Daydreams Of Paradise - Still On Fiji Time...

It's been a few hours since we landed back in Incheon. Back in the dull, wintry chill of the Siberian winds that ravage the Korean peninsula, the balmy, warm and bright climes of the South Pacific seem to be a couple of light years away, on an alien planet in a distant galaxy...

Landing at Incheon Airport and we were greeted by the traditional Korean impersonal efficiency which is far cry from the warmth that the ever-smiling Fijians exude.

It is said your personality evolves to be a sum total of your experiences and your travels shape you in no small measure - you may return from your travels, but a little intangible and invaluable bit of the place that you have visited will always remain with you. 

This trip to the South Pacific was indeed one such epochal event in our lives. There is indeed something about Fiji in specific that will always stay with us forever, till we die.

The Fijian vibrancy is so perfectly reflected in the colourful banknotes that we used there...

It was particularly interesting to see how Indians who were brought into the Fijian islands of Viti Levu and Vanua Levu over a century ago, as labourers (girmitiyas), were persecuted, were at the receiving end of repressive colonial policies and then persecuted by a government dominated by ethnic locals, the vibrant community and prospered economically...

We were a bit startled to see an example of this in a jewelry shop in Denarau. Ornaments with the primordial Hindu symbol - Om - ॐ, were being sold. These were designed by a Fiji-Indian, Romil Patel...

The media too had a strong Indian imprint. The television has a significant Hindi content - both from India as well as local Fijian-Hindi content. And it appears to be really popular...

A news report on Amazon India in a local Fijian newspaper...

News on India's renewable energy revolution in Fiji Sun...

Obviously Bollywood stars are popular amongst all Fijians, cutting across racial lines, a clear example of India's soft power...

And then Titan watches seem to be quite popular in Fiji...

In Fiji, we did feel at home. You may attribute that to the significant presence ethnic Indians here, but we truly believe it was also because of the warmth of the Fijians...

As we settle down at home, it is hard to believe that we are back here in this icy urban "wilderness". It feels as though our consciousness is there, in sunny Fiji, and not here in Songdo. But thankfully, we have a weekend to recover from the weariness of the trip...

And to cheer ourselves, we treat ourselves to cups of hot chocolate - chocolate that I bought in Samoa...

Clearly we will enjoy the taste of the sunny Pacific for a bit more into wintry and snowy months that lie ahead of us...

To Change Or Not To Change, That Was The Question....

And I am drawing on William Shakespeare's work, a soliloquy spoken by Prince Hamlet in the "nunnery scene", Act III, Scene I of Hamlet. The soliloquy opens with the lines "To be, or not to be, that is the question..."

And it appears that the Fijians had been engaged in a similar soliloquy on their national flag. To change or not to change, that was the question...

The Fijian national flag owes its existence to the country's colonial legacy. The country was colonised by the British under their monarch, Queen Victoria, in 1874. And quite naturally, the Fijians became British subjects. And the British imprint was left everywhere, including on the colonial flag of Fiji, a British ensign with the Fijian coat of arms.

(Source: Flags of The World: British Fiji Islands 1924-1970)

And then in 1970, Fiji regained its sovereignty, independence from the British. But it retained its ties with the British by choosing to remain a dominion, as a member of the Commonwealth, with the Queen remaining the titular head of state, represented in the country by a Governor General, but the executive was led a locally elected Prime Minister, who was in-charge.

At that stage, the Fijians adopted a variant of the colonial flag - the deep blue ensign was replaced with a light blue ensign, and the coat of arms was replaced by the shield. That's the flag we see today.

(Source: Flags of The World: Republic of the Fiji Islands, Viti)

(Source: Flags of The World: Republic of the Fiji Islands, Viti)

I do shield on the blue ensign very striking and Wikipedia has a vivid description about the shield, which amalgamates both traditional Fijian aspects and the colonial legacy:

The colours and objects on the coat of arms carry cultural, political, and regional meanings. The Cross of St. George—which divides the shield quarterly—and the golden lion at the top represent the United Kingdom, the former colonial power that ruled over Fiji. The cacao pod held in the lion's paw, along with the sugarcane, coconut palm and bananas occupying three of the four quadrants, represent the country's natural resources, since these are key agricultural crops in Fiji. The bottom left quadrant contains a dove that symbolizes peace – this was utilized on the country's flag during the reign of King Cakobau, whose government was the last before the commencement of British rule.

And Fiji went through a tumultuous time, when in May 1987, the army led by Colonel Sitiveni Rabuka overthrew the democratically elected government of Timoci Bavadra. And in October 1987, the Queen was deposed as the Fijian head of state, and the nation was proclaimed as a republic. Concurrently, Fiji was expelled from the Commonwealth.

