Well, “Marshall Islands Part 1” called for a follow-up, though I’m afraid there isn’t much to report this time. I arrived in Majuro a couple of days ago and came straight back to Robert Reimers Hotel. They kindly let me check in early and check out late today. I haven’t been able to do much due to my sunburn injuries, so have spent most of my time resting and relaxing (a great opportunity to rewatch 20,000 Leagues Under the Sea, which was set in this part of the world!). Thankfully, since there isn’t a great deal to do here – I’d already been to the only museum and am not well enough to dive – I don’t feel like I’ve missed out on too much.

My sunburn remains very painful but it’s definitely improving day by day. I’m going to see a doctor when I reach Hawaii to check it’s healing as expected and see if there’s anything else they’d advise in terms of creams etc. Needless to say, I don’t think I’ll be getting on another boat anywhere in the world for the rest of my life without adequate coverings for my entire body, including my head – just in case! Ironically, I can’t remember the last time I suffered even a moderate sunburn before this trip, and I’m usually quite paranoid about it, so it’s been upsetting to get things so wrong all of a sudden. Thank you to those who have sent supportive messages – they’ve really helped!

Overall, I’m glad I visited the Marshall Islands but I suspect that the more interesting parts lie among the outer islands. I’d have liked to have visited some nuclear testing sites and Bikini Atoll (another famous wreck diving destination) if I’d had more time. I did find an outfit offering trips in traditional Marshallese canoes, which could have been fun, but they only operate on weekdays. The country in general suffers from what I’ve come to see as the “Pacific plagues” of over-dependence on aid, poor public health (including very high levels of obesity and diabetes), and indifferent customer service. The sea in particular is extremely beautiful and I hope that more locals will take the initiative to start offering more tours and activities. I’m sure that the many foreign government and NGO workers here would also benefit, in addition to the tiny number of tourist visitors each year (only a few thousand).

I’ll update again when I’ve been in Hawaii for a couple of days. Now begins the final stage of my trip, in the US. Bye for now!

Cross-stitch progress update (nearly finished!)