February 28, 2018
We wake up late, after 7 as it’s cloudy and overcast and
realize it’s time to get moving if we’re to meet our taxi on time at 8. So, I
have a bite to eat and wait for Pete while he primps in the bathroom/head and
give him grief about it. We row to shore in the dingy as it’s such a short
distance and Pete has put the motor on the back of Miss Kiss to do some work on
it. In front of Ace for the third day, we are again waiting. I wonder if we’ve
missed the taxi as we were several minutes late, but it also doesn’t make sense
as Pacific Islanders are such patient people. So, we hang around and watch the
hierarchy of the local pack of dogs until well after 8:30 and Pete goes to
check with Almeda who makes another call for a cab for us.
Shortly after the call, a white van pulls up with a taxi
sign on top and I tell Pete our ride is here. He looks around and I say it’s
the van over there with the taxi sign, being my smart aleck self. Come to find
out Kim Albert has the only taxi sign on island. I’m dropped off at national
telecommunications to figure out phone service and hopefully some internet as
it’s been so long since we’ve been able to really communicate, and it comes at
great expense. While I’m working on that with the ladies, Pete and Kim Albert
head to the post office to pick up his package. They arrive back, and it seems
to be taking forever for the internet and phone service. I realize that the
lady and younger woman have little experience and next thing I know, a young
man arrives and takes over. It was so kind of the ladies to call him which I
had not realized until he arrived as they spoke in their native language. He’s
trying to work things out but has not had experience with such a new phone and
stupidly, I’m thinking it is two years old, not new at all compared to US
standards, but I’m definitely not in the US any more. The problem is getting my
phone to transfer from the 4g in Majuro to the 3g here and he promises to call
later after he’s done some research.
We begin the drive to Okat to visit the port authority and
Kim Albert asks if it’s okay to stop and pick up a passenger. Of course and it
turns out the man is his cousin and he sits next to me in the backseat where we
have pleasant conversation as we drive along until we come to his house halfway
to Okat.
All I can say about the people of Kosrae is that they are
extremely kind and friendly going well out of their way to be helpful and
welcoming. It is a beautiful place here with so many plants and flowers and
many houses have made lovely gardens with the native flowering plants. I try to
take pictures with Pete’s fake ‘’GoPro” as we drive along as I forgot mine and
my cell phone is almost dead. Kim Albert
drives us to near the airport in Okat on the north western side of the island,
so we can check in with the port authority and pay the $50 fee to be here. Kim
Albert talks with a couple of men and finds who we need to see about our final
check in, so we can legally be visiting here. Two nice young men write all the
info down on a sheet of paper, collect the fee and we’re good to go.
As we drive back to Lelu, Kim Albert stops at a store so we
can get some necessary supplies, beer, garlic, wine… and we again stop at the
Pacific Tree Lodge to find out how we might kayak there some evening for drinks
and dinner. We talk to Mark’s wife Marie who is a welcoming woman and gives us
as much info as we need to find their place by kayak. She’s sorry Mark is gone
on a diving trip for the day and we plan to visit again and hopefully dive with
them as well.
We are on the boat. I’m writing my journals and Pete’s
finished most of the more difficult work like climbing up to the top of the
mast -which I can barely watch being afraid of heights - and he cranks up the
stereo as he is getting ready to bottle beer. I think of the two ladies from
Emidj who wanted to listen to some music and the teacher at the school who just
wanted a basic CD player so the kids could enjoy music as well and it makes me
sad our batteries were so low that we couldn’t grant such a simple wish for
them.
A couple of beers later, a text from FSM telecommunications
to help us switch from 4g to 3g and suddenly we now have no internet, but it’s
a lovely late afternoon. We’re happy enjoying life and it’s time to let this journal
go for a while so I can just be in the moment instead of recording everything
in words or with a camera.
Laundry hanging out to dry and I wonder if it ever really gets dry enough to put away here
Okat Harbor
A colorful home I noticed on the way to Okat
A home near Lelu
The Nautilus Restaurant
Native handicraft with shells and woven from palm leaves, similar to the Marshallese but still unique
One of the many lovely paintings at the Nautulis
Had a piece of electrical tape come lose on way to Jaliut. Stopped the wind sensor for the whole trip. In Jaliut did not see it anymore, figured it gone. Of course, on the way to Kosrae it came back & fouled the wind sensor again. Went up the mast here in Kosrae and the tape is no more.
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