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U is for…Underwater

 

Yesterday we checked out of the Nadi hotel and came to a Lautoka one. This reduces hubby’s two-way commute by about 40 km every day. But we’re booked here till early May only, then we move to Denarau which is farther beyond Nadi again. So I am not sure how this will help, but mine is not to argue why…the wheels of company practices grind exceedingly slow and exceedingly baffling…

 

Because of the forgotten suitcase, I repacked everything and took an unconscionable time to recheck every inch of each cabinet and drawer where things I’d unpacked might lurk. I am haunted by the fear of leaving something – test results or vaccine cards or something even more important, behind next and being stranded in a foreign country without the regulation papers.

 

Yesterday when we fetched up at Lautoka, the tide was high and the weather was fine. Today though it was a drizzle-sunny combo, which produced a rainbow first thing I saw in the morning. Unfortunately, underneath it, instead of the mandatory pot of gold or any other type eye candy was a ugly-functional no-frills warehouse type building. But still, a rainbow is always beautiful whatever it arches over - it felt like a divine omen.

 

It cleared up briefly as we went down to breakfast so I took a quick walk after. The tide had ebbed. As the water had receded the seawalls that were underwater yesterday were exposed. This too felt more significant that just rocks emerging from water - a reality check. An old frayed tyre had surfaced along with other debris. It happens with every place, every relocation, this high tide/low tide change of perspective and the seawall coming into view. Not unexpected. 

There was a whole flock of common mynahs hopping around on the low barrier and pecking at the grass verge. I saw a glossy ibis hunting off the rocks of the seawall but it flew away before I could get a shot, I am still with the phone and haven’t unpacked the big lens camera.  

It's been raining, sometimes in torrents, sometimes in drizzles, ever since I got back into the room. The weather too feels like a metaphor, the promise of the early rainbow swamped by incessant rains. Any place this green would have to have a substantial amount of rains, stands to reason. It's a good thing I'm not hung up about sunny weather, living in desert climates for decades has slow-seeded in me an uncommon appreciation for rain, but at times the most indefatigable optimism is not enough to stop the mood from ebbing out like the tide.  

The way everyone I’ve met so far has been telling me not to go walking after dark and/or alone, not to speak to strangers as they’ll make out from my Hindi I’m not local, not do this, nor do that, is rather upsetting. Being on my own doesn’t faze me, I can manage with my own company quite well. Expat wives and trailing spouses mostly have to, I’ve had long practice. But security is another matter altogether. Daunting.

Five books and very little solitary exploration – this is going to be an unprecedented challenge! But I’m up for it. Maybe the universe is telling me to complete my third manuscript of poems? We shall see...

 

A-Z Challenge 2022