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You can lose everything, but nobody will take away what you saw and what you experienced...
............ 
Mar 31, 2015 04:00 PM Easter Island - Isla de Pasqua - Rapa Nui
It was 6-hours flight over the Pacific Ocean and 5 hours time change. One-per-week flight from Tahiti to Easter Island is operated by LAN Chile by old 767. The flight was full and the onboard service was poor. Perhaps they need competitor? Before I landed (second time - after 18 years) we were cruising 20 minutes around the island - they say because the birds on the runway... OK - the immigration formalities are smart but they screen all your luggage looking for fresh food, meats etc. I was "clean". The lady from the booked guesthouse were waiti g for me outside just to say that her rooms are dump after the last rain so she is "selling" me to her friend - Mr Oscar. OK. The price was the same - 40 USD per room with bath and breakfast and wi-fi connection. My room ìs in the little private house with the garden. In the garden they have 3 avocado trees and I have allowance to pick as many avocados as I want. Cheap bakery is 300 m away and they sell breads by kilo, charging 2200 pesos per kilo. 1 USD is worth 620 pesos... Baker accepted 1 dollar banknote and I had enough to eat for my first dinner on Easter Island...
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Mar 30, 2015 04:00 PM Not the same Tahiti...
The best backpacker's option for staying in Papeete is "Fare Suisse" - clean pension convenientyly located in the narrow side street (Rue Venus) on tbe edge of the center. I paid 40 euro per bed in the 3-beds dormitory with shared bath. Great thing is that in this price is included the transfer to and from the pension.
My last day on Tahiti. But it is not the same Tahiti I saw 26 years ago during my first journey around the world. You will not see here "le trucks" - open air buses converted from the trucks, full of music... Erratic city buses are instead of them... Even banknotes are different - instead of colorful, pictured notes with vahines and polynesian warriors they use since October new money - single-color and not attractive.
What remained from the old days are ROULOTTEs /not a casino roulette :)/ Believe or not but every evening one square in the central Papeete - on the coast is converted into big eatery. I saw there yesterday at least 12 roulottes - mobile kitchens installed on the trucks. At dusk people are coming herte to eat, eat big portions of the food served on the big plates. Bon apetit!
And I must mention again that Tahiti is now much more expensive. -That's what you should pay for staying in the paradise! - said my host. OK, but remember that in my opinion the paradise is now not on Tahiti - to try it you have to go to the smaller, less visited islands.
I did it and tonight I am flying out of French Polynesia - satisfied and happy to see so many remote places in the South Pacific. This was another big adventure..
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Mar 29, 2015 04:00 PM Tahiti Iti
Tahiti Island has a shape of the digit "8". One ring is twice bigger then the other and it is Tahiti Nui (Big Tahiti) - well known and developed - at least on the edges. The smaller ring is called Tahiti Iti -Little Tahiti. Few travellers know this part - it is wild and do not have ring road. Iti and Nui connects in the settlement called Taravao. My new lovely friends: Francoise and Alberto took me today by car to Tahiti Iti. There are two dead end roads. First we took the southern one going as far as Teahupoo. This part of Iti offers great surfing opportunities. But I am not a surfer so I enjoyed the landscape - deep valley ends here and local people enjoy baths in the fresh water river. Little iron bridge allows to cross the river but on the other side is path coastal only. Then we drove back to Taravao and took northern road to Tautira. This settlement locatet on little peninsula had great black-sand beach with the view of the high, green mountains. I did not expect such a beauty...
My friends took me then by narrow and bumpy road up to the Iti plateau where from another Belvedere (view point) you can enjoy the panorama of both coasts of Tahiti Nui. It is better to be here in the morning, otherwise you have the sun against you... Long, lovely day - it is good to have friends - thanks a lot Francoise and Alberto!
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Mar 28, 2015 08:00 PM Rats in the paradise :)
You are coming back to your room after the long excursion. You open the door and... you see on the floor the rat. Dead rat.... Well - our Motu Iti pension has very nice location on the coast but you have to be prepared for everything... Since the ring road goes just 10 m in the backit is better to bring earplugs with you for better sleep. I was swimming from the little jetty they have. It is hard to estimate how deep are the corals and... I hurt my leg. Nothing serious, but it is better to take double care.
At least I have interesting companions in the guesthouse: Caroline from Nederlends came to Polynesia on the sailing boat. She waxs so kind to make me a haircut. For the first time in her life - she said. And I must say that the result is very promising :) Magali from France wants to spend here 2 months, like me, she also travels on the RTW ticket and she smiles so nice... We drove again around the Moorea island by car rented by Caroline. They left me at the ferry dock - in the evening I am going back to Papeete on Tahiti. Thank you, dear ladies!
