Time to complete the Bucket List

Oeno should be named Oh-no-oh. Our visit today was to the uninhabited island of Oeno, 80 miles from the famous Pitcairn Island and its capital Adamstown.

The plan was to get up early to see the masses of sea birds and then get onto the island to see what it had in store. The Expedition Team set off in the Zodiacs to test the waters. 

The small island is just 0.5 km squared and is encircled by a coral reef which causes big waves to be thrown up all around. There are just two breaks in the reef. One takes water into the shore, and the only way for that water to be expelled is through the other gap in the reef. This results in great rushes of seawater into and out from the shore line which, if not timed well, can be treacherous, lifting the small Zodiacs high above the water surface. 

The island is named after the whaling ship Oeno, whose captain George Worth discovered it in 1824. It is the most western of the Pitcairn Islands group. The excitement to visit is two-fold. 

Firstly, this low-lying island is rarely visited, certainly by other nations apart from the Pitcairn people who sometimes take a break on this remote land. Buildings do not exist. From the ship we can see that Oeno is surrounded by white sandy beaches, but this beauty disguises the fact that there has been at least four shipwrecks, including the Wild Wave in 1858; the Liverpool ship Khandeish heading home from San Francisco in 1875; and the Oregon in 1883. As I sit watching how difficult the Expedition Team is finding the landing, I am hoping we will not be the fifth wreck!

Secondly, Oeno has been designated as an Important Bird Area by Birdlife International due to its colonies of Murphy’s Petrels (one of the largest areas for them in the world), Sooty Terns, Red Tailed Tropic Birds, Herald and Kermadec Petrels, Christmas Shearwaters, Bristled Thighed Curlews, Great Frigates, Spotless Crakes and Brown Noddies. This visit will be ecstasy for the birders on board, and the chance of getting up close and personal will be a thrill for others. 

Due to the importance of this breeding ground anything that may prevent the birds from successfully producing offspring has to be taken seriously. One of the major issues, on this and many of the islands, is rat and mice infestation. Rats will have come from passing ships over the centuries. Some may think this should not be a problem on a desert island… but what do the little critters eat? The answer is bird eggs. On many of the islands that have thousands of nesting birds, the entire eggs may, or usually will be, destroyed by hungry rats and mice.

Oeno is one of the lucky islands. In 1997 on Oeno and Ducie (both part of the Pitcairn Islands group) eradication efforts were carried out using ground-based baiting, ie the hand scattering of pellets. This proved successful and birds, which continue to return to these natural breeding grounds despite their previous egg destruction, have increased vastly in numbers. Our bird expert Peter Harrison tells us that there are estimated to be three million birds on the islands of Oeno and Ducie.

Other islands have not been so successful. On Pitcairn and Henderson eradication attempts have been made but without success. Aerial drops are difficult on islands with trees as by the time the bait has dropped it may be wet and ineffective. There could be crabs which may eat the bait, and on Henderson in 2011 an unusual rise in fruit growth due to a drought the previous year, led to the rats preferring to eat the fruit rather than the bait. There need be only two rats left for the population to increase again quickly. These efforts do not come cheaply. Fundraising amounts to millions of pounds each time baiting takes place.

But back to the Zodiac transportation. The passengers were looking on from afar and were waiting excitedly to hear if they would be able to make the landing. We waited and waited. There was no joy. Then, having had breakfast at 8am, it was suggested we had lunch at 11.30am. The morning trip had been cancelled. We turned back from the decks like sad schoolchildren dragging our feet as we headed to the restaurant to top up our stomachs barely empty from breakfast.

Then we were in luck. The Expedition Team, with the waves settling a little, had made it to the shore. Excitedly, we donned our multitude of clothing, wet weather gear and lifejackets and made our way to the Zodiacs.

Our time had come and our Zodiac driver advised us he was highly experienced at handling these small crafts. Hmmm, we had not had that sort of discussion previously. Why now? I was reassured (a bit), but somehow wondering what was in store. The sea looked fairly calm, but why was I now feeling uneasy? I gripped on tight to the rope that attaches to the side of the rubber Zodiac. As we reached the coral surrounding the island we were told that we were to await a wave to take us in through the gap to the shore. All of a sudden we were quite literally riding on the crest of a wave. Woosh. Before we knew it we were whisked by it to the shore. Phew, we had landed on this rarely trodden island.

And weren’t we in for a treat. As soon as we were on the soft golden sand the birds were flocking above our heads with their large wingspans. The birders were ecstatic. 

We headed along the shore. It was just like one might expect a desert island to be, but we didn’t have our eight records and a gramophone with us. (For those not familiar with this it relates to the BBC’s Desert Island Discs radio programme running in the UK since 1942). 

In the distance was our bird man Peter Harrison who started showing us how to correctly handle birdlife if it was ever necessary. While many may not choose to do so, there may be times when a bird is injured, or in distress. Peter had told us how rather too often a bird, with its plumage wet through by rain, might take time to recover on the deck of a passing ship. He has experienced this often and has taken the bird to dry out in his cabin’s shower room, which could be rather a shock for the cabin crew. Once dried, the birds were set to fly off, which would have been a welcomed rescue as many of these seabirds live their lives constantly in flight apart from when breeding. If their plumage is wet they just can’t fly on.

Peter then got us creeping about in the undergrowth. And it was worth it. There were Petrels nesting on the floor, or their fluffy young were waiting for their next meal. There was such an abundance of birds on the floor that visitors had to be very careful where they stepped.

Beautiful white terns with their clearly-defined dark black eyes and small, sharp, beaks were high in the trees. Oh gosh, I think this birding activity is rubbing off on me. “Look for the bird’s unique characteristics,” I have heard many times recently! The white tern was once known as the fairy tern.

The juvenile Red-tailed Tropicbird, with its white and black plumage, and nestled amongst the undergrowth, is adorable. Interestingly (well I found it so) their feet and beak grow rapidly and outpace the rest of their bodies. The chicks are born blind and until they are a week old their parents will stroke the bill encouraging the chick to feed. An adult’s wingspan can reach up to 47 inches wide and they can dive more than 160 feet to catch fish.

Up, nesting in the tree were Red-footed Boobies with their beautiful long blue beaks. Red-footed Boobies can travel up to 93 miles searching for food and can live for more than 20 years. They are adept at diving – their aerodynamic bodies and the ability to close their nostrils enable them to plunge-dive into the water for fish. Their red webbed feet then help them swim. This species has been known to dive up to 98 feet for a catch.

In masses were the Sooty Terns. These are black with bright white chests. They have a 37 inch wingspan, and inch long pointed black beaks which could give a peck or two. They can stay at sea for 3-10 years, only coming back to breed. Perhaps that is just as well as they are also known as the Wideawake Tern which refers to their loud piecing calls, sometimes referred to as a cacophony. Perhaps not the most considerate neighbours.

