Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
around kimono, and his chest was bare. We bowed politely back as is the custom, and I
produced the brown paper bag of kava and presented it to him, along with the letter of per-
mission. His grin broadened at the sight of the kava and absently waved away the letter,
“You welcome to enjoy yourselves here on island, da fishing and diving is good on the
north side.” He brandished his bottle of beer in the general direction and sat down hur-
riedly, draining the last of beer. The other men drank sodas and remained silent. It turned
out that they couldn't speak English and didn't drink beer; either through respect for the
chief, or custom. They smiled and laughed when there was laughter and nodded when their
chief was talking.
“You eat bats?” he now asked Kevin.
“What? You mean those bats flying around?” We looked around in the gathering twilight
and saw the large, black, bird-like creatures flapping deftly about through the trees.
“Yes, good for eating! Just put 'em on da fire, eat good, sweet meat. Taste like chicken!”
He laughed at his joke, his minions joining in with their chief's merriment.
“We catch some for you tomorrow.”
“How do you catch them?” asked Gavin, fascinated.
“You know how; we take one big net on long pole and jus' hold 'im up next to him house
tree. They come and fly in net when fly home in coconut tree, them taste very good, like
chicken,” said the chief facing Gavin.
He did a little double take and looked at me in turn, “Hey, you guys look like same, you
brothers or what?”
Penny laughed out loud, “They are twins from South Africa,” she said proudly, “and they
built their boat.”
“Africa?” the chief said quietly in amazement. He evidently knew a bit of geography, which
he now divulged to his fellow villagers. They smiled vacantly at this new information.
“Mahanga palangi,” continued their chief, pointing to us. Now they smiled at us shaking
their heads with renewed interest. Obviously, twins were almost unheard of here in Polyne-
sia. To them it was something special, a favor from the gods perhaps. It served Gavin and I
very well throughout our trip.
“I think we might pass on the bats,” said Elsie, pouring herself a generous refill from her
bottle of white wine, “Maybe some fish or lobster?” She smiled hopefully at the chief.
“Would you like to stay for dinner?” She now asked the chief, smiling sweetly as she drew
on her cigarette. The chief looked fascinated as she drawled out her words, wisps of smoke
escaping out the corners of her mouth.