Despite the political upheavals, the British colonial legacy remained firmly imprinted on the national flag. There were many suggestions to move towards a Fijian identity on the national flag, calling retaining the Union Jack on Fijian flag, an act of timidity. 

But the naysayers were voted out. Even, the perpetrator of coup d'etat, Rabuka was believed to have said "There are many aspects of one's history that people may not like, changing the flag will not change the fact that we were a colony. We cannot look to the future without a past."

And the flag debate was again revived in February 2015, the newly elected Prime Minister, Frank Bainimarama announced that the country would adopt a new flag that would be flown by the upcoming independence day in October 2015. A public contest was announced and a selection committee was constituted. Some of designs were quite striking and 23 designs were shortlisted, that included a lot of traditional Fijian symbolism such as the turtle, the conch, etc.

But public reactions were mixed, in fact some Fijians went on social media criticizing the new designs.

And then, something miraculous happened, Fijians rallied around the existing flag and celebrated it as a symbol of their nation. The Fiji-Sevens rugby team defeated their colonial "masters", Britain, 43-7, in the 2016 Rio de Janeiro Olympics. The Fijian flag was seen as a symbol of Fijian unity and triumph. And the Fijian prime minister issued a statement saying:

It has been deeply moving for me as Prime Minister to witness the way Fijians have rallied around the national flag as our Rugby Sevens team brought home Olympic Gold for Fiji. And I know this sentiment is shared by most Fijians. While I remain convinced personally that we need to replace some of the flag’s colonial symbols with a genuinely indigenous expression of our present and our future, it has been apparent to the Government since February that the flag should not be changed for the foreseeable future.

And the blue ensign still flies, still represents Fiji, quite remarkably, the only republic in the Commonwealth to have the Union Jack ensign. What's interesting is that both New Zealand and Australia which fly their own versions of the ensigns have ongoing national debates on whether to change their flag or not. Canada which had flown a red ensign till 1957, shifted to the red maple leaf flag in 1957. If Australia and New Zealand were to change their flags, that would leave only Fiji and Tuvalu, which fly a Union Jack ensign. And I must say Tuvalu has quite a striking flag.

(Source: Flags of The World: Constitutional Monarchy of Tuvalu (Fakavae Aliki-Malo i Tuvalu))

Coming back to Fiji, it appears "to change, or not to change" was never a question in the hearts and minds of Fijians...

Tālofa Samoa... Ua Mai Oe? ... Part II

And finally my 30-hour journey has come to an end. And for the next 5 days, Samoa will be home for me. For now, I have just enjoyed a long relaxing warm shower, followed by a light dinner - Samoan chicken soup with vegetables. And now I am reflecting back on the day today and preparing for the meetings scheduled for the next few days.

After collecting my baggage at the Faleolo Airport, it was time to get hold of some local currency - the Samoan Tala. There was only one money exchange counter open at the airport and again over here, there were local ladies with 100 Watt smiles. Such is the infectious enthusiasm of the Pacific, and specifically the Samoans, who are called as the "happy people"...

The delightfully colourful Samoan currency is called the Tala which is subdivided into 100 Sene. The Tala and Sene are apparently Samoanized  names for Dollar and Cent!

The drive from Faleolo to Apia was along a beach road with lovely views of the sea. The driver did mention that rising sea levels had caused beaches along the roadside to go under and there was increasing salinity inland, which is a big issue in the Pacific and the Caribbean, as much as in other low lying countries and cities, like much of Bangladesh or Jakarta.

As we drove, we passed by hoardings that advertised imported used Japanese cars being sold by a Sai Motors. I was instantly reminded of the automobile dealer, Sai Service back home in Mumbai. While I imagined "Sai" may be a Samoan name, out of curiosity I googled this up and what I discovered was amazing. Sai Motors is indeed managed by an Indian, Vijay Jashnani! Hats off to the Indian diaspora whose spirit of enterprise has brought them to this remote region of the Pacific. (There is apparently a saying about Indian diaspora being found in all countries except North Korea and Pakistan!)

It's not funny how the remoteness of these Pacific islands influences the political and economic decisions their governments make. Two examples from Samoa stand out - one is the shift across the International Date and shifting from driving on the right of the road to the left.

In 2009, the government decided that the country would shift driving on the right side of the road to the left to align it with its regional partners in the Pacific and particularly, Australia and New Zealand from where most cheap used-cars are imported. That decision was contested in courts but was finally implemented. The implementation came along with a two-day holiday to get Samoans used to the change and a three-day ban on alcohol sales, to avoid accidents due to driving under influence.

