Snapping pictures from Buca Bay back to Labasa

We were still in tourist mode on the way back to Labasa, loving every bit of scenery in  beautiful Fiji. Not often do we have time to stop and take pictures on the road. Rex was a sweetheart to stop and let me take these shots.

I absolutely love to see these huge shade trees like the one reaching over the road. These are humongous.

Look at its truck and root system!

Nice to get off the gravel and back onto paved roads!

You've got to love the sign.

Rex spotted this holding pen for cow-calf pairs.

Huge water lilies in a pond leading to a resort

Another Resort

We stopped on a beach to get sand for an object lesson on paying tithing first.

Tide was out.

Rex said he found my little island.

He stopped to pose for us. Love his saddle blanket!

Fern gully with my fern palms

Not often do you see Pine Trees by a Mango Tree

Or a Fern Palm by Pine Trees

Monstrous Bamboo

Mother and her white faced colt we saw still nursing

Waterfall between Labasa and Savusavu

Waiting at a bus stop.

Hold it! Are those dogs lying on the ledge? We  had to do a U turn for these shots.

Almost home. Rex stopping at our little convenience store to get bread and fresh eggs. They don't have to worry about shop lifters at this store!

Rough boat ride back from Taveuni

It was raining when we got on the boat to leave Taveuni. The boat was rocking as it sat in dock waiting to load.

Just as we started to move, we saw a rainbow. My camera doesn't do it justice. It was beautiful. If you look closely, it was actually a double rainbow.

I wish this could catch the 3D effect. The captain had to hit the waves head on, and then turn a little sideways.
  

The boat was going up and down and side to side at the same time. I was okay as long as I kept looking out at the waves.

Rex was worried about me, but he was the one had to go out on the bow to keep from being sea sick. Sister Roth joined him for the same reason. There wasn't much talking.

There were 6-8 foot swells. In what is usually a glassy smooth sea, there was a lot of white water as the waves broke. They didn't seem as bad as long as I kept taking pictures so I just kept taking pictures and video. At one point, I was almost scared. I thought about Jesus and how he had calmed the sea by saying, "Peace be still." That was my mantra for a while..

As we came into the bay, the waves subsided.

 Nice to be back to our island.

This reminded me of our milk bottle raft.

The man is the father of the captain, who is beside him.  We told him "thank you" for getting us home safely. He is proud to have built this sea worthy boat, the Taveuni Princess. He has steered it safely through hurricanes.

Safely on shore. Good feeling.

Cziep's plantation. Instead of leaving Idaho to go to St. George for the winter, they come to Fiji.

Cziep's home they designed themselves.
The inside is decorated with Fijian crafts including mats, placemats, fans, wall hangings...
He scuba dives and takes the most amazing pictures and videos with his waterproof equipment. He has them lazered on metal or framed to hang on the walls.

Rex holding up Cziep's house

Everything was pretty by the waterfall

                 

My fern palms

Looking up at my fern palms.

I just love looking at these. It's as if I can't drink in all their beauty.

In the middle of the national park is this little Fijian house

This crab bigger than my hand was walking the same path, not happy we saw him and Brother Cziep was teasing him.

This cement bridge was dry when we came.
 On the way home, the tide was up and water was 1 1/2 feet deep in the middle.

We had to stop for 45 minutes while this "scooper"
removed 3 lengths of broken covert and replaced it. 

There were 3 vehicles backed up on each side while it was repaired. Not much traffic here.

"Mahana, you ugly, come down from that tree!"
These children were watching the fun.

I love you forever!
Rex waiting in the truck with Elder Vermeeren.

Sister Vermeeren, member living by the repair, Sister Roth

Betty loves to watch for horses. She got to pet this beauty that is expecting a colt soon.

Boatload. They were so excited when they saw us that a few stood up to wave. We thought they were going to tip over.

We tried to catch some of the beauty.
Pictures don't do it justice.

Our group ate pizza at a restaurant overlooking this bay.