Polynesian Mountaineering

(Continued from previous post… Fatu Hiva, French Polynesia)

Secondly, speaking of local kids, getting humiliated by the locals in an afternoon volleyball game. I feel no need to elaborate on this point.  They play this every day.  Some of the women also do what appears to be Jazzercise, so how’s that for Americanization?

Thirdly, hiking. Fatu Hiva is an amazingly beautiful place, though it is not without it’s dangerous predators

Assuming you have the wit and the skill to overcome these dangerous jungle creatures (oh yeah, and the heat – bring water, a lot of water) then you are in for a visual smorgasbord. With sights that easily rival Ireland in lush greenness, a 2 hour hike through to the waterfall in Fatu Hiva does not disappoint.

Not to mention, you can take your lunch with you and picnic at your own private 100 foot waterfall.  This is merely a bonus. (We didn’t go swimming because not only had we heard about the eels and the crawfish living in the water, there was some sort of scummy foam on the top of the pond.  Bummer 🙁 ~Tiff)

As Tiffany mentioned at the end of the video and as you might surmise about the topography of an island formed by a volcano, this place is steep.  We found out how steep when we decided the next day, without any idea what the heck we were signing up for, to hike to the top of one of the mountains.  We also found out why all the travel guide books say that only 4×4 vehicles are allowed in the Marquesas.

There were no flat parts, by the way.  After crawling up this mammoth for 3 hours and gaining a new appreciation for the Fatu Hiva roadwork department, we finally got to a pinnacle that provided the views we were looking for:

-Greg