Sailing from 10th December to 12th December we merely kissed the 11th as we rocketed a day forward within a few minutes flat. Easy. We sailed across the international date line and lost a day into the annals of history. Another day in the year and another year older for me. Sadly my twin is no longer with us to share the moment or day, but she will never be forgotten. Despite the loss, I am truly grateful that I am alive.
Paul thoughtfully presented me with a lovely gift - a small Tanzanite pendant and matching earrings. Apparently Tanzanite is December's 'birthstone'! It used to be blue topaz or zircon.
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| Tender pier at Savusavu |
It was overcast in Savusavu when the Maasdam lowered her anchor in the beautiful bay. What seemed to mar the beauty of the island was steam that seemed to be coming from a power plant. It wasn't but I will tell you more about that in a bit.
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| Steam rising off the beach |
Steam was rising from the sand and on taking a closer look - hot water was bubbling out of the sand in places. It was rather fascinating. We wore flipflops but still had to be careful not to get burnt by the steam or be careful where we stood. So what was thought to be a power plant letting off steam was actually geothermal activity along the shoreline of the island. The view from the beach to the ship and outer ring of the bay was pretty. Before we left the beach Paul spotted a small hermit crab so we said 'hello' to it.
I had read, on the internet, about hot springs and thermal mud-pools that one can bathe in and had seen photographs so we went in search of them. We came across a doctor's surgery advertising hot spring tubs but didn't venture in. We walked further up the road and saw steam rising from what seemed like a school playing field. The steam turned out to be coming from a bubbling hot spring beside a stream - with the school fence on the other side of the stream. There were bags in the hot spring - which was probably food being cooked, a common custom for locals making use of free heat. 
The day was getting hotter, seemingly by the minute, even though it was overcast. One could see rain clouds and a band of rain heading over parts of the island towards us. We decided to head back to the ship before we melted. On the way back, however, we stopped and managed to have a peek in at the hot spring thermal baths being offered by the doctor's surgery. The nurse/receptionist was just about to lock the door to the surgery - because they were about to start a circumcision. Thanks for telling us! The waiting room was busy with patients waiting their turn. Fortunately the ceiling fan was on, helping keep the room cool. We were directed to french glass doors on the other side of the waiting room into a courtyard to have a look at the baths. There were 3 big brick and concrete square-built constructions with a step or two leading up to them. One of them was filled with water and one of the ship's guests sat nearby on a bench. It turned out that he was waiting for the hot spring water in his tub to cool down a bit. Visitors can have the spring water as hot as they wanted. Water is diverted from a hot spring into the tubs and cold water added until the desired temperature. The chap waiting didn't want to be cooked so he had to wait for the water to cool down. His wife, in the meantime, was having a massage in one of the treatment rooms. We decided not to have a hot spring bath and let ourselves out of the doctor's surgery, a patient locked the door behind us. It was time to head back to the ship but via the street market again and with a quick look at an indoor farmers' market.
Usually we like to sit up high on a bench next to the tender's pilot but it was too hot there so Paul and I ended up sitting near the tender's exit and enjoyed the nice sea breeze that wafted in. I was grateful for the cool breeze, having felt a bit dizzy from the heat.
Back on board the ship we had a cool refreshing shower and Paul went back to work.
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| Leaving Savusavu - photograph from the ship's forward camera. |
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| The Maasdam's route to Suva |
PHOTOGRAPHS
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| Not much steam showing in the picture (depending on which way the wind blows) but Paul had to be careful where he put his feet and for how long he stood near a steam vent! |
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| Paul's right foot got a bit hot! |
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| Food in bags cooking in the hot spring |
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| Bubbling hot spring |
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