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Mar 27, 2015 08:00 PM 3,5 hours to the Belvedere in the Pacific
Moorea, French Polynesia. Practicaly the only paved road that goes to the interior of this hilly island is heading to the Belvedere - the viewpoint on the level 240 m above the ocean. I wanted to have a look too. First I was walking by the ring road to Opunohu Bay, passing Hilton hotel. Then there is marker directing you inland. This road is almost empty. Taxis, tour minibuses, rented cars - but they do not want hitchhikers. Climbing slowly the slope I entered high forest (more shade there so easier to climb), passing old marae - cult site. After 3,5 hours of walk I reached the point.
There is nice view from the little terrace of the both bays of Moorea (but kep in mind that there are in the distance) and the massive Pineapple Mountain (Mt Rotui -899 m) between them. I was lucky to get down by car - on the parking it is easier to get a lift. Back in the Cook's Bay I went to the Chinese shop (they are on every island here) to buy my daily baguette for 53 francs, a can of sardinnes for 86 and a bar 250g of butter for 242. That's backpackers diet...
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Mar 26, 2015 08:00 PM Moorea - around the island
Beautiful Moorea (sorry Tahiti!) has a ring road going along the coast. It is 60 kms long so it is hard to walk around the island in one day. Alternatively you can take expensive tour (from 50 USD) or to rent a small car for some 100 $. If you have plenty of time you can rely on erratic public bus paying 3 usd per ride. I started to walk - first to the beautiful Opunohu Bay (there are olny two such a bays on the islans) then I was hitchhiking to the west - friendly Canadians gave me a lift - thanks a lot - Calgary!. West of Moorea has stil nice, turquoise lagoon and picturesque mountains inland but is much less developed then north. There are nice catholic churches in the villages, an the life of the locals is more traditional... South is nothing special - the ring road does not go on the coast and except one bay there are no views. On the eastern - Tahitian side just before the aiport you will find great view point on the right - ocean side of the roat. Logoon, palms and Water bungalows of Sofitel hotel - worth to stop! Then you will pas through most commercial part of the road (shops, boutiques with black pearls) before entering Cook's Bay. Cpt Cook was here in 1777... the Bay -
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Mar 25, 2015 08:00 PM I am already in Pao Pao!
Three nights on the freighter... Today in the early morning we docked in Papeete in Tahiti Island. Mr cook - Remi was so kind togive methe lift by service car to the ferry terminal. I bought returm ticket for Aremiti ferry to Moorea (2320 francs with discount) and at 10 am I was already sailing to this magic island. Moorea is visible from Tahiti, but only when you will come closer you will enjoy the view of its sharp, green mountains. Papeete is crowded, noisy and poluted so most tourist escape to the nearest island of Moorea - me too! Waiting for once-a-week flight to Easter Island I decided to spend few days in Moorea. But... It is now very tourist place. Expensive hotels, lack of budget accommodation. The cheapest option is Motu Iti pension in Pao Pao. They have 15-beds dormitory (lower beds only) for 1650 CFP per night. The only problem are mosquitoes. If you will bring your mosq. Net, your food and water you will enjoy this paradise located just on the bank od the lagoon with palms and flowers around. In theory you can get here from
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Mar 25, 2015 08:00 PM part 2 Pao Pao
.... from the ferry terminal. In the theory there is a public bus (300 francs for the ride) every hour going around the island, but I was waiting for that bus today almost 3 hours. Reason: they were caryinng kids from the school. Tourist should be rich enouch to pay 3000 for taxi. It is already different paradise here! Greetings from Pao Pao! - I likecso much these twin-names!
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Message in two parts? Yes, you cannot imagine how bad is here internet. Sometimes to send to you one short message I spent hours trying, traying and trying again...
So enjoy! :)
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Mar 23, 2015 08:00 PM Saling back to Papeete....
It was 5.30 pm yesterday when they put me and my pack on the barge and we were sailing through the high waves to the drifting ship. "Tuhaa Pae" departed from Rurutu in the dark , at 7 pm. I am happy! Everything goes well again! This is not direct sail, we today made stopover on Tubuai island - that's why I can send you this message. The stopover has no influence on the price - the last expensive fare Rurutu-Papeete still costs 9000 CFP.
Now they load on the ship palets with watermelons, papayas, papelmouses and cabbage... We should depart in the afternoon.
Ship crew is very nice to me - they all know me from the previous sailing. On the departure from Rurutu I got from my hosts traditional flower garland - it smells very nice - see photo... Next message from Papeete - I believe! Thanks for keeping the fingers crossed!
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Mar 22, 2015 08:00 PM Let's pray...
The "Tuhaa Pae" ship - the only freighter serving Austral Islands is still drifting in front of the tiny Moerai port. Nobody was on the pier in the morning... I went for the Sunday service to the nice and cozy Moerai protestant church. There were the parade of the ladies hats. On Sunday the local ladies wear here colorful robes and shoes (I do not consider everyday slack as a shoe) and of course they wear big, locally-made chapeaux. They were singing strong, but without any instruments. The speach of the protestant minister in the toy was very long and in local language, no fans inside, so it was very very hot. But it was still interesting event to see.
I do not know if I will depart aboard "Tuhaa Pae" this evening. God knows! So let's pray! :)
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