The road around the island

A pig grazes contently by the side of the road in a more rural area of the island

A few weeks ago I finally made the drive around the island. For most people, it’s one of the first things they do after arriving here. I held off.

Robert Frost famously wrote of a path less traveled. On Pohnpei, there is only route to travel. It circles the island. It goes up and down and curves this way and that. After about 50 miles and 2 ½ hours later, you end up back where you started.

Outside of Kolonia there isn't much to see other than the foliage on the side of the road. I counted the number of other cars we saw on one hand. In addition to Kolonia, there are two population centers that contribute to the island’s count of about 30,000 inhabitants. Both Madolenihnmw (go ahead, try and pronounce it) and Kitti can best be described as small bedroom communities. “Blink and you’ll miss them,” as the saying goes.

As I mentioned I’ve held off taking the drive. I like the idea of a frontier, of the great unknown that exists just past the next turn in the road or just over the next hill.

The road has always symbolized the potential. As the man sang, "these two lanes will take us anywhere." Having taken the drive and ended up right where we started, the island now feels smaller. For the Jack Kerouc's among you, stay off the island unless of course the sea beckons. For pirates, sailors, and the such, there is no shortage of ocean here.