[password] grace40

[position] 19 08.375s 178 34.533w

[status] 0700 hrs 14 July 2019. It's been a week since we arrived. The first couple of days were spent cleaning the boat iinside and out, converting the interior from passage making mode to living mode, installing all the cockpit sunshades, putting the dingy in the water, mounting the engine and fuel tank, and generally getting ourselves comfortably enscounced in our little corner of paradise. Although there were heaps of ICA boats in the village landing anchorage, we laid down anchor in a small cove no one else knew about. It has been delightful to be off by ourselves. There's a path from our anchorage to the village that is little used. Of course, it is substantially more difficult to traverse than from the main landing. In fact, we had to ask one of the villagers to mark the path with tape so we didn't get lost in the thick jungle never to be seen again.

Today we've been invited by one of our village family friends to the wife's birthday lunch party after church. The operative word is "after". No, we are not attending church. During our first Falaga visit three years ago we attended a church service. That was enough to last me a lifetime. Leilani has made a nice dish of food to bring as our contribution. Last year we attended a couple of lunches hosted by this same family. Based on those, one thing we can expect is about five different dessert dishes. Yes, sugar is one of the main food groups enjoyed by islanders.

The weather has been a bit blustery most of last week. Winds in the high teens to low twenties. Next week the forecast is for much calmer conditions. So, on Tuesday, we're planning to unload our cargo that's taken up the entire aft cabin, including 1000 bras, 700 sunglasses, and a whole wardrobe of beautiful children's clothes donated by our friends Chris, Craig, and Billie Hughes. The clothes are those outgrown by Billie. We also have a sundry of my old clothes (that I, too, have outgrown), pots and pans, plastic food containers, baby clothes Leilani bought from Trademe for a couple of newborns we learned about while in New Zealand, and miscellaneous bits and bobs. For transport to carry everything for the 20 minute hike from the landing to the village we are lining up a caravan of, and drivers for, the only longhaul vehicles in the village: wheelbarrows. I'm estimating about 5 should do it. Whatever doesn't fit, and isn't too heavy, we'll carry in backpacks. Leilani and the wife of our host couple will organise the bra and clothes giveaway. I and the husband of our host couple will do the sunglass giveaway. These are always fun events. Sort of like a Black Friday sale, but much more civilised - no one punches, shoves, scratches, gouges, or shoots anyone trying to get their share.

Now for breakfast and to get ready for the B-day party.

Sototale (see you later), John

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