Coconut Telegraph, by Chris

This blog serves as our own little journal, so I like to write about things I worry I will forget. I've already forgotten the third (could be that rum) but two funny memories are still with me. Jimmy Buffett has a song - I forget the title - about hearing stuff on the "coconut telepgraph." I always thought it was a bit of a myth - until we made the headlines at Coconut Grove in Fiji! The day we arranged for a little boat cruise, it spread like wildfire along that coconut telepgraph with several staff making comments to us about what we had done that day. How they knew what we did we will never know, but it made us laugh. It's something we have done in Jamacia and Grenada, just ask the bartender or closest beach bum if they know someone with a boat, but this is the first time we've made headlines doing so. I also had a good laugh leaving Fiji at the airport. We left the bure but spent the day birding before heading to the airport, so we were a little "sticky" from being in the heat. I have always wondered about showering at an airport. We were in the first class lounge of Fiji Air, and I noticed the ladies restroom had a nice shower. This was my chance to stop wondering and do it. I asked about towels and they gave me a beautifully clean, fresh, sealed towel along with lovely coconut soap, shampoo and conditioner. So off I went to freshen up. I came back and was raving to Mike about how great I felt, so he decided since we had plenty of time, he would give it a go as well. When he came back, he was sort of grumpy and cold and said there was no hot water, at which point I commented, oh, I didn't have any either. He thought perhaps that was something I might have mentioned to him since I thought the whole experience was so delightful. I just replied with what we had learned was a common saying, "smile, you're in Fiji." And by the way, they are making some nice renovations at the international terminal at Nadi Airport - Fiji, we'll be back!