed to the bow and sure enough several dolphins were there bow riding.

They never cease to bring delight to my soul. Just seeing them always makes me leap for joy inside.

They stayed with us for awhile.

Several of them had white noses.

I was so thrilled that Jess spotted these. There is something so exciting about being the first to notice their presence.

Continuing to New Caledonia, 
Debbie Takara Shelor

Adventures in the South Pacific - Issue 26

Saying Goodbye to Vanuatu

I would have been happy staying there for a month.

However, it was once again time to move on.

I tried a patch this time - convinced that all the sea sickness issues I had in the last crossing were directly related to the medicine and not my internal makeup.

I was the girl who had crossed the English Channel, notorious for being rough water, and was the only person from our group of about 30 that did not get sea sick.

Luckily, the sea sickness is apparently over - in calm waters anyway.  

On to New Caledonia,
Debbie Takara Shelor

Adventures in the South Pacific - Issue 25

A Typical Day . . .

I'm the first one up again. Things are quiet in the yacht and the harbor. I enjoy a cup of tea and write some more on my latest book. It is coming together almost effortlessly.

Brian moved the yacht to the middle of the harbor yesterday afternoon. We are sitting right in front of a couple's only resort with a gorgeous beach. A short distance across the harbor is the main town of Port Vila. I just keep walking around the boat taking photos from every angle possible. Early morning, with the lights shining on the water at night. I really do just love it here.

Just as Brian and Jess are getting up, there are people swimming across the harbor, kayaking, hobicat-type sailing, in between all the yachts and sail boats anchored here. Well, I think once again, we are the only motorized boat.

I love the luxury of the power boat. Sail boats are gorgeous and there is a tranquility about them when the wind is cooperating. But they are tons of work and the wind is not always cooperative. And they certainly don't have the level of comfort and provisions that we can hold. Two freezers and a bunch of cabinets full of food is wonderful. We have multiple cans of everything, fresh bread and organic produce from the local open air market, cookies, popcorn, ice cream, and lots of other snacks. 

Sitting in the salon Watching movies on the big screen is also a blast on the yacht.

Last night when the guys were gone, I had the idea that I knew what a fish in a bowl feels like. The lights were on inside the yacht. So people could see in. But I couldn't see out. It's kind of odd.

Yesterday Brian was the short order breakfast chef. We had eggs and pancakes. Mmmm they were yummy. Today we all fended for ourselvew for breakfast.

Jess just made some chicken flavored raman for himself for an early lunch. Brian and I had decided to wait until we got into town to share a meal. Not trying to please his picky palette makes the choices for a lunch location easier.

Brian and I took a short dingy ride to shore. Right now we are at the Cybercafe at the water's edge. The signal just isn't strong enough on the boat for me to upload blog posts and Brian to upload photos.

Jess is on Furthur doing dishes. There were a lot today. Poor guy. He has lots of jobs on the boat and dish washing is one. He's doing a great job though. Having responsibilities is a grand thing from a mom's perspective.

I'm so proud of him.

After we get done with the computer stuff, we will take the dingy back, drop off the computers and head back into Port Vila with Jess to explore. It will be the first time that Brian, Jess, and I have done that together here.

Typically one of us is using our computer at the Cybercafe while the other 2 are gallivanting around town - having lunch or a snack, checking out the local fresh air market, the handicrafts, or the numerous other stores. We are sharing the computer time at the cybercafe, so only one of us is online at a time.  

Having way too much fun in the South Pacific,
Debbie Takara Shelor

Adventures in the South Pacific - Issue 24

Overcast Skies.

For weeks on end we had only sunshine. All of us are very tan.

Jess, for the first time I can remember, is actually darker than I am. He looks so healthy.

Anyway, since we first arrived in Vanuatu, we've had drizzle, downpours, and overcast skies. It hasn't detracted from the place at all.

As a flower lover, I'm absolutely in heaven here. The market is full of Birds of Paradise for sale. Everywhere you look, there are lush plants. On the side of roads, on hillsides, cascading over banks, and overhead draping across buildings. I love this level of vegetation.

Debbie Takara Shelor

Adventures in the South Pacific - Issue 23

A Night to Myself.

We left on the 13th of September for D.C. to spend the night before our flight to Fiji.

Tonight is the 13th of October and it is the first time I've been alone since the journey began.

Tonight, somewhere on shore is a movie night for the guys. They were showing 2 flicks about Mohamed Ali. Brian took Jess and I get the yacht to myself for a little while.

I've been sitting here updating the blog posts and now it's time for a chick flick.

Life is soooooo good!

Debbie Takara Shelor

Adventures in the South Pacific - Issue 22

Meeting Other Cruisers.

When we got into Port Vila in Vanuatu, Brian recognized a few of the boats in the harbor.

Each morning at 8:30 a.m. on a certain radio channel used by cruisers, a wonderful woman named Jess comes on the air and has a morning program. Each day she runs down a similar itinerary. First she asks if anyone has any emergency needs. Then new arriving yachts and sail boats get to announce that they have arrived. After that there is the goodbye's of anyone leaving the harbor today. Next is an opportunity for anyone needing any technical advice to ask for assistance. It can be as simple as how to get the cell phone service to work, to a request for a particular part or help repairing something. Then she asks if anyone has anything they want to gift or trade. Someone this morning said they had a bunch of New Caledonian money they would like to trade for Vanuatuan (sp?). It can be anything. Finally are any announcements of events happening today and in the near future.

Yesterday's radio show is how we found out about the cruiser's potluck. We each brought something for the grill, our own plates, cups, drinks, and flatware, a dish to share, and headed over from our boats on our dingy's (I really don't know how to spell that word).

A Dingy is a small raft-type boat with a motor on it that you use to go from your larger boat to shore. They are called by many other names depending on where you are.

When your boat is docked at a marina, then you just step directly from your boat onto the dock. Very convenient. However, marina's vary wildly in price per day.

Anchoring off shore in a harbor or other anchorage doesn't cost anything. But it requires that you travel back and forth by Dingy. We keep the one we use on the top deck. So each time we use it is a process of lowering it with a motorized hoist system. Unclipping it from the hoist, tying it securely so it doesn't float away. Getting in and out of the thing is always fun - especially when you are carrying piles of stuff for a pot luck. They can get wet in the bottom.

The potluck was in a house right on the water in the harbor. Jess from the radio show is the lady of the house. She is the mom of a 15 month old and is expecting her 2nd child. She is from California. When I asked her how she ended up living in Vanuatu, she said that she and her husband had been cruising and arrived in Vanuatu, had pretty much run out of money and found themselves pregnant at the same time. So they decided to stay. They've carved out for themselves a nice way to live. She handles provisioning and concierge services for mega yachts when they come in. Her husband is a marine engineer and works on multiple projects for yacht owners. They both work from home. They have a local woman as a live in nanny. I enjoyed getting to know both of them. They seemed very happy here.

