Chickens…

Someone, God alone knows who, once said “every day is an adventure.”  No where is that more true than here. 

I did not mention this before, but Air France lost my checked baggage between Los Angeles and Pape’ete.  They gave me 18,000 Polynesian Francs, about $150 U.S., so I would be able to buy “necessities.”  I think they failed to realize that a pair of shorts costs $45, a T-shirt costs $50 dollars and bottles of sunblock and insect repellant together cost $42 U.S.. Thank God I had my toothbrush in my carryon, as I have not seen them for sale anywhere.  Finally, yesterday, they found my bag and shipped it here to Hive Oa.  We hitchhiked to the airport to pick it up yesterday.  It felt awfully good to wear my own clothes again, and to find the little treats my girlfriend secretly packed in my bag.    

We spent much of the rest of the day chasing dinner.  You might remember that Aex said these islands are full of wild, well semi wild, chickens and he wished he had a way to catch them.   So I brought some cheap slingshots.  After a couple of hours we got our dinner – two medium sized hens that were a little too comfortable around humans. 

Supplied with civilized provisions, Alex prepared an absolute feast.  Anyone who comes to visit Alex is in for a treat, as he is able to whip up gourmet meals in minutes. 

It is raining today, so we are just hanging out on the boat until it stops.  Hopefully it will and I will go ashore and visit the largest archeological site in the Marquesas while Alex (or Areke as the Polynesians call him) gets the boat ready to cross to Ua Pou tomorrow. 

Peace Love and free-range chickens…