79. Being a Nomad

It’s time to move on. I’ve ‘lived’ in French Polynesia for three and a half months now and it’s time to seek residence somewhere else. That’s pretty much how I look at this nomadic lifestyle. I arrive in a country that I like and I kind of move there. Learn how things are done, some of the language, how to get what I need and adapt to the local culture. Learn the ropes, if you excuse the sailing term. I realise that some of you may feel that three to six months may be a little short to claim that you have lived somewhere but I don’t have a ‘real’ home anymore and I’ve never really had a need to feel ‘rooted’. For me it feels absolutely fantastic to have been able to call Italy, Spain, Martinique, Antigua and Barbuda, Grenada, Panama and French Polynesia my home during the last few years. And to have had the chance to visit a number of other countries in the meantime.

Many times my ‘residences’ are limited to three months as that tends to be how long you can stay in any country without a long-stay visa. Unless you are fortunate enough to have an EU passport which entitles you to stay as long as you want in many places (see https://sysaoirse.com/2021/10/25/36-being-a-global-citizen). French Polynesia is one of these countries. I can stay here as long as I want provided that I don’t pose a ‘threat to public order’. Whatever that means. Right now though it means that I’m still here while many of my non-European cruising buddies that arrived at the same time have left already. And I would be more than happy to stay a lot longer but I have to get going if I’m going to get to either Tonga or Fiji by the time that my youngest son, Daniel, arrives in a months time.

As I’m getting ready to leave, I’m once again struck by how vast the Pacific Ocean is. I sailed over 4,500 Nm to get to the Marquesas from Panama and another thousand to get here. And there is another 1,800 Nm to go to Fiji. Close to two weeks sailing. So when I say that I’ve crossed the Pacific that’s not really true. I’ve just made a pit stop. I still have a long way to go. My next pit stop will be in Tahaa/Raiatea where I will pick up my reupholstered cushions and checkout. Then I’ll aim for the Suwarrow atoll which is a part of Cook Islands and only inhabited by a couple of rangers. Suwarrow is really only visited by the odd cruiser. And the cruising community has been asked to bring food as the ranger’s fridge/freezer apparently is broken. I’m going to bring them some meat and some frozen vegetables. The thought being that fresh produce will go bad before I get there and that they must be sick of fish by now.

So there you have it. I’m moving from French Polynesia. Probably the most spectacular country that I’ve ever lived in. In a while I will move to New Zealand where I will stay for half a year. And I haven’t heard anyone that didn’t like it there. Or as my Kiwi friend Steve on Cerulean would put it – don’t be a pissimist! I really can’t wait to work on that accent.