There were many other cruisers at the pot luck. I'd say somewhere between 35 and 45. All were caucasian. The only non-Caucasian I saw was the Vanuatuan nanny. It is amazing to me how many white people there are in Port Vila. Vanuatu natives have very dark, very beautiful skin. But everywhere you look downtown, at the market, driving on the main streets, walking from shop to shop, are white folks with American, Australian, and New Zealand accents. It just seems really odd and out of place.

There were 3 other kids at the potluck - besides the very young one that belongs to the  party hosts. They were brothers and sisters. The oldest son was Jess' age. The girl was only slightly younger and then another boy a few years younger still. The family was from Belgium. Very quickly Jess was involved in a hide and seek adventure with the three of them. Other games followed.

The Belgian family is following the same route we are. Hopefully we will see them again.

I sat down with a woman named Glee at a giant square table under a gazebo between the house and the water. I think 12 to 16 people could eat comfortably at the table. There were big cushion covered benches on 2 sides with wooden chairs at either end. Jess laid down and fell asleep on the bench opposite the one I was on. All those 3 hour watches had caught up to him.

Glee is originally from Southern Australia. She and her husband are cruisers. They have been in Vanuatu for 11 months. She is an emergency medical person and works at the hospital. She said she gets bored just staying on the boat reading like most cruisers do.  So wherever they go for any length of time she either volunteers at some organization or works in a medical facility. How wonderful is that?

I heard many wonderful stories.

Others were not so great. One of the reasons for the potluck was as a fund raiser to give money to a local village that had helped with an attempted rescue.

Brian has always said that you never leave your Dingy down being pulled behind your boat. He always puts it on top. He knows people who have had theirs stolen.

This is a much more tragic story.

A dingy was being pulled behind a boat - a common practice. The weather was bad and the dingy rope got snagged on something. The captain of the bigger boat climbed down into the dingy to try to fix things. It flipped over and the man drown. They never did find the body. That just happened last week some time.

After the party, we headed back to the Further in our dingy. It still amazes me how Brian can find the boat at night, weaving in and out of anchored sail boats, no lights on the dingy. Things look so different at night, I'm not sure I could find it so easily.

As has become our nightly ritual, if its too late for a movie, we watch an episode or 2 of Northern Exposure or the Big Bang Theory - funny stuff. 

There is just something about Vanuatu that I really like. I've only really been here for 2 days and I just love it here.     

Debbie Takara Shelor

Adventures in the South Pacific - Issue 21

Vanuatu is Wonderful.

As I read back over my various blog posts, I realize how many things have been left out.

I've traveled for most of my life. Been to all the continental states in the U.S. I was in Mexico as a child. I went to Europe without my parents in junior high school. So things that I take for granted are foreign territory for someone who doesn't travel very often or has never been to a foreign country.

There is the time difference of course. Being across the world, across the international date line means today for me is tomorrow for those in the United States. That takes a bit of getting used to.

There is the money exchange rate.

In Fiji, a U.S. dollar is worth about 2 Fijian dollars. So whenever you purchase anything, you divide it in half and decide if its worth that price or not.

In Vanuatu, $1 U.S. is worth $100 in Vanuatuan (sp?) money. Again, you have to do the math to decide if something is worth it. Purses for $600 seems like alot, until you do the math and realize it's only $6.

It's a great way to do homeschool math with a practical application.

You can use a credit card to get cash in the right currency from your U.S. bank account. So people don't really have to use traveler's checks so much any more. Most bigger stores, restaurants, and hotels take credit cards directly. Some banks and / or credit card companies charge a fee for using an ATM that is not there's or for spitting out a currency that is not the one your bank account is in. Wells Fargo has such fees. My Paypal account, however, does not. You have to spend it all or convert it again before you leave. As we left Fiji, Brian and I both spent all that we had left in Fiji money at the local marina store. We bought extra snacks for the trip and a few other food items.

Current can be different. The prongs that mate up with an electrical plug is different depending on which country you are in. A converter is required. I bought a whole kit of converter plugs off Amazon before I left. It is supposed to have plugs good for most places throughout the world. However, it does not have a plug converter that works in Vanuatu. This is the first place I've needed it. In Fiji we were using a cell service to get internet and didn't have to leave the boat to be connected.

This afternoon Brian moved the boat closer in to the main part of the downtown harbor. We can now get the internet off the boat again. So hopefully we won't need a converter any more.

To get internet service you have to either go to a cybercafe with your laptop. Or purchase a USB cell phone plug that plugs into your computer. You have to purchase so much time and/or Gigs of data transfer and can add more as you need it. Brian purchased a bunch of time in Fiji and the service was supposed to work in Vanuatu and New Caledonia. So far we have had no luck using it here in Vanuatu.  

The sun rises and sets at different times than it does at home.

It is spring turning into summer here while back home it is fall going into winter.

The things you find at the local market - fruits and vegetables - are often very different than you find at the farmer's market back home. They have potatoes, cucumbers, tomatoes, lettuce, carrots, squash, cabbage, etc. Eggplant is easy to come by. There are lots of other things though, many of which I have no idea what they are or what I'd do with them if I bought them.

We haven't been able to find brown rice anywhere. Eggs are plentiful. Papaya, pineapple, and other tropical fruits come in varying sizes depending on where you are. We were given papaya's as big as a small watermelon at the village of Somo Somo in Fiji. They are much smaller at the markets.

The fresh fruit and vegetable market in Port Vila in Vanuatu is the best open market I've ever seen. I thought the one in Lautoka was impressive, but it is nothing compared to this one.

The banana's are huge. Brian got tomatoes for literally 1 cent U.S. They were big plump one's too! Even more impressive than the fresh produce prices is the way they package the stuff. They weave little baskets out of leaves and you get that along with your potatoes or whatever else is in there.

As you enter a country by boat, a customs person often boards the vessel and has you complete their customs forms. Brian has to handle all this. So he has our passports and gets us into customs as well as the boat.

Most places won't let you bring in fresh produce. So you have to cook it all, or pitch it before you get there. When crossing the ocean from one country to another you have to keep in mind what needs to be eaten before you reach the next location.

Leaving each country is also a big process. Again, Brian has to handle all that.

Whenever he has a crew change, he has to notify immigration / customs about the change and show the proper passports, etc.

Because we are heading to Australia, we each had to get special VISA's in order to have permission to go there. The one's I got for Jess and I are good for a year, but we can only stay for 3 months. The one Brian is working on getting is much more involved because he plans to stay for around a year. He spent a great deal of time today trying to get a copy of some bank statements - one of many requirements for the visa he is seeking.

