3.08.07 Friday evening

Yesterday we went on a ‘safari’ tour of the island. We spent the morning being driven to various sites around island and shown different things. Saw crops – main export pawpaw, next is noni and noni juice. Also saw arrowroot and taro growing as well more familiar crops. Told about their previous god and the arrival of Christianity. Had a bbq lunch. Tasted ike mara – the local version of the Polynesian marinated raw fish. Very nice.

In the evening we went into town to go to the dancing competition. We saw 6 of the performances. They were amazing – telling the story of the arrival of Christianity – this year‘s theme. There were between 40 and 60 dancers plus musicians in each act. In one in particular, the ‘warriors’ dancing with the very sinister sounding drum beats made the All Black’s hakka look positively tame. Isla was fascinated. Between each act she was heard to loudly say ‘More dancing’. Even at 9.30 , when she could hardly keep her eyes open, she was fascinated.

Today W, I and me caught the bus into town, primarily to take W and L’s suitcase to the upholsterer to be restitched. After dropping it off we went to the markets where there were stalls from the outer islands. There was more music and one or 2 dancers. I lined up for 25 minutes to get Isla a milkshake. We pottered around and then wandered back through town. We had a nice lunch and coffee again at The Café filling in time till the suitcase was finished. When W was walking back to the café were I was waiting while she collected the finished case, several people stopped and asked if she wanted a lift to the airport. Also, on the buses, several times I have been offered a seat on a full bus by a local male. It’s not just my apparent old age, I have seen other females, no longer young, being offered seats.

This afternoon W and I went snorkeling. I was a bit apprehensive – have not been snorklling for many years. It was terrific. Very many different coloured fish. Saw a seriously scary octopus. I thought at first that this large ‘eye’ opening and closing peering out at me from a stationary mass of brown was not really an’eye’ but a plant of some description. Then the mass started to move and I realized there were tentacles attached . I had Dr Who style visions of 2 m long tentacles whipping out and thought ‘ I’m not sure if I am more than 2m away’. I very shortly was 4m away!

Tonight is free drinkies so must away.

Ka kite

p.s. I think the internet access card I have bought expires tomorrow, so the next post maybe several days away.