On-the-Road Tales

I decided to fly back to Tahiti to store my bags in the airport before my middle of the night Thursday 0140 departure. I figured the $36 ticket was a good deal since the aerial views alone would be worth it. I got to enjoy the visual effect of the night’s rain with new cascading waterfalls bursting in random locales on the mountainsides. The shuttle van delivered me a full 15 minutes before departure and I was still considered early for my flight – different indeed to real life countries. The ticket counter lady inexplicably decided I only needed to pay 18$ for my ticket – maybe I was looking more desperate than I thought in my bucket washed rags! Security? yeah, not needed apparently, no checkpoints. I boarded the full twin otter and realized it was a single pilot operation. Yick — that is a lot of aircraft for one person to handle in weather. Fortunetly, the weather had improved and it was only a whopping 7 minute flight (done an incredulous 40 times a day). Views were ok and I offloaded my rucksack into short term storage in the parking lot of the Intl AIrport.

I briefly contemplated hiring a car for the daily rate of $100 to tour the island but I did not want to shock my system into navigating, operating machinery or negociating traffic considering my mellow week doing absolutely nothing. I jumped the bus into city centre and mosied about. Papeete was explored in less than 2 hours. Not much to see outside of the craft market. 2 hours down, 13 to go. In theory, could catch up on internet but at $16/hour that would just not be economical. Somehow I mentioned to waste the rest of the day and caught the bus back to the airport arond 2200. Had a very odd encounter with an american girl you just had to be there. Met my recently acquainted brasilian friends in the terminal which passed another few hours. Finally it was time to board my Air Tahiti Nui A340. I asked the flight attendent if I could pop into the cockpit to ck out an A340 and she said sure – we just have to wait until we are in flight. hmm. should be the opposite for security reasons but I was not complaining. Too bad I fell asleep and never got up there but it was the first flight in years I can remember being almost empty.

6ish hours and a few winks later, we were being warned to leave behind the flower we were given upon boarding as it is illegal to bring into NZ. That is certainly an odd airline practice – hand out flora to boarding passengers which is considered bio hazardous and illegal to import into the destination country. Bet a few unsuspecting tourists have walked off with the tiare flower tucked behind their ear.

Overall, I would not wish Tahiti on my worst enemy. Ok not that bad – but not my cup of tea at all. Pricey, francophones, and scenery that could be beat by a lot of island nations. Can not say it was a bad experience but paled in comparison to the rest of my trip so far. I did get to learn about the polynesian culture that originated the people of Easter Island and compare traits. Try out some wacky fruits. Practice my french. Swim in some wicked waters and finally be amused at The Swede’s blunt manner and satirical view on just about everything and everyone.

While Hauru Point was facing directly west, I was unable to get too many decent sunsets due to the fact it was lashing cats and dogs by late afternoon many days. Another benefit of Pacific life – tropical downpours. The wall opening in my room allowed me to fully appreciate the overwhelming volume of nature as the storms intensified through the night – usually at about 0300 am while slipping into deep REM. I would get up in the morning to find the tents outside flooded into oblivion. Eventually those people realized the weather was not breaking and moved into rooms. On my finally evening, I was chatting with Tina in reception and she happened to drop to The Swede and I that she heard a brief newsclip that there was an earthquake in Japan and that a tropical depression was headed for Vanuatu. She ended the thought by saying, ‘that could mean a tsunami here.’

What??? “well, it has happened before, but do not worry if that is the case the police will go around the island with a megaphone. We are ok because the campground owns land across the street on the mountainside and we can run over there.” As this ridiculous escape plan sank in, I wondered what in the hell I was doing on a speck of volcanic rock in the ocean. Ignoring news for the past 3 months did not seem like the best plan as potentially impending natural disaster raced towards us. The Swede was trying to grill her for more information but her response was “we will just have to wait and see.” Early predawn I was awakened by rain which eventually morphed into hail, thunder and fierce wind. Had I not known about the maybe disaster – I probably would have flipped over and went back to sleep. Instead I got up to look outside expecting water lapping at the door and grabbed my passport just in case. The sky was a sick sort of color but I was reassured that a large wave was not in sight. Wildly intense storm but it eventually passed and I was never so glad to see the break of dawn and brightening skies.

I never found out if Vanuatu got their depression or if the earthquake did much damage but it definately gave me a better appreciation of the necessity of early storm warning systems. Stateside, I take for granted a sturdy house resistant against floods and a car outside the door to get away from danger. When you are on an island, without any form of transport around it or off it – weather is a whole different beast. Still can not decide if it was better to have known what was coming and not be able to get further info or have been ignorant since I did not have much in my power to do anyway – but the feeling of uncertainity will not be one I forget soon.

Did lots of exploratory walks and swims around Hauru Point where the campground was. Took a jeep 4X4 tour of the island in the afternoon with 6 other tourists and met (surprise) a pilot and a lovely brasilian couple. ... [Continue reading this entry]

My hopes of fluffly, downey soft, freshly laundered clothes were dashed this morning after a trip to reception. No machines but there was a "laundromat" down the road and they would swing by and pick up your clothes - sounded ... [Continue reading this entry]

There is a Tahitian polynesian word something like 'faa', which describes the feeling one gets of general laziness and nonchalantness in the warm humid island environment. Well, it did not take long to kick in. Tahiti was not ... [Continue reading this entry]

I arose and brushed my teeth on the terrace which looked directly out over the international airport, the guesthouse being perched on high up on the volcanic hillside. Not a bad view at the sink watching commercial jetliners takeoff ... [Continue reading this entry]

After a 5 hour flight, we landed in Papeete, Tahiti. We disembarked into the humid night and were greeted with a local orchid, bright white and fragrant, and welcomed with a polynesian band. It took forever to get ... [Continue reading this entry]

I met Dominique in the morning to go horseback riding up the north coast all the way around to Anakena. There are no roads on this section of the island, and from my hike the day before, I know ... [Continue reading this entry]

There are a ton of theories surrounding Easter Island and you could go in circles debating them. After spending a week on the island, I am going to try to summarize my version of the island though I do ... [Continue reading this entry]

The only part of the island I had not yet explored was the north, so I walked up past Tahai. I stayed along the coast with a bit of a breeze so it was much more comfortable than other ... [Continue reading this entry]