“If what you are following, however, is your own true adventure, if it is something appropriate to your deep spiritual need or readiness, then magical guides will appear to help you. If you’re ready for it, doors will open where there were no doors before, and where there would not be doors for anyone else. And you must have courage. It’s the call to adventure, which means there is no security, no rules.”
~Joseph Campbell
Thanks to a suggestion from Johnson, I met a young student from the University of the South Pacific who came from the island I next needed to go to – Ovalau Island. This was where David Whippy lived from 1825 until 1858 and where he rose to prominence both in Fijian circles and among the principal players in the Yankee maritime trading world based in Salem, Massachusetts.
Obviously I would need to go there and fortunately my new friend, Matai, was willing to accompany me and help me get around.
Most people making the trip out to Levuka go on the ferry and so Friday midday saw me packed and ready for my new adventure. With Matai’s assistance I clambered on board the bus from Suva to Natovi Jetty, the first leg of my journey. In hindsight, all I can say is, ‘Thank Heavens he accompanied me!’ I am sure I would still be wandering round the Suva Bus Stand looking for where the bus departed, and trying to put my luggage safely in the bus and find a seat. This was not for the faint-hearted I quickly learned!!
The trip to Natovi takes about three hours, and once there it is time to wait until the inter-island ferry arrives, which in our case, was over an hour. So plenty of time to walk around, chat to fellow passengers, and buy fresh fruit from the children selling their wares at the wharf.
Eventually it was time to embark. Our tickets were checked and then we climbed up the stairs to the lounge area, and awaited our departure.
Finally the ferry was loaded with buses, cars, cargo, and passengers and we left Natovi and the mainland, to begin the next episode of my epic voyage of discovery of the life of the ‘Old Gentleman’ of Levuka.
To be continued ….
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