September 2, 2007-Sunday
Tahiti, Day 19
First Mate
Joined Ann for the Hotel’s brunch buffet which was spectacular and incredible. It even had a treat for each of us: Ann indulged in baguettes and butter, Judy had a Japanese breakfast with Miso soup, Anya had Cappuccinos and smothered her rolls in coconut jams, John devoured an endless line of pastries including French chocolate croissants, Sami filled her plate with bacon and fresh watermelon and Gaby enjoyed the tropical fresh juices, an omelets made to her specification and French Hot Chocolate…and more was had by all. What a great way to start our day. Lots of good protein and veggies, too!
Day spent doing laundry in the Intercontinental Hotel, a luxury hotel that offered free laundry service to guests. I must have washed 6 BIG loads. The Chambermaids must have figured out something when I was folding leopard sheets and colorful pillowcase. But at this luxury hotel, nothing was said.
Gaby and Sami
Ann treated us to in-room Internet. We learned, after the fact that Internet service was billed on a continuous use basis ($40/24 hours). So, of course we had to be on-line whenever Dad or Anya wasn’t on. Wow, what a treat this was for us. Where were all our Runescape buddies? We even got to be on chat with our friend, Jamila (now in Panama), when we on MSN!
Crew Anya
Today, Judy and I went to the airport to try to get tickets to Easter Island directly from Lan Air and to get some questions I had answered by Air Tahiti and Air France. I had my ticket from Bora Bora to Tahiti confirmed but had not paid for it yet. I discovered that I can take ‘only’ 20 kg on this plane and I am sure I have more than that. So we started looking for options because apparently I can take 2x 20kg from Tahiti to Amsterdam (which is twice as much as I could coming over here!). We ended up making reservations for me at the Tahiti Airport Motel and asking if I could leave one of my bags there before going to Bora Bora. The receptionist (David, as in David Bowie) asked me if I didn’t have any friends where I could leave my bag, since it costs a lot of money to put your luggage into a depot. So I answered him: “I know you!” but he didn’t fall for it… He promised me to talk to his boss and asked me to come back tomorrow at 2pm. In the afternoon we worked a little on my dress, which is now at a fragile point: it doesn’t fit…
Fortunately Ann is wonderful seamstress and a great help so