So I managed by modern technology and planes buses and automobiles to intercept Marks yacht 'Thinking of Dave' on a little blob of lava in the South Pacific called Hiva Oa, 4 hours flight from Tahiti, population 2000 and a handful of yachties. A very long journey intercepted with run ins with authorities, and on arrival on Hiva Oa finding there was no one there to meet me.
Firstly arriving in Auckland at midnight I found I had to collect my bags and go through customs and re check in. This meant that the bananas I had in my bag needed to be dumped or eaten, so I ate them. However going through customs check out the sniffer dogs pounced on me and insisted that I had fruit into bag. No I haven't. Yes the dogs say there's something,but on a full search, of course they found nothing even though I'd told them they had been there before I ate them. I then waited 9 hours for the next flight, i checked in at 4am found a place to comfortably nap and casually walked to the gate with 15 mins to spare. On arrival my name was being called rather stressfully. So I ventured over with all kinds of imagination running through my head. We've been calling you for 90 minutes!!!! Yes?? We've quarantined your check in luggage as the X-ray showed up an explosive like stick and with you not coming to board we've been very worried. So can you identify what's in the bag. Mmmmm?? So anything that can explode remember you signed the declaration that you packed the bag and there was no explosives. !!! Yes but there isn't. Ok mrs Petersen is there a parachute or life jacket in there. ...... One that self inflates..... With a gas cannister.....,, oh dear woops forgot about that. (The one that Steve gave to Svend who gave it to me to put in my luggage. ) except I didn't think it helpful to say this. Your bags won't make this flight and may have destroyed the suspect package. Here's a form to sign that all damage and retrieval of your bags are at your own expense where ever you need to get them. Ok!!! Fortunately at arrival in Tahiti my bag was there untouched and complete with my explosive device. Which incidentally is the same as under 350 seats on the plane!! So as mentioned before on arrival on Hiva Oa there was no one there to meet me. I knew there was no public transport and svend had mentioned that he would try but if not they would be in the harbour. So after a cursory look around in the shed that was the terminal I accepted my fate and realised I either had to walk or hitch a lift. Fortunately a tractor bus full of the local football team were leaving so I hopped on board, and had a very pleasant journey down the mountain to island music and the smell of frangipanis worn by the returning footballers. !!!!!! I got dropped off at the harbour where only 6 boats lay and realised there was also no reception party awaiting me DESPITE knowing my time and date. Feeling rather at a loss I wondered what to do next but my thoughts were interjected with the sound of a Suzuki jeep appeared careering along the jetty with Svend and mark in it. They'd just been to the airport (late) I'd waited all of 4 minutes and we'd missed each other. What a shame as svend had hired a car just for me, went back to collect mark and missed me in the process. Oh well these things happen when you travel for 3 days to meet someone in the middle of nowhere!! We then proceeded to have a wonderful day exploring the island and I was finally ensconced on the yacht later that evening.
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