As expected, nothing has happened since last week, when Bigboss had not yet given his approval for my spare parts, so I once again stand patiently in front of the Sin Tun Hin store's magazine counter and wait my turn. Johann greets me with a smile, which I return. In French Polynesia, smiling often opens closed doors by itself - if you fail to do so, the door never opens. However, he pulls out a cardboard box from which the cylinder head gasket, standing upright, takes on a precarious bend and I don't know whether to cry or laugh. I decide on the latter and pull the gasket out of the box as if I wanted to read the code, and then lay it flat on the counter. In his broken English, Johann tells me that all but one of the parts have arrived.
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| Spare parts arrived |
However, when it comes to the missing part, it turns out that there was a transposed number in my order list. Fortunately, the part is in stock and also goes into the box. I say thank you and head for the till, determined and happy to finally be able to get started, pull out my credit card and am abruptly stopped by the cashier. Johann gave me a collection number, which I assumed I would use to pay. Far from it, the items all have to be checked and ticked off. I smile. So I take everything out of the box and pack it up again after checking it. Unfortunately, one of the items on the invoice is not in the box. I am searchingly scanned with glances, with the accompanying question of whether I have put the part somewhere else. Even my beautiful blue eyes and the dachshund look, which usually works, don't help with the lady. I smile. So I take everything out of the box again and do it all over again. Unfortunately, the item was still missing. In the meantime, a broad-shouldered security man has stood behind me and is watching the action carefully. I smile. After the item didn't turn up on the second check either and the visual check of my person was also negative (I was wearing a T-shirt, shorts and flip-flops), the security man was sent off in search of the missing item. When he returned without having done anything, he asked the cashier for the parts list and disappeared again. I smiled. But that didn't help either and so the security man and I went back to the magazine counter with the box containing my spare parts. Johann had disappeared in the meantime and a colleague took over the check. Each part on the list was compared with the parts on the counter and then marked on the list and on the part. Finally, it turned out that three parts were missing that were listed on the invoice but not in the box. Another scan by the security man did not reveal any anomalies. So the missing parts were taken out of the magazine and added to the box. I smiled. At least the cashier at the checkout refrained from inspecting the parts again and held the credit card reader under my nose. At just over 1000 euros, my first credit card went on strike, but the second accepted the amount. I say goodbye and smile.
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| Cleaning individual parts... |
Fortunately, the cylinder head gasket has survived the rough handling and I can start reassembling it. Little by little, the parts that I had dismantled four weeks earlier are finding their place again. So far I haven't got a single screw left and none are missing. So everything should still fit. At the end of the day, we'll see if the engine runs. I'm confident and smiling.
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| ... and reassemble |
But in contrast to our environment, our challenges are downright ridiculous. The crew of SY Tuvalu is currently battling the Austrian healthcare system like Don Quixote tilting at windmills, and with the same efficiency as they would in Germany. The return, which has already been postponed several times, will now probably be delayed until December. SV Fulmo is still in Mexico and had planned to be back on the water four weeks ago to cross the Pacific a second time towards the Marquesas. SV Maria Noa is having problems with one of her saildrives and therefore needs a place to uncrane in Papeete. Yes, and our old Swede probably can't speak at the moment because he's having his chewing bar fixed in Thailand. SV Freya is on her way to Fiji and is working on the weather. At least we had radio contact via short wave, which always makes me very happy. Only SV Lady Blue is happily playing with whales on Tonga, which once again puts a smile on my face.
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| Sunday market in Papeete, Tahiti |
It's Sunday and it's still dark at 4.30 am. Nevertheless, we drag ourselves out of the bunk and go to the market. Sunday is always a big market in Papeete. This means that not only the market hall offers goods, but also the side streets are lined with stalls selling fresh fruit and vegetables. Unfortunately, you have to get up very early for this. Various stalls also offer grilled pork, which is considered a delicacy here in Papeete. We wanted to try it out and patiently joined the seemingly endless queue with a smile. After half an hour, we have three portions of 1000 XPF each and are curious to see how it will taste. Fresh tuna in all varieties is also on offer. The quality ranges from bonito to deep red to rose. There are also various reef fish that foreigners can only buy at the market. I would not eat reef fish that I have caught myself because of the risk of Ciguatera. The locals know their way around and know which fish are edible. Despite being tired, we stroll through the market and buy fruit and vegetables from various stalls. Back on the Katinka, we first try the pork, which tastes excellent. A smile appears on my face. So it's worth queuing at the stall to try a portion.
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| Queuing up for pork |
With this in mind, all readers and gourmets fair winds and keep a stiff upper lip.
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