18th September 2016 - Panapompom Day

Sunday 18^th September 2016

So, a Panapompom Day…We haven’t gone ashore, mainly because Pete has been working ALL DAY on trying to rig up some sort of autopilot control thingy.  And also because…we are still just a bit tired.

But Panapompom has come to us.  Of course!  Many canoes arrived, bearing luscious pawpaw to make Pete happy, beautiful bananas, tomatoes, greens, pumpkin.  They all seemed happy with the items I traded back to them.  We did allow people on board, but no more than four at a time.  They all were deeply suspicious and resentful of The Others.  For example, our first visitors were teenage boys, with Tom as spokesman.  A bit later some young women came out, with furrowed brows.  “Do not give anything to Tom!  He is tricky!  He will not give you anything!”  Too late baby…I had already given him a tennis ball and some diving glasses in return for some gorgeous fruit; it all seemed fair to me.

I am being much more ruthless.  This afternoon I had two mothers with an assortment of children.  They each got a biscuit and a bracelet and a chat, then I read them two stories – I think the mothers enjoyed them far more than the children did.  Then we sang Heads and Shoulders, Knees and Toes and I sent them on their way.

In the morning went for a lovely long swim in the cool clear water.  Our firstcomers had assured me there were no crocodiles.  But my afternoon ladies laughed merrily and said that there are MANY crocs.  They only eat the pigs and the dogs, they said.  But…I don’t think I will go in again, at Panapompom!