The assembled multitude is remarkably still and silent in the Gunu village meeting house. One swarthy warrior rises to his feet and advances towards me. His glistening body moves in a series of weaving and ducking motions, his face a study of solemnity and concentration. Clapping my hands once loudly, I signify that I'm ready.
In earlier times my ancestors would have leapt to their feet and run for their lives for this archipelago was dubbed "The Cannibal Isles" and had a fearsome reputation. But I have an important duty to perform as the elected chief of the visiting clan and stand my ground, drinking deeply from the bowl of friendship presented to me by the mighty warrior.
The ancient yaqona kava drinking ceremony is a serious business. I clap three times to signify thanks and savour the taste. The kava is only slightly bitter but the anaesthetic effect on my lips is immediate. It is non-alcoholic but induces numbness around the mouth and a sense of general wellbeing. I drink another bowl of love, succumbing to the Fijian version of, "one for the road" and feel affably mellow.
With the ceremony over, I return to my egalitarian status as a passenger on Blue Lagoon Cruises vessel Mystique Princess on a voyage around the Yasawa Islands, northwest of Fiji's main island of Viti Levu. The islands are regarded as "Old Fiji", largely unchanged and set in their own languid pace.
The Mystique Princess is a classic blue-blood, billionaire-style motor yacht sailing out of Port Lautoka for the Blue Lagoon, the milky blue expanse of landlocked water where actress Brooke Shields first found love on the big screen.
The cruise director, Kim Prasad, has an inimitable way of acknowledging the famous flexibility of "Fiji time". She prefaces all her announcements with the words, "In a few Fiji minutes," which keeps us in a general state of preparedness without knowing precisely when a call will come.
Her warm welcome speech includes the rather too subtle request, "So let's get naughty and be nice," which is variously interpreted by her high-spirited passengers over the following seven days.
The crew are introduced and we are assured by their broad smiles and mischievous grins that the Fiji spirit of "bula vinaka" is flourishing on the vessel. The director concludes with a warning that is greatly appreciated by the gourmands on board. "I must warn you the Mystique Princess is not The Love Boat - it's the food boat. You come aboard as passengers but we'll consign you off as cargo."
The first priority on boarding a cruise liner is orientation. This vessel is well designed with its four levels; the sun, orchid, frangipani and hibiscus decks and my spacious stateroom has most of the features of a modern hotel room.
Our first evening is punctuated with cocktails, guitar music, a fine meal and a star-studded sky - it's the stuff of dreams. I retire to my cabin reflecting on the foresight of New Zealand stockbroker, Captain Trevor Withers, who launched this very successful cruise line in 1950.
When I wake at dawn I'm convinced that I'm still dreaming. My large cabin window reveals a deserted beach of pure white sand lapped by turquoise waters.
Our daily "dolce vita" pattern of life starts with a cornucopia of tropical fruits, poached eggs and bacon, followed by a short ride on the tender to a private sun-drenched beach. We sunbathe, snorkel and relax until a picnic lunch is served. The pampering continues in the afternoons with more snorkelling and a massage under the coconut palms to soothe away any aches or angst. Fiji is known as the Soft Coral Capital of the World, so the snorkelling is a magical experience. The coral bommies are alive with brightly coloured fish; demoiselles gliding gracefully, angelfish suspended as if in prayer, clown fish darting and diving into anemone hideaways and Maori wrasse mooching around for a feed.
ON AN intimate cruise like this it doesn't take long to get on first name terms with the passengers. Fabriana and Mirka are a couple from Milan who love to laze on the beach. Josef and Harald from Munich are true adventurers who never miss a 6am dawn-breaker swimming excursion.
Two couples from New York are travelling with six children who are having a ball in the land of bula. A family of four from San Diego includes an enterprising 8-year-old boy who aspires to own a private island in the Yasawas and shows me where he will moor his million-dollar yacht.
Cory, the children's co-ordinator, has a full programme including swimming races.
A cruise highlight is a visit to the Nacula Village School. About 40 smiling pupils in purple uniforms gather to sing hymns and national songs in perfect harmony.
They begin with an action song, We Are One Big Happy Family, which their broad grins affirm.
The finale is a fun-filled fiesta of rhymes about McDonald's, KFC, a monk on an elephant's trunk and a hilarious dance representing an endemic bird which has everyone doubled up with laughter. Island Night, with its tropical feast on the beach, is the culmination of all our cruise adventures.
The "magiti" feast is wrapped in banana leaf baskets and steamed in a "lovo" earth oven.
When opened, it reveals a potpourri of pork, beef, goat, chicken, fish with taro, cassava, breadfruit and papaya.
This is the sort of fare that castaways Tom Hanks and the Swiss Family Robinson craved in movies that were shot here.
Cocktail hour is always a pleasant experience as guitar music and island songs fill the air.
This is the time when I really feel the spirit of "bula vinaka", assisted by a lime green Island Affair comprising midori, curacao, Cointreau and coconut cream. I follow this up with a Yasawa Sunset with dark rum and Kahlua, look to the west and begin to understand how therapeutic a tropical cruise can be.
The sky is ablaze with orange and red as the sun dips below the horizon.
For a brief moment in time a golden pathway on the sea links Mystique Princess to the setting sun and it feels good to be alive.
We disembark at Lautoka to the sad refrain of Isa Lei, sung by our crew who seem genuinely sorry to see us go.
They are beautiful people. It's no wonder travellers are drawn to Fiji by the people as much as the scenery.
My final night is spent in the very comfortable Sheraton Fiji on Denarau Island, a manicured oasis of calm in a garden setting. In the evening I join newfound friends at the Westin Denarau Island Resort Steakhouse for a fine wagu steak and chocolate dessert.
There are big bowls of love wherever you go in Fiji and I don't mean just the kava.
Paul Rush was hosted by Blue Lagoon Cruises, the Sheraton Fiji Resort and Westin Denarau Island Resort.
GETTING THERE
Air New Zealand and Air Pacific have daily departures from Auckland to Nadi. The Westin Denarau and Sheraton Fiji are well placed as overnight accommodation before and after the cruise and Blue Lagoon shuttles operate to Port Lautoka from Denarau Island.
THINGS TO TAKE
It helps to have more than one set of swimming togs and your own comfortable mask and snorkel. Sandals are suitable for the cruise and sneakers if you plan to hike over the islands.
www.bulafiji.com
www.bluelagooncruises.com
www.westin.com/denarauresort
www.sheraton.com/fiji
Bula Vinaka from Fiji
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