The language barrier. Most people in the places we've visited speak English. There are words that they traditionally use. "Bula" is hello in Fiji. Halo is hello in Vanuatu. Vanuatu has 3 official languages - English, French, and Bislama.

Debbie Takara Shelor

Adventures in the South Pacific - Issue 20

Where Did All This Water Come From?

In normal life when you make a mistake there are usually not large or mmediate repercussions. Of course if you are driving that isn't the case. But in general, its easy to correct and fix something before any damage is done.

At sea, things are a bit different.

Before we head anywhere new there is a whole series of things that must happen. Everything must be tied down, put away and carefully latched into place so when things get rocky they don't break or fly off the boat.

The port hatches (windows) all have to be closed properly.

Brian has a whole series of details to handle.

When we left Fiji, Jess went below to close the port hatches in the stateroom where he sleeps. He didn't notice that a curtain had become stuck in one of them. That doesn't make for a tight seal.

When we arrived in Venuatu, he noticed that the bunks were wet. When I went to investigate, it turns out that the upper and lower bunks were both completely soaked through and through. A big foam top layer and the lower mattress on both bunks were totally wet from ocean spray.

We took everything apart and started the drying process.

This is one of those moments where you get to see someone's true colors.

No question, some people would have been ballistic in a moment like this. Brian, on the other hand, never raised his voice. He simply, with authority in his voice, insisted that Jess figure out how to fix it.     

I was impressed, and more than a little bit thankful.

Jess is seriously hard on himself whenever the slightest thing goes wrong. He was already in tears. He certainly didn't need Brian or I to yell at him in order to know that he had screwed up.

We discovered we had a stow away. In addition to dead jumping fish on the deck, we found a bird. Must have rode with us all night.

Next - Vanuatu is so very lovely. I can't get over how wonderful the fresh air market is. 

Debbie Takara Shelor

Adventures in the South Pacific - Issue 19

Will We Ever Get There?

The ride for me had been rocky for sure. But when we arrived at the desired location, the wind was really blowing and Brian was unable to find a good place to anchor. There were no other boats there - not a good sign.

So we pressed on for awhile, anchored for a few hours at another spot further North, then another day and night at sea to arrive in Port Vila on Efate. Many other boats were already anchored there.

We slept.

It was the first time I'd slept in a real bed since we left Fiji 4 days earlier.

The master stateroom bed is a pillowtop just like mine at home. Boy did it feel good.

While at sea, we take turns sleeping in the pilot house bunk or on the coach in the salon. Brian typically sleeps in the pilot house bunk so that if a boat or other unusual thing showed up on the monitors during Jess or my watch we could easily wake him to deal with it.

I had to curl up on the end of the L shaped coach so I was sleeping crosswise - not lengthwise bow (front) to stern (back) which caused more nausea.

The staterooms are below and its way too rocky to sleep there. Just going down to one of the heads (bathrooms) gave me problems. Of course almost everything caused problems when I was sitting or standing.  

Traveling all night at sea is truly a weird phenomena.

Sitting in the pilot house, watching the dimly lit radar and chart monitors for ATS signals from other boats, straining to see anything out the windows in the vast and unending darkness. Sometimes the way was lit by the moon. The horizon always changing as the boat moved up and down with the waves, rocking side to side. Sometimes when Venus first appeared, it looked like a light on the water - another boat perhaps?

This is faith. This is trusting that the electronics are working properly and that at some unexpected place in the ocean things don't just drop off into nothingness. The boat is rocking gently or forcefully, waves are softly breaking or thrashing angrily spraying water all over everything.

You are alone . . . miles and miles from anything.

Everyone else on board is sleeping and its up to you to notice the ship in the distance, whether the blip on the screen is a rain cloud or a mass of some kind.

It was both invigorating and slightly unnerving. Every now and then the realization hits you that if something unfortunate happens, the sea could be your death. Yet here you are and it is good.   

Debbie Takara Shelor

Adventures in the South Pacific - Issue 18

And the Third Day She Arose From the Dead . . .

It certainly felt that way.

I'd heard horror stories of people that were sick for most of "the crossing" that I described in an earlier post. One woman lost 15 pounds on that journey. She's still at it though. We last saw her in Fiji.

Anyway, I literally heard in my head the song, "She is risen, hallelujah, she is risen, hallelujah, she is risen, halle - lu - jah, halle - lu - jah, halle - lu - jah" as only the 2nd Chapter of Acts can sing it.

I felt reborn, fresh, new, free. I felt glorious to be alive.

I made a few statements within to the Universe about who I am and what I'm about. Basking in the knowing that it is true.

You know they say that fasting is a great way to reach nirvana. I've always ascribed to meditation in nature without the fasting. I'm too thin already.

But this was the speedy train version of fasting. Even if you did eat, it wouldn't be with you long, and you were purging other things. A bizarre road to enlightenment for sure.

Brian says he can help anyone lose weight. Take the stabilizers off the boat, feed the people whatever they want, and keep them out at sea for 2 weeks. Tons of weight will be lost. (laugh out loud) Brian is wildly funny!

As I was coming out of my stupor and into clarity once more, actually smiling because life was so wonderful, Brian shouted that there were dolphins off the bow.

We all hit the deck to watch them frolic and play as only they know how. In one glorious crescendo, 5 simultaneously leapt completely out of the water. The greatest choreographers in the world couldn't ask for dancer's with more perfect timing and precision . . . and then they were gone.

I knew something significant had shifted within me. I felt fabulous both as an internal way of being and in this body no longer racked with nausea.

Welcome to Vanuatu . . .

Debbie Takara Shelor

Adventures in the South Pacific - Issue 17

Paradise Isn't Always Perfect . . .

It turns out that Jess wasn't the one we needed to worry about.

It was me.

I got sea sick for the first time in my life. And I stayed that way for the entire journey. If I was lying down, I was O.K. If I sat up or stood up, well . . . I threw up.

It was ugly.

Before our departure, because we thought Jess might have a problem, I quizzed several cruisers who had experience with sea sickness. They recommended ginger cookies and candy, soda crackers and coca cola, various homeopathic remedies, lavender oil, acupressure bands, some sort of pills and the patch.

I bought all the provisions. Brian had patches. Someone gave me the "best" pills.

So, as a precaution, I used the pills - you take 1 before you leave and another 8 hours later. Then no more pills. I cut a patch in half and put it behind Jess' ear.

He had no problems. I actually think the medicine was most of mine.

Night and day for 3 days I sat up, threw up, and did watches every 6 hours. I tried to find something that would stay down. Eventually after the medicine wore off and I lost all resolve, I finally resorted to coca cola. I truly believed I would never have another one as long as I lived. Having too many way back when had done a serious number on my health. But now, it was literally the only thing that helped. It tasted terrible. (thankfully). The last thing I wanted was another addiction to coca cola.

