HAPPY BIRTHDAY CALEB!!!!

Remember when? It's warmer here!

E koika hanau! That’s “happy birthday to you” in Marquesan! We hope you are having a GREAT birthday on this, one of the really big ones! We wish we could be there with you (or you here with us!) to celebrate.  We have been having wind the last two days so we could all be kiting together! There is also a small mountain you could hike with a great view over the lagoon, motus and to the neighboring islands.

We really wish we could be there tomorrow to help honor all of your hard work in your Eagle Scout accomplishments too. Congratulations and well done! We will be thinking of you at noon our time.

I think you would enjoy life in the Society Islands. Most of the islands have an old volcano at their centers, forming the main island, with a lagoon around it and several motus ringing the lagoon. So living on the island means that you have a small mountain to climb in your backyard and the lagoon just a block or two away. 

On the small islands like Maupiti, there is only one road around the island and it's less than 100 yards from your house to either the water or the base of the hill.

The small bit of flat land at the base of the hill is where the houses and businesses are.

On larger islands like Bora Bora, Taha’a or Tahiti, there is more landmass to the islands but the hills are so steep that most of the homes are still nestled in a relatively small strip between the base of the hills and the waterfront. Like in this photo of Bora Bora where the mountain is nearly literally in your backyard…

…and you are still only two houses back from the lagoon. 

So you can climb the mountain and then come down and launch your va’a (Polynesian outrigger canoe) for either a peaceful sunset session…

…or a race with your buddies!

On Tahiti there is more mountain area for climbing as it is actually two volcanic masses, Tahiti Nui (Tahitian for big) and Tahiti Iti (small) joined at the hip by a small piece of land, like Maui. The highest of the spectacularly sharp peaks on Tahiti Nui is Orohena at 2,238 meters (7,340 feet).

Approaching Point Venus, Tahiti Nui

We didn’t hike it but we did go down to Tahiti Iti so we could see Teahupo'o the day after one of the big swells!

Teahupo'o on a "small" day!

But that’s a whole other story for another day.  We hope you are having a fabulous birthday and can’t wait to see you!

Love and hugs,

Aunt Jodi and Uncle Darren