From Labasa to Navosa, version two

from w
Here is a delightful version of the trip to Navosa for Pinky's wedding, told by my namesake, Wendy Junior who is the same age as Pinky, 22. I am waiting to see the photos of our relatives riding horses! Meanwhile some rough drawings will suffice though I can't draw horses' legs!



Hi Grandma and Grandpa,

The people from Labasa arrived to Suva around 4.00pm which was Monday afternoon. They went straight to Raiwaqa where we were waiting for them. Uncle Dakai was there too.They arrived and make the sevusevu and they started packing all the wedding stuff.

On Tuesday morning we departed Suva around 9.00am and reached Sigatoka around 3.00,we have to take are rest and have our lunch,after 20 minutes break,then started travelling again,we went by two carriers(10 tonnes).We have to pass several villages to reach Draubuta,

Half way across we have to get off and walk since the carrier driver say he can't go further due to the road condition ,so we took the light stuff to help the men and boys who carried the luggage, which was about 30 minutes walk and we wait for 20 minutes and the van arrived, Some of us have to walk about( boys and girls).When we reached the top mountain we have to get off again and walk to the village because the van cannot reach there due to the landslide next to the village., Uncle Dakai had to go by horse back since it was about 2 hours to reach the village ,The village is surrounded by 2 fences. Bu Litia from Ra had to pull it off for Mila to get through it,we reach the villages around 8.00 in the night.

After a few hours in the village ,Uncle Samisoni arrived with some of Maria’s relatives. We were so tired and can feel our skin coated with dust so we have to go bath in the big river which was deep and water cold like ice which was the good thing about that village. We have to sleep early due to the long ride along with the gravel on the road not forgetting the 2 hours to reach the village.

On Thursday morning women were busy preparing all the wedding stuff, Amalaini was Pinky's witness on the wedding day. Due to the hot condition on the wedding, Amalaini got black out, so the priest have to wait few minutes for Amalaini to gain her strength, After it was all good. Some of the relatives from Ra were also going with us to the village. After the wedding we had a great lunch,and people started enjoying themselves like drinking grog, siba, and another stuff. Like some of us have to wake up the whole night since it was the last night of us.

Around 6.00 in the morning we have to get ourselves ready to climb back the mountain because the sun was still down, Uncle Dakai have to go back on a horse since he can't walk over the mountain. Also Mila have to go by horseback, like it take her 30 minutes to get on top of the horse. (I'd like to see that!) That was the most enjoyable part of the trip.

We have to get off from one carrier, walk across the bridge then hop it to another carrier. We have to wait for Mum, Mila, Aunty Bale, Aunty Sena, Pinky, since they went to another village, Pinky and her husband came and drop us in Sigatoka town and then they have to go back.

We arrived in Suva around 5.00 on Thursday afternoon. They have one day shopping in the city which was Friday ,and they went back to Labasa on Saturday morning by Patterson shipping.

Thank you
Wendy Junior