Jess, on the other hand, did great. Being woken up at all times of night and day to do 3 hour watches. He was a real trooper. It wasn't easy and staying awake was very difficult depending on the time of day (or night). But he lived up to the commitment he had made. I was so proud. 

Debbie Takara Shelor

Adventures in the South Pacific - Issue 16

Do We Leave or Do We Press On?

It was time to leave Fiji.

Jess was sick for a couple of days. It started with his typical throwing up moving into a sinus coughing thing.

I also began feeling feverish and having sinus issues.

Tom was gone, so we had no more crew.

Brian put up fliers, posted on the internet, talked to folks.

No luck.

Up to now he had easily found people wanting to hitch a ride from one island to another in exchange for crewing on a boat. Especially this boat. 

A great discussion ensued about whether we should head out to open water with just the 3 of us. Most of the concern was about whether Jess could handle taking his turn in the pilot house watching the monitors and outside for other boats for 3 hour shifts night and day for 3 days at sea.

We all wanted to continue, but we weren't sure about how it would go and there is no way Brian and I could handle doing all of it on our own alternating 3 on and 3 off the whole time. I mean it's doable - couples on sailing vessels do it all the time - but no one wanted to have to do it.

In the end, we left it up to Jess.

If he said he could do it, it meant a commitment that he couldn't get out of - quite the rite of passage (a good thing in my book) for a young man.

We decided to continue on . . .

Debbie Takara Shelor

Adventures in the South Pacific - Issue 14

Brian, Jess, and I headed into Lautoka with Tom, the young New Zealand guy I mentioned earlier, and Melva and Steve who cruise on the sailing vessel Mary Powell. We all piled into Abdul's small taxi and asked him for a dinner suggestion in town. He had us eat at Tiger's. The restaurant and the food was nothing to write home about.

Abdul dropped us off a couple of blocks from our destination. Along the way we window shopped seeing several gorgeous Indian outfits for both men and women. We stopped in at one shop that was actually open and Brian got yet another island shirt. I got an adorable dress - perfect for dancing - not an Indian design.

The next day Tom said his goodbye's. As he was leaving, he said he had a sore throat, swollen glands, and just didn't feel that well. He was headed to a doctor. This illness, whatever it was, later came to haunt Jess and I.
 
Debbie Takara Shelor

Adventures in the South Pacific - Issue 13

Sorry for the delay in posting. We were out at sea and then had no way to connect to the internet for awhile.  I'm making several more posts all at once.

Here is the first . . .

We went back to the marina at Vadu Point.

There we met up with several of Brian's cruising friends. Many he met before "the crossing" or "the puddle jump." That is the 2850 mile crossing of the Atlantic to the Marquesas. Brian did it in 17 days 7 hours on the motor vessel Furthur. Most people are sailing, so depending on the weather, it can take significantly longer. Several people took over 30 days to make the crossing.

We spent several days based at the marina.

Each afternoon we hung out at the pool at First Landing Resort.

Jess made many friends there: a couple from Australia. The husband was Australian. The wife was from Egypt. He also played water games and sports with an older boy from Columbia. They hung out together for several days. I went to the pool one afternoon and found Jess there playing water games with 3 girls his age.

I also met several people at the pool. Most were other cruisers staying at the marina next door. One woman from Virginia brought a large bag of water aerobics things every afternoon. She was healing from an injury of some kind. She and her husband had been cruising for the past 11 years. They spent 6 years in the Caribbean and had now been in the South Pacific for 3. 

My tan is so well established by now that I've dropped the sunscreen and am now using this luscious lotion made in Fiji using virgin coconut oil. My skin loves it. It comes unscented or with watermelon, pineapple, coconut, and 2 different flower aromas. I purchased a few bottles - several being watermelon.

Fun in the Sun,
Debbie Takara Shelor

Adventures in the South Pacific - Issue 12

Back at Musket Cove and Plantation Island

We took a dingy ride to a tiny little island 4 miles out. The snorkelers, divers, and surfers love this location.

Where reefs exist, the ocean waves break on the edge of the reef. Inside the reef barrier, the water is calm, outside it has great waves.

This little spot has both.

Brian went diving as Jess and I snorkeled.

I tried using my camera underwater for the first time. The sun was so bright I had a hard time determining if I was getting any good shots or not when I hit "review" and tried to view them on the screen.

Camera did great and it's still working. The lower end Olympus underwater cameras had gotten bad reviews about leaks. I was a bit nervous.

Brian had to go and rescue Tom from the authorities.

Tom was on board when we arrived. He had been with Brian on the Further for about a month. He's a tall thin 20-something guy from New Zealand who travels around the South Pacific helping as crew on various boats. In season, he helps on whale watching boats.

We had dropped him off at Musket Cove the first time we were here.

When a boat enters Fiji, they have to account for their crew. Tom had come in with Brian.

Tom had just accepted a job back in New Zealand being a kayak guide and dolphin viewing guide. For what ever reason the people at Musket Cove had brought in the authorities.

Luckily Brian made a call looking for Tom because he needed a copy of Tom's airline ticket since he wouldn't be on board when we officially check out of Fiji. Having all the paperwork in order is very important to avoid big hassles.

They asked Brian to come in. We had no idea what was up.

Brian explained that Tom was with the boat and they allowed him to leave and come back on board. He will be leaving soon for his job back in New Zealand.

We had dinner at Musket Cove, than sat with some other cruisers at the outdoor bar. Jess got to spend time with 2 11-year old twins from America.

We spent the whole next day at Plantation Island Resort along with the twins and their aunt visiting from Seattle. The family with the twins have been cruising for the past 3 years. Obviously they are home schooling. 

I've seen ads for Plantation Island Resort in some magazine I used to subscribe to. I can't remember if it was Conde Naste Traveler, or Islands, or what magazine exactly. But, I remember the name and it is a fabulous place. Three pools, a few restaurants, a golf course, tennis courts, an air strip, beach front, diving, snorkeling, dolphin swims, even sky diving. There are activities happening all day.

We had a late lunch at Musket Cove. The first pizza Jess has seen since we left home.

Debbie Takara Shelor

Adventures in the South Pacific - Issue 11

The dolphins escort us back to Musket Cove

I was beginning to get very concerned about not seeing dolphins or whales.

I realized not long ago that I had been falling down concerning a promise I had made to be an ambassador for the dolphins and whales. I had been reminded of that fact by one of my newsletter subscribers and someone else recently.

Sure I have continuing to lead the meditations each fall and spring equinox. And when someone visits one of my websites and joins my newsletter list, they get one of my ebooks where they can read about Lolita, the Orca held captive in Miami.

But I have not be telling about the slaughters in Japan and the other atrocities they have been facing for a very long time. And I knew that had to change.

