Returning to Tarawa

On the Friday, it was time to leave Abaiang behind and return to Tarawa. I thought about staying for a couple of extra days, but it is just fairly restful out on the island, without much to be able to do. I might get out and meet some people on my own, but there wouldn't be much more to see or do. On the other hand, I haven't actually seen much of Tarawa on my own. I want to walk around a bit and see some things in a more relaxed and individual way. So I came back. (Besides, the principal of the college offered me a job teaching English, so if I were to return here and do that, I would have plenty of time to get to know people on the island.)

I got up without much idea of when I was supposed to be at the airstrip. The flight was supposed to leave at 9:30. But they were told that I needed to be at the airstrip at 8 because the plane was going to leave at 9:10. So I quickly had breakfast and headed over to the airstrip and checked in. It was about 8:30. I got weighed again along with my bags (I gained a kilogram while I was on the island; I guess it was really good food.) I paid my airport fee. I had been told it would be 20 dollars, fairly steep for even a large international airport. It turned out to be only 2.50. And then I waited. And waited. And waited. Island time. :)

The plane actually left Tarawa at 9:10. Then it went to Marakei again. Then it arrived at Abaiang. At shortly after 10. Oh well. There was a little boy, then his much older sister and then another sister who came to talk to me/check me out. They were nice and interesting and it helped pass the time while I was waiting. (But I didn't take any photos of them. I forget sometimes.)

I came back to Tarawa and went for my very expensive night on North Tarawa. Somehow, I let Joe at the tour office convince me that it would be a great idea to spend a night at this spot at the first break in the island on the north side. There is no bridge across here, and no road. When you cross you have to either walk and wade across while the tide is out, or take a boat across when the tide is up. And then I stayed in a little hut that stands out over the water (when it's high tide). It is quiet, picturesque and very peaceful and relaxed. And way, way too expensive for just me. If there were two or three of us staying in there it wouldn't be so expensive, but just for me, I don't know what I was thinking when I agreed to stay here. I must have wanted to get a taste of what it's like to have lots of money and nothing else to do with it.

I wandered around this little island. 

I found the broken bridge. I met some people, and had a nice time. 

The night was quite impressive with the moon over lagoon as the sunlight faded from the sky.