Standing on a hillock, I look down at parrot green fields dotted with wild stallions and cassava and taro patches. I am in Sigatoka Valley, in the middle of the island of Viti Levu in Fiji. Once the stomping ground of tribal chiefs, today it is known as the “salad bowl of Fiji” because of its abundant fruit and vegetable gardens.
I am on my way to the Naihehe, one of Fiji’s most impressive cave systems, once home to cannibalistic tribes. After crossing the muddy Sigatoka River in a speed boat, a custom-made Land Rover takes me through the countryside on dirt tracks, passing huge limestone outcrops, lazing bullocks, lush vegetation, small villages with houses made of corrugated iron and timber, and children and adults shouting “bula”, or welcome.
The locals have a close relationship with Sigatoka, Fiji’s longest river, which runs from the hills of the Nadroga-Navosa Province down to the sand dunes in Kulukulu, providing residents with mussels, prawns, fish and eels for food, as well as water for irrigation. Many children swim across it to reach schools on the other side.
“Life is simple here. Cassava on the table from our fields, and no TV or internet,” says our guide, Tia. Sigatoka River Safari works with 15 villages along the river, contributing to their development and infrastructure projects, while minimising the impact of tourism on traditional ways of life by only allowing visits to one village at a time.
We arrive at Sautabu, whose village chief is the guardian of the Naihehe caves. We must get his blessing to visit them, in the traditional way. Slipping a sulu (sarong) over our dresses, we select a “chief” from our group, who presents a kava root wrapped in newspaper to the village chief and respectfully requests his permission.
We sit cross-legged on mats inside the community hall, women behind men, as is the protocol, and listen to the chief deliver a prayer and speech in Fijian, welcoming us to the village and proclaiming us family after this. A cup of kava seals the deal — the drink is formulated from the root of a plant in the pepper family called yaqona, brewed into a muddy liquid that tastes earthy and has a slightly calming effect.
We begin our journey walking through a thick jungle lined with African tulips, bamboo, elephants’ ears and flaming torch ginger. The narrow path ends at a huge limestone cliff face, with the entrance of the caves situated under a low, overhanging rock. I peer warily into the entrance, as Tia assures me that it is only a short crawl inside, and there are no bats or creepy crawlies, only a few swallows.
As we duck and kneel, wading through water, with miner-style LED lamps strapped to our foreheads, we enter a dark, gargantuan, cathedral-like space. Tia uses his torch to illuminate the walls and ceiling — and we catch sight of muddy brown, light pink and white stalactites and stalagmites, in myriad shapes. Some look like pointed daggers, others like stubby toes. The elongated forms are shaped by a combination of minerals and slowly dripping water, in a geological process that takes place over millennia.
“Naihehe literally means the place to get lost and even today, if you come here without a proper guide, you can get lost,” says Tia. Long ago, this space was a refuge for villagers looking to escape marauding tribes and then the Christian missionaries who tried to convert them — a safe fortress where they could subsist for months on the fish found in the small creeks within the caves and the yam and fruit that grew around them. In 1743, 100 people hid here for 79 days. It is believed that cannibalism ended in these parts in 1867, with the arrival of the missionaries.
Just as I think the worst is behind us, we come to a point where the ceiling drops almost to the ground, with a small space beneath called the “pregnancy gap”. Biting back my acute sense of claustrophobia, I crawl through the narrow opening, which earned its nickname because it was said that the gap would reveal if a woman was pregnant, as she could not make it through if she was. It also prevented attackers from entering this inner cave.
The view on the other side makes it worth the effort — a cavernous space like a Gothic cathedral, where a European couple have even exchanged vows, according to Tia, with 400 candles lit for eerie illumination. He shows us spaces that in the past were named after their use — the chief’s swimming pool, the priest’s throne and the cooking oven, a small recess in a large pillar formed by a stalactite and stalagmite.
Up above, near the ceiling, Tia points out two secret exits, now blocked, that were once used by the men to go outside secretly and procure supplies while their enemies waited at the cave entrance. Some of the walls have graffiti etched on them, the work of village boys who clambered into these caves as a dare and left their imprint here forever more.
We retreat back through the pregnancy gap and make our way out of the cave system, walking through the jungle to be greeted by a buffet laid out on tables by the villagers. Over fresh fruit, grilled eggplant, bread, barbecued meat and salads, we muse on our journey underground and the snapshot it provided of a tumultuous time in history far removed from the usual Fijian stereotypes of sun and surf.
