June 2016 Boarding a bus in Suva enroute to Levuka: a lost address.
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| Do you recognize this charming young lady? |
Those of you who
have traveled to the Island of Ovalau will know that Levuka was once Fiji’s
capital, but that was way back in the 1870’s and 80’s. Today Levuka is
justifiably listed as a World Heritage Site, little changed from those long ago
days. It still has a main street of
quaint shops fronting the deep blue of the ocean and backed by a steep range of verdant green
mountains. There are still banks of
houses dotting the lower hills accessed by steep tiers of concrete stairways instead of roads and
connecting streets.
There is still in abundance the fragrant perfume of
tropical flowers, a profusion of fruit and fresh vegetables.
In fact Levuka
hasn’t changed all that much at all since 1877 when my grandmother Maggie McGowan was
born there, or indeed since 1900 when she married my Grandpa Chas Brown Parker
in the Wesleyan Church, which is still
standing today albeit with a fresh coat of paint.
The entire island of Ovalau itself is still much the same, though now
there are cars and buses where once were only coastal boats and shanks
pony; and you all know that means
walking on your own two feet. The faces
of Levuka haven’t changed either, the same wide smiles, the constant cry of
Bula, which could mean Welcome or Hello, or even Good day.
THE BUS DEPOT IN SUVA
But let’s get back to Suva where I’m waiting for the
bus to depart. A young school age girl
is sitting in the seat in front of me. It’s obvious she is saying a very sad
goodbye to two smaller children and a gentleman who is her
father. They are standing by her open window. Her hand reaches out to touch them, one last time. It wasn’t difficult to see her
tears and the concern on her Dad’s face. Sending a daughter off to boarding school isn’t
always easy... I know, I'm a grandmother, been there, done that.
It takes a while, this journey from Suva to Levuka; four hours north by bus to reach the passenger and vehicle ship that will take us
across to the island of Ovalau, 2 hours at sea and another 2 hours bus drive
round the island to our final destination, Levuka.
No change of vehicle, the same bus drives on and off the ship. Plenty of time to take photos, to chat, to cheer up a
sad little girl returning to her boarding school on the island and already
missing home and family.
It was dark by the time our bus reached Levuka and the
hectic unloading of passengers along with their myriad bags and goods. Time only for hasty goodbyes to people we
had become acquainted with, and to a now far more cheerful young girl who I had
promised to keep in contact with on her Face Book page.
A LOST CONTACT
The trouble is, in the fuss and upset of arrival and
location,
the goodbyes and the panic of where to go in the utter darkness I mislaid the
name and address of this charming and friendly young school girl.
I know only that she was returning to school on the
island. Perhaps some one reading this
story will recognize her photo? The one at the top of the page.
If you
do please tell her my name is Robyn Mortimer, that I live in Australia and she
has only to search that name on Face
Book, make a request and I will respond…
That’s me on deck, gazing out at the departing
coastline.
In the meantime if you’re planning to visit this
glorious part of the Pacific consider spending a few days, or even a few
weeks exploring not only the Levuka of
today, but the Levuka of long ago – it’s history is there for you to see and
absorb.
Robyn Mortimer 21st July 2016-07-21
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