Just before I left for this journey, I had decided to add conservation groups to my Dolphin Empowerment website and also to give a portion of everything I earn through my websites to organizations making a positive difference for dolphins, whales, and their habitats. But I had not yet made such a contribution.

I threw a clear quartz crystal into the water as we headed back to Musket Cove.

Brian and I were riding in the Pilot House. He was making sure all the systems were operating properly while I enjoyed the scenery, took photos, and simply basked in the glorious moment I found myself in.

I saw a grayish brown back rise out of the water to the left. I pointed it out to Brian who cut the engine. Soon we had 8 dolphins bow riding. I got lots of wonderful photos.

They were spinners, so we got to see a couple of truly spectacular leaps and spins through the air. Five of them hung with us for quite awhile.

I thanked them as they left.

Now that the sun has set on another glorious Fijian day, it's time to create dinner . . .

Debbie Takara Shelor

Adventures in the South Pacific - Issue 10

Being Bathed in Moonlight

I woke up to the full moon bathing me with light through the skylight over the master bed.
As has become my personal ritual, I woke up before everyone else and greeted the day. I've been take pictures of each sunrise, and continuing the writing on my latest book.

Brian went to dive with the sharks. Jess and I stayed on the boat.

I did laundry. We string a clothing line all around the perimeter of the top deck. It made me a bit nervous putting all our clothes out there with the wind whipping pretty fast. If anything flew into the water, we would surely never see it again.

We took a dingy ride around the island and watched a sea plane take off from the Turtle Island resort.

We spent some more time with our Australian friends enjoying drinks at the resort where we have all been meeting each day.

As Jess was running the controls hoisting the dingy back on the top deck, Brian noticed a tiny sea snack crawling around the back. This little poisonous snake had ridden with us from shore. That definitely creeped me out more than a little. I made Brian search around the dingy making sure there were no others lurking somewhere underneath the life vests and other things we keep in there at all times.

We headed back the next day toward Musket Cove. The water and wind are much calmer there, so we decided to go back for a few days. Jess tried fishing on the return trip. So far he hasn't caught anything. If he does catch a fish, it will most likely be as big as he is. At least that's what Brian keeps saying. Only time will tell. 

Tomorrow, dolphins . . .

Debbie Takara Shelor

Adventures in the South Pacific - Issue 9

More Adventures in the Blue Lagoon

We spent more time at the resort and the Blue Lagoon.

The weather was very windy when we woke up so we waited awhile to go to shore.

Somewhere in Somo Somo I lost my cool purple and pink sparkly flip flops. So I bought a new pair - lime green. I don't really like that color, but it was the only ones that fit.

Jess got to hang out with the 4 Australian kids again. They were catching hermit crabs.

Brian and I had a lovely lunch of Fiji style club sandwich and fries with fresh squeezed lemonade.

Some friends of Brian's from Vancouver, Canada sailed in on the Mary Powell. He met Steve and Melva during the major 17-day crossing of the Pacific from North America. We went by and they told tales of their adventures since they had seen Brian last. We took Melva with us to shore and enjoyed a long walk on the beautiful beach.

We invited everyone over for a pot luck that evening.

With all the room on the Furthur, it is often used for pot lucks and parties of all sizes.

The Australians had all gone snorkeling and the kids were pretty badly sunburned. So Melva and Steve were our only guests for the evening.

We shared a wonderful meal of grilled tuna prepared by Captain Brian on the top deck. It was accompanied by the macaroni salad I made and the bean and rice dishes brought by Melva. That was about all they had left on their boat that doesn't have refrigeration. Brian calls them hard core. We are living in luxury with granite counter tops, leather upholstery, finished wood everywhere, microwave oven, convection oven, grill, washing machine, 2 heads (bathrooms), 2 state rooms, and we can make drinking water from sea water.

Island hopping is such an interesting experience. You never know if there is a store to add to your provisions. And if there is a store, what you will find there.

Luckily with a boat this size we are well stocked. There are a few things we don't know what to do with. Some cans of things were purchased in Mexico and I don't recognize the pictures or spanish words on the label. Other things were purchased in French Polynesia. Again I don't recognize the pictures or french words.

We have enough spices to last a lifetime. There is a huge population and cultural influence from India, so we have many wonderful spices from local markets.

Our adventures continue,
Debbie Takara Shelor

Adventures in the South Pacific - Issue 8

An Exquisite Fall Equinox

We woke up the next day and prepared for our departure. Brian was feeling a little rough as he hadn't slept well at all and he was achy after the Kava.

Pastor Kali had asked for a tour of the yacht, so Brian took the dingy to the beach to pick he and 2 of his lovely children up. They brought us Fijian donuts - tortillas bathed in coconut. Very yummy breakfast.

We left Somo Somo and headed to one of the most beautiful locations I've ever been. The spot where they filmed the Blue Lagoon.

 

The Australians on the Cumulus II, the ones we had met previously that Jess went snorkeling with, were already there. We stopped by the boat and Brian and captain David (the grandfather) had quite a chat about sailing, yachts, and much more. I had a nice conversation with David's wife.

We headed to shore at one of the resorts in the Blue Lagoon. There are several, some like Turtle Island are so exclusive you aren't allowed to walk on their beach and the patrons are flown in on sea planes.

Jess got to play with the kids he snorkeled with from the Cumulus II and 2 other girls staying at the resort from Australia. They made up some crazy water games and had a wonderful time together.

It was Fall Equinox - the night I lead the Golden Water Dolphin Meditation for Planetary Healing each year. I went onto the top deck of the yacht, threw in my last imperial topaz and began the meditation. It was very powerful under an almost full moon.

It was the first time ever that David Adams from Australia and I were in the same part of the world doing the meditations in such close proximity.

I was moved by the experience.

Later I reveled in the moonlight streaming through the skylight in the master stateroom.    

More memories of Fiji,
Debbie Takara Shelor

Adventures in the South Pacific - Issue 7

A night so memorable it brings tears to my eyes just thinking about it . . .

We took the dingy back to the beach at Somo Somo. I wore a tank top with an actual skirt - instead of my usual bathing suit with wrap around sarong. The guys looked great in their shirts and shorts.

We went to the home of the mayor, not really knowing where we were supposed to be for the feast. It was already dark. The sun sets around 6:15 p.m. in Fiji this time of the year. The feast was to begin at 7 p.m.

They had us sit there for awhile and then Pastor Kali showed up. He appologized for being in his rugby gear. There was a huge tournament between villages happening in a couple of days and rugby is very very big in this part of the world. He had been at practice with the other players.

He showed us to the feast location and then excused himself to clean up and change.

We were seated on the ground under a low thatch roofed shelter. A woven mat was placed on the ground.  I think it was woven from palm tree leaves. They had them lying everywhere drying in stacks in the sun.

