Aranui 3 Day 12: Saying Goodbye to the Marquesas, One Flower Stone at a Time
Day 12 · Nuku Hiva and Ua Pou: Taiohae and Hakahau · 18 April 2007 Returning to a place is different from arriving the first time. The first time, you…
Aranui 3 Day 11: The Pig Dance, the Giant Tree, and the Beach That Fought Back
Day 11 · Nuku Hiva: Hatiheu · 17 April 2007 There are beaches that invite you in gently. And then there are beaches that say, “Let’s see what you’ve got.”…
Aranui 3 Day 10: Ua Huka Tried to Impress Us With Horses, Cliffs, and Mosquitoes
Day 10 · Ua Huka: Vaipaee, Hokatu, and Hane · 16 April 2007 The Aranui’s arrival in Vaipaee looked like something a ship should not be able to do. Which,…
Aranui 3 Day 9: The Church Where Everyone Sang Like They Meant It
Day 9 · Tahuata: Hapatoni · 15 April 2007 Some churches are remembered for stained glass. This one I remember for drums, harmony, and a four-year-old throwing his welcome crown…
Aranui 3 Day 8: The Wettest History Lesson in Hiva Oa
Day 8 · Hiva Oa: Puamau and Hanaiapa · 14 April 2007 There are shore landings, and then there are shore landings where parents quietly calculate how many children they…
Aranui 3 Day 7: The Hike Across Fatu Hiva That Earned Its View
Day 7 · Fatu Hiva: Omoa and Hanavave · 13 April 2007 Some views should not be reachable by car. They should require sweat, questionable decisions, and at least one…
Part 5: Aranui 3 Voyage to the Marquesas Week 1
Part 5: April 7 - 13, 2007 - Voyage on the Aranui 3 to the Marquesas - Week 1 Day 1: April 7 - Depart Papeete We had to wake…
Aranui 3 Day 6: The Artist, the Soccer Game, and Gauguin’s Copies
Day 6 · Tahuata and Hiva Oa: Vaitahu and Atuona · 12 April 2007 There is something wonderfully strange about watching your son sit beside a professional artist in a…
Aranui 3 Day 5: Nuku Hiva Gave Us History, Horses, and a Tractor Rescue
Day 5 · Nuku Hiva: Taiohae and Taipivai · 11 April 2007 Some days begin with a cathedral and end with your boat being pushed off a beach by a…
Aranui 3 Day 4: The Taxi Driver, the New Car, and the Tire That Gave Up
Day 4 · Ua Pou: Hakahau and Hakahetau · 10 April 2007 There are moments in travel when you think your taxi driver has forgotten you. Sometimes he has not.…