The specs
Engine: 2.0-litre turbo 4-cyl
Transmission: eight-speed auto
Power: 190bhp
Torque: 300Nm
Price: Dh169,900
On sale: now
Lexus LX700h specs
Engine: 3.4-litre twin-turbo V6 plus supplementary electric motor
Power: 464hp at 5,200rpm
Torque: 790Nm from 2,000-3,600rpm
Transmission: 10-speed auto
Fuel consumption: 11.7L/100km
On sale: Now
Price: From Dh590,000
OTHER IPL BOWLING RECORDS
Best bowling figures: 6-14 – Sohail Tanvir (for Rajasthan Royals against Chennai Super Kings in 2008)
Best average: 16.36 – Andrew Tye
Best economy rate: 6.53 – Sunil Narine
Best strike-rate: 12.83 – Andrew Tye
Best strike-rate in an innings: 1.50 – Suresh Raina (for Chennai Super Kings against Rajasthan Royals in 2011)
Most runs conceded in an innings: 70 – Basil Thampi (for Sunrisers Hyderabad against Royal Challengers Bangalore in 2018)
Most hat-tricks: 3 – Amit Mishra
Most dot-balls: 1,128 – Harbhajan Singh
Most maiden overs bowled: 14 – Praveen Kumar
Most four-wicket hauls: 6 – Sunil Narine
TECH%20SPECS%3A%20APPLE%20IPHONE%2014%20PLUS
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UPI facts
More than 2.2 million Indian tourists arrived in UAE in 2023
More than 3.5 million Indians reside in UAE
Indian tourists can make purchases in UAE using rupee accounts in India through QR-code-based UPI real-time payment systems
Indian residents in UAE can use their non-resident NRO and NRE accounts held in Indian banks linked to a UAE mobile number for UPI transactions
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
COMPANY%20PROFILE%20
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Jetour T1 specs
Engine: 2-litre turbocharged
Power: 254hp
Torque: 390Nm
Price: From Dh126,000
Available: Now
Six large-scale objects on show
- Concrete wall and windows from the now demolished Robin Hood Gardens housing estate in Poplar
- The 17th Century Agra Colonnade, from the bathhouse of the fort of Agra in India
- A stagecloth for The Ballet Russes that is 10m high – the largest Picasso in the world
- Frank Lloyd Wright’s 1930s Kaufmann Office
- A full-scale Frankfurt Kitchen designed by Margarete Schütte-Lihotzky, which transformed kitchen design in the 20th century
- Torrijos Palace dome
More from Aya Iskandarani
PSL FINAL
Multan Sultans v Peshawar Zalmi
8pm, Thursday
Zayed Cricket Stadium, Abu Dhabi
Courses%20at%20Istituto%20Marangoni%2C%20Dubai
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End of free parking
- paid-for parking will be rolled across Abu Dhabi island on August 18
- drivers will have three working weeks leeway before fines are issued
- areas that are currently free to park - around Sheikh Zayed Bridge, Maqta Bridge, Mussaffah Bridge and the Corniche - will now require a ticket
- villa residents will need a permit to park outside their home. One vehicle is Dh800 and a second is Dh1,200.
- The penalty for failing to pay for a ticket after 10 minutes will be Dh200
- Parking on a patch of sand will incur a fine of Dh300
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Packages which the US Secret Service said contained possible explosive devices were sent to:
- Former first lady Hillary Clinton
- Former US president Barack Obama
- Philanthropist and businessman George Soros
- Former CIA director John Brennan at CNN's New York bureau
- Former Attorney General Eric Holder (delivered to former DNC chair Debbie Wasserman Schultz)
- California Congresswoman Maxine Waters (two devices)
Results:
6.30pm: Al Maktoum Challenge Round-2 (PA) | Group 1 US$75,000 (Dirt) | 2,200 metres
Winner: Goshawke, Fernando Jara (jockey), Ali Rashid Al Raihe (trainer)
7.05pm: UAE 1000 Guineas (TB) | Listed $250,000 (D) | 1,600m
Winner: Silva, Oisin Murphy, Pia Brendt
7.40pm: Meydan Classic Trial (TB) | Conditions $100,000 (Turf) | 1,400m
Winner: Golden Jaguar, Connor Beasley, Ahmad bin Harmash
8.15pm: Al Shindagha Sprint (TB) | Group 3 $200,000 (D) | 1,200m
Winner: Drafted, Pat Dobbs, Doug Watson
8.50pm: Handicap (TB) | $175,000 (D) | 1,600m
Winner: Capezzano, Mickael Barzalona, Sandeep Jadhav
9.25pm: Handicap (TB) | $175,000 (T) | 2,000m
Winner: Oasis Charm, William Buick, Charlie Appleby
10pm: Handicap (TB) | $135,000 (T) | 1,600m
Winner: Escalator, Christopher Hayes, Charlie Fellowes
MATCH INFO
Arsenal 1 (Aubameyang 12’) Liverpool 1 (Minamino 73’)
Arsenal win 5-4 on penalties
Man of the Match: Ainsley Maitland-Niles (Arsenal)
Jebel Ali Dragons 26 Bahrain 23
Dragons
Tries: Hayes, Richards, Cooper
Cons: Love
Pens: Love 3
Bahrain
Tries: Kenny, Crombie, Tantoh
Cons: Phillips
Pens: Phillips 2
'Worse than a prison sentence'
Marie Byrne, a counsellor who volunteers at the UAE government's mental health crisis helpline, said the ordeal the crew had been through would take time to overcome.
“It was worse than a prison sentence, where at least someone can deal with a set amount of time incarcerated," she said.
“They were living in perpetual mystery as to how their futures would pan out, and what that would be.
“Because of coronavirus, the world is very different now to the one they left, that will also have an impact.
“It will not fully register until they are on dry land. Some have not seen their young children grow up while others will have to rebuild relationships.
“It will be a challenge mentally, and to find other work to support their families as they have been out of circulation for so long. Hopefully they will get the care they need when they get home.”
Specs
Engine: 51.5kW electric motor
Range: 400km
Power: 134bhp
Torque: 175Nm
Price: From Dh98,800
Available: Now
Match info
Athletic Bilbao 0
Real Madrid 1 (Ramos 73' pen)
BMW M5 specs
Engine: 4.4-litre twin-turbo V-8 petrol enging with additional electric motor
Power: 727hp
Torque: 1,000Nm
Transmission: 8-speed auto
Fuel consumption: 10.6L/100km
On sale: Now
Price: From Dh650,000
The specS: 2018 Toyota Camry
Price: base / as tested: Dh91,000 / Dh114,000
Engine: 3.5-litre V6
Gearbox: Eight-speed automatic
Power: 298hp @ 6,600rpm
Torque: 356Nm @ 4,700rpm
Fuel economy, combined: 7.0L / 100km
Scoreline
Syria 1-1 Australia
Syria Al Somah 85'
Australia Kruse 40'
'The Sky is Everywhere'
Director:Josephine Decker
Stars:Grace Kaufman, Pico Alexander, Jacques Colimon
Rating:2/5
ASHES SCHEDULE
First Test
November 23-27 (The Gabba, Brisbane)
Second Test
December 2-6 (Adelaide Oval, Adelaide)
Third Test
December 14-18 (Waca Ground, Perth)
Fourth Test
December 26-30 (Melbourne Cricket Ground, Melbourne)
Fifth Test
January 4-8, 2018 (Sydney Cricket Ground, Sydney)
COMPANY PROFILE
Initial investment: Undisclosed
Investment stage: Series A
Investors: Core42
Current number of staff: 47
THE SPECS
Engine: 3-litre V6
Transmission: eight-speed automatic
Power: 424hp
Torque: 580 Nm
Price: From Dh399,000
On sale: Now
Dirham Stretcher tips for having a baby in the UAE
Selma Abdelhamid, the group's moderator, offers her guide to guide the cost of having a young family:
• Buy second hand stuff
They grow so fast. Don't get a second hand car seat though, unless you 100 per cent know it's not expired and hasn't been in an accident.
• Get a health card and vaccinate your child for free at government health centres
Ms Ma says she discovered this after spending thousands on vaccinations at private clinics.
• Join mum and baby coffee mornings provided by clinics, babysitting companies or nurseries.
Before joining baby classes ask for a free trial session. This way you will know if it's for you or not. You'll be surprised how great some classes are and how bad others are.
• Once baby is ready for solids, cook at home
Take the food with you in reusable pouches or jars. You'll save a fortune and you'll know exactly what you're feeding your child.
Match info
Premier League
Manchester United 2 (Martial 30', Lingard 69')
Arsenal 2 (Mustafi 26', Rojo 68' OG)
DEADPOOL & WOLVERINE
Starring: Ryan Reynolds, Hugh Jackman, Emma Corrin
Director: Shawn Levy
Rating: 3/5
The National's picks
4.35pm: Tilal Al Khalediah
5.10pm: Continous
5.45pm: Raging Torrent
6.20pm: West Acre
7pm: Flood Zone
7.40pm: Straight No Chaser
8.15pm: Romantic Warrior
8.50pm: Calandogan
9.30pm: Forever Young
MATCH INFO
Champions League quarter-final, first leg
Ajax v Juventus, Wednesday, 11pm (UAE)
Match on BeIN Sports
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
One in nine do not have enough to eat
Created in 1961, the World Food Programme is pledged to fight hunger worldwide as well as providing emergency food assistance in a crisis.
One of the organisation’s goals is the Zero Hunger Pledge, adopted by the international community in 2015 as one of the 17 Sustainable Goals for Sustainable Development, to end world hunger by 2030.
The WFP, a branch of the United Nations, is funded by voluntary donations from governments, businesses and private donations.
Almost two thirds of its operations currently take place in conflict zones, where it is calculated that people are more than three times likely to suffer from malnutrition than in peaceful countries.
It is currently estimated that one in nine people globally do not have enough to eat.
On any one day, the WFP estimates that it has 5,000 lorries, 20 ships and 70 aircraft on the move.
Outside emergencies, the WFP provides school meals to up to 25 million children in 63 countries, while working with communities to improve nutrition. Where possible, it buys supplies from developing countries to cut down transport cost and boost local economies.
