Azure Coconut

Helina & I ready for church with our matching outfits I like Manihiki. Maman is not running around anymore doing errands and Papa doesn't work on the weekend or at night. My brother Yann is at home a lot as school is only until 11. He's a bit rough but he loves me. And I love him. He always wants to squash me and I think it's funny! But I spend a lot of time alone with Maman because Yann plays outside with his friends. I also like it here because it is warm so I only need my nappy! And sometimes a nice dress to look like a girl.  In Manihiki there are also all my aunties. They always take me for a cuddle, especially at church. My favorite aunty is Winnie. She lives not far from us and is Yann's school teacher. I often go for a visit. Her daughter Helina and son Frederick also look after me. Helina always carries me to school in the morning. She makes sure the sun is not in my face. Frederick always, always wants to kiss me and hold me. But...

What a spot for drying in the sun! When visiting Manihiki, you don't need much. And that's lucky because with 10kg baggage allowance on Air Rarotonga one can not bring much personal belongings. Well, when we planned the trip, which was actually a last minute decision - not even 3 weeks before departure - there was one item that we couldn't come without. Its name is Cofly. Not sure whether it's a he or she, so we'll leave it as It. Cofly weighs probably 20kg for a volume of half a cubic meter. Poor thing didn't fit on the plane of course, so we needed to put it on Lady Moana to sail from Rarotonga to Manihiki. This is Cofly, Heavy Duty Washing Machine Model XPB130-2011S. Meet Cofly! The Washing Machine, not the baby! Cofly has been part of the family for now 9 weeks and we couldn't do without it. It truly is working magic to get rid of all the Vene Vene from Yann's clothes, keep Charlie's reusable nappies super wh...

Arrival to Manihiki Tuesdays are exciting days for Manihiki. Well, to be precise, every second Tuesday! That's when the flight from Rarotonga arrives. That means entertainment, new people on the island but also mail, papa'a bread (white bread that the "tourists" eat!) and much needed supplies from the capital. People make their way to MHX Airport mainly by bike, but some also walk or catch a ride on the quad bike's trailer. Located in the northern village of Tukao, passengers and crowd also come on the boat from the western village of Tauhunu. We usually start walking in the morning sun (plane arrives around 10.30am) and end up catching a ride with the quad. People sit on banks made of coconut tree trunks, being aware of course not to be under a bunch of coconuts that might fall (more people die of coconut falls than of shark attacks!). People catch up, talk about everything and nothing. They carry beautifully colourful head and neck eis (flower c...

Lady Moana in Tukao, Manihiki Supplies in Manihiki are very limited, as mentioned previously on the blog. With 2 or 3 little shops in Tukao, there's no way to purchase meat or vegetables, baby foods nor fancy things like cereal bars or plunger coffee powder. When you live on a small remote island like Manihiki, you have to ship most items in. Making sure all necessary things arrive demands meticulous planing and crazy organizational skills. Once the boat is seen on the horizon, Manihiki goes into Boat Day mode. The island comes to a stop and you'll meet everybody down at the wharf! It's Boat Day.  Lady Moana It starts with a rumour. Tapi's boat will be coming in May. The rumour becomes more concrete and precise by the day. Lady Moana will be sailing to the Northern Group the third week of May. And then there is an actual date. The ship will be leaving Rarotonga on Thursday. So we ask friends in Rarotonga to do the shopping for us. Baby items, snac...

Step 1 - Catch the fish. Frederick & Isaac showing off with their catch on the jetty When you live in Manihiki you will learn two things. 1)Appreciate probably the most incredible seafood of the world. 2)Be proactive about dinner planning. There are no restaurants in Manihiki, so when you are getting an appetite, you better make sure that you are prepared. Going down the road and picking up a takeaway is not an option! Don't even think about pizza delivery. It is not going to happen. There are also no supermarkets in Manihiki just a few little shops. Tukao has two shops that sell about the same general supplies - sugar, flour and rice - as well as basic food items such as cans, juice, soap and chips. Plus you can always get the latest news at the shop, especially when you meet shoppers who came all the way from Tauhunu (20min boat ride)!   Step 2 - Clean the fish in the lagoon. While cooling off at the end of the day. Getting back to our dinn...

Our Tree House The locals call it Fare Ngōio, the bird house, because common conception on the island is that those buildings are just large enough to house birds. But for us it is our new home away from home! We have to warn you though, our castle is not child friendly and comes with many possible hazards, such as steep staircase, unsealed concrete floors and windows that have no glass. Despite all of that it may be just because of these differences that we do love it so much - it feels like living in a very comfortable tree house! Location, location, location: our house is located at the northern side of the lagoon in the center of Tukao, Tukao being the smallest of the two villages in Manihiki (82 inhabitants in April 2017 for 152 in Tauhunu). From the window of our bedroom we have the most wonderful view of Manihiki lagoon. Every morning we wake up to the sunrise! View from our bedroom The house is one of 74 shelters that have been funded by t...

The Famous Red Tractor Five weeks ago our little family was setting foot on this beautiful island of Manihiki. This means that it's been at least five weeks since we've last eaten a salad, bitten into a juicy orange or enjoyed the crick crock sound of a carrot.  We started writing about our incredible time in such a remote place about two weeks ago. It makes us realize that this adventure is real. It will confirm once we are back to reality that this wasn't just a dream. It is also a way for our families and friends near and far to be one step closer to us by following our stories. Manihiki is just an idea for most people, the Black Pearl Island. The current Prime Minister's Island. Unlikely the home of a French - German family of 4 with their habits!  Well, amongst those readers of ours, there is a good Samaritan who knows what it's like to live in the outer islands, the Pa Enua. As beautiful, incredible and fascinating as this island is, as delici...