We left Atuona on Hiva Oa and headed to the nearby island of Tahuata where we spent a few days relaxing. Contrary to what we had been told, the water around most the Marquesas is crystal clear, it's only where a river enters the sea where it becomes muddy after rain. We'd forgotten how wonderful it is to jump off the sugar scoop into the oh so blue water and just
loll around cooling off. Walks around villages resulted in pamplamous, mangoes, limes, breadfruit, bananas, star fruit and guavas.

The photo is at the small village of Hapatoni on Tahuata, very friendly people and very good wood carvers. It doesn't take an expert in body language here to see what's going on : The kind-hearted (gullible ?) stranger is confronted by three very skillful, albeit youthful, hustlers. The boys were swimming and playing on the dock most of the day and when we arrived back after our walk through the village they picked their mark well. In French of course, they negotiated with me to see if I could take them out for a spin in our dingy. Needless to say they won (Frances was on their side which helped their case immensely). And of course they wanted to drive - like madmen.