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Photo Album - The Search (2008)
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This was my first visit to Savusavu, Fiji... So it was not only a trip to look
for property but to meet all what could become my new neighbors and friends.
It was also a time for exploration because this is my first trip to the Fijian
islands. |
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Before we even began there was a change in plans.... Savusavu airport was no
longer, it was being rebuilt to accomodate larger twin engine aircraft. So
we had to fly into Labasa airport some 100 kilometers away on the North side of
the island from Savusavu. Over a very big mountain and lost of rough
roads. We managed to cut a deal with a taxi driver (the bus was only $7
but would take 4+ hours) who alread had a backpacker on board and wanted to
split the $100 cost of teh ride. We went for it as the taxi could do the
drive in about 1 1/2 hours. Well teh taxi drive never went under 100 km
and it only took a little over an hour, scared the heck out of Tony. |
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Anyway, once we were settled into the rental house which Tony found for us from
a friend of his Jim's. We are now about 10 km outside Savusavu and had teh
taxi stop at teh market on the way in so we could get some beer and food in. |
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Day two started with a phone call by Tony to Mahameed. Mohameed is THE guy
in Savusavu if you want to buy land, he knows every bit of land that is for
sale. So after breakfast of fresh fruit slurpies picked off teh ground
outside the house, Mohameed arrived and we sat down to coffee so I could let him
know what I was looking for and my expectations. You must remember one
thing.... there is no real estate licenses or services in Fiji, most taxi
drivers are you the real estate sellers, or go between for teh seller and buyer.
I gave Mohameed my criteria and we were off looking at houses and land. To
cut a long story short, Mohameed didn't listern to my requirements, mostly
price, and so it too 8 of the 12 days we had there before he started to show me
property that I could afford. In the mean time I did learn a lot about the
island and its makeup and diversity. It was great to get out and meet the
locals as well as look at the possabilities. |
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Well we were 2 days away from leaving and I was just about to either give up or
purchase a less than perfect site, 93 acres about 1/2Km from the beach with a
fresh water river down one side and a waterfall at the furthest end inland.
I could always sub-devide and sell off bits of it! THEN when Tony and I
got back to the house Neill came over and said I HAD to call his bank manager
immidiatly as he had a piece of land where I wanted it and for the right price.
I called Rajesh at Westpac and he came over immidiatly after work and drove me
and Tony to see a lot he was representing just 5Km outside town on the Costeau
Road. It was perfect, exactly what I was looking for, a half acre on a
hillside and just across the dirt road from the beach and the safety of the
inner side of the bay. By the end of the next day when Tony and I were
leaving for Labasa airport to fly back to LA I had completed the deal with the
seller (owner in New Zealand) and was now the proud owner of a i/2 acre of land
in Savusavu Fiji!!! What the heck was I doing? |
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