The Quest for Bananas

Last week while I was waiting for the solar eclipse in a remote corner of Zamami, I spotted these 'wild' banana trees:


I went back Sunday to try and get myself a bunch.


I checked nearly every tree, including many a short distance up a steep hill, but I only found two bunches that were possibly harvestable. I mounted a kitchen knife on the end of a three-meter bamboo pole I found on the beach and went to cutting.


It's a small bunch, but I think these banana trees are well beyond their prime and I was lucky with what I got.


After coming back and looking up what to do next (hang them, I know, but is there more to it?), I got nervous that I had harvested these bananas too early. But not too nervous because it was either me or the birds.

But this is how they look four days later. I'm pretty psyched to get to eating tomorrow or Saturday. On Saturday I am leaving for Naha to leave for Osaka on Sunday to be there for my Monday flight to Palau (three freakin' days to go 1400 miles!), so I may end up taking the bananas to the friends I'm staying with in Osaka.