time away, floating endlessly upon the south pacific seas...
A restorative week, relaxing, swimming, snorkelling, eating, drinking and playing, reading books, and being a family. A week best described in point form and personal highlights -
My youngest child gets motion sickness. In minivans, and transfer boats. Excellent. My oldest child gets swimmers ear - badly.
Both my children may well be fish the amount of time they spend in the water [hence the swimmers ear]. This has been fantastic for Pia, whose swimming has improved drammatically. So much so that I took her snorkelling for the first time [outside of a swimming pool] to see fish, and sting rays, and brightly coloured star fish. She waved hello to them all. And she loved it. I loved being there with her, holding her body in my arm to guide her along, going out much further than I had anticipated with her so she could see more, and more and more.
Spending large amounts of our mornings snorkelling [afternoons were very low tide] out to coral reef edges with Max, and floating amongst the most amazing wildlife - incredible fish species and abundance of fish, each croft of coral it's own mini aquarium of splendour and wonder. I am blown away by what we saw, and how much we saw, just how clear the water was, and how beautiful the coral is. We swam over sting rays, followed them through channels, we swam amongst schools of rainbow coloured fish, and the whole time, I could hear Max singing the theme tune to Star Wars beside me - his happy place. This was magic - something incredibly special to me to do with my little boy, and something I will never forget.
Coming around the corner of one large coral crop, this time with my husband, and finding a reef shark lying below us - floating and watching the shark, following it as it swam away, and finally leaving it in peace after about 15 minutes. A personal highlight.
Watching Pia overcome her fears and do things she didn't think she could do, making new friends and seeing her personality shine through in everything she did - and her vigilance in collecting coconuts and piling them up outside our house was entertaining. Max spent his time also collecting coconuts, and leaves and coconut shells to turn into boats, and drawing massive pictures in the sand.
And then there were the hammocks - large wide pieces tied to trees across the island, perfect for falling into with [in]elegance, falling asleep in, swinging gently in, and reading books in.
Sunsets of pure gold, shining drammatically across the expanse of water, turning to beautiful pinks and oranges. And a full moon which shone so bright you could not forget you were floating in the middle of the south pacific, and where the immensity of your place amongst the living was humbling.
A week to escape. To restore. To dream.
[now onward to deadlines and work and the real world]
welcome back. feeling a bit of a traveller's itch now I must say!
Posted by: sooz | March 28, 2011 at 03:15 PM
Oh man
Sounds like BLISS!!!!
So glad you had such a wonderful time
(swimmers ear and motion sickness aside)
I want to go too- NOW!
Brings back memories of my own childhood holidays to a remote island off the coast, collecting shells and making shell gardens outside the hut, fishing, exploring the reef, drawing in the sand. Lots of mozzies and no hammocks though...
Posted by: Di | March 28, 2011 at 09:13 PM
sounds like a truly magical week. YAY!
Posted by: carolyn | March 29, 2011 at 01:30 AM
a week..
is all I need ;)
your week..to restore..to dream...beautifully shared..thank you,A~~x
Posted by: theresa/t does wool | March 29, 2011 at 11:19 AM
I love that my kids are old enough to snorkel with me :-)
There's nothing better!
Sounds like a magical place.
Posted by: flowerpress | March 30, 2011 at 01:04 PM
Reading your post is like 5 minute holiday :)
Has to be great to have such islands 'around the corner'.
Posted by: nanimoshiranai | April 01, 2011 at 06:37 AM
South pacific seas....that is sooooooo exotic to my eyes and ears. Like out of a movie!!! Americans define everything in terms of movies.
ha ha ha!
I'm so glad you had a good week -- and that your children had fun with the water, even though it has sometimes in the past not been a friend to them.
Posted by: Tanya B. | April 04, 2011 at 04:02 AM
I never done snorkeling and I would love to, but there is a big problem I don't know how to swim :( I'm so frustrated because of this.
Posted by: lasik eye surgery | April 04, 2011 at 09:55 PM
The photos on your website are pristine.
Posted by: SWFDS | May 19, 2011 at 05:34 AM
Photos are lovely and it seems that you have pretty enjoyable time there.
Posted by: rent holiday apartment london | June 01, 2011 at 07:05 PM