What's life like on a deserted island? Senator Jeff Flake of Arizona decided to find out. The adventurous senator took a vacation from Capitol Hill and went on a fourday Robinson Crusoe style holiday with his two teenage sons to a remote, deserted island in the North Pacific Ocean. The senator and his sons, 15yearold Tanner and 13yearold Dallin, traveled 5,200 miles from Phoenix, Arizona to the island of Biggarenn. They didn't carry any food or water. The island is part of the Marshall Islands. It offered no basic supplies, so the Flakes had to catch and cook their own food and purify their water. Their diet was made up of coconuts, crabs and fish. They caught the crab and fish themselves and cooked the food over an open fire started with a magnifying glass  . The Flakes brought along a lobster trap   in the hope of having some delicious treats, but lost it within the first few hours after it was attacked by a shark. They also carried two pumps to remove salt from ocean water. It took them hours each night to pump for just a few gallons of fresh water. One of the most memorable moments of the trip, the father said, was when he and his 15yearold son were almost caught by sharks after spearing   a fish in the ocean. Still, it was quite an enjoyable holiday for them. "For a dad it was a wonderful thing. No video games around, no television, no disturbance, no texting," Flake recalled. What can we learn from the text?
The Flakes could easily find a fire on the island. The Flakes caught lobsters for food on the island. The Flakes found basic things that they needed on the island. The Flakes took much trouble to get drinkable water on the island.