Tribewanted: Vorovoro

At 6am last Saturday the 20th September, following a huge ceremony for Giles’s leaving, I drank my last bilo of kava whilst sitting on the grog mat on the beach, watching the sunrise over the island with Tale, Save and Junior reflecting on my time at Vorovoro.

It was hard to believe that the day to leave the island had finally arrived. After extending my stay on the island twice it was time to pack my bags and say ‘moce’ to what seems like a second home. Two and a half weeks doesn’t sound like a long time and my stay flew by so quickly, yet I felt so at home on the island it felt as though I could have been there a whole year!

Vorovoro is a truly inspirational place. A place that touches hearts and leaves everlasting impressions that change people forever. No words can describe this experience. For me I have gained and learnt so much in such a short space of time. I’ve experienced a different life and gained a new family in the process. You begin to realise it’s the little things in life that matters and laughter is the key to happiness, not big cars, high profile jobs or expensive houses.

The Fijian culture amazes me and I feel so privileged to have been able to experience it for real. I enjoyed every part of tribe life… sitting on the grog mat with lollipops and kava (the lollipops relieve the taste of the kava!), attending ceremonies, learning the Meke, helping in the village, even watching as one of the pigs that I’d help feed got killed, skinned, gutted and cooked on the lovo. Although being a vegetarian it hit me harder than I thought!! But on reflection I realised that that pig probably had a better life than most of the pigs that we buy at home from Tesco’s! And with that thought in mind and Poasa and the boys telling me ‘I hadn’t been to Vorovoro until I ate the pig’, I tried a bit… not only the meat but the liver too!! Unfortunately it wasn’t enough to turn me away from vegetarianism!!

Getting back to reality is hard, even after a short time on the island. I’ve realised that clean clothes and hot, fresh water showers are so over rated, I actually miss washing in the sea!

After 10 months of travelling this has been the highlight of my trip. The experience is like no other and if I were to pass on one piece of advice to another traveler, holiday maker, or explorer it would be to go to Vorovoro!

Vinaka vake levu and big Fiji love,

Sera xxxx