Hello, is there anybody out there … ?

The Tuamotus Diaries #35, Day 70 – August 6^th 2016

Dear All,

We are currently in Rotoava, only village in the atoll of Fakarava, French Polynesia We came here some five days ago, after an overnight passage from Makemo. But I digress.

The reason for this post is just a reminder that I remain without proper internet access to update the blog. I had hopes that we might find it here in Fakarava, for it has more human development than Makemo. But it didn’t happen this way. We arrived to the village this morning but the Post Office – the place to go for internet in these hereabouts – is closed.

I started writing this post literally sitting by the curbside in front of the Office, using the fickle signal that emanates from there. Good thing I have a hotspot card that is still valid. The kids were playing cards, growing impatient by the minute, and Adriana trying to resolve some travel arrangements with her laptop. Behind us, the large parabolic antenna – the only link between this beautiful place and the digital world – contrasting deeply with the bougainvilleas and palm trees that did their constant “tap tap” to the rhythm of the Alisees (Trade Winds). The few locals that passed by looked at us with a broad smile on their face, greeting us with the friendliest “Bon Jour” or “Ia Orana”. They don’t seem amazed or in curiosity of our predicament, hinting that cruisers sitting by the Post Office’s curbside with their laptops on hand aren’t such a rarity around here. Anyway, I had to cut it short for the Magasins (local “supermarkets”) were about to close. Now, I took opportunity that Adriana was finishing a card game with the kids at a place we ate lunch just 30 minutes ago and sneaked out here again to finish and publish the post – But I digress. Again.

I have written over 40 stories by now, hundreds of photos and even a pair of clips – and I am DYING to publishing them ! But, as I started to mention above, Fakarava was my last hope for decent internet, and it isn’t. This means that the blog will remain silent until we reach Tahiti later in the year, which shall not happen anytime before October … 🙁

On the meantime, I will keep publishing the occasional 140-characters posts on our Facebook page (which I wasn’t able to access today either, by the way), and writing (and filing our) stories as they happen. That will also give me enough time to decide whether I publish them one-at-a-time or all bundled up in one single, large downloadable file (suggestions will be appreciated).

Anyway, it is now time to go back to Pesto.

THANK YOU for keeping connected with us either through the blog or our Facebook page. It means A LOT to us !!!

PS1: I reckon the tone of this post – and probably a few others I’ve published recently – is moody. That stems from the frustration with poor internet access. Be assured, however, that this is just a tiny aspect of what is otherwise an incredibly wholesome time we are having together out here. And that’s why I am so much looking forward to sharing it all. Soon, here on Familygonesailing.com

PS2 – as a sneak peek, I am uploading this picture which I took just a few minutes ago with the iPad. Just a sample of what I have in store for when internet becomes within our reach again.