Tribewanted: Vorovoro

Almost three weeks ago I left Vorovoro with a heavy heart….. The sense of belonging I felt made me emotional and not wanting to leave even though I had some exciting things to return to in Brisbane. Why such a tug?

I connected with some fantastic people – met and shared knowledge with some amazing young travellers, passionate staff, grandfathers, graduates, men, women and chiefs. I got some insight into the Fijian way of life which is subtle, complex, multi-layered, perfect and not perfect.

At first I chilled out to slough off the manic world I left on the boat ramp at Labasa. I listened to ancestor stories and felt their presence.

I did the four peaks challenge twice and became a Hammock Society member. I pushed through anxiety and swam around Vorovoro (with fins – as per Hammock Society rules), a breathtaking experience, with the help of two kind and beautiful people. I bathed most mornings in the sea by my tent.

I boarded the boat for the reef trip and snorkelled and laughed with amazing friends under Jone’s watchful eye. Whilst catching some air, a rainbow broke out over Vorovoro and I missed a shark encounter but I did watch the boys spear fishing and only freaked at first to see reef sharks hunting the coral trenches below.

I saw sunsets, sunrises, sea snakes on the sea shore, saved girls from jumping spiders and dressed up as a pirate. I declined to be Cilla for a night but still chuckle about some of those awesome blind date answers. Swampy!

I was jealous of the talented musicians from amongst the Tribe, staff and Fijians and treasure their tunes and the natural sounds of the sea slapping (not lapping) against the coral beach, the fruit bats, the gapper laugh, Caroline’s early morning sea song, the kava pounding vibrating throughout the length of the island.

I bashed bamboo, thought about climbing bonus peak for a minute, let my hair stay salty and got a tan (well an ickle tan). I showered under the waterfall a few times and participated in the shower debate. Happily avoided mossies and sandflies mostly.

I had lunch with Pupu Epeli and drank a lot of kava. I cooked a little but ate my fill of fresh fish and didn’t spend enough time in the gardens.

Yet for all these things making up an amazing adventure after three weeks usually you’re happy for the adventure to end, to move on. After all, the project, like any place you go for a holiday, isn’t perfect. I admit there were times at the beginning of my stay that I thought, can I stay here for three weeks? Yes I went to Vorovoro a wee bit cynical about some aspects of this crazy thang, but I also went there with an open mind and open heart, and so I analysed my doubts and decided to choose how things would effect me (maybe this was also around the time that kava was kicking in…). That ole ‘taking responsibility for how I feel’ thing. I let go.

On one level, Vorovoro appeals because the landscape is beautiful the people are fab, the simple lifestyle enticing…..but the magic of Vorovoro for me is that it helped me to slow down and reconnect with myself, to revisit my green ethics, to ponder my future path and to positively experience myself. That sense of belonging to Vorovoro was a sense of belonging to me.