01 Aug Life in Tarawa

I sit here today in the one and only coffee shop in Tarawa, Kiribati. I look over the beautiful clear water bay and see locals out on the reef with their nets, catching their dinner, I wonder what my family and friends are up to back home.  Being ten hours ahead of them means that they are sleeping soundly under their warm electric blankets, trying to keep warm from the cold.

My view from the only “Coffee Shop” in Tarawa

It takes a good half hour to get to The Chatter Box coffee shop in a taxi van.  These taxis are the VW minivan type, which are falling apart as they ride.  It is not uncommon to have side doors fall off en route.   They blast their Islander music to the highest decibel on the speakers that have blown years ago.  Just when you think the taxi is full to its limit, they pull over and pick up another two passengers.   I counted 22 passengers on my recent trip.  As I sat with my face squashed up against the paper-taped window, I had to giggle to myself and say “Yep Mel, you did want an “Off the beaten track experience”.

Getting around Kiribati

Last night, Mark and I decided to go into “town” to check our emails, we took the zodiac and tied it up along the wharf.  When it was time to return to the boat the rain came. We thought it was just another short squall and so headed back down to the wharf and stood under a lean-to to wait it out.  Our boat is about a half a mile out and we didn’t want to risk getting our dear beloved Apple laptops drenched in the rain and choppy waves.  We radioed Don to let him know we were waiting it out and he told us the wind was blowing 30 knots out there and there was a big sea swell so we should wait.  There we stood for a good hour and a half, cold and hungry.  We managed to get some money together to buy some biscuits from the nearby shop (shack).  We were just discussing the fact that the rain and wind was not subsiding and we could be there all night, when out of the darkness came some headlights, we watched as we huddled together chomping away on our pack of biscuits.  The big truck stopped right in front of us, the window came down and through the rain, we saw Darren (from the Australian Navy) – our knight in shining armour.  He told us to hop in, and said that he heard our conversation with Don over the radio and the weather was not going to subside.  He took us back to his house in the Navy compound and let us have a place to sleep for the night. Aaah, a warm bed, TV and a bacon sandwich – heaven.  Thanks Darren, for rescuing us once again.

I have decided to use this time of waiting to my advantage and get some exercise.  Normally while underway I try and do some sort of weight training during my night-watch, by using the dive weights and also doing sit ups and push ups, there is no form of cardiovascular exercise and our walking around is somewhat limited onboard.  The other day I attempted my fist jog in years and donned my hardly-used trainers.  After a few stretches I began.  Wearing my cap, IPod/arm attachment and bright pink running trainers, I must say that I was quite a sight for the locals.  Everyone stopped dead in their tracks to stare at the weirdo/clown with a red face jogging past –people around here walk around barefoot with sarongs and certainly do not run for fitness.  I managed to jog/walk a fair way before the blisters formed.  I have not worn any form of shoe besides flip-flops for over five months now and so my poor feet were in shock with the chaffing of new tight shoes.  I will have to wait for my feet to heal before I can take on my new challenge again. Have a good weekend everyone, I have managed to be invited to the New Zealand High Commissioners house to watch the NZ vs SA rugby game on Saturday.

Yippee!  – Mel