Amongst our other sitings were the adult and juvenile Masked Booby; Great Frigate Bird; the Brown Noddy and its eggs; and not to be missed on the shore were the Red Hermit Crabs which inhabit empty shells.

Today really was a birder’s paradise, and apologies for all those species I may have missed out, or didn’t include their photos… better luck next time.

Then it was time to return to the ship, but not before our Zodiac had to battle its way back through the gap in the coral reef. This time the waves were even more forceful. Hanging on tightly with eyes closed (mine and not the driver’s hopefully) we were on the crest of a wave again. The cries from the passengers swiftly changed to sighs of relief. But the chance to see the bird colony even if not a birder, and the opportunity to walk where few had been before, left one speechless.

Copyright: Words Sue Barnard 2023; Photos Sue Barnard and John Cruse 2022

Following our visit to Mangareva we had time on our hands, so after lunch our captain directed the ship to another small island nearby. In truth, this was all timetabled and well-planned – unscheduled stops are not allowed by the marine authorities and appropriately so. 

Aukena is about five miles from Mangareva, and even nearer to that previously-mentioned Totegegie island which houses the airport. This was to be a short visit with none of the welcome celebrations. Today it is a private island (with a short hop to the airport), but access is given to the few tourists that manage to get to the Gambier Islands. It is approximately one mile long and about a fifth of a mile wide. 

Aukena has just a few residents now, but that has not always been so. Archaeological excavations, coupled with oral traditions, indicate the island was inhabited at least in the 14th century. By 1550 it had a district chief, Honu-a-Keroiti. It has also been recorded that the small island became a place where deposed leaders fled in exile. It was the first to house a Catholic church in the Gambier Islands.

The area where we landed was considerably overgrown, just as one might expect an uninhabited island to be. Seeds take root just where they fall, and weaving our way under, over and around the natural vegetation of the forest just added to the experience. Paths didn’t exist in this area and if they once did they were now densely covered. Amongst the many plants were the Pandanus tree with its visible roots above ground, and the flowering wild hibiscus.

Clambering through the undergrowth we came across the ruins of a two-storey seminary which was established to train boys to be priests. This is estimated to have been built in the 1850s and students were taught Greek and Latin for the priesthood. According to excavation reports the bodies of 29 missionary wrapped in white tapa (bark) cloth were discovered buried in a cave nearby.

Other ruins we saw near the seminary included an oven, a press for extracting oil from coconuts, a well and a kiln for producing coral lime which missionaries used in the construction of churches and other buildings. Still standing and in good condition is a watchtower which can be seen when approaching the island. 

As we started to retrace our steps we realised that a slightly easier route might be the shoreline. Even though we were wading knee-deep in water it gave us the opportunity to  appreciate the close-up view of the sea lapping against all the tree roots and the small fishes swimming around our legs, but it was all worthwhile for what we were able to experience.

Then it was time to move on to our next island stop, 300 miles away. 

Copyright: Words and photographs Sue Barnard 2023

The more I have read about Mangareva the more revealing it has become. Mangareva, which is part of the Gambier Islands in French Polynesia, was our next stop after circumnavigating the Marotiri rocks 546 nautical miles behind us (about 630 land miles).

The Gambier archipelago is located at the east side of French Polynesia and is formed of volcanic rock which was originally under water. Over millions of years, eruptions, collapses, erosions and changes in sea levels have led to the main part of the volcano disappearing leaving several peaks which have become small islands, the largest and most populated being Mangareva. It has 1,200 people, most of whom live in the town of Rikitea.

The other islands include Taravai, Akamaru, Aukena, Kamaka, and Togegegie. The latter long narrow strip of an island is ideally shaped for a runway. Today it houses an airport, which aids transportation to places such as Tahiti where there are larger hospitals and places of further education. However, getting to and from the airport on Togegegie requires a boat ride. And speaking of boat rides….

Our experiences of landing on French Polynesian soil had given us high expectations regarding our arrivals, and Mangareva did not disappoint. Even as we were travelling to the island from the ship in our zodiac inflatable boats we could hear the band playing. As soon as we landed there were the traditional floral garlands placed around our necks by smiling men, women and children all keen to be part of the activities.

Once we were all on land we were directed to seating placed around a performance area. Then the fun began. The music increased in intensity, aided by the banging of sticks on metal cooking trays. The sound was deafening, but the excitement was great amongst the island people and ourselves.

Mangareva has a unique form of dance known as pe-i. Each movement is said to tell a story about the island’s mythology and ancestry. The performers, who meet regularly at the local football field to practise their art, were in matching costumes made from long dried grasses and fresh green leaves. The dancing is taken seriously. It is performed to visitors and on occasional trips overseas where the islanders display their traditions. One performer told me: “It is important to keep our traditions alive, not only for the younger generations, but to be proud to display these further afield”.

On this occasion it was not only the people of Mangareva who performed. Towards the end of the display some of us (guess who) were asked to join in. Unfortunately I had not packed my grass skirt, but was happy to follow the moves demonstrated with such joy by the dancers. The interaction made for an entertaining morning.

But it wasn’t to stop there. We were then off for a walk… well hike actually. The islands all have something in common. They are volcanic, very steep and very craggy. We had a choice – a “short” (well I’ll pass judgement on that description) strenuous cultural/nature hike; or a long (very long) strenuous (very strenuous) hike. We opted for the former, but there were several choosing the latter, including an 90-year-old man. They had been warned! A previous attempt resulted in nobody reaching the intended rocky peak.

So we were off and soon walking up a steep hill towards some religious sites. First up was the cemetery and viewing of the tomb of Maputeoa Gregoire who was the king (or paramount chief) of Mangareva reigning from 1830 at the age of 16, to 1857. His time saw great changes for the populous, who followed native beliefs until the arrival of missionaries in 1834. Maputeoa initially refused the missionaries access to Mangareva, although they did land on other Gambian islands. Two years later, however, Maputeoa converted to Catholicism along with other islanders. Of great sadness, especially today, was that Maputeoa and other Gambian island chiefs gave permission for the maraes (those sacred places previously worshipped) to be destroyed along with statues and other artefacts. Some of the maraes were reused in the building of churches. 

We were to learn that there were greater tragedies to come. Amongst the missionaries was Honoré Laval, evidently a charismatic and talented but paranoid authoritarian man. To his credit he translated the bible into the Mangarevan language, thus preserving it for posterity, but also kept a diary of his reign of terror imposed on the congregation.

