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Sunday 20.2 Eneko, Majuro Atol, Marshall Islands, Pacific Ocean

The Robert Reimers Tide Table Restaurant is great. It is at the RRE hotel where we are staying - everybody do. Not much is happening in Majuro, but much seems to have changed since the 2003 Moon handbook where it was described as a 'slum' - it is not. Everybody on these islands speaks English, but still, it is obvious that it is not their first language. We ordered oatmeal for Johanne, but got cornflakes, which she tried to make us accept. Something similar happened to a woman at the next table. Most visitors here are on business, it seemed we were the only tourists here. It was mostly clouded today, but we were still looking much forward to the trip to Eneko – one of the islands across the lagoon. I had searched for a way to get to the Arno atoll east of here, but it was not so easy. The trip took 15 minutes and it was like a small paradise. A kitchen we could use and 3 rooms. The water was crystal clear and we went straight in. The corals were thriving and many, many types of soft and hard corals. Lots of fish and I saw my first clown fish. It was low tide when we arrived. There were a few people here. Two women and a man who worked as teachers at the Majuro high school. They had started as teachers several years ago on a volunteer basis and later being employed. They used Eneko as a weekend getaway. There was also a boat with a family that had been sailing for 10 years. Their twins looked like they were around 4 years. They all went away in the late afternoon. A local family were caretakers here. The lagoon side was very quiet where as the sea-side was with big waves.
Many times I thought about us being here. Many wishes to be at this paradise place with good weather, sea, snorkeling and quietness – as we do. But for the local, it is obvious that it is difficult to go anywhere, and they are stuck here. If you zoom out, like on Google Earth, there is nothing in the vicinity. Water world. But we felt privileged to be here. So much better than a bit boring yesterday. The day passed quickly, swimming a lot. The supermarkets in Majuro had 2-3 red wines per store, but it was actually good Australian reds, so I had brought a good limestone Shiraz which made it perfect for our macaroni cheese and sausages dinner. We fall asleep with the sound of the waves and the cicadas.

The following day.
I don’t know the date or weekday any more. A good sign. I slightly remember where we are – on a isolated pacific atoll, all alone. We spend the morning with snorkeling and more snorkeling and playing in the water. There is not so much more to tell – but it is heavenly. When the boatman arrives around 11, we kindly ask him to wait until 12 as agreed – we don’t want to leave.

[it has taken me 3 hours to try to publish this, here from Kosrae where we are now - eventually I will succeed...]

Link to good thread on LP thorntree about Eneko and other islands: press here

Read the full story and see more pictures on my homepage version: http://www.futtrup.name/RTW/Marshall.html

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