A beautiful and very fragrant flower lei was placed around each of our heads. They look wonderful with the clothing we had chosen for the occasion.

Somehow they had rigged up a power source and had a single flourescent light bulb burning at the top of the shelter.

Brian began making animal balloons again for the kids. Swarms of them showed up. It's so delightful to see these little dark faces with bright white teeth smiling eagerly waiting for their turn to get a balloon. Often the bigger ones would get a balloon and pass it down to the smaller ones. There is no grabbing, or pushing or shoving, just happy little kids delighted at something new.

They all wanted their photo taken and then wanted to see it on the camera. Brian says that some people bring a printer and after taking photos, go back to their boat, print them and return with photos to give to the kids.  
Soon the mayor was helping to blow up the balloons and the pastor was tying them. Pastor Kali eventually learned to make a balloon dog himself.

They had been cooking and preparing all day.

The main dishes had been put into a cooking pit and covered in large leaves. We think they were probably from a banana tree. I took pictures as they uncovered the pit and began putting all the food in dishes and placing it under the shelter.

Eventually there was enough food there for a small army. Yet the only one's feasting were the 3 of us and Pastor Keli. We were served on nice plates with flatwear and served a lovely fruit drink in glasses. All the ladies who prepared the food, the mayor, and the children sat around and watched us enjoy this fabulous meal.

Jess loved the boiled fish.

My favorite was definitely the tuna baked in the pit with coconut and taro leaves.

When I asked Brian which was his favorite, he said it was either the tuna or the clam soup.
I also really enjoyed the baked squash done in the pit. It was combined with some type of meat and lots of other great things.

We barely made a dent in any of it.

As soon as we were finished, they cleaned up the plates and the dishes in front of us and began sharing the rest of the meal with all the people who had been watching us eat. They all eat with their hands.

After we ate, we were offered the opportunity to enjoy Kava with the mayor. It is a gift and a ritual a bit like the native americans often accept gifts of tobacco and use them in their ceremonies.

Kava is usually drunk by the men. It has a slightly intoxicating effect. The people I've talked to who have tried it, indicate that it makes your mouth go numb.

With a female chief, it was O.K. for women in this village to drink Kava. It was offered to all 3 of us. I kindly refused. Jess and Brian participated.

The mayor poured the Kava into a cloth placed over a large bowl. The cloth is wound around kind of like a giant tea bag and it is dipped into the water, then squeezed and dipped again until the water becomes the correct color and consistency. Then it is dipped out with bowls made from coconuts. The mayor takes his first. When it is offered to someone, they clap twice, then drink the entire bowl, clap once more, and then place the bowl on the ground. At least that is how it is done in this particular village.

Jess and Brian each had one bowl. Later on they had another. Jess slept like a baby afterwards. Brian couldn't sleep at all.    

Brian had brought along his Ukulele and began to play along with the Mayor who was strumming his guitar. The Mayor sang and was joined by several others from the village on some songs. I took lots of photos and even a few videos.

We said farewell to our hosts and drove the dingy back to the boat usng a flashlight to see.

What a yummy and unforgetable meal. 

Wonderful memories from Fiji,
Debbie Takara Shelor

Adventures in the South Pacific - Issue 6

Time for a close encounter with a very different culture!

We anchored near Somo Somo village.

As is customary, we wore modest attire and brought gifts for the chief.

We were greeted by a woman from the village who took us wandering barefoot through a maze of tiny homes, smiling people, dogs, and a cat to the dwelling of the chief. In this village the chief was a woman. Brian presented her with Kava root and perfume. After our greeting, we received her blessing to wander about the village, enjoy the beach, and take photos if we wanted to.

The ladies from the village offered to show us jewelry. I purchased a few shell necklaces and a pair of earrings. The money was being used to support the school there.

As we were being lead back through the village, an older gentleman from the village spoke to the woman leading us and asked to meet us. We went to his dwelling. It turns out he is the mayor and the brother of the chief.

Another man from the village, a Christian minister named Pastor Kali, came over to join the little gathering as well.

Brian was making animal balloons for the children and soon more and more began to appear.

Pastor Kali offered to have the village prepare a feast for us in exchange for a donation to their diesel fund. Apparently the well they use to get fresh water runs on diesel and they are in constant need of money to purchase more fuel.

We thought it sounded like a great idea and scheduled it for the following evening.

Brian and Jess took a ride in the dingy and met some Australians who had anchored their sailboat near ours. There were 2 kids on board, along with the parents and the grandparents. The sailboat belonged to the grandparents who are seasoned travelers who have sailed to the U.S. more than once. They purchase an RV when they get there and travel all around the U.S. Funny as it may seem, they have seen more states than Brian has.

Jess went with the dad and kids snorkeling at a nearby reef.

Periodically when we looked into the water, we saw these odd creatures floating past. Eventually we figured out that they were squid.

The next day Brian and Jess headed out kayaking to a nearby reef. It was Jess' first time kayaking. It took him awhile to get the hang of it, but by the time they were returning, he was doing great.

 

Later we all went back to the reef to snorkel. For whatever reason I couldn't get my breath. I finally just climbed back up into the dingy and Jess and Brian continued snorkeling for awhile.

On to feasting in the village . . .    

More fun in Fiji,
Debbie Takara Shelor

Adventures in the South Pacific - Issue 5

Moving On.

Even though Musket Cove and Plantation Island are gorgeous, there was much more of Fiji to see.

We left the protected waters of the lagoon and headed out to sea once more.

We anchored near the island where Castaways was filmed. The yacht rocked and rolled all night. I had trouble sleeping.

We continued on.

The next night we anchored in what's referred to as Bly Waters. This is where captain Bly ran from the cannibals.

It's a bit unsettling to know that the Fijian people you encounter today are the descendants of cannibals.

Brian purchased a pair of Cannibal forks before we joined his adventure. They are proudly displayed in the salon (living room) along with many flower, shell, and other necklaces he received in greeting from the various locations and villages he has visited thus far.

Again the wind was up and the boat rocked and rolled at our location.





Jess will be 12 years old soon. This journey is definitely a lot like a rite of passage ceremony. He's being exposed to many new things and he has been given much more responsibility than he is used to. Brian cuts him no slack, which I feel at this stage of his life is a good thing.



He has daily responsibilities. He's also learned how to tie up the dingy, run the controls to get the dingy up to the top deck, and much more.

He's been driving the dingy.

Also, how to work the controls to pull up the anchor.

Next, on to an encounter with natives . . .

Lots of fun in the tropics,
Debbie Takara Shelor

Adventures in the South Pacific - Issue 4

Traveling in Furthur for the first time.

Friday morning Brian fueled up his yacht, Furthur, while Jess and I checked out the store at the marina.

