Outer island experience

I am happy to report I did get a seat on plane to Nonouti even if I did have to pick it up off the floor and balance it on the frame (which was firmly attached) and play hide and seek to find my seat belt. With my 14 fellow passengers, an aisle filled with Kiribati national bags (20kilo rice sacks that are used to carry everything and anything) and numerous square plastic buckets (another hold all) I knew I was alive as my heart thumped away at our impending departure. At least small planes give you a great view of the cockpit and in this case a distraction included a delightful young co-pilot in his white short sleeved shirt and beautiful skin.

There is certainly more ocean than land in this part of the world and the coconut palm covered atolls just seem to emerge from the shallow lagoons and ocean. Nonouti is in the middle of the 11 atolls south of Tarawa (main atoll of Kiribati) so from our small plane we were provided with some stunning views and as we got closer I had a growing excitement for the adventure about to un-fold. I was looking forward to meeting up with my group of 60 people with disabilities and their families however my sense of wonder of where I was actually going to be sleeping was causing a bit of anxiety. There was nothing else I could do I “knew” I just needed to go with it. (lesson no 1. letting go)

View from my second to back row seat - that's the cute co-pilot on the right !

 Nonouti airstrip and terminal !

 Nonouti has a population of about 1800 people who live in 9 very traditional villages. Transportation for the atoll is made up of 8 or 9 small trucks (which carry anything and everybody) along with motor bikes and lots of push bikes. I was met at the airport by the “yellow” truck and about 20 people from the village, after confirming the return flight and given the front seat of the truck it was off to my first traditional village. 

I was (sort of) prepared to be sleeping in the mwanabea (grass roofed meeting place) with my 60 best friends but had forgotten about the other 120 or so that actually live there too ! These villages get some visiting I-matang (foreigners) and I think this village had had one visit last year, they were very open and keen to have me amongst their guests. To my delight I was provided with a kia kia (small grassed roofed hut) for my accommodation, 8 of the young men moved it over so I could be right amongst the goings on and if they could have got it in the mwanabea I’m sure I could have had centre stage. It had a grass mat inside and by the time I rolled out my yoga mat and added the mozzie net a couple the young girls told me it looked “beautiful”.

 My "beautiful" kia kia in front of the Mwanabea.

 Some of the dogs that took to living under my kia kia,  

just wish they were that quiet at night time !

Unfortunately I or the kia kia didn’t feel beautiful for the first 3 sleepless nights, not a wink. As each night passed I was think “I cannot do this”, counting down the days I still had to go my mind would wander off to what if I’m here for 2 weeks, or have to take the boat. It’s not unusual for flights to be cancelled as they need to fix the plane and the boat that was proposed to take 2 days to get here took 5! With a personal locator beacon amongst my belongings I was figuring even thought it may only take 4 seconds for Canberra (or Japan if they are busy) to receive the notification it would still take days for a boat to come to my aid or a plane small enough to land. These thoughts kept me busy but not asleep. So much for all that practise meditating and work of trying to calm my mind, these monkeys were jumping about and busy and I wasn't sure how that would look on the emergency response report.

  I knew I was coming here for a celebration, perhaps I just hadn’t given enough thought as to what “celebration” may mean and how long these celebrations may go on for. I hadn’t counted on sleeping next to a whirling generator that powered the fluro lights and provided the power source to the band and techno music that thumped out until dawn, or having 4 big male dogs move in under my kia kia that brawled all night or the amount of peeing that was to take place just outside my “beautiful” home or the pigs that would be cooked next to me ! (lesson 2 – be more curious!)

I managed to have some naps during the day, fell sleep whilst lulling in the water swimming and  did my share of head nods whilst sitting cross legged at the functions that went on for hours and hours.

Then it happened, I danced and laughed so much that night 4 I crashed and I slept and I dreamt and I awoke recharged. 

These have been my worst days in Kiribati thus far, but like many experiences I was about to enter my best days.

Up next : Thriving on my “outer island” experience