41. The Return: PPT-LAX-ATL-[GSO] (11/8 & 11/9/2024) [Photos Only - TEXT COMING]

The Te Moana lagoon at daybreak

       This is it. A week ago, I couldn’t wait for this day to come. I wanted to get back to my normal life, my husband, Pepper my anxious dog. My feelings started getting muddier over the last few days, probably because I don’t yet know what my “normal life” is going to look like. I’ve been holding off on creating resumes, updating my LinkedIn profile, starting to search for jobs until this trip, and now it’s coming to an end. I originally told myself that I was going to start my job search while we were away, but between the time spent on the blog and all the unproductive time standing in lines at airports, no such job search has been initiated.

We were woken up by Dad at 5:30 am, who was calling to get Mom’s PIN for an airlines loyalty program. That

The whole island is surrounded by impossibly clean water. This is next to the seawall at the resort

Chestnut-breasted munia having breakfast at Te Moana

Mr. & Mrs. Statue outside the open-air restaurant

Three directions of early morning from the waterfront at Te Moana

There's nothing like getting lifted into a plane in a box. Note foot is too swollen for shoe

Seat 1A - a.k.a. "The Conference Room"

Glamor shot of the left foot swelling. Medical attention has been arranged for the same day as we land in ATL

Air France forward view from tail camera

Hello LA!

Pulling into our LAX gate

Shower suite at the Delta SkyClub where I cleaned up between flights

The Delta One Club at LAX was a little too posh for me, but the food was excellent

Atlanta's downtown high-rises peeking through early morning fog

40b. Alla's Adventure in the Marquesas Islands

Nuku-Hiva of the Marquesas Islands was the final destination of this 40-day trip for me to reach the goal of visiting 301 of the Travelers Century Club list. There are a total of 15 islands in this French Polynesian archipelago. The Marquesas Islands group is one of the most remote in the world and is a UNESCO World Heritage Site. The flight from Papeete to Nuku-Hiva Island was about 3 1/2 hours. It was a difficult flight for me since my leg was more swollen due to the Rurutu trip yesterday and there was no way to keep it elevated.

I was taken into the quite modern and colorful Nuku-Hiva Airport by wheelchair - as was all my transportation to and from the planes after the unfortunate dog bite incident. In the long run it turned out to be very convenient. 

Again, I had no prior plans as to what I would be able to do here. With Google translate I asked around for a ride to town. Little did I know that "town," Taiohae, was 31 km and over an hour away. Was it possible to get to town and back before the return flight to Papeete? Finally a driver who was taking another lady to town said she would do a round trip for me. Along the way the driver and the other passenger chatted away. They did not know each other but spoke the same language and it was not French.

It is a steep winding road to the top of Mount Muake (864 meters) for the first half of the drive and a steep downhill winding road for the second half to Taioha. The scenery was spectacular and totally unexpected. The weather was clear and we made several stops along the way for me to take pictures. There were lush green landscapes and views to the ocean. Chickens along the road. Cows behind fences and horses grazing along the road. Even a young boy riding horseback along the road. I was amazed and almost dazed at what I saw. 

      

The passenger was dropped off at a small lodge and I walked down to the seashore. There was very little activity in the town. The driver stopped to get groceries and I explored ancient Tohua Temehea. A Tohua is a large plaza used for ceremonies and meetings. This is the ancestral home of Queen Vaekehu who was considered to be the last queen or chieftainess of the Taiohae. By marrying another chief she reunited the once divided tribe. The site contains many carved stones dating from the 11th to 14th centuries and are probably depictions of ancient Nuku Hiva deities. The Marquesas Islands were settled around 200 BC by Polynesians and have cultural and language links with other Polynesian peoples across the Pacific. I have seen figures similar to these on Easter Island (Rapa Nui), Jeju Island and other South Pacific islands.

On the drive back the weather had changed. It was cloudy and began raining. The driver became concerned due to the time. There is a half hour time change and I was never sure of the correct time. There was construction on the road and several times we had to wait for a least 10 minutes for the road to be cleared. At least there were cars behind us that were also going to the airport. When we finally arrived we realized the return flight was at least another hour away. I paid her the equivalent of about $30 for the amazing 4 hour adventure.