As the decades went on his cruelty intensified for so-called misdemeanours resulting in men being exiled to an uninhabited island (think no readily-available food), women confined to a cell in a nunnery for the rest of their lives, and other atrocities. When Laval arrived it is estimated the population was around 9,000. When he was eventually removed to Tahiti in 1871 and tried for murder, at which time he was declared insane, the population had dropped to 2,000. However, these figures are disputed by some who consider that if 9,000 had lived on the island, many would have needed to live on the hillsides due to the lack of flat ground, but evidence of habitation in these hills is lacking.

Lavel died in 1880 from an infected cat scratch. In the next 20 years the population had decreased to 500 due to tuberculosis, smallpox and leprosy – with greater contact from overseas visitors throughout their history came an influx of infectious diseases.

During our walk we visited two buildings of Lavel’s time. The Cathedral of Saint Michel was completed in 1848 and seats 1,200 parishioners. Within it is a beautiful mother of pearl decorated altar. The other site comprised the ruins of the Rouru Convent which once had beds for 60 nuns, but housed 150 at its peak (think overcrowding).

Our return walk was no less interesting – just by chance. As we walked down the steep roads back to the village five cars passed us with each driver offering a lift. The local people were certainly hospitable. Upon the sixth car stopping I gave in and as we drove I talked with the female driver. She told me she had four children and when the youngest reached 12 years she was asked to adopt a 10-day-old baby. She agreed and the child is now 10. It seems this is common among the islands where young girls, if they become pregnant, are all too often deserted by their boyfriends. To be fair, that was not the same for all young men. A discussion I had with one of the pe-i dancers showed he was clearly smitten with his little 2-year-old daughter as she shyly observed the island visitors, which was a joy to see.

But our day was not done. Upon our return to Rikitea, some of the islanders were displaying their wares, which included black pearls. These are produced by the Pinctada margaritifera, or black-lipped, oyster and all around the island buoys tethering the pearl strings can be seen, which the zodiac boats must weave between.

The pearls are considered of such quality and size that the island’s economy is based on their production. It is said black pearls grow faster off the shores of Mangareva than elsewhere in the world because of the exceptional marine environment of cooler temperatures and nutrient-rich seas around this volcanic island. However, there are concerns about the effects of climate change on sea temperature which may reduce pearl growth rates and increase susceptibility to disease. Research is currently being carried out regarding this.  

The island also runs an oyster shell-carving school designed to help carry on such skills, especially via the younger generations, and to provide a further income source.

Before we departed there was one more thing. The islanders, without any of us knowing, had cooked food for us all to try… and what a feast it was. This included papaya, banana pudding (my favourite), coconut cake (also delicious) and manioc, otherwise known as cassava – a highly versatile and nutritious root which can be served in savoury and sweet dishes. Many of the items on display were nicely presented in coconut shells neatly surrounded with fresh leaves and flowers.

We experienced the very good of today and the not so good of yesteryear on this island just by taking the opportunity to engage in conversation. 

And what of that very strenuous hike? Despite previous attempts, all in today’s party made it to the great peak, including the 90-year-old!

Copyright: Words and photos Sue Barnard 2022

What did you do today? For us, we got up early to sail around some old rocks. Not exciting maybe and you could stop reading here, but these rocks are pretty special. 

Our Captain had been given special permission by the marine authorities to divert from our journey to Mangareva in the Gambier Islands to circumnavigate these old rocks, known by the Polynesians as the Marotiri Islands. Ships visiting the location are extremely rare. Well why would they visit, their craggy nature makes them uninhabitable?

The Marotiri rocks are located within the Austral Islands lying 75 kilometres (about 50 miles) south-east of Rapa Iti where we visited yesterday. These are Polynesia’s most remote islands and lay in the South Pacific Ocean which at this point is 1,500 metres (5,000 feet) deep. Sail south and the next landscape to be seen will be Antarctica.

The islands are also known as the Bass Group. Just why is a puzzle. Some sources consider they are named after George Bass (1771-1803). That seems plausible as Bass was a British naval surgeon and explorer. The Bass Strait between Tasmania and Australia, and other areas, are named after him.

However, I could not find any sources that confirmed his sailing near the Marotiri Islands. More plausible is that a visit could have been based on assumption rather than evidence. His final days are also shrouded in mystery. His last voyage was on the Venus in 1803, heading for Tahiti, but he and his crew were never seen again.

The Marotiri Islands comprise four uninhabited volcanic rocks without surrounding coral reefs. The lower levels of the rocks are without vegetation, but the higher ground does accommodate some grasses and other plant growth.

Just getting to these rocks caused great excitement among many of the naturalists and voyagers on the ship as they are so remote and off the usual shipping routes. Our chief seabird man, Peter Harrison MBE, who has devoted his life to studying seabirds of the world and has received many significant awards for doing so including a Royal Society Gold Medal, the UK’s highest award for conservation, is not unfamiliar with the rocks. 

Since the 1980s he has not only visited here but managed to get onto the rocks to research the bird life and breeding grounds. Just getting onto the rocks is a feat. There aren’t any landing points and such studies involved jumping into the treacherous ocean to then attempt to climb the steep, craggy, slippery volcanic rock, which he and a few others managed to achieve. A group of 56 people signed up to go on the trip at the time in an attempt to get onto the rocks. As an indication of the extreme nature of the climb, only eight managed to land.

The islands are the breeding grounds for many important seabirds including those seen today: the Murphey’s Petrel, Kermadec Petrel, the Christmas Sheerwater, the Red-tailed Tropicbird, Brown Booby and several varieties of the Noddy. Oh crikey I think birding is starting to rub off on me. But of particular note was our sightings of the critically endangered Rapa Sheerwater and the endangered Polynesian Storm Petrel. Rather a pity I didn’t get some good shots of these rare birds as I stared in awe of these ragged rocks and thought how fortunate we were to reach such an extreme area – an opportunity afforded us by the skills of our captain, crew and expedition team.

But then it was onward. Our hour’s circumnavigation had come to an end and we were off to Mangareva in the Gambier Islands. Our next destination was approximately 600 miles away and two days sailing with sightings of the occasional humpback whale blows as they surfaced way off in the distance. 

Copyright: Words and photos Sue Barnard 2022

If you are going to start something, you might as well aim high. We are not ‘birders’, but have found ourselves on a ship full of them! The aim of our chief bird man on this voyage was to visit Rapa Iti to see one of the rarest birds in the world.  We have never seen the furore, as 60 people rushed for the opportunity to view a bird on a mulberry tree. 

