So I am on my island hopping adventure! To get to the other Micronesian Countries requires a lot of flying. From Palau you go north to Guam (flying over Yap); then there is a hopper from Guam to Chuuk to Pohnpei to Kosrae to Kwajalein to Majuro and finally to Hawaii!
I am visiting Pohnpei, Majuro then Guam. Pohnpei forms part of the Federated States of Micronesia (FSM) along with Yap, Chuuk, Kosrae and about 600 smaller islands.
Flying in is breathtaking - the blue of the ocean, the emerald green of the islands. It is a small island with a sprawling town area (Kolonia) with various shops, small restuaruants, the post office etc. Slightly shabby but charming.
Driving around the island you get a great perspective of how lush and mountainous it is. Sokehs is a particularly notable feature being a sheer rock that we are going to climb later today! I understand it is a simple pathway littered with some war relics.
Perhaps the most incredible man made feature is Nan Madol. This was the ceremonial and political seat of the Saudeleur dynasty. Construction is thought to have begun 1500 years ago, which dates it around the time of Angkor Wat. No one really knows when, or how it was done. The stone itself may have come from a number of sites. The cutting into almost hexagonal shape reminds me of the Devils Causeway in Northern Ireland. But how they transported and erected it is still a mystery.
I have the weekend here and hope to do more exploring before flying on to Majuro in Republic of Marshall Islands (RMI) Monday.
