A crash course in Slow Mode

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PAPEETE: .
Papeete was an unlikely place to drop a few gears, with its incessant and chaotic stream of cars overtaking each other with casual aloofness.
Just what we needed - our host Ralph picking us up from the airport on local time (t+32.5mins). Soon the minutiae faded into nothingness, and even the bus that didnt bother to pick us up because it was Friday afternoon (apparently he was busting to get home) drew little more than a shrug from us and opened the opportunity to explore the local beach instead.

Quote day 1: Ah. New Zealand. Yes, yes. I like. Cheap.

The trick was not staying in Papeete itself. Taaroa Lodge, 18kms south and right off the beach - just perfect. On the main Island ring road with very busy and smelly traffic. Something akin to a cycle lane to walk on to keep the local drivers amused. Local houses carefully hiding behind 2m high concrete fences. Very secretive/defensive.

Quote day 2: Cycling around Papeete? No. NO! (information office guys eyes go REALLY wide). Too many cars, too many people hurt!

I loved the French colonial influence - being surrounded by French language was a mental blast back to hauling out the schoolboy French lessons. So much architectural influence from Europe, with a healthy dose of dilapidation. Only the churches were immune, and invariably looked fresh as a daisy.

We had an eventful day trip by ferry to Moorea. Bussed around the outside to soak it up, with strategic stop off to walk between wonderful snorkeling beach, and rather foreign Hotel Intercontinental, with its captive dolphins obediently being stroked by select small groups of bikini clad hotel residents and onlookers. By comparison the sick sea turtle recovery station was deserted. We honestly did try to fit in, but the tevas and camp towel drying on the outside of the day pack was too much to overcome.

After Moorea, being a Saturday, the buses back to our lodging had (apparently) ceased from 4pm. Caught with more than impending nighttime, hideously expensive taxi fares, and the outskirts of Papeete not the place to be at night. Gave hitching a go. Finally picked up in the dark by a woman who well overshoot her destination to take us to the door. Human nature, and wonderfully friendly people.

All in all, Tahiti was a compulsory stepping stone to get to Easter Island. We had been bracing for an unavoidable and super expensive stay. But the Pacific charm really shone, and Tahiti was just what we needed to transition into drop everything and go somewhere mode.

Jadore la petit France. Au revoir.

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Photos

Pretty dilapidation
Our outlook from the lodge

Apprenticeship program
Family group developing the essential rites of passage to adulthood.

Splash command
Gets the tourists every time... especially when they are well made up.

Junglewalk 2
Just before Benj ended up on his backside in the creek.

Comments

[Krista]

hola from Guanajuato!
Hi guys, your first stop looks fantastic. Great photos! I´m sure Benj is in photography heaven. PS Guanajuato (centre of Mexico) is beautiful, as was Zacatecas. If pushed for time I´d choose Guanajuato but pref. both. XXX

[Kérry Williams]

Awesome
Hi Arlene and Benj I've been dying to see your first entry and wasn't disappointed. Just so you know the weather here is hideous. The photos are great and I'm sure your travels will continue to be fantastic. I await your entries with baited breath (these blogs really are addictive). Cheers Kérry