But let’s hold on to that thought while I introduce the island. Rapa is the southernmost inhabited island of French Polynesia and is often referred to as Rapa ‘Iti’ (meaning small). This is to distinguish it from another Rapa island, being Rapa ‘Nui’ (meaning big), which is more familiarly known as Easter Island. To get here we sailed 300 nautical miles from yesterday’s Raivavae, and a total of 700 nautical miles from Tahiti  – the equivalent of about 800 land miles.

Just like Raivavae, the island is volcanic, fortunately now extinct. An aerial view shows the island is a ‘C’ shape and rather like a curled king prawn, caused by the right, or east, side of the volcano having been breached by the sea. The land comprises many peaks and precipitous cliffs, and inland travel is difficult which is why we stayed near the coastline, although that too involved a strenuous hill walk. There are just two villages, the small but main one being Ahurei, and the few roads that exist lay around that breached east side.

First reports of European sightings were in 1791 by George Vancouver of the Royal Navy – yes he who has today many areas named after him. Several reports followed of passing ships encountering mainly hostile residents and it was not until the 1800s that visitors seemed to land, namely the London Missionary Society.

At around that time the population was thought to be at least 2,000, but huge numbers died – with visitors, came disease including smallpox. Many of the people lived in fortresses, which some consider reflected feuding within the island and only diminished with the diminishing population. The remains of at least 28 fortresses can still be seen, although as they are on ridge tops we did not venture that high. Today the population is estimated to be 515 people living nearer the sea and its access to cultivated land. 

The indigenous Eastern Polynesian language of Old Rapa is no longer dominant, being largely spoken by the elders. Instead Reo Rapa is used, being a mix of Tahitian and Old Rapa. Some also speak English which brings us back nicely to our visit.

Upon arrival there was much jollity. At the quay side (this was a rare dry landing for us) island women were smiling and singing and placed hand-woven garlands around our necks. These were made of flowers and strong, shiny, slippery green leaves. Our ears began to ring with the extremely loud banging of drums from some of the island’s men.

We were then invited to sit while the master of ceremonies welcomed us to watch the islanders sing. They are known particularly for their religious singing. There was also a couple acting and shouting at each other in turn – it was just a pity we had no idea what they were saying!

Then came a speech from the Mayor who was passionate in his words, saying: “Thank you for coming to this horizon of ours. In the name of the population of Rapa we welcome you. It takes many days to reach our land, the furthest south of the French Polynesian Islands, and the first time your ship has ever visited. We want to make your visit as pleasurable as possible.”

And that is just what they did. As traditional dancing finished we were invited to take a nature walk. This pleased the ‘birders’ no end who had been eagerly anticipating an extremely rare visit to this island. 

They were on the lookout for just one bird, the endemic and critically endangered Rapa fruit dove, a colourful green, blue-grey, and rose-purple bird with a bright pink crown. There are estimated to be just 120-160 Rapa fruit doves on this one and only island, and their numbers are declining. 

But what were the chances of seeing some? We hiked a little inland as islanders told us of their lives and facilities. Unlike some other islands they did not have a runway for aeroplanes – the land was just not flat enough – and they told us they did not want one. We saw lots of fruit growing including guava and were invited to eat mulberries from the trees which were plump and tasty.

We all then veered off along a track and our leading land bird expert rush ahead. He ran back to us with hushed voice. The fruit dove had been seen. Sixty hushed ‘birders’ rushed into the bushes. Some scrambled hurriedly down a sharp decline to get a view of this little treasure. Being at the back of the scramble I stretched and weaved to get a glimpse, but had no idea what I should be looking for. 

The clicking of cameras was intense: still shots from super long camouflaged lenses, with ‘amateurs’ and the ill-prepared using their phones. And then the ‘scope’ came into play! If you are a true ‘birder’ there will be no time to mess with that lengthy word ‘telescope’. I retreated to the scope. Ah, that’s what I should be looking for. As the melee subsided I crept over to the mulberry tree, and there it was sitting bewildered looking at us and no doubt wonder what all the fuss was about.

It perched for a considerable time, and then disappeared. It had made many people happy. We walked back to the village speaking to our excited leading land bird man as we went. He told us this sighting had increased his lifetime bird sightings to 9,600. We were mighty pleased seeing what it meant to him and 60 others. We then told him of our count, explaining we had never been ‘birders’. “Ours is… umm one, unless you count some pigeons and sparrows,” we said. Well everybody has to start somewhere!

We then headed back, but the islanders had not finished with us. We viewed bread baking in a community-shared oven – they all lend a hand – and craft making. Then taro root came into play. The islanders had a huge wooden press in which they squeezed taro root to make a fermented drink from the juice. The press was so large and heavy that it took six men to manoeuvre it. “I think it’s possibly over-engineered,” I heard one guest say.

Then some of the women showed us how they prepare taro in a similar way to dough, which involved much kneading and hitting with a brick, yes, seriously. One needs strong wrists for this process, which are built up with this activity from the age of 11. Singing is carried out while doing this which sets the pace for the banging with the basalt rock bricks. This was once carried out at the river banks. We were also told that this dough was being prepared today (a Saturday) as everyone would be at church on Sunday.

All parts of the taro are used including the corm, stems and leaves. The corm is a nutritious, life-sustaining, staple on many of the islands and can be white, pink or purple inside. It is fast-growing, producing up to three crops a year and has a variety of uses, including a paste-like substance, and a dough. It can be rather bland so flavourings such as coconut milk may be added.

But it was then time to leave our new friends, who had clearly delighted in our visit as much as we had delighted in their efforts and company. Another brilliant day had come to an end.

Copyright: Words and photographs Sue Barnard 2022

It’s surprising what you find out when you travel the world. Today we learned that the pearlfish hangs out with the sea cucumber fish. Well to be precise, it hangs out of the anus of the sea cucumber fish. But having said that, it is very particular. Some say it will seek out particular species to inhabit. That’s choosy, especially as there are more than 1,200 species of sea cucumber, for the around 30 species of pearlfish to check out.

It seems this anal habit is likely to be beneficial for both fishes (what they call commensal) although in which ways is still not clear, but the sea cucumber certainly provides protection for the pearlfish. In most cases the pearlfish does not harm the sea cucumber, although the pearlfish can act as a parasite, eating the internal organs of its host. Well that’s not very appreciative!

Just how the pearlfish enters the sea cucumber is also interesting. After several minutes inspecting its host it will perform a tapping movement around the anus, at which time the sea cucumber will let its visitor into its orifice, usually tail first. Sometimes more than one pearlfish will be ‘housed’ at a time. One researcher found 15 cohabiting.

Well, there you have it… but not quite. One of our Expedition Team reported that he took a PhD student on a dive, only to find her picking up sea cucumbers along the way and looking at their bottoms. It appears that sea cucumbers also host crabs around their anus and that was what her PhD was based upon!

