Federated States of Micronesia General Tips by peterwill

Favorite Thing: If you find yourself in the Repuplic of Kiribati make your way to Butaritari. On this green island you will find a wonderful, simple place to stay: The Pearl Shell Rest House. Five or six island-style little houses made from local materials like woven palm leaves overlook the ocean and are ventilated by a cooling sea-breeze. Go fishing or exploring off-shore islets (some inhabited by 'spirits') with Joe the owner who speaks excellant English and realy makes you feel like one of the family. Three meals a day (more than I could handle ! ) and all for A$25 per day. Rent a bicycle or moped and explore this facinating and tranquil island. If you want to get away from 'civilisation' and don't mind the simple life you'll love this place. As the only tourist on the island at the time I was treated like an honoured guest including sampling several cups of fresh Tody at the local Police Station and being the guest of honour at a communal village Sunday lunch. After tucking into wonderful meal of fresh Crayfish I was asked for news of the Queen whom they all seemed to be very fond of eventhough independent since 1979. They were shocked to hear of the death of Princess Dianna. News takes a long time to reach these parts!

Fondest Memory: On the island of Kosrae I travelled by canoe to an inaccessable part of the coast and there above a beautiful bay on top of a forested hill I found the remains of a mission station long overgrown and in ruins. I had met an elderly American couple earlier who had worked at this establishment from the 1920's until the early 1950's. They had described to me how the harshness of life in this remote corner of the Pacific was relieved by their most important possesion - a kereosine refridgerator. Remarkably, there in the green gloom of jungle covered ruins, I found the remains of the aforementioned heavy steel refridgerator lying on it's back, home to spiders and much wild life. Even the makers stamped label was still readable. As I gazed down to the blue bay below, yellow beach one end, mangrove forest the other, I felt a certain sense of timelessness and wonder.

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