Part of me really wishes I had. They're fabulous, traditional and important round here.

To Busy to Blog

Mind you so was cannibalism.

I really don't have the time right now, even with the pits they kept prisoners of war in, the heandsman's block stones they'd lay their heads on when they bashed they're skull in with a war club. The pits they'd throw their entrails into. The Banyan trees they'd put the bones in afterwards. The raised platforms they'd leave bodies on loved ones on till the bones were clean and could be brought into the house. Of ancestors souls in sharks, of turtles as symbols of fertility

Then there's the scenery. I've always rushed the Maquesas. I'm doing it again a bit. Have crammed in a LOT. Plus a lot of repairs, I'm exhausted.

I've seen tropic brids, imperial pigeons, had my feet nibbled in a cave by crayfish, I've been scared of an eel. Sat around a camp fire singing songs. Eastern a pig roast in a pit.

Danced.

Yes danced the Pig Dance - badly I Might add. But no worse than some of the other white ghosts. I've seen the third highest water fall in the world. Drunk spring water, forded streams and watched a man wash his horse on the beach.

 
I can see my house from here

I've had goat and tarro and deep fried breadfruit and red bananas. I've remembered how much I like pampelmoose. I've drunk more Hinano, which I can pronounce better now.

I can say thank you in Marquesan. Lost and retrieved my GPS. Seen stone penis's, Tiki's platform houses. Scared by falling coconuts. I've even got statistics.

12 people a year are killed by sharks (on average). 150 by falling coconuts.

Mind you the coconuts a quick way to go and they don't circle your boat. Think they scared the turtle off.

Damn I wish I'd got that tatoo. But I'd have had to rush it. Not a thing to rush a tatoo.

I've seen the baby Jesus with a bread fruit. His Grandad the carpenter with a stone axe - no metal till the white folks got here. And did those feet in ancient times walk upon Nuku Hiva's mountains green. Damn, no tatoo and a drought, not as green as last time.

Oh Bollocks, I'm going to have to come back.... Bang goes my life. I'm pretty sure the pictures do not do the place justice. But they're up, maybe you'll understand just how good the Marquesas are.

P.S. Errr Sorry - Just remember I'm short on sleep, covered in oil, sore. I've no house, wife, kids or prospects. Right now I wouldn't have it any other way. No tatoo either :-(