But I digress. Today we had reached Raivavae, in the Austral Islands, French Polynesia. It is encircled by a coral reef with 28 islets situated in crystal clear waters. Its dimensions are roughly 5 miles long by 2 miles wide. And it is all you would expect from a South Pacific island with its coconut palms, reef fishes, and tropicbirds, herons and noddies flying overhead. 

The first sighting by Europeans was by Spanish naval officer Tomas Gayangos on the frigate El Aguila in 1775. It was charted by the Spanish as Santa Rosa. But he was not the first to discover it as upon arrival he found the island was already inhabited, and it is thought had been by various peoples for 3,000 years.

Whether a friendly welcome or not at that time, our arrival was full of joy. The Raivavae people were out in abundance. Ours was the first international ship to arrive since the onset of Covid. In the good times there were three ships a month, predominantly supply vessels.

Upon our arrival by Zodiac boats there was a welcoming party playing lots of music. Immediately, they placed garlands of flowers around our necks and led us to the town centre where men and women danced for us. This was such a surprise and they were clearly joyous at our arrival and we were joyous to see such a welcome.

After the dancing we were taken on a walk around Mahanatoa, one of four villages on the island. There is one road that goes around the island and as we walked we saw an abundance of fruit, vegetables and plants growing, much of which can be picked by passersby along the way. These included bananas, lychees, mangoes, salad vegetables and of course the ubiquitous coconuts.

It was good to see how nicely the villagers maintained their gardens and that there was no litter to be seen. Most of the houses comprised bungalows and many had an open view of the ocean. If someone wanted to build a new house, we were told that everyone on the island has to agree to it. It obviously pays to keep in with the neighbours.

Although it was warm during our visit the temperature can drop to 14 degrees Celsius in winter.

Our local guide was proud to show us some history and led us to the remaining tiki, a stone image that represents a goddess or an ancestor. Unfortunately, since the 1960s three others have been removed and sent to various museums around the world. There are different ways of looking at this situation of course. Local people may regret their loss, but historic items, left unprotected, are vulnerable to the weather at the very least, and the following illustrates an example of this.

During our next stop along the way our guide told us of some birthing stones nearby. We all headed to the area with much anticipation. The stones are located on, what is now, private land but permission had been given for tourists to view. The structure comprised a long flat stone upon which the pregnant woman would lie, with two higher additional stones where she would place her feet. It sounded pretty uncomfortable and one would hope that the birth wouldn’t be in the colder months. However, upon our arrival our guide was clearly upset. The two historic stones for supporting the legs had gone. This was a site of historic importance, and the stones could well have been taken to build a wall or some other structure. It was a loss for the community, archaeology, history and visitors.

Destruction is not uncommon on the islands and elsewhere. In the 1800s many people on the island converted to Christianity following the arrival of missionaries and sacred sites and artefacts were destroyed.

Our guide then took us to a marae (sacred site) within which lies a tomb, considered to be the resting place of a princess.

We also learned of women’s strength according to legend. In days of old men and women would compete on physical and intellectual levels. The tale goes that there was a competition to move a huge rock. The men, thinking the women would not succeed, slept overnight before attempting the move. Meanwhile, the women got to work and indeed did move the rock. We were even shown that rock. However, there are many versions of this story but, we were told, as a result of this old legend women on the island are highly thought of… and not to be messed with, no doubt.

And talking of the people on the island today, there are just less than 1,000, a level slightly increasing which is rare among many island communities which see inhabitants leave for the mainland. It has one school for 3-11 year-olds, after which time they have to travel overseas to finish their education. Since 2003 there has been a small airport, which is of course beneficial for taking islanders to Tahiti, the children to schools overseas, and especially for quick transportation to hospitals if emergencies arise and cannot be dealt by the island’s medics.

The island people were keen to show us their crafts which included using the island’s clam shells to make jewellery and other attractive items.

Before we left, the islanders had set up a food tasting which was delightful – all items were locally sourced. Can you imagine eating grapefruit harvested within yards of where you are consuming it, or the most delicious banana bread made from the fruit of nearby palms? So fresh and flavoursome.

Then it was time to leave, but not before more music playing and the donning of shell garlands around the necks of each visitor. Incredible.

Copyright: Words and photos Sue Barnard 2022

If you like the written word Tahiti could be the place to be. Writers have certainly made the words flow here, whether it be fiction, non-fiction or poetry. I didn’t know what to expect in Tahiti, but our foray into the South Pacific island, part of the Society Islands, involved visits to the homes of two prolific writers of the past.

These were James Norman Hall, an American writer who spent most of his life in Tahiti; and Robert Keable, a missionary turned wordsmith.

Hall’s home is now a museum and is very much as he left it (apart from the roof solar panels). Shelves ooze with books of all sorts, divided into subjects as far ranging as children’s fiction to history. There are even copies of William Bligh’s log of HMS Bounty. You would have to be keen to read this tome of hundreds of pages, the writing is really hard to decipher but I am told Bligh was most detailed in his daily reports of the voyages.

Hall was a prolific writer and is probably best known for his work with Charles Nordhoff, The Bounty Trilogy: Mutiny on the Bounty, Men against the sea, and Pitcairn’s island, published in the 1930s and subsequently made into films.

One of Hall’s books, Doctor Dogbody’s leg, had a sudden flush of interest a few years ago, which took the museum by surprise. When asked which book would you take with you to a desert island on the long-running UK radio programme ‘Desert Island Discs’, Keith Richards of Rolling Stones fame said: “Doctor Dogbody’s leg”. It certainly raised interest in author Hall and his works.

We were most fortunate to have a private visit of Robert Keable’s past home. He too was a prolific writer. He was once a missionary and priest, then turned his back on the ministry following what he witnessed in World War One. He later caused a scandal with his 1921 book ‘Simon called Peter’ about a priest’s affair during the war, with a young nurse. But there is nothing like controversy to sell books. This one sold 600,000 copies in the 1920s alone.

Keable’s life was full of upset. He left his wife for a young lady, Jolie Buck. They found an idyllic place to live in Tahiti overlooking the sea. She drew up designs for their new home. But then Jolie became pregnant and they returned to England hoping for a safe birth. Sadly Jolie died in childbirth at just 25 years old. Their premature son was not expected to live and considered too frail to travel. Keable returned to Tahiti and the house was built to Jolie’s specification. Sadly Keable died there just a few years later of kidney disease. He was 40 years old.

The house still stands without any changes. It is the most beautiful home overlooking the ocean, and has many beautiful plants that he introduced including tall, thick, red bamboo.

A one-time neighbour was Paul Gauguin, famed for his paintings of Polynesian women. Unfortunately, the Gauguin museum is currently closed.

