I’ll try to capture some of the scents I experienced on the Fiji islands here in writing. It’s probably a sorry attempt.
Sun baked coconuts - there is a pile of coconuts, and a pile of opened ones right next to it. For some distance I’ve been able to smell the sweet scent of something until I found the opened coconuts.
Pile of Compost - scents change with the wind. Mango trees are abundant, the fruit more plentiful than anyone could pick. So they fall to the ground, some will be smashed, open, then they rot on the ground. Millions of bugs and flies have a feast.
Tropical Green - With another breath I inhale the green plants of the tropical rainforest. Damp, fresh, earthy. The scent comes from the big leaves - coconut, banana, and lots of others I don’t know the name to.
More fruit- this time open papayas on the ground
Ocean - on top of a mountain the air streams up from the ocean. Not very salty, but distinguishably oceanic.
Viti cuisine - Someone is cooking a nice meal for us - it’s a faint smell because most of it is kept sealed unerneath the suface of the ground. Chicken, lamb shank, crab, bread fruit is all buried underneath, cooking slowly on hot glowing stones. The chicken and lamp are kept in a basket hand woven from coconut leaves. Banana leaves seal the underground-oven and lots of earth covers it, creating a mound - almost a miniature volcano.
Frangibani - Probably Viti’s national flower. A beautiful, strong, soothing, fresh vapour of the white flower that many Vitian ladies wear behind their ear.
Mosquito spray - there is hardly a chance for us whites to survive without the great invention of insect repellent. This smell frequently fills the air.
Yes, those smells linger in my memory too. The tropics have their own delight. Good to see you’re getting closer and love this journal. It makes you seem so much closer. Look forward to your arrival. Martin
Happy, Happy Birthday yougest big brother!!!
SOooooooo hope you have a wonderful day in the Pacific. It’s probably pretty cold actually in the Pacific, although I wouldn’t know as NZ is a place we still haven’t visited. Anyway have a great day and we’ll see you soon. Martin, Virginia, Andrew ,Jayne and James XXXXOOOO
hello tall brother!
happy birthday from ol’ boring Linz, Austria!
schön, dich hier zu entdecken und dich auf diese weise auf deiner reise begleiten zu können!
blessings,
richard
wann bist du wieder im lande?
hi sam, first of all happy happy birthday!!!!!!!!!!!
ich hoffe du hattest einen schönen geburtstag- jup überlebt???!!!. dein studentenkreis (auch chris u veronika) waren heut zum backen, punshtrinken versammelt.wir hatten echt eine gesegnete zeit, schöne gespräche, aber trotzdem fehlst du in unserer mitte.das eine oder andere photo wirst du auf jeden fall noch sehen.gottes segen auch weiterhin auf euerem trip. hug felo
Hey, Sammy!
Bekomm immer Fernweh, wenn ich eure Berichte lese und v.a. eure Fotos sehe.
Alles Liebe
Wünsch dir echt nur das Beste zum Geburtstag. Der Ort an dem du feierst ist ja wohl einmalig
Ich bete, dass der Herr dich auch im kommenden Jahr so segnet damit noch mehr Menschen durch dich gesgenet werden können.
Salzburg vermisst dich
Veronika
Great Birthday Dude
Richard.
Happy Birthday Sammy! Hope you had a wonderful day abroad…who wouldn’t want to celebrate in Fiji?! Hope all is well…Happy Holidays!