In December 2011, the country shifted west over the international dateline - Samoa skipped a day to align their business days with their main trading partners, Australia and New Zealand, which was expected to impact the country's economy positively by aligning the work week with its major trading partners. This was done by quite literally skipping December 30th, making Samoans lose a day of their lives as they jumped the clocks 24 hours ahead (imagine your woes in 2011, if you are a Samoan and your birthday is on December 30th!). When the clock struck midnight on Thursday, December 29, 2011, the calendar flipped over to Saturday, December 31, 2011, switching from the same time zone as American Samoa to align with the rest of Asia, New Zealand and Australia. 

The international date prior to the change...

(Source: Daily Mail UK)

The new alignment of the international date line...

(Source: Daily Mail UK)

And it wasn't Samoa that did that shift. Tokelau, a territory administered by New Zealand to the east of Samoa, also did the same, for similar economic reasons.

The momentous event was celebrated in Apia with fireworks. Postage stamps commemorating the occasion were issued with the message "Into The Future". So Samoa, along with Kiribati and Tonga are the first countries to welcome the new year! Till 2011, Samoa was the last country to celebrate the new year!

Another strange thing I witnessed in the hotel lobby was the presence of men dressed as women, with long hair, lipsticks and all that stuff that they call eye-shadows and the likes. I was told that these are people from the third gender of "Fa’afafine", which when translated literally means "in the manner of" (fa’a) "woman" (fafine). 

Fa’afafines as a concept has always existed within Samoan society. Pre-Christian Samoans accepted that every individual, man or woman, had a separate role in society. Accordingly, it was and still is still acceptable today for a male child to be feminine, for example. Boys who display marked effeminate behavior in childhood are recognized to be Fa’afafines and are fully accepted within their families and society.They have a very specific role in Samoan society, an interesting contrast to how transgenderism in the rest of the world are yet to be widely accepted. 

How interesting...

I will resume my discovery of Samoa but for now, slumberland beckons!

Tālofa Samoa... Ua Mai Oe? ... Part I

And I'm finally here, right here in the middle of the Pacific, in the Independent State of Samoa. 

The country has an interesting history. The country is a part of the Polynesian region of the Pacific and has two main islands - Upolu (the island I am on) and Savaii. It is believed that the Samoan islands were first inhabited nearly 3500 years back by people from South East Asia and Melanesia. 

The Europeans came to Samoa in the early 18th century. It is believed that the Dutch, led by Jacob Roggeveen, were the first to come here in 1722. They were followed by the French explorer Louis-Antoine de Bougainville, who named them the Navigator Islands in 1768. 

And then in the 1830s, the English missionaries and traders began arriving. At that time the Samoans were known to engage in "headhunting", a ritual of war in which a warrior took the head of his slain opponent to give to his leader, thus proving his bravery.

Then the Germans came in with an idea to exploit the commercial potential of Upolu. German firms monopolised copra and cocoa bean processing. That got the Americans interested who laid their claim on the islands of Tutuila and Manu'a which became American Samoa.

The British upped their stakes by sending in troops to protect their business enterprises, harbour rights, and consulate office. The colonial machinations provoked an eight-year long proxy civil war, during which the Germans, Americans and the British supplied arms, training and combat troops to the warring local Samoan chieftains. In March 1889, the crisis intensified when all three colonial contenders sent warships into Apia harbour, and a larger-scale war seemed imminent. By nature's providence, a massive storm struck on March 15, 1889 damaging and destroying the warships, ending the military conflict.

A few years later, another conflict broke out between local groups. Things came to a boiling point in 1898 when a local chieftain, Prince Tanu, supported by the Americans and the British were challenged by a large group of rebels supported by the Germans. American warships shelled Apia and the rebels were defeated. Talks followed in 1899 and under the agreement, the British vacated their claims on Samoa in return for Tonga, Solomon Islands and territory in West Africa. Germany got Upolu and Savaii and the Americans got the modern-day territory of American Samoa!

The period between 1900 and 1914 was quite peaceful under German rule, but then the First World War broke in Europe, and at Britain's request, a contingent of troops from New Zealand occupied Upolu and Savaii. The occupation by New Zealand was formalised under a League of Nations trusteeship mandate that lasted till 1962. The colonial rule by New Zealand was a bit disastrous and Samoa was impacted by unrest. protests over colonial rule, economic turmoil and an influx of diseases due to the breach of quarantine regulations by colonial ships.
In 1962, Samoa got its independence as was called as Western Samoa till it changed its name to the Independent State of Samoa. Samoa follows a unique system of government led by a titular head of state called the O le Ao o le Malo elected from the regional paramount chiefs while the executive is headed by the prime minister.
Despite its small size, Samoa does seem to be a pretty interesting place and I am all set to see whatever little I can in the five days here!

The airport is pretty tiny and rudimentary and the fancy new terminal building (it opened earlier this month) is modelled on the shape of a fale, a traditional Samoan house...

Samoa's immigration card...