Our visit to these two homes was part of a 72 mile trip around the island. The road, of which there is only one, does not quite encircle Tahiti as the south-easterly tip has proved too difficult to engineer.

The island is, of course, famed for its breadfruit. Captain Bligh was sent to Tahiti to collect this for transportation to the West Indies to feed the slaves. Breadfruit is still today a staple of the island and used in the same way as potatoes. Varieties can vary from sweet to not so flavoursome, so it pays to know what to look out for. Unfortunately, we did not get a chance to taste and compare, but these are early days.

Walking around Papeete (the capital) itself highlighted some interesting aspects. The parks were extremely busy, especially with the young playing one of their favourite sports, volleyball.

This was around 3pm. The day starts (and ends) early in Tahiti, due particularly to the huge traffic jams during rush hour. Public transport comprises the rarely seen buses (we didn’t see any). Therefore, people who live away from the capital start out, sometimes around 4am, to get their children to school on time. While there are primary schools in some villages (education is compulsory from 3 years of age), the secondary schools are in the capital and that can involve a long, slow, journey. As our guide told us, family time is often during those long drives each day.

We came away from Tahiti with much more than expected, especially viewing the two beautiful homes of the writers, but also with a booklist that will take us the whole of next year to complete.

Copyright: Words and photos Sue Barnard 2022

Our route from Tahiti to Valparaiso (courtsey of Silversea Cruises)

Our final trip of 2022 is fast approaching. Yet another trip booked pre-Covid and shelved for a couple of years. As can be seen from the route map above, it is an exploration cruise from Tahiti, French Polynesia across to Valparaiso, Chile, visiting the many islands that are situated inbetween. Our friends in Australia, Eric and Diane, alerted us to this trip and we could not miss the opportunity to visit such a remote British Overseas Territory, the Pitcairn Islands, which were the main thrust of our interest in this trip.

I am sure that many of you will have read the books and seen the films about the Mutiny on the Bounty which happened in 1789. The reason I mention this is because some of the mutineers and some Polynesian men and women hid on the Pitcairn Islands (Adamstown) and remained undiscovered from 1790 until 1808.

For those unaware of the story of the mutiny on the HMS Bounty, it was captained by Lieutenant William Bligh and was engaged in transporting breadfruit from Tahiti to the British colonies in the West Indies. The expedition, which left England in October 1787, was promoted by the Royal Society and its president Joseph Banks who believed that bread fruit would grow in the West Indies and be a cheap food for the slaves in the sugar plantations. After sailing around Cape Horn and into the South Pacific Ocean, the mission was to pick up bread fruit in Tahiti and take it to the West Indies via the Indian and South Atlantic Oceans.

The crew consisted of 46 men, 44 Royal Navy seamen and two civilian botanists. This included a 23 year old Fletcher Christian, Master’s mate, who came from a wealthy Cumberland family descended from Isle of Man gentry. He had twice voyaged with Bligh to the West Indies and served on the Bounty without pay as one of the “young gentlemen”.

Bligh enforced strict discipline on the ship and when men stepped out of line, punishment was dealt out. There were clashes between Bligh and his officers on the trip down to Tahiti so when they reached Tahiti, the 5 months stay to collect bread fruit must have been a relief for Captain and crew. It seems that many men were not happy to leave the attractions of Tahiti, particularly the promiscious women, as they had enjoyed their time there. It seems that Fletcher Christian’s mood was not generally good and it did not help when, back at sea, Bligh accused him of stealing coconut from Bligh’s personal supply.

A mutiny ensued on 28 April 1789 and Bligh and some of his loyalists were cast off in the ship’s largest open boat. Bligh and his loyalists finally made it back to England in March 1790. The mutineers returned to Tahiti and some stayed there but Fletcher Christian and 8 others mutineers, along with 20 Polynesians (6 men and 14 women) left finally arriving in the Pitcairn Islands.

There is a lot more to the Mutiny on the Bounty, a true story, which is well worth reading as the above is only a very short precis. I would not suggest watching a Hollywood film on the Mutiny as Hollywood tends not to let the truth get in the way of a good storyline.

The above story tweaked our interest in this trip but I am sure there will be much else to report on as we visit French Polynesian and the Chilean Islands on our way across to Valparasio. We have visited Easter Island before so it will be interesting to go back and see what may have changed in the last 22 years.

Copyright: Words John Cruse 2022

For our final few days we took a flight west to the Bayan-Ulgii province to see the Eagle Festival. Our first night was spent with eagle hunter Aiu and his family. After all the entertainment and ankle bones games of the night before, Aiu invited us to see his eagle in action. He had won many awards at previous Eagle Festivals, but due to family commitments would not be attending the two-day event. However, he was keen to show us up close the skills involved in this highly-respected Mongolian tradition.

We watched Aiu set off on horseback with his 10 kilo bird resting on his outstretched arm. Once we arrived at the mountainside his son took the eagle up the mountain. When there, Aio tied some (deceased) prey onto a rope to attract the bird back.

Then, calling out with a sound only his bird would recognise, the eagle came flying down from the mountain top to catch the prey. Aiu stayed on horseback throughout. It all happened so quickly and efficiently. Keep in mind that when not performing the bird would be used for hunting small animals and foxes, all of which is carried out for the family’s use with nothing wasted, and is not hunting for sport.

Aio explained that just one female chick is taken from a nest, and is trained by the hunter who will keep the bird for six years. At that time, it will be released into the wild so that it can breed. The hunter then attempts to find his next chick. Most hunters are male, but there has been a film made of a very successful female hunter, although she is a rarity.

The bird was flown from the mountain top on several occasions for us to get a close-up.

It was then time to leave our host and travel to the festival site at Sagsai. Here we would sleep and eat in gers for the next three nights. This, in itself, proved another interesting experience. The evening would end right after supper had been eaten within a communal ger, simply because it was dark! There were no lights at all outside so with a head torch we would make our way back to our ger, up and down the undulating ground, which was well trodden by cattle, who left their mark everywhere!

A fire in each ger was welcoming (well mostly, more of that in a minute), but the fire would burn out in an hour or two. Hence, the night was freezing, and all you could see of me was my nose poking out of the blankets. I wish I had a photo of that. Our guide would come in at 7am to relight the fire so we could start to defrost about 30 minutes later. The water for washing was freezing, literally. Even the liquid soap was frozen!

But what was that about the somewhat unwelcoming fire? On our first night our guide came into the ger to talk with us. I heard a swishing noise outside and asked what that was. “It’s probably some maintenance,” she replied. That was puzzling as it was 9pm and pitch black outside. I suggested we might take a look.