I used an ATM to get some Fiji dollars. Not having any idea how much to get and forgetting that the value is 2 to 1 - 1 U.S. is worth 2 Fijian. Anyway, I only got $40 Fiji dollars.

My total at the store totalled $39 something. I had to laugh.

I went back to the ATM to get more cash - since I obviously was going to need lots more than I had taken out - and the ATM was now out of service. Oops!

It was so exciting leaving the marina and heading out to sea for the first time.

It took awhile, but I finally learned a couple of things about sea sickness and being on the Furthur. I simply have to stay in the open air - in the pilot house or on the top deck in the pilot birth. My stomach has to be full - a trick I learned a long time ago on a cruise ship.

So traveling along at lunch time, me trying to put together something for all of us to eat in the galley is a bad idea. I haven't actually "lost my cookies," but boy have I come close.

The five day crossing to Australia is going to be interesting. Unless someone else handles the galley, we're going to be living on pop tarts, peanut butter sandwiches, and other uncooked, unprepared meals. Or, hopefully by then, my stomach can handle being in the galley.

As usual, it was a lovely day navigating around coral reefs, and taking photos of islands everywhere.

We arrived at Musket Cove / Plantation Island. Absolutely gorgeous!

We anchored off shore - as we do in most places.

At low tide, just off Musket Cove, a sand bar pops out of the water. A small stretch of beach only above the surface part of the day. It is surrounded by coral reefs and is a wonderful place to snorkel.

Brian took us over in the Dingy. Jess and I geared up with Brian helping us make the proper adjustments to our masks and fins. The one's I'd ordered through Amazon met with Brian's approval.

We sat off on Jess' first snorkeling adventure. Wow, beautiful coral, fish, and giant blue starfish. It was so much fun. Jess really loved it.

We were the first feet on the sand that day, so we took photos of course. It reminded me of that Christian poem of footprints in the sand where Jesus carries you in your times of trouble. That has definitely been true in my own life.

Just as we were finishing up our snorkeling fun, other boats began to arrive to do the same.

We headed in to Musket Cove in the dingy.    

By now my month long date with the captain was in full swing. Funny, when I was telling my friends about the trip, I always added that it was basically a month-long date. Apparently Brian had been doing the same with his friends. Its what we both chose to call whatever this was going to be.

There are few things in life as romantic as walking hand in hand on the sand at a tropical beach resort. We had ice cream at Plantation Island. Jess played in the water for awhile and then joined us for ice cream.

Musket Cove and Plantation Island are at 2 opposite ends of a beautiful lagoon connected by a stretch of sand. When you are anchored there, you get to use all the facilities. We had a wonderful swim in the salt water pool. I had never heard of Musket Cove, but I had heard of Plantation Island.

Fiji is only a short plane ride from New Zealand and Australia. There are resorts in all price ranges everywhere. 

Jess found a $20 Fijian dollar floating in the water. We realized a couple was looking for the money, so he gave it to the lady. She said there was a bunch of coins at the bottom of the pool and he could keep them for helping her.

Sunday we attended church on the island. It was half in Fijian and half in English. The topic was prosperity. I thought the guy was going to read every scripture in the whole bible related to money. English is a second language, so he read and spoke from a script the English portion. He spoke very slowly and it was almost painful getting through the service. The singing was lovely though.

All the buildings I've been to in Fiji are open air, except the one restaurant we visited in Lautoka. The air conditioning in the restaurant felt so cold in comparison with everywhere else.

Bugs, lizards, and other interesting creatures are in lots of places. Just part of the landscape of the place.

People are very friendly everywhere.

They all say "Bula," which again means hello.

Regardless of the nationality of the person having a conversation with you - a native Fijian or another tourist - after exchanging names, the typical first question is "Where are you from?"

When someone wants to know specifically where in America, Brian likes to ask if they have ever seen the Twilight movies - since he is from Seattle, a nearby city to Forks, WA.

The next is usually, "Where are you staying?"

When Brian explains that we are on a live-aboard boat anchored off-shore, and that he has driven the vessel all the way from America, many questions follow. Several people request a tour, which Brian happily gives.

Lots of fun in the tropics,
Debbie Takara Shelor

Adventures in the South Pacific - Issue 3

Wow, we are actually in Fiji

We thanked Abdul for the taxi ride and greeted Brian, thanking him for this fabulous opportunity to enjoy the South Pacific.

The first day or so was somewhat of a blur. Sleep deprivation will do that to you.

We stored all our gear.

I gave Brian several gifts. Some were things he requested I bring. Others were things I put together as a thank you. He had broken 2 french press coffee makers, so he wanted one out of stainless steel. Seattle boys need their coffee.

When he visits remote villages, he makes animal balloons for the kids and he had run out of balloons. So I got 3 giant bags, plus another pump.

There was something else, but I can't remember what it was.

The gifts I gave him included a mug and hat with a picture of his yacht. I had taken the picture off his blog and added some words. The name of the boat is Furthur - after a crazy bus trip made famous back in the 60's. His blog title is Furthur Adventure. So I put "Furthur Adventures . . ." on the picture of his yacht on the mug. On the hat I put Further Adventure, then the photo, then it said "captain." (He's been drinking from the mug ever since).

We took several naps.

Brian had just had the bottom painted on the yacht, so he was docked at the marina that did that work - Vadu Point Marina. He's been in yacht sales for 20 some years and has seen a ton of work done on boats. He says they did a fabulous job.

In North America a large motorized boat is referred to as a yacht. A yacht in these waters is a sailing vessel and a motorized boat is a called a launch.

The Marina was adjacent to a lovely resort and we had access to all the facilities. We quickly made our way to the pool. Being in the water felt wonderful.

I ended up napping under some palm trees.

Abdul drove us to Lautoka for lunch and groceries. We were leaving the main island the next day.

There is a large influence from India, a full 40% or so of the population of many of these islands. So lunch was a vegetarian indian meal. I loved it. Jess wasn't so sure.

The open market was amazing. Piles of everything you can imagine with many vendors. We got lots of veggies, fruits, and spices. Some things are easy to come by and others are completely non-existent.

The marina had a lovely open-air restaurant overlooking the water. That's where we had dinner. Well, Brian and I had dinner there. Jess literally put his head down on the table and slept through the whole thing.

Having fun in paradise,
Debbie Takara Shelor

Adventures in the South Pacific - Issue 2

We Set Off On Our Adventures

When I was searching for airfare to Fiji, it became obvious that flying out of a large international airport was going to be significantly cheaper. There are no international airports anywhere near where I live in southwestern Virginia.

I finally settled on flying out of Dulles Airport near Washington, D.C.

With all our gear and a combination of excitement and dread over the long flight, we headed to D.C. My dear friend, Carolyn Nau, put us up for the night. Then she took us to the airport the next day.

Five hours from D.C. to L.A. The on board movie was the new Karate Kid movie. It was awsome. I've always loved the Karate Kid movies and interestingly enough Jess and I had watched the first two movies only a week before. I just love it when I am "inspired" to do things and they line up beautifully with what the Universe knows we have in store.

The adventure was now fully underway.

When we got to L.A. we were told at Air Pacific that we could not board the flight on one way tickets to Fiji. We had to have return tickets or a flight to somewhere else or they would not even let us on the plane. Nice!

I already had a letter from Brian, the captain of the vessel we would be boarding, but apparently what we were supposed to have was prior permission from immigration with an official letter from them.

The airline tried to contact Fiji immigration to no avail. Finally they got through and were told that I had to purchase a second ticket. So I had to come up with money for a flight from Fiji to Sydney Australia.

Well, it was becoming interesting so far.

The plane boarded around 11 p.m. Pacific time. Thankfully they were letting us take the flight. We were still on East Coast time, so it felt like 2:30 a.m. already.

We were totally exhausted.

Already having flown for hours, then dealing with the immigration problem and the potential of not even being able to make the flight, my joyful nature was beginning to wear thin.

Once on board the huge airplane, we tried to sleep. They gave us pillows and blankets. I had eye shades and ear plugs for both of us. Regardless of all the proper stuff, neither of us slept at all during the 10 hour flight from L.A. to Fiji.

One of the many on-board movie choices was a movie I had seen the previews for and always wanted to watch. I enjoyed it.

We had now been up way too long.

I had a bunch of vitamins and mineral supplements - tons actually - and I was fairly concerned about getting them through customs. None of them were in the original bottles because I had put them into daily packs ready to use each morning.

We also had the issue of getting into Fiji and having to produce the documents about boarding the boat, the airline tickets I had purchased to Sydney, etc.

Luckily all of that was fairly simple.

Once we had all of our luggage, we saw Abdul holding up the sign for Furthur - the boat we would be calling home for quite a while.

Abdul was very sweet. He runs a taxi service and had been chauffering Brian around to various parts of the island. Brian arranged to have Abdul pick us up at the airport. He got there at 4 something in the morning because the flights are sometimes early.

Ours actually got in at the scheduled time of 5:30 a.m. We had crossed the international date line, so instead of arriving the next morning, on Fiji time it was 2 days later. Our bodies weren't quite sure what to do.

We got the official greeting by Abdul who put a shell necklace around each of our necks and welcomed us with "Bula."

Bula means hello. According to Brian, it is one of the few hello's that he has actually been able to say.

Having fun in paradise,
Debbie Takara Shelor         

Adventures in the South Pacific - Issue 1

Trip to the South Pacific:
September 14th, 2010

My son, Jess, and I sat out on a grand adventure to the South Pacific.

It all began when I reconnected with an old friend, Brian Calvert, through Facebook. 13 or so years ago, I lived on San Juan Island in Washington state. Its a small place where most everyone knows one another. Brian was the Port Commissioner of Friday Harbor as well as the co-owner of Friday Harbor Yachts.

We had a few adventures together back then.

I had recently left the comfort and security of the corporate world where I was an engineer and front line supervisor. I moved to the San Juans to co-found a non-profit for dolphins and whales.

We were both involved in different ways in the work going on to free Lolita, a wonderful Orca, from SeaAquarium Miami. Lolita was taken as a juvenile from her family in the San Juan's and had been performing in Miami for over 25 years. She was the last one remaining in captivity that had been taken from the Northwest before it became illegal to do so. All the others had already died in captivity.

Brian once took a friend and I on a yacht to another island for dinner. Another time he flew us to Seattle on his private plane.

We lost touch after I left the island to head to California for awhile.

I found another friend on Facebook, a photographer named Kelly Balcolm-Bartok who had worked on the Free Willy movies. His father is a famous whale researcher named Ken Balcolm. We had also known one another when I lived on San Juan. After we became Facebook friends, I began wondering if he would have any other Facebook friends that I might know from my island days. I came across Brian in Kelly's friends list.

When we reconnected, Brian was in Puerto Viarta, Mexico, preparing for a trip cruising around the world on his yacht. Brian began inviting me to join him in Paradise. He kept luring me in with amazing photos, Facebook and blog postings about his grand adventures at sea. It's fairly rare to come across a man who loves the ocean as much as I do.

Anyway, while he was in Tahiti, I told him I had received a pearl in meditation awhile back and would love to have a real one. The pearl I saw in my vision was a Tahitian black pearl. He said it was a funny thing because he had already purchased one. But I'd have to come to  collect it myself. Ah, he had so much fun convincing me to join him somewhere.

Each time he asked, I just knew within myself that I was not to go on that journey. I could have gone to Puerta Viarta, or Tahiti, or Bora Bora, or Tonga, or a whole host of other fabulously delicious places. But each time, the answer inside was simply no. I assumed that he would keep asking and I would keep saying no.

But when the offer came to fly to Fiji and stay on board for a month and fly back from Australia, every cell in my body said "yes." I told him I couldn't possibly go for that long and leave my son. So he told me to bring Jess along as well.

The next several weeks were a whirlwind of activity. I had to notify all my wholesale customers that I would not be able to make Dancing Dolphin Essences for at least a month and they needed to stock up by a certain date.

For what seemed like weeks on end, I got up at 5:30 or 6 a.m. and worked until 11 p.m. finishing up projects I was working on, completing a few websites I was designing for clients, doing a bunch of writing on my books, running a couple of sales to have extra cash for the trip. I also had to do a lot of shopping on line - wetsuits, snorkel gear, underwater camera, vitamins and supplements for a lengthy time abroad, plus a few things for Brian. Amazon.com loves me about now.

Then there was the packing. Even though it is a large yacht with lots of storage, there simply isn't room to store big bulky rolling luggage. I convinced him to let me bring 2 rolling carry-ons. But the rest needed to be in duffles. I've been traveling for years, and have never used a duffle. They are too heavy for me to handle easily.

I didn't want to buy duffles, because I didn't plan on using them after the trip. And I just purchased a new set of luggage for Jess and got another set for myself just a few weeks ago. So I asked if I could borrow one from my ex. An odd request for sure, but he has a couple. He sent the big one.

Another friend had just bought a really nice leather one at a used clothing store for $10. She and her family of 6 were about to head out on a 3-week camping trip from Virginia to California and back. They had a big luggage carrier shell for the top of their van. So the luggage that went inside had to be soft sided in order to be stuffed in and fit properly. She said I could borrow it when they got back. They returned on Saturday and we were leaving on Monday. I really only had one day to pack everything.

Looking forward to having fun in paradise,
Debbie Takara Shelor