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Published: December 27th 2004
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I've got it all wrong... I was pretty cocky in planning this trip.. the timing of things, the exotic locations I had selected..they were all perfect... but I have got it wrong. In allowing a year to explore the world, and 2 weeks for the South Pacific, I have got things the wrong way round... a year here would be just fine... this place is simply the place that daydreams are made of.
Tahiti.. the name conjours up images in your mind, I bet, of reef fringed lagoons of baby blue water, swaying palm trees, pretty polynesian girls wearing floral patterns and flowers in their hair etc etc... now I hate to disappoint you, so I wont... it's all true.
Well, the outlying islands are, anyway.. Tahiti is the biggest island and hub of French Polynesia.. this collection of 5 archipeligos of hundreds of islands scattered across the middle of the Ocean, like specks of green confetti on a carpet of blue. French Polynesia covers the size of Europe, so with no intention of rushing around, we had to decide on a base for Xmas week. Tahiti itself only has a handful of nice beaches, and it actually very
developed, being the base for all industry in the region.. throw in a large port and a naval base in the capital, Papeete, and it suddenly loses its appeal - so most visitors head straight for the islands.
Bora Bora is an hour flight (and $200) away, but beautiful as it is, I decided that it was all rather nouveau riche.. especially since the Beckhams lowered the tone there on their honeymoon. So after another nights sleep on an airport floor after our midnight arrival, we headed the next morning on the half hour ferry from Tahiti to the island of Mo'orea.
Mo'orea is quite stunning - jagged volcanic peaks draped in a lush green carpet tower above a reef fringed lagoon of spectacular blues and greens, and palm trees give shade to sheltered sandy beaches. Mo'orea and Bora Bora fight an eternal battle for "worlds prettiest island", and I must say it is difficult to imagine how this could be improved upon..
Not a large island, (60km all the way round), it is dominited by 2 large inlets, Cooks Bay (Captain Cook discovered everywhere out here) and Opunohu Bay. This is where the sailing boats and
occassional cruise ship come in.
We stayed in a mid range hotel on the far side of the island with the best beach, and a tiny islet (Motu) just offshore, with stacks of amazingly colourful coral and fishlife all around it..
There is one big drawback to a paradise such as this.. it aint cheap - we are talking ski resort prices in the hotels and restaurants, which are, this being French soil, generally very good. But with a few sensible purchases at the supermarket, a street stall that sold great roast chicken, and a fridge in our room, we managed to not spend too much, and were able to splash out on a decent meal on Xmas day. The Polynesians are very friendly and laid back by their nature, but they had enough French influence to be indifferent to hotel guest's requests for loan of canoes or snorkelling gear, and to sneer disapprovingly when an English girl we were with ordered a well done steak.... but on the plus side, the french have bought good roads and infrastructure, brie and baguettes, drinkable tap water, excellent restaurants, croissants for breakfast, and a liberal attitude to topless sunbathing.
Mind you,
they have also exploded several nuclear bombs on ecologically fragile coral atolls.. "what the French giveth with one hand..."
The history of Polynesia is a sad one since Captain Cook arrived... he, and subsequent European sailors found friendly welcomes, fresh water, exotic fruits and fish, a society where there was no concept of property, and where the local maidens made love freely to the sailors..
In return, the Europeans gave the Polynesians modern weaponry, the corrupting influence of greed and money, and venereal disease... just like most rugby tours, then.
So our days here were spent snorkelling, sunbathing, reading, and generally soaking up the laid back vibes. We did venture out on a cycle ride one day, but it was too hot to stay out on the road for long, and we soon returned to the pool and the sea for a cooling dip.
The only dark spot on our stay here was the discovery on Xmas Eve morning, that we had been robbed in the night. With us jetlagged and dead to the world, someone had come in and liberated my money, camera and most hearbreakingly, my MP3 player with all my music on... this was
obviously a nightmare, and ironically came the night after we had had a conversation with another couple, and proclaimed how lucky we had been in not having any trouble during our entire time in South America. Still, we werent hurt, we have insurance, and subsequent events in the Indian Ocean put things in perspective - so we carry on. And where better to bring in 2005 than the first country on earth to see in the New Year?? On to Fiji !
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Martin
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