The airport is designated as Apia or APW but is actually in a village called Faleolo and that gives it its formal name Faleolo International Airport. It was a revelation that Apia city is actually 40 kilometres from here...

For long Faleolo airport didn't have neither the runway nor terminal facilities to accommodate larger longrange jets, so passengers bound for Samoa had to fly to Pago Pago, Tafuna in American Samoa and had to change planes from there. But the development of the airport facilities here have allowed for direct flights to Apia from such places as Fiji, New Zealand, and Australia, without requiring a connection on the American side.

The entry stamp on my passport. Immigration clearance here was super easy and very friendly. Instead of an intimidating and grumpy immigration officer, there was a friendly chap with a 100 watt smile, that is so common to the Pacific...

Samoa has a very friendly immigration policy - people of all nationalities are welcome without a prior visa, except nationals of American Samoa. who need a pre-authorisation!

And my transport to Apia city is waiting. I have to collect my bags, convert money and then rush into Apia...

Over The Pacific...

The second leg of this dream trip to the South Pacific began in Hong Kong last evening, when I boarded Fiji Airways' "Island of Yasawa-i-Rara"...

I was warmly greeted, Fijian style with "Bula" by a friendly middle-aged stewardess as I boarded the aircraft. She resembled my adorable primary school teacher Mrs Noreen Peters a lot...

As I found my seat, I expected to see Bula on the screen, instead the screen beckoned me to enjoy the "Fiji Time" - a synonym for spending time at an idyllic pace, Pacific island-style...

And the boarding music was very interesting and catchy - the music kept ringing in my ears long after we took off from Hong Kong. And I am sure this amazing tune will stay with me, etched in my mind forever, reminding me of this epic journey...

And just then I spotted the Prime Minister of Fiji, Frank Bainimarama and his wife, Maria Makitalena, being escorted in by security personnel into the business class cabin. So, with a VIP on board, we should be in safe hands!

The flight path would cover 8,228 kilometers and would overfly Philippines and Palau, crossing the Equator...

I strategically chose my seat to view the sunset...

The golden rays of dusk over the Rova motifs make for an incredible sight!

A cloudy evening over the South China Sea...

Fijian immigration cards were distributed...

It's a full moon night...

And the meal I had onboard was by far the best inflight Indian meal I ever had - generous portions of spicy chicken curry and aloo-mattar gravy served with paratha and rice. The gravies were perfectly spiced and absolutely delectable. After the meal, the lookalike of Mrs. Noreen Peters graciously gave a me a cup of hot chocolate as I watched the George Clooney starred The Descendants, before dozing off...

When I woke up, we had already crossed the Equator and we were slightly eastwards of New Britain island of Papua New Guinea...

Free SIM card at Nadi airport!

Approach into Nadi International...

The Rova-styled cowlings look amazing against the clouds...

I heard the Captain say that there was a probability of storm brewing over Nadi later today...

One hour to Nadi and I am catching up on Hong Kong news with front page news on the troubles that the Hong Kong SAR Chief Executive faces...

Overall, this was a wonderful, restful flight, great food, good entertainment - Vinaka vakalevu, Fiji Airways!

The Dream Trip Begins...

After a few days home, I am on the road again, heading to the islands of my dreams in the South Pacific. My work is taking me to the Independent State of Samoa, which will be followed by a few days off in Fiji before heading back.

In a sense this is a dream trip, albeit for work. I have been wanting to visit the region for over 30 years now. And I am finally making it!

I will be flying off to Hong Kong right now on an Asiana Boeing 767, incidentally, this will be my third flight on a Boeing 767. I will have a transit time of over 5 hours in Hong Kong, during which I shall be meeting family. From there I will fly to Nadi, Fiji, with transit halt of nearly 6 hours and then would connect to Apia, Samoa. And this promises to be a long, long nerve-wracking journey, of over 30 hours...

Plane Spotting at Incheon...

Browsing through Korean newspapers and the "National Ajumma" is gone...

And the impeachment of President Park Geun-hye is big news. They say she has been impeached for corruption. Well... which politician, the world over isn't corrupt?

My take is given the extreme degree of misogynistic undercurrents in Korean society, the political class could not tolerate a women in the seat of power, and an excuse was found to boot her out...

Who knows what the truth is?

Misogyny, work pressure and what not has made Korea a veritable "pressure cooker" that has led to a high degree of psychiatric problems and as a result the country has one of the highest suicide rates in the OECD...

A restaurant to try in Seoul...

Asiana's Airbus A320...

An Asiana Boeing 767 in the Star Alliance livery...

Young plane spotters...

Asiana's Airbus A380 bound for New York JFK...

Boarded...

And we are next to an Asiana Airbus A330...

Pushing back...

Aha - I spot an Air Seoul Airbus A320!