40a. Alla Does Another Crazy Turn-Around in the Marquessas Islands, Chris Has Another Day in Paradise (11/7/2024)

It's hard to believe that the trip is really winding down. Of course there have been days when I missed home, missed the dog, missed the simplicity of my low-key life in NC. But today I am not ready to go back.  There are too many things left to do and see, mountains to climb, reefs to explore, and moments to spend in quiet contemplation while Mom is deleting emails and complaining about new from the US on her iPhone. 

This is the last day of the trip and, symbollically, we are both using the time to achieve our individual personal goals.  I dropped Mom off at the airport at the butt-crack of dawn again for her Marquessas Islands turn-around trip. After a four-hour flight, she will land at the Nuka Hiva airport at 10 am and then turn around for another four-hour flight at 2:45 pm.  Meanwhile, I will hike.

Hiking has been on my list for weeks, but I have had to balance scheduling, access, and safety issues. There were lovely hiking trails I read about in Papua New Guinea, but it was not recommended to leave the hotel compound because of intertribal and other local violence. I made it to the entry of the Norfolk Island botanical gardens and picked up a map detailing all the things to be seen on their extensive trails. Unfortunately, I arrived by foot and had to leave by foot shortly after arriving so that we wouldn't miss the pick-up for the evening ghost tour. 

For that reason, I had been really looking forward to climbing up one of the ridges that I saw on the map in Papeete for a panoramic view of the coast. I started with a rare room-service delivery on the balcony and was joined by a cheeky local bird offering to help me out with my scrambled eggs. 

Red-vented bulbul joining me for room service on the balcony

Once in the car, it took me a few tries to find the right road to the trailhead I saw on the map. Driving up to the trailhead was an experience in itself because of the steep incline of the road and the extent of retaining walls and foundation reinforcement to keep the infrastructure in place. My initial thought was, who would want to make the effort to get up and down this hill everyday for work or errands?  And then I realized that when you live on a volcanic cone with just a small ring of flat land along the coast, you don't really have many options. 

Houses perched along the hillside

First rest, first look down onto the airport

2,788 feet above sea level

Hardest climb of the day

I passed one young couple as I started on the trail and looking at their footwear, it was clear to me that they hadn't gone far. They definitely would not have cleared the roped part of the trail, which involved a dirt / mud cliff face in which you had to climb up with the aid of a rope. The ascent was almost two hours, after which I spent time looking over the ocean and reflecting on the geography, geology, and impact of the two on culture and destiny. The descent was another 45 minutes. Then I had to make a decision how to honor the end of our trip together and Mom's successful achievement of her goals.

A job well down

I hiked to the yellow circle, Plateau Vaitavere

I had been thinking that I wanted to return to the market, as a gift including a Tahitian pearl would be the perfect keepsake from the trip.  Thinking that Mom's flight was returning between 5 and 6 pm, the immediate hours after the hike were rushed. I had to get back to town, park, and find the market before it officially locked it's doors at five. When I did, not many people were still open, but I was able to find one jewelry merchant who offered to stay and work with me. I ended up having two necklaces made one with two black pearls for Mom and one with one black pearl for me. In my mind, her double pearl represented her mastery of travel and setting and acheiving goals. I didn't have time for anything else, so I hopped in the car and rushed back to the airport, only to realize that she wasn't coming in until after seven. 

I loitered in the parking lot of the airport for a while, but eventually I decided to return to the hotel (~15 minute drive) where I showered, updated the T.C.C. sign, and collected the flower necklace and crown to use again. I love the face that she made as she was wheeled out of the arrivals gate and saw me there again with my makeshift "certificate of completion." 

The highlight of the day, and one of the highlights of the trip, was spending our last night poolside at the resort. We started with cocktails in one area and I surprised Mom with her gift, pulling my matching necklace from under the neckline of my dress. She got teary and her voice cracked with emotional as she reminded me that she couldn't have done it without me. I know this upwellling of emotion in her, as it seems to bubble forth more frequently these days, and is strangely heart-warming and unconfortable at the same time. After a brief photo shoot, we enjoyed a very delicious dinner in the outdoor terrace restaurant and retired early to pack for our final series of flights.

CONGRATULATIONS WORLD TRAVELLER!

Birds and plants of the day

Silvereye bird (photo from internet)

Grey-green fruit dove (photo from internet)