We are staying in a sportsman’s bungalow tonight, our final staging only 800 meters from Marina Apooiti. ‘iti’ means small but the basin is filled with expensive yachts, one of which will be ours when we begin our sail away tomorrow. Our layover includes a Transfer, so after the inter-island hop and while waiting for our gear at the claim area I scan anxiously for someone holding a sign. There are none but then a guy from the small crowd of greeters appears and introduces himself as our driver and then I realize that it was I with the “sign”. He merely focused on the only non-Polynesian cluster of 5 in the room and connection made.

Our accommodation is primitive but a good attitude adjust from the luxury resort life from which we are weaning. She who must be obeyed’s keen eye laser targeted a lizard in the rafter and wisely decided not to alarm the other travelers by sharing the find. The Coconut trees are each banded with smooth aluminum sheething to prevent furry creatures with long tails or crabs from climbing but I note that the grassy grounds are rife with burrows. Hmmmm, best not make this a group topic either.

S’Man tries to beat, bash, split, or otherwase penetrate a fallen coconut. We decide we need an Internet connection where the YouTube would show the method. I guess the weaning process has some way to go.