Bula sia!  Short blog post this week, put lots more pictures.  Check em out here:  http://www.flickr.com/photos/cahillfamilyphotos/

We came in to Labasa and stayed in a hotel last night (hotel named North Pole – there’s some irony!) so Jimmy could get his ultimate souvenir, a Fijian tattoo.  Crazy, I know, but totally safe.    Not as professionally precise as his other tats, but authentically Fijian and very well done given the equipment available.  There are pictures on Flickr if you wanna check em out!  

Only a few minutes to update!  Highlights of the week:  On Thursday we celebrated Ollie’s 5^th birthday - what a fun day.  The fun, community spirit of the island made for a wonderful birthday – Ollie actually became shy when everyone sang to him at the morning meeting.  He was gifted with some wonderful, beautiful handmade gifts and was the recipient of endless hugs and tickles.  On Wednesday, Chuck (the sustainability manager) came back to the island after a week away on holiday.  It was good to see him again – we’ve become fast friends.  As the sun began to set, he offered to take us out spear fishing, so we left the kiddos in the care of our friends on the island and headed out to sea.   The reef off the coast of Vorovoro is the 3^rd largest in the world – it is amazing to be in the middle of the ocean and have the water so shallow!  We boated past the reef and then donned our snorkel gear and jumped in the blue, choppy sea, following Chuck as he shined his waterproof torch into the coral, looking for anything large enough to spear.  The evening ended up a bust as far as fishing went, but it was an amazing night in the boat, surrounded by the vast sea and a bright, luminescent, full moon.  Our first time alone since we arrived in Vorovoro – aaaah!   The next day, Chuck's wife Susie and their three Fijian adopted children joined us on the island for a couple days to help celebrate Ollie's birthday.  We are going to join them on their sustainable farm for a few days in a week or so.  

There were lots of other things worth mentioning this week – hikes, excursions, projects started and completed, jokes and games, new friends, the Rugby game we attended while in town (Rugby – now THAT is a violent sport, especially in person!!!!).  But time is short now, so I’ll have to let pictures tell some of the stories.  Much love to you all!  Till next week,