As we walked outside we found out what the swishing sound was. Some of the drivers were throwing water over our roof. The embers from the chimney had fallen down on the plastic and felt roof and caught alight.

We had been totally unaware of the fire – there was not a sound – and it was only by chance that it was found. A driver had been walking behind our ger, possibly to get firewood, and noticed it. The fire was at the rear of the ger where nobody would have need to walk, so we were most fortunate. Thankfully, we lived to see another day, and this was full of entertainment.

First up was a demonstration of the dismantling of a ger and the packing up of its contents, which were then taken by camel to the festival site. There, the ger was rebuilt. There is a special procedure for this, and it became apparent having watched an interactive demonstration a few days previously at a museum.

The rebuilding starts with the lattice walls being erected in a circle and the pre-made door added. Then the centrepiece of the ger roof is hoisted into place. This is a wheel with wooden spokes, to which wooden roof struts are attached. Fabric roofing and walls are added to the outside, before women decorate the inside. This whole procedure takes about two hours to take down for the experienced (two days for the inexperienced!) and a couple of hours to rebuild.

Once we arrived at the festival, nearby, we found there was a whole host of activities. This is serious stuff, winners receive prestigious awards. As we saw at the home of Aiu, his awards are proudly displayed on the walls.

First up was some eagle hunting, the fastest result is the winner. We watched in anticipation as, one by one, each eagle was taken up the mountain while his trainer, on horseback, waited on the flat ground nearby to us.

The hunter was ready, the eagle was ready, the audience was ready. The hunter made his call. It was mighty windy. The eagle was released. We watched intently as it rose to the sky. And it rose some more, and some more, circling high above us.

Unfortunately, there it stayed. That strong wind was making it difficult for the eagle to hear the call. Deflated, we waited. Just how do you get an eagle down from way up in the clouds? We were not to find out anytime soon.

Eagle hunter number two arrived. The procedure began again. Up the mountain side the eagle was taken. All set, the eagle hunter made his call. The eagle set off. It rose into the sky. And rose again. Instead of heading to the eagle hunter, it headed to the first eagle on the loose. Both circled way above us, as if to take the mickey.

By this stage we were in fits of laughter. It brought back memories. We have an annual community event at a local park nearby us. We attended this year to watch the dog show, an event for residents’ dogs. Not one did as it was told – don’t work with animals and children comes to mind. The start of this eagle hunting competition seemed to be just the same.

A few other birds did fly to their hunters successfully but, because of the wind (oh, and a third lost bird) it was decided to postpone further flights until the following day.

Other events followed with riders having to pick up a small cone from the ground while riding at great speed on their horses. Not falling off their horses while doing this is quite an art.

On the second day the eagle flights were resumed which had 100% success as the wind had dropped. This was no consolation for the hunters whose birds had flown – keep in mind that it takes years to train the animals, and this was the first time they had flown since the outbreak of Covid.

But there were more interesting events to come. One included couples racing across the land together. The fastest couple won the event. However, there was an added twist. Each woman held a rope or stick with which she would beat her ‘husband’. Well the women seemed to enjoy it and the men were willing participants, as a win could earn them yet another award. The audience enjoyed the speed with which it was acted too.

But what about that ‘Tug of wot’ I have mentioned? This was actually called the Tug of War, but I think the title was ill-conceived. This actually involved a goat (dead I would add), and headless. Two riders on horseback would lift the hefty beast and attempt to pull it from the competitor while on the fast-moving horse. Some attempts were short-lived, but others went on for up to 10 minutes. At times, the uncontrolled horses (the riders were intent on grappling with the goat) would head straight towards the onlookers. On several occasions, with the fighting pair in my lens sight, I thought I was getting a really good photo, only to realise they were coming straight for me! Actually, I did get some very good photos, but looking at them I feel they are rather too graphic to include on this occasion.

All of this could seem quite shocking for some, but it is tradition and is carried out in a competitive way with skills developed from one year to the next. What was really touching was that the older, more experienced, hunters, apparently let a far younger hunter win the tug of war. This, we were told, was to encourage other young potential hunters to compete in future years. Without the newcomers, yet another tradition will be lost.

And there was more good news, at least for one eagle hunter. On the second day of the festival he returned to the site to look for his lost eagle. The eagle had landed. It was perched on the mountainside. Alas, the other two eagles had done a runner.

The following day we made our way back to Ulaanbaatar for our journey home, with great memories. Living with and interacting with the nomadic people gave us an insight into a culture we would not have achieved had we not travelled Mongolia in this way. The nomadic people appeared happy with their lives, although recognising that the young may not necessarily follow in their footsteps. One wonders, with all the trappings of the Western world, who is most happy with their ‘lot’.

Copyright: Words and photos Sue Barnard 2022

Ever played ankle bones? It’s very popular in most households in Mongolia, and might not be what you think. But more about that later.

Despite all our off-road travelling, eating and sleeping there was so much else to do, and looking back I don’t know how we fitted it all in. Our trip really was non-stop from morning to night.

We were in for a great treat on one of our days, when we were fortunate to witness a ger warming, which coincided with the owners’ 25 year wedding anniversary.

If there was ever a ‘right time, right place’ experience this was it. Our driver Tugsuu had 10 siblings, one of whom (a brother) was carrying out the celebrations. Our group (John and I, our new travelling companion Carolyn from the US, our guide Migo and Tugsuu) just happened to be in an area of the vast Gobi Desert when this ger celebration was being carried out and because of Tugsuu we were all invited to the happy occasion.

We learned that when a new ger is purchased it is tradition to ‘christen’ it by inviting friends and family along who bring gifts, such as alcohol, food or cash. These are presented along with blue silky sashes (we purchased ours from a local store). The sashes are also often seen at temples as part of worshippers’ offerings.

When we arrived the party was in full swing and we were made really welcome. Once seated among the guests we were invited to get involved with the customary sharing of snuff bottles with our host, each of us in turn.

There were at least 30 guests squeezed into the new ger, along with masses of food. So many of the guests were dressed in brightly-coloured deels and they lined up to present their gifts.

To illustrate the significance of the occasion some of the guests presented whole cooked sheep carcasses, each with their heads on top. I saw three, and there could have been more delivered throughout the day. This amount would be rare. Dishes of soup, breads, curds, vegetables, lamb, horse meat, salami and chicken were all elegantly displayed, along with the very expensive fruit, including apples, grapes and bananas.

Soup was our first course, then came the meats, pickles and vegetables. I tried the horse meat out of curiosity and politeness. I have to say it was particularly tender and flavoursome. It was not long before the vodka came out and was shared in a dish amongst guests, with gay abandon. Right from the start we were not looked upon as strangers, but accepted as the hosts’ guests, which was most welcoming.

