Return to Fatu Hiva
Pacific Bliss
Colin Price
Sun 18 Mar 2012 19:33
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Return to Omoa, Fatu
Hiva
We fell in love with Omoa, one of the
two villages on Fatu Hiva last time we came, as a result we where keen to
return. It also ment we could pick up Colins parents here off the Aranui (a
supply ship to the marquesas from Tahiti, which also carries 150 paying
passengers), that way they will have seen a great many of the Marquesas
Islands and in our minds at least two of the best. It's also the place I'll
get to see my French friend 'Franscoise who moved here 20 yrs ago with her
Marqueasn Husband. Not a life decision for the weak hearted. So when
we where in the throws of gold button, padded shoulders and
Thatcher, Francoise her husband and 1yr old daughter moved to a
faraway island without electicity, toilets or beds and to make it a
bit more final, not even enough money for the boat ride from
the island.
  Carvings made by
our friend Alfonz    Banana drying in the sun, a truely
delicious speciality We arrived at the beginning of half
term so despite our children being schooled aboard each morning, the afternoons
where spent on the quay sliding down the slimmy slipway, Cosmo took the arse out
of 4 pairs of shorts!.The alternatively was to cycle across the
bay where they could splashing around with the island children in
the fresh water pools whilst colin and I where able to sit in the shade of the
trees watching, reading and knitting, every one was free safe and very
relaxed. It became pretty obvious that these children are some of the
nicest we've met. The older children, who were totally caring, are
back home from Hiva-Oa where they have to go to school, there they
live in a pension at the age of 11 and are responsible for all there washing
etc. So for the very first time the children where able to run free and we
were able to go for walks and cycle rides with out our heavenly
appendiges. Not only are we more free than we've been for the past 2 1/2
yrs we're also able to organise a weeks school for the children. If we
ever needed a 'pick you up ' this is it.
Amoa's pretty church complete with rainbow, we
got to hear singing too which is totally arresting We're also invited to the
Mitita family Sunday BBQ on there plot of land by the
river. Alfonze, Francoise husband is one of 10 so even
with only half the family in attendance the wild pig caught earlier in the
week doesn't go far especially as we're talking Marquesan
appetites! It's a real treat and a
great insight into Marquasian life. Having spoken with
Franscoise we've been given the heads off that the other members of
the family like to drink and with a large dose of
female jealously eminating from one of the wives it's all rather good
entertaining especially as the boys only stop singing and playing the ukaley to
glug beer or gobble pork. By 3pm the songs are getting a bit repetative
and perhaps alittle off key. But as we lie in the shade under the
roof of the copra shed it a wonderful moment to
savour.
 supplies arriving to this faraway place
School, its a bit of a rude
awakening as it startes at 7.30 so we need to be on
shore, breakfasted and ready for action by
7. In the law of the 'Sods' Sunday evening
the swell started to grow which makes getting a shore difficult and
the anchorage untenable by most folks reasoning, but with the opportunity
to be released from parenting duty for several hour over the next five day only if a tidel wave was
forcasted would we 'up anchor'....... Luckily the kids feel the same
way. Colin, reluctantly, elected to stay at the school for
the first day, luckily this was dismissed immediatley as, incredibly, both
teaches studied English at University.
On the first day Colin
didn't return until 11 by which time I'd made great headways into cleaning the
boat. Colin mean while has got himself involved with power supplies
and the monitoring of power produced at the
hydro-electric plant, start's dawning on me that both of us seem never to really
relax if we've not teach the children then we're doing boat jobs and if we
neglect the latter then we're getting involved with a small project or other
with folk on the land. This was never really possible until we got to
Polynesia. Boat jobs for the first year where alway too pressing, plus it
so easy here to make friends.
Colins day out with
power monitoring of the central generators, not sure most you will
find this a very interesting photo but he did managed
to meet up with friends and see a dangerous cliff being exploded
with dynomite
 Arnaud and
Coco at the halfway point of the walk between the
villages  the hydro
powered pelton wheel turbine in Omoa. Soon to be duplicated in
HanavavaeOn Friday we are honored with a royal
visit from Gill and Peter so we need to get toilets grease and water line
scrubed and all sparkling ready for inspection. What started out to
be some quick jobs just seemed top get more and more extreme. But I did
manage to squeeze in a 17klm walk in the pouring rain. So bad was the mud
that I had to walk barefooted, But due to the fact I was with Francoise
and being regaled story after story of life over the past 20yrs I barely noticed
the discomfort. Ohh have I got stories to tell of how the islands
truely are!
    Two sweaty old birds on a 17km hike
from Omoa to Hanavavae, it has to be said Francoise is an incredible looking 50
yr old.
The week at school for the children
and us was a complete triumph, so much so they really don't want to leave,
I suspect we could put up with the swell for at least another month
had it not been for the granny and papa arriving, which they're both totally
over excited about.
 Zinnia in class
CM2 and Cosmo in CP1       Dance of the Oiseux (birds) with Z's other feathered
friendsThe children where split into
the two classes so totally on there own. Morning was hard
study with a fruit break at 9am the teachers rule with a rod of iron
so no chance to messing about. Morning lessons
are followed by lunch, Allahullah one less meal to cook each day.
During the afternoon they both worked hard on their Marquesan dance
skills. Cosmo now able to do a very good impression of a male 'Hu Ha'
Bird, and Zinnia is quite the most elegant of feathered foul complete with the
Marquesian singing. Enthusiasm for school was so positive, we're now
hunting for more schools experiences for them, another couple of weeks in
Polynesia should make great strides in there French language.
Friday morning and we watch Gill and
Peter disembark from the wonderful Aranui. Thankfully it's been a great
success, and they are now set to travel the world on all the Aranui style
supply vessels.
The children are just so made up come
11am on Friday Morning when G & P collect them from School.
    Granny walking back from school on the old main
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