We found a pretty good size grocery store at the main town on Hiva Oa. They had stuff. Nearby there was a couple of ladies selling fresh fruit and veg from their pickup trucks. Mini farmer's market. Walking the 2 ½ miles into town we passed a roadside table loaded with fruit and veg and a money jar, prices listed for each item. Love that honor system. There was a big pumpkin that Isabel wanted, but as it weighed several kilos we had to hope it would still be there upon our return.
Not long after as we were wandering along the road to town we heard a horn beep. A local fellow had pulled over to offer us a ride. Quickly forgetting our resolutions to "get more exercise" we accepted and were on our way. Our driver's name was Nano, and his wife worked for the local bank, apparently on a 7 year rotation from Tahiti. Nano used to work for the Hinano brewery - that's the local swill lager that French Polynesians think of as beer. As my dad said, "they should have left it in the horse", but I must admit to having quaffed more than one on a hot afternoon. Sometimes you just gotta do what you gotta do. . .
Anyway, Nano was super friendly and spoke good English, so being the only one in our foursome who can't speak fluent French I enjoyed some interaction. Nano grew up on Huahine, one of the Leeward Society Islands, and when I commented we were planning to go there for the Heiva festival in July he discouraged the idea, noting that Bora Bora put on a much better show. That aside, he did note that Huahine is a "must visit" beautiful place, and he taught us to pronounce it correctly. It's just painful how some cruisers say the names of local islands, and we're guilty too but at least we're on a "continuous improvement program". How's that for leftover corporate lingo still rattling around my brain?
We scored some pretty good groceries in town including a few bottles of quaffable white wine and a box of "tastes better with food" red wine. Walking back we lucked out, finding some nice star fruit growing on the roadside, then got that pumpkin too! Our last stop was the gas station by the anchorage, where they sell diesel, petrol, motor oil and such, and an amazing array of groceries including beautiful fresh lettuce, fresh baguettes and pastries, and even gourmet ice cream!
I swear I'm not making that up!
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