There was also entertainment, and this was wonderful. I have referred to the throat singing we experienced earlier this year amongst the Inuit women who demonstrate a deep tone, in a playful, competitive way. In Mongolia this is quite different and something we had not heard before. It is the men who throat sing and use their voice in a much higher pitched way, as if it is an instrument.

Mongolian throat singing can be beautiful and joyous to hear and we were so lucky that our hosts had a professional throat singer to entertain us. The male singers study for many years to achieve their status as a professional throat singer.

When we left, our hosts and many family members came outside the ger to wave us off, having first enjoyed some photo opportunities.

Throughout our journey we were to find that singing is something many families do. If you are lucky, as we were at times, one person may just break into song with others joining in, often playing instruments. One evening when we were having our supper, an eight year old boy picked up a dombra (a long-necked lute) and started playing and singing, which was brave of the youngster especially being amongst strangers. Then other Mongolian people joined in. This is a tradition to be savoured, especially when it could be so easily lost with television and social media now being on tap 24 hours a day.

When not being entertained we tried our hands at a few other activities including kayaking, something John and I had not done before. The water was fairly shallow and freezing cold and in one area we had to get out and push, but I was determined to beat John to the finish line… I succeeded!

A camel ride too was in the offing. I wasn’t looking forward to that, and crikey it was a long way down. These were Bactrian camels, with two humps and some can be 8 feet tall. The benefit was that I could keep a firm hold on one of the humps as we meandered across the desert.

I was quite pleased when we got off (not looking forward to the time the camel would drop to its knees with us humans being tipped forward and then jolted back without any resistance). As soon as we got off we sauntered away rather like John Wayne, tipping from side to side – the camels were so wide. We were still aching from the uncomfortable seating arrangements after several days.

Another new experience was archery, which was a scream. So many times I tried to let the arrow go whizzing to a nearby target. Each time the arrow flopped to my feet, with no danger of me being speared. Gosh, those bows are hard to operate. One needs arms of steel, but once I got the hang of it, it proved to be rather addictive, and a source of so many laughs.

In a small area of the Gobi Desert we carried out tree planting – well Tugsuu did all the hard digging. This project was a worthy cause. The initiator, a lady named Byamba, purchased an area of land 40 years ago with the aim of trying to fight against desertification. This is where land degrades to such an extent in arid and semi-arid areas that it cannot sustain plant growth. It can be caused by a number of things including lack of rain, climate, grazing, and human activity such as felling trees. This latter point is a long term issue across parts of Mongolia. Gers are heated with wood, and forests can be seen across the country which have had swaths of pine trees cut down for this purpose.

Without plants, humans cannot feed off the land and animals cannot forage. Without trees, winds are also a problem.

In an attempt to redress this, even in a slow small way, Byamba has been growing native trees – the saxaul – from seeds and cuttings in greenhouses at her home. Then, working on her own or with small-scale help, she has been planting these slow-growing trees in the sandy dry land. In so doing, she is attempting to offset CO2 emissions and reduce greenhouse gases; reduce wind and dust (the tree roots help hold the soil together, thus reducing soil erosion); provide wildlife habitats; and preserve native Gobi trees.

During our time at the site we planted and watered in a few trees, and admired the work Byamba was doing, which is a hard task. Some of the trees planted in 1999 are still only eight feet tall. Another we saw, planted three years ago, was three feet tall. In more hospitable landscapes the saxaul tree can grow to 26 or more feet.

Then, having done a tiny bit to help with these matters, we were on our way again. A lot of hiking was involved on this holiday including so many climbs up to monasteries – they were usually locked or in a ruined condition once we got there. The vast majority of religious buildings were desecrated during the Communist regime, generally in the 1930s. At some, that did not involve a hike, we were able to view the monks carrying out their morning chanting. This was popular with local worshippers. Their sounds were rather soporific as we sat and watched, but seeing some of the monks on their mobiles, or being served their breakfast supply of mares’ milk during the chanting came as a bit of a surprise.

Of great historic significance in Mongolia was a discovery in 1923 at the Flaming Cliffs in the Gobi Desert. Fossils of 15 dinosaur nests containing 50 eggs were found which led to the understanding that dinosaurs were not solitary animals but they established colonies. These were originally thought to be nests of the Protoceratops. However, expeditions in the 1990s found further identical eggs, one containing an embryo identified as an Oviraptor.

Mongolia also has many petroglyphs, some considered to date back to 11,000BC. The images produced over the centuries illustrate the transition from hunter gatherers to herding and on to a horse-dependant nomadic lifestyle. They are so valuable for the insight they give to pre-historic ways that they are protected by UNESCO. While it is brilliant to see them in their original sites, they are open to the elements and graffiti addicts. It is surprising they are not better protected in some way.

But they are not easy to reach – they are sited high up steep, craggy mountains. Climbing the mountains was really hard going, but there was something that I had not expected on the way up. A Mongolian man offered his arm to help me up the mountainside – at a rate of knots I might add. It became more of a run than a climb! As we were heading up the sharp incline the gentleman asked to marry me. I was a bit perplexed and thought a while, saying: “Maybe that is possible, but you’ll have to ask my husband first.”

“But I don’t want to marry your husband,” he exclaimed. Hmmm, that was not what I was getting at. I then enquired: “Are you rich?” He rebuffed my question, saying: “You’ve got to be joking. I’m a tour guide!”

With that, and having a good idea of my answer, he dropped his arm and left me to climb the remaining craggy rocks on my own. Blast – I should have spun that out until we got to the top!

But there was another experience that will remain memorable. It was the ankle bones. Our eagle hunter host Aiu had two young sons who looked so excited to interact with us during our overnight stay, despite the language differences. I found just the opportunity when they showed me a bucket of ankle bones. Yes, this was indeed what was in a bucket they presented me with – hundreds of sheep ankle bones.

These are displayed throughout Mongolia in homes, restaurants and shops, whether they are used for games, decoration, table mats or jewellery. Most are in their natural cream colour, but some are painted. They can be played in a similar fashion to ‘five stones’ which we enjoyed as children.

Many games involve scoring against other players and this is what we did. We each threw four bones at a time, and according to the way they fell we scored points. Each of the four sides of the ankle bone has a different shape (one needs a keen eye to see that), and points were awarded for pairs, a full house, and so on.

The two young sons, their eagle hunter father and I all played. I tried my hardest, but the odds were against me. Each time I came last until father did some trickery and I managed to come second to last. He was the perfect host and we all laughed throughout.

There was never a dull moment in Mongolia, and we had so many new experiences. But there was one further experience to come, to be covered in the next posting.

Copyright: Words and photos Sue Barnard 2022