Pennod 9 Ar y Lein

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-Bula! I'm in Fiji.

-Some of you clever people might be

-looking at a map right now...

-..I know Fiji isn't on

-the 175-degree longitude line...

-..but there's very little between

-New Zealand and the North Pole.

-Every now and then, we're permitted

-to make a little detour.

-Where better

-to make a little detour than Fiji!

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-Fiji isn't all palm trees

-and golden beaches.

-I've reached the main island, Viti

-Levu, and the busy town of Nadi.

-It's written 'Nadi',

-but it's pronounced 'Nandi'.

-Look how far I've travelled!

-It's a wonder

-I haven't caught a cold.

-I've travelled from the heat to

-the cold and back to the heat again.

-Fiji is a collection of 300

-small islands in the Pacific Ocean.

-Fiji is a mix of people

-from many different nations...

-..the biggest mix of all of the

-Pacific Ocean's southern islands.

-Indo-Fijians have lived here

-for four generations.

-They were forced out of India

-by the British.

-They form 45% of the population and

-their culture is very evident here.

-As a former teacher,

-I was eager to visit the schools.

-This school is proud

-of being so multi-cultural.

-They're also keen

-on health and safety issues.

-Put your hands up, those of you who

-have heard of Wales before today?

-Be honest, hands up

-if you have heard of Wales.

-Oh, dear.

-Once a teacher, always a teacher!

-I was a geography teacher

-for the day.

-I was trying to find out

-if they knew where Wales was.

-I eventually found one volunteer!

-Here?

-He's clever. Japan!

-Are you from Japan?

-Wales?

-Here!

-Good. Close.

-That's Scotland, actually.

-If they weren't sure where we lived,

-they'd certainly heard of us.

-Fijians love their rugby...

-..and even though the headmistress

-knew nothing of our visit...

-..she was wearing a WRU badge...

-..because it went

-with her red blouse.

-I'm wearing it today.

-This is the first time this year

-I'm wearing this blouse.

-It was meant to happen.

-Of course.

-This is what most people

-look for in Fiji.

-The native name for the island is

-Tai. It's called Beachcomber now.

-Tai must be

-too difficult to pronounce!

-It's a small island

-famous for its party atmosphere...

-..and it's a playground

-for the under-30s.

-This is another world.

-It's wonderful.

-The coral looks like brains.

-Some of it looks like lace.

-It comes in many different colours.

-Another one looks like

-an electric shock!

-The fish are amazing.

-When you're underwater,

-you can hear them speak.

-They might be farting

-for all I know!

-Some of them will nibble

-at your hand.

-If you've never been snorkelling

-or scuba diving...

-..do it now before it's too late.

-It's an amazing experience.

-I'm going back now.

-The tourist industry

-is very important here...

-..but agriculture remains

-the main industry.

-One third of the population

-works in the sugar plantations.

-When Fiji was colonised,

-the British government decided...

-..to plant sugar so that

-they could fill their coffers.

-But Fijians were unhappy

-with their working conditions...

-..and they refused to work.

-Britain then turned

-its sights to India...

-..and told the Indians they could

-expect a wonderful life in Fiji.

-If they signed a five-year contract,

-they would make a fortune.

-Thousands of Indians moved here...

-..only to find long working hours,

-poor living standards...

-..and very little money.

-But, they had signed the contract.

-When the contracts ended, most

-had little choice but to stay here.

-They had no money to return home.

-Bechu Prasad was born here

-soon after his parents moved here.

-Was your father sorry he had come?

-He was sorry. He was very sorry.

-When we filmed this, he was 104.

-He was the oldest man in Fiji.

-We recently heard he died on the

-6th of September at the age of 105.

-It was an honour to meet him.

-He remembers how hard his father

-worked for a wage...

-..that made him

-little more than a slave.

-The tragedy was

-his father never had a choice.

-He was bound in chains in India

-and forced to leave.

-Ship coming now. Go Fiji.

-So, he had no choice.

-He was forced to come.

-Forced, forced.

-This is a tragic story.

-Husbands, wives and children

-were separated...

-..and never saw each other again.

-They were abused by their masters...

-..and many died of injuries

-and illnesses.

-Many committed suicide

-to avoid living through their hell.

-Mahatma Gandhi's missionaries tried

-to alert the world of the situation.

-Finally, the contracting

-and the hell came to an end.

-This paradise

-is the Garden of the Sleeping Giant.

-It used to belong to Raymond Burr -

-yes, the actor who played Ironside.

-He fell in love with the orchids...

-..and there are 2,000

-different varieties here now.

-So far,

-I've only followed the coast.

-There are summits behind me,

-so it's time to head for the hills.

-I'm on my way to the village

-of Yavuna...

-..where people live

-the old way of life...

-..which includes

-the 'sevu sevu' ceremony.

-It's a ceremony to welcome visitors.

-The head of the village

-accepts a gift from us...

-..the roots of a plant

-that makes the kava.

-HE RECITES

-THEY CHANT

-An important part of the ceremony

-is that the visitor drinks the kava.

-It's slightly narcotic,

-apparently...

-..and good for depression

-and lowering your blood pressure.

-It has to be drunk

-in a specific way.

-I was meant to clap once

-when I received it...

-..say 'bula', which means life,

-and then down the drink.

-I hadn't understood that part.

-Bula.

-I'd been told

-that it had a horrible taste...

-..but it wasn't that bad.

-Cold water which tasted like earth.

-My tongue started tingling

-soon after and I felt light-headed.

-A song and a special dance

-came next.

-But since it was Saturday, the

-regular dancers were playing rugby!

-These did their best

-but laughed most of the time.

-THEY LAUGH

-Everyone else in the village

-went indoors...

-..to drink what remained

-of the kava - it's a social event.

-While they drank,

-I received a language lesson.

-And more food!

-'Moca'

-'Moca'

-

-'Moca' means bye-bye!

-'Moca' also means bye-bye,

-doesn't it?

-That's 'Moce'.

-Moce!

-I enjoyed meeting the people here.

-I met one very special man.

-A man who influenced

-the sporting life of Fiji.

-Rugby is the most popular game

-by a long way...

-..but volleyball

-is very popular, too...

-..thanks to the efforts

-of this man - Tai Eparama Nakoro.

-As a young man, he worked in the

-kitchens of Pan-American Airways...

-..for 22 years.

-He worked and socialised

-with the Americans.

-He also learned

-how to play volleyball.

-That's an American game,

-volleyball, not a British game.

-And there was no volleyball in Fiji?

-No volleyball in Fiji.

-So you brought it to Fiji.

-I brought it. When I came back,

-I brought one ball.

-One ball.

-I got the net, the fishing net...

-..and I tied the fishing net

-from one tree to another tree.

-Then, we start to play.

-And now Fiji is playing volleyball.

-Everywhere they like volleyball.

-Thanks to you.

-That's why the government

-gave me a medal.

-The President gave me a medal

-because all the sport in Fiji...

-..was brought by the white man.

-Except volleyball.

-Congratulations!

-I love the way Fijians laugh!

-I love Fijians full stop!

-And that's it from Fiji.

-The heat almost killed me,

-the kava was lethal...

-..I'm not sure

-if it's gone to my head.

-The welcome from these people

-is the warmest one I've ever had.

-I've loved my stay here -

-pity I can't stay any longer.

-It's time to get back on the line...

-..and I'm heading

-for the North Pole next!

-It's very cold there!

-From Fiji, for now,

-farewell, ta-ra...

-..or as they say here, 'Moce'!

-Moce!

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-Things have changed considerably.

-From the sweltering heat of Fiji

-to this!

-The Arctic!

-I'm freezing!

-It's a huge leap from Fiji,

-across the Pacific Ocean...

-..to Svalbard in the north.

-There is a part of Siberia

-in the middle...

-..but there's no-one there and

-we visited it in the last series.

-Svalbard is a group of islands

-in the upper reaches of the Arctic.

-They are controlled by Norway.

-Coal mining

-is the main industry here.

-At one time,

-thousands of years ago...

-..Svalbard was close

-to the equator...

-..and was covered

-by tropical plants and trees.

-As the islands drifted north,

-the temperature dropped...

-..and the trees died - that's why

-there's so much coal here.

-Around 3,000 people live

-on the islands of Svalbard.

-Most of the live here,

-in Longyearbyen.

-This is the social

-and administrative centre.

-There's a hospital

-and an university here.

-But there's no graveyard -

-the ground's too hard!

-Norwegian is the official language.

-For the first time on this journey,

-I couldn't understand the locals.

-But reading didn't pose a problem.

-Norwegian is quite easy

-to understand.

-What do you think this building is?

-'Sykehus'!

-Sick house - yes, a hospital!

-'Bibliotek' - books - library.

-Sport. Obvious.

-'Suvenirer'. Gallery. Cafe bar.

-Classic Pizza - that's the same

-all around the world.

-The snow isn't a problem here.

-People drive cars.

-But there are easier ways to travel.

-But if you want to go

-for a walk outside the town...

-..you must carry one of these.

-Why? There are a lot of these

-around the place!

-There are between 3,000-5,000

-polar bears around Svalbard.

-They're very dangerous.

-Once you pass this sign...

-..you've got to keep a look out!

-Before heading off for the North

-Pole, I wandered around the island.

-The best way to do that

-is on a snowmobile.

-Yay! I've always

-wanted to drive a snowmobile.

-I'm the one in the red, by the way.

-They can go anywhere, they're

-easy to handle - and nippy...

-..except when a cameraman is

-hanging on tightly with one hand!

-The views are heavenly...

-..but we didn't see

-a single polar bear!

-That's the way it goes sometimes.

-Svalbard is close

-to the top of the world.

-The North Pole is the other side

-of those mountains.

-It's only three hours

-in an aeroplane.

-The aeroplane left at 3.00am.

-Since we're so close to the Pole...

-..it doesn't get totally dark here

-this time of year.

-Russians owned the plane -

-Antonov...

-..and it was quite comfortable -

-it had its own toilet.

-Without an in-flight film,

-there was only one thing to do.

-Before long,

-we'd flown into daylight.

-The crew concentrated on landing

-the plane near Ice Station Borneo...

-..which is built

-for a few weeks each year.

-There's only nine feet of ice

-beneath us.

-But the pilot knows what

-he's doing and lands in style.

-Some people stay at the camp

-throughout the time it's there.

-Most people, though,

-just come and go...

-..either as part

-of their Arctic adventure...

-..or to reach the North Pole

-to say that they've been there.

-You have to create your own

-entertainment at Borneo.

-Playing the accordion is

-a good way of warming your fingers.

-It was minus 33 degrees Celsius.

-Some of you will have noticed

-a few things.

-Firstly, I look like a cross between

-a weeble and the Michelin Man...

-..but these clothes are a necessity

-when you visit the North Pole.

-It's very cold here!

-My hair has frozen!

-Secondly, some of you have

-followed this series with an atlas.

-You will have noted that Svalbard

-is nowhere near the line.

-I know,

-but to reach the North Pole...

-..we had to go through Svalbard.

-It was the same with the South Pole

-when we went through Chile.

-Anyway, we left Svalbard

-this morning on an aeroplane...

-..and we've reached

-Ice Station Borneo...

-..which is run by the Russians.

-The Russians not only

-run this part of the world...

-..but they flew

-the aeroplane here...

-..they will fly the helicopter

-that takes us to the North Pole...

-..they flew us to Patriot Hills

-in the South Pole...

-..they owned

-the Kapitan Klebnikov...

-..and they also

-flew the helicopters down there.

-They've got a bit of a monopoly.

-There's a reason for that -

-they understand ice.

-They know their Poles.

-As do I now. Well, almost.

-I've been to the South Pole.

-It's the North Pole next.

-Wherever you go in the Arctic,

-you'll find some dogs.

-Using dogs is the best way

-to travel...

-..when there are

-no petrol stations nearby!

-Ask Amundsen.

-As we set off for the North Pole, I

-saw how efficient these dogs can be.

-That's me losing my hat once again.

-It's starting to become a habit.

-It was soon time

-to head for the North Pole.

-Until recently, this helicopter had

-been in active service in Chechnya.

-Holes in its side were evidence

-of its adventures in war.

-Seeing the Arctic from the air...

-..gives you an idea of the size

-and isolation of the North Pole.

-I wasn't lonely in the helicopter.

-We were like sardines.

-Within half an hour,

-we landed on the North Pole.

-Carefully.

-In contrast to the South Pole,

-there's nothing at the North Pole.

-It's a frozen sea

-and the ice moves constantly.

-There's no point

-trying to mark the exact spot.

-It wouldn't be

-on the North Pole for long.

-But this is far prettier

-than the South Pole.

-I'm here in the North Pole.

-I'm on top of the world.

-I don't know if the Welsh flag has

-been here before, but it's here now.

-It looks lovely here but it's not.

-It's minus 33 degrees and

-the wind-chill makes it minus 35.

-What's strange is,

-I'm standing here, aren't I?

-If I walk towards you,

-I'm heading south.

-If I go that way, I'm heading south.

-No matter which way I walk

-from here, I'm heading south.

-The ice beneath me is still moving.

-It's constantly moving.

-In the time we've been here, it

-will probably have moved 10 metres.

-I like it here.

-This is better than the South Pole.

-It's so unspoilt - there's nothing

-here, but I don't want to stay long.

-It's a tad cold!

-It was so cold, my fillings hurt!

-Minus 44, but with the wind-chill,

-it was almost minus 60.

-People visit the North Pole

-for a variety of reasons.

-This time, three mad men

-from Canada and America...

-..parachuted from the helicopter and

-landed on the North Pole in style.

-This was their lifelong ambition.

-I think this is

-the only footage of anyone...

-..parachuting on to the North Pole.

-They were surprised to see

-so much clear water beneath them.

-It proves that the North Pole

-is melting...

-..but they carried on regardless.

-I paraglided once...

-..and I'd love to do this.

-But I think it should be left

-to the experts.

-Their eyes were incredible

-when they landed...

-..eyes beaming wildly with light

-framed by frozen-solid eyebrows.

-Yo-ho! Yeah, baby! Yeah!

-One had brought his daughter's

-letter to Santa Claus with him...

-..and he buried it in the ice

-ready for next Christmas.

-That was the North Pole.

-Next week, I'll be visiting

-the Faroe Islands and Scotland.

-So, for now,

-from the North Pole, goodbye.

-Next week, I'll be

-playing football in the Faroes...

-..and I'll be back on the ice

-in Scotland!

-S4C subtitles by Rh Sion Morgan