ATVing

Hafa Adai!

This will be my last post in paradise for 2011:(  I'm only hours away from leaving my little island.  I am very sad and know I will cry when I'm flying away from here.  The five months I've been here went by way too fast.

I had quiet the send off yesterday however.  I went riding ATV's with Audra and a group of teachers from her school.  We only paid $15 each for a two hour ride which was a bargain.

We left from the south end of the island in an area I hadn't been to yet and rode up a hill almost to the top of Mt. Tapachio.  There were 18 of us total and most of us were new to the ATV experience. 

We did a practice run first going up and down hills by the house so we could get used to accelerating and braking and then took off on our adventure!  The girl in the very foreground was afraid to do this but she got talked into it and she did really good!

Once we got going we rode on a trail that was just wide enough for our ATV's and part of the way there was high grass on either side of us.  Lots of bumpy road to go over and ditches to try and not get stuck in or turn over the ATV!  We went up steep hills and down steep hills but all made it up and down them without any crashes or injuries!  The only down side is we went very slow and were bunched together.  I wanted to let loose and go, go, go!  We all found our horn buttons too so, of course, we had to toot them off and on:)

We stopped along the way about three times to take pics and absorb the scenery from the top of the hill.  The hill we climbed had a major battle fought on it during WWII when the Americans were trying to gain control of the top of the mountain (which they ended up doing after many soldiers died on both sides).  At the top you can see the entire island from end to end so it was a very strategic area to control.  The radio tower in this picture is the spot that they were fighting over.  The valley is known as "the valley of death" but look how beautiful it is now!

I can see now why so many people like ATVing!  It was a blast and I'm happy I got to do it!

After we got done with that adventure Audra and I went to the apartment, got changed into our swim wear and headed off to a new beach, Marine Beach on the east side of the island.  We met six other teachers there.  It was beautiful and had flat "step" formations on the south side that you go on.  Each step had a tide pool in it and you could see fish and sea urchins in them.  The waves were crashing against the steps so we stayed against the cliff side.  There was even a big blow hole that we could get really close to as well.  After we walked around that area for awhile we went into the water by the beach, stood around drinking beers and chatting for about three hours.  We all got burned but it was worth it.  


When we got home everyone showered and then we headed out for the night to a fund raiser at the Hyatt beach and then moved over to a fish restaurant.  By the time we got there I had Audra drive me back to the apartment because I was bushed!  She went back out and joined her friends while I stayed behind and played with the grandkids:)


Today I went to church at The Church In Saipan for the last time and everyone there wished me well.  They are the nicest group of people and I'm happy to know they are taking good are of Audra for me.  I really like this church because nobody is in charge and everyone has a voice.  I even got a present given to me by one of the ladies.  I will miss them alot!


So ends my time in paradise for now..............I will be back!  I'm thinking next May after Travis graduates.  I'll be on the first plane I can get and I'm thinking about buying a one-way ticket this time around!


I hope ALL of you get to visit this tiny piece of the Earth some day so you too can find paradise............Hafa Adai!