Yap has a strong traditional culture that involves a lot more than betel nut consumption. The island is divided into villages, each headed by a chief. A system of stone paths leads from one village to the next. There are resting areas built alongside the paths, and fruit trees planted nearby for nourishment on long journeys. (There are also betel nut trees close at hand.)
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We don’t do any diving on our last day in Yap, because we will be flying out at midnight. We have the whole day to explore the island.
Sorin, Heather and I decided to hire a taxi to drive us around. The taxi arrives promptly at 8am, driven by a guy who almost looks too young to drive. Like most Yapese, he chews betel nut. This small soft nut grows like dates at the top of palm trees. The islanders bite the nut into halves, then sprinkle one half with ‘lime’, a white powder made by baking coral and then grinding it to a fine dust. The lime and nut are then wrapped in betel leaf, which comes from an entirely different plant. Sometimes tobacco is added to the package. (Are you confused yet?)
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After an 8 hour flight, we have a 5 hour layover in Guam before continuing onto Yap. Not long enough to leave the airport, but long enough to get incredibly bored. I spend some of the time documenting Guam (as represented by its airport.)
Fishing with Dad at 5am.
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