Palmerston

Starcharger
Mon 10 Oct 2016 23:33
"18.02.800S 163.11.540W"
It is hard to explain what it is like here...
To start, 65 people live on an island of a few square kilometres. There are no cars, no roads and most interesting no shops. I have never visited such a remote community.  The nearest shop is 200 miles away, by sea.... Money hardly exists as a concept... The supply ship arrive three or four times a year. People get paid and then buy stuff from a store in NZ or Raratonga, and then it is delivered. They never see money! Everyone works together and nothing ever gets thrown away....you never know. 
When you arrive one of the three family groups, there are about ten households, will host you. They collect you from outside the reef, bring you ashore, feed you and look after you. There is no charge, but we have traded what we can. They treat you as one of the family. 
If you can, come here. You will never regret it. But make sure you find out what they need!  We brought three boxes of parts for their communications, a tv, a box of food and a bicycle. However had I known I would have contacted my host family and found out what they needed (the supply boat is three weeks late already and not due for at least a month!) they are desperately short of a few things. We have tried to help, the home grown honey was a particular success!
Leaving today for Tonga, 600 or so miles west of here and across the date line...how does that work?
Fair winds
Alasdair, Gill and Mia
PS. Edward gutting the fish for lunch
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