[Fiji] Chapter LII: In which the bag of temperatures disgorges some thousands of centigrades more

Many people's vision of Paradise --- we suspect --- would be of a tropical island with golden sands gently beaten upon by turquoise-blue waters, with coconut palms rustling in the breeze and the sound of birdsong filling the air. Wayasewa island, part of the Yasawa islands, on the eastern edge of the Fiji archipelago, was very

much made in that image.

Living on this small island, even as briefly as we did, felt however rather closer to the vision of the Other Place, for the heat and the humidity and the mosquitoes and the ants --- all quite beyond our powers of imagination and endurance --- were more reminiscent throughout --- both day and night --- of fire and brimstone, than of cherubim and seraphim.

We had planned to stay four nights on the island --- we left after two. Nevertheless, it was eye-opening to watch a village --- small as it is (26 families) --- where people live year-round under these onerous conditions for their whole lives.

One aspect of our stay on the island, however, could be considered as somewhat angelic. Our room was located right next to the village church and we woke up every morning to the sounds of the village choir singing hymns. They were remarkably good for such a small place, and the hymns --- even though in Fijian --- were quite soothing. Still, we were a bit startled by it, especially on the first morning, for all this was taking place at five in the morning, well before sunrise.

Accommodations:
- Wais and Ele's Airbnb room in a village homestay on Wayasewa Island (2 nights; it's hard to judge a place with no regular electricity or running water)

Photo captions: (a-b) tiny islands seen from the Nadi-to-Yasawa ferry ("The Yasawa Flyer"); (c-g) Wayasewa island; (h) kids watching a movie on a laptop; (i-n) snorkelling off the island (not much to see); (o-t) Sunday church service at the village; (u-v) after church

Note: The underwater photography was done using a simple action camera, rather than N's regular dry-land camera, hence the lower quality and lack of zoom.