Dreamcatcher was still moored off the jetty as our little van  meandered down the windy road past the market. Every morning I saw local fruit and vegetables and intriguing parcels, which I so wanted to find out what was inside them.. or what purpose they were made for.

We unloaded the van. Crates of fins and masks. Cameras with bulbous dome ports and wetsuit covers smothering the huge bulging camera eyeball. Soft bags stuffed with towels, spray jackets, sunscreen…. and carefully stowed sea-sick tablets which fortunately none of us required; all piled up waiting for our skipper to direct us to load.

I said to Annie… Quick..let’s go to the market because I want to ask about what those green parcels which I saw out of the window from which “The wheels of the bus.. song ” flowed each morning; and let in some fresh breeze to appease the warm humidity which stuck to my skin like a thin damp wetsuit.

We both scurried off – giggling like schoolgirls wagging school. Being one of those ‘good girls’ (well mostly 🙂 ) at school meant that I did keep in view out of the corner of my eye Dreamcatcher, to see if she dropped her mooring to dock at the little pier… so that we could scurry back so that we wouldn’t be responsible for holding up our departure back out into the rather lumpy but exhilarating ocean.

This was a relatively small, clean and very tidy market in the main town on Vava’u. Woven baskets bulged and held taro, cassava and sweet potato. Then I saw them! They interested me more than seeing the lawnmower for sale with a torn cardboard price sign on it beside the bundle of dirt covered root vegetables and carefully laid stacks of large, green leafy vegetables.

There they were…sitting in a group of five in a large wide woven round tray!! Bundles which looked like green leaved dim-sims on steroids. Palm leaves brought together at the top and held together by a strand of grass wrapped and twisted around and around…. and inside were little gems – little green gems…. which to my surprise I learned was fresh sea-weed!!!!

Out of the corner of my eye I saw Dreamcatcher moving slowly to the pier…. so I quickly held Annies hand and giggled and we both scurried back toward the little pier… not having tried the little succulent looking balls of sea weed. Perhaps next visit.