Pacific Odyssey - Leg 2

It has been a very pleasant day, there is a good feeling on the boat with people coming and going, the boat is definitely our home, a comfortable stronghold for all of us. It´s been sunny all day, very warm.  The wind was blowing from the west today, causing Skipper some alarm as we want the southeasterly trades when we travel through the next few island groups.  By evening the wind was blowing easterly again, Skipper was content. With the breeze and the tarps, the boat is a very comfortable place to hang out.  We also were able to set up a hose with fresh water.  Again, this is such a luxury after weeks of washing with salt water and a bucket. The temperature of the water is quite cold, we enjoyed shivering again.  The lather from the fresh water and soap caused shrieks of delight and the squeaky clean feeling afterwards was completely appreciated.  Small things make a big difference; a good lesson in many ways.  There are plans underway for most of the crew and trainees on board to rent cars and drive around the island tomorrow, some of them spending the night away from the boat and camping somewhere.  A small group of us are getting up at 0500hrs to visit the market when the fisherman deliver their fish.  It´s supposed to be an amazing sight, full of activity so early in the day.  My boys are very excited.  At 1000hrs the kids, Katie and myself are going to attend a church service.  17 years ago we attended the service and it was incredible; the singing, the sea of white hats and white dresses, the energy and passion within the building was something I would like to relive and share.  Tonight a group of trainees looked after my 3 boys so Tony and I could get a few hours away from the ship on our own; an incredibly sensitive group we have, very generous and thoughtful. They even took them to the ´trucks´ for ice cream.  Some trainees have had their laundry cleaned for them and the results sound good, though expensive.  In most of the places we´ll travel, self serve laundromats do not exist.  One brings laundry in, has it weighed, and returns later to pick it up, all clean and folded.  This is a nice thing, but the price is quite high.  We justify it by remembering we are providing a job for someone, and . . . who wants to spend time in a laundromat in Tahiti anyways?  Cold drinks are also top on the list for something all of us enjoy and appreciate.  Cold bottled water goes down by the  litres.  We are finding that it is expensive to be here, Claire says she feels her pockets have holes, the money just seems to flow out the bottom.  We feel fortunate that we have our home to return to and food graciously supplied to us 3 times a day, amongst a close group of friends.  Arielle spent part of the morning making caramel with Jacob and Noah.  We had it for dessert tonight; delicious.  So simple and so satisfying.  She had the boys write out the recipe, convert Fahrenheit to Celsuis, read instructions, mix, prepare, research how to decide ´hard ball stage´ without a candy thermometer, etc., an excellent learning opportunity in many ways.  Schooling is happening in many different ways, though no school books have surfaced from the blue Rubbermaid tubs yet, just the novels,  collections of stories, poetry books etc. We spend time every day both reading together and reading our own books.  Several girls went dress shopping today and were successful.  4 or 5 trainees visited the Pearl Market, a well-organized business where one can learn about pearls from an ongoing video, choose amongst thousandsof pearls, a pearl within a certain price range, choose a setting and even help drill the hole for the setting.  Every trainee that went through the process of learning, looking, choosing and receiving their finished pearl purchase was very satisfied with their time spent at the market.  I´ve seen them myself and I love what I see.  The job is well done and trainees say there is no pressure to buy and that everything is very organized, professional and upfront.  Conversations with the workers sometimes moved from the pearls to where some of the best surfing and snorkelling beaches on the island are.  Our young people are treated well, islanders enjoy seeing young people visit.  Today one of the female dancers from Apatoni, on the island of Tahuata, saw the masts and came by to say hello.  A few more of them are coming to join us for dinner on Wednesday.  Just after we left the Marquesas, most of the young people left their native islands to go to school on Tahiti. We knew this and were hoping that some of them would notice the masts and drop by.  Tonight, many of us again visited the ´trucks´ and their wonderful selection of food.  The whole scene is something fascinating to watch and be a part of.  Tony and I were able to saunter through and watch the different ´trucks´ make their food and see which places might be somewhere we would want to eat with the kids on our days off.  I was told that the favorite crepe so far was one with nutella and banana.  Some of the Chinese stir-fry looked great, as did the pizza, the barbecued kebabs and the fish.  Jeremy and his wife Christina celebrate their 5th anniversary today and although Jeremy had a great chat with Christina today, he woul again like to wish her a great day.  Happy Anniversary Christina! Also, tomorrow is my sister Monique´s birthday and I would like to wish her an amazing day with Bob, and her two boys Silas and Salal.  Happy Birthday Monique, I´m thinking of you.  During the middle of the day there were many of us just hanging out on the boat doing various things; reading, laundry, making coconut shell or mother of pearl shell jewelry, sleeping, writing in journals or on postcards, listening to music, talking,  eating coconut, showing purchases . . . I feel a sense of balance,  life is good, we have our ship, we have each other.  I will miss the group we have, though, as always, I know it can happen again. Yet, it is sad to let go a group such as this.  This is it, time for bed, most of us are sleeping on deck where the air is cooler.  The dock is more peaceful than I had anticipated being so close to the city.  Until tomorrow, good night, Bonice.