Date: 97-05-30 07:51:17 EDT
From: ... (Kord M. Kober)

Hi, everyone!
 Well, we arrived just past midnite a couple of nights ago, were greeted with freesia flowers (my favorite!) and the tahitian version of a mariachi band, and a veeery long customs line ( we  discovered at this point just how much we had really packed and had to lug around).  About 45 minutes later we were able to finally see my brother Kord and meet his friend Allen, who was leaving the same morning at 4am ( I think every flight is at obscene hours like that - we leave Saturday at 4am too) .  The guys had every intention of taking us out for beers, but since the  only bar still open in Papeete not only had a big cover, but also a couple of guys out front beating each other up, we decided to look at the stars and see if we couldn't find Kord some  macadamia ice cream (no luck).
                          
 Ok, this is taking forever, so you'll just have to hear the gory details later (you know how good I am at giving you those!).  We spent the first night in Tahiti FAAA (the airport) - Kord brought  a mat for himself and he camped out on the floor, and Josie and I had the luxury of plastic chairs all in a row (you can never accuse us of being high maintenance).   We got up at 5 to catch the ferry over to Moorea - and this we have on film - I swear the place is paradise.  No matter how hard Kord is working here (and he IS working), he has definitely got  the life.  Palm trees and greenery everywhere, dark turqoise crystal clear water, and even being pelted by rain in the back of the truck (also on video) is amazing.  Unlike Karen,Chris and all the rest of the crew that visited here a month or so ago,  that is the only rain we've seen.  Otherwise the weather has been perfect.  In fact even though it was 82 degrees and the water was 80, Kord thought it was COLD!!!
                           
Our first day consisted of napping, snorkeling, eating (an amazing chicken curry and rice  dinner made by the station manager Steve and his wife Pat) and more sleep... I think we were  able to (with a little effort of course) accomplish this by the time of your third meeting (and how many voice mails and emails still to answer?!)

 This is Josie - Hi everyone, I think I am going to leave the details to Scotty but our second day we woke up, snorkled in the clear blue water, as Scotty would say, and I slept while Scotty became a human fish and played with the Octopus until her hands pruned.  I proceeded to sunburn on the first day which is something I vowed I wouldn't do.  Speedo bathingsuits have the neatest design in the back!  We went to the grocery store and marveled at the price of Coca Cola ($3 for 2L) and vegetables. We cooked pasta and took the sleaze test ( which most of you on email  are familiar with!).  By the way, Scotty is a danger to society.

Ya, who let me out on a day pass anyway?  Josie no saint, though, I'll have you know (she just  LOOKS innocent!) :)

 OK, you all have to hear about our dive today.  Just imagine swimming in a fish tank, but instead of just goldfish, we had three species of shark( and don't think I didn't hear Josie humming the Jaws theme the whole time), colorful vibrant fish that surround you adn let you join in their schools, coral with crabs and worms that looked like they had little colorful trees on their backs... And -  - I just have to interject - every time Scotty came up from a dive or snorkel trip she had a reference to a Star Wars character :)

 ok , whatever, so back to the dive.  You guys, the water is like swimming pool water: snorkeling at the surface 70 feet up you feel like you could race someone to the bottom holding your breath, or even just reach down and touch the bottom; it is Incredible.  And Kord says it's going to get better, which neither of us can even imagine.

 Did we tell you yet that we're staying in a bungalow with a thatch roof overlooking the whole bay?  Or that happy hour (you know we wouldn't miss happy hour!) is in straw huts right on  the water under the stars?  Or that the cutest little geckos crawl all over the windows and  take care of all the pesky bugs except the mosquitos?  And we're getting up at 5am tomorrow  to hike Mt. Mauputa (supposed to be a really strenuous hike with parts where you have to pull yourself up with ropes) and then camping near Club Med on the other side of the island (in a tent that was too small and leaky for Kord and I when we were 12...)

 Well, are you jealous yet?  We will try and keep you posted electronically along the way ( the postcard pictures aren't as pretty but at least you will know what we are doing on the other side of the world!). This is Josie signing off... Dad I want to wish you a very Happy Birthday and about the sleaze test... I am innocent... until next time, Love you all...

(I think she doth protest too much!)   So far I haven't driven her crazy, but I'm trying my hardest :)
  
 Most of you know that my brother is moving into my place around June 8th. Josie's friend Tony  will be there too, mostly weekends starting now. PLEASE give them a call and the heads up on  what's going on.

Also, occasionally we may be able to read electronic mail as well, so send us all the good stories  (I KNOW there are some from the houseboating trip!) - Josie's dad set her up with a hotmail  account...
Oh, and just so you know, mail from here takes about two weeks to get back to the states, and getting stamps is not as easy as you might think, so don't be checking your mailboxes any time soon.  And beware of us returning with massive amounts of video!!!!  I love you too. love scotty

Happy Trails,
Thelma & Louise
(our trusty sidekick arrives in a week and a half)

Next day....
 We forgot to tell you about outrigging to the barrier reef and checking out all the marine life  (Josie and I cannot row to save our lives, Kord was in pain from trying to correct us!).  And the  Mt. Mauputa we were telling you about?  That was no hike, that was a 6 hour mountain climb.   No kidding,vertical with ropes and cliffs -- and in our attempt at descending, we discovered  that the quickest and most effective way was to slide down on our butts (when we weren't falling on them on accident).  Needless to say, that's one outfit apiece we won't have to fit in our packs anymore.  They are hopelessly black with mud.
                           
OK, so now we're a lot sore and ready to drink some wine and pamper ourselves in a straw hut on a white sandy beach.
 We love you!  na na (we're not making fun of you, that's how the Tahitians say bye)