V.J. Singh is from Fiji. Look it up.

The antibiotics have done their job and I’m ready for a hike and a plunge into crystal cool pools of Fiji Water at Colo-i-Suva Forest Park. 

The weather forecast is 90 F with 79% humidity and a high probability of rain.  Doesn’t sound good for a walk a rain forest.

A look out the veranda door reveals another unsightly cruise port.  We know by now not to judge by that first impression.   

Once we board the bus, we discover that the bustling city of Suva is just beyond the warehouses.  

The ride to the park took about 25 minutes, with the two guides tag-teaming the microphone and pointing out sights along the way.  As we  quickly rose in elevation above the city, we could see distant peaks, including Joske's Thumb which was conquered by Sir Edmund Hillary, a Kiwi, all shrouded in clouds.

At the park we wasted a good twenty minutes while many of the three busloads of people stood in line to use the single bathroom.  Finally, off we go down the trail.   

Bob is thinking about shaving.  Should he?

I should explain how Viking uses the Quiet Vox to keep groups corralled and together.  You'll see these things in pictures, hanging around our necks.  Before we step onto a bus or head out on a walking tour, the guide synchronizes the frequency of his or her headset with each member's Quiet Vox.  Since we're in three separate groups, our Quiet Vox allows us to hear our guide even if we've strayed to the back of the group and the different frequencies keep us from merging together with another group.

The path is slippery because of an overnight rain.  In our earphones we heard a lot of "Be careful" and "Take your time."  Down, down, down we went, passing small pools and streams, already dripping with sweat, thinking "When do we get to swim" and "We're going to have to climb back up to get out of here."

The guide keeps us moving forward by promising us "refreshment" is just around the next corner.  Finally, we spot the pool, just being vacated by the group ahead of us.  

Oh, I forgot to mention-  The guides had told us that on a typical day there are about 500 locals swimming in the various pools in this park.  Today the park was closed to locals and restricted to use by cruise passengers.

Cool and refreshing, we didn't want to leave.  Spent some time watching demonstrations of male stupidity as one after another some knuckleheads swung from a rope swing into the pool.  One such knucklehead changed his mind in mid-swing and let loose over the rocks surrounding the pool.  A single gasp went out from the onlookers.  Fortunately, this was a crew member and not one of us very delicate passengers.  We were surprised to see him get up and grab the rope for another go.  I saw him around the ship today and he appears to be intact.  

I had brought along the whatchamacallit that I bought at Bora Bora.  I wet it and wrapped it around me so I was cool for the uphill return climb.

On the return bus ride our guide explained that his ancestors were cannibals, not too many generations back.  In fact, the left shoe of the last victim of cannibalism is on display in the local museum.  Wasn't that a movie?  My left foot?  

Back to port just before all aboard.  Unfortunately, this was a short day in Fiji, only until 2:30.  We didn't get a chance to explore the town.

We sailed away and watched the clouds gather for a coming storm.  We got lucky and had a glorious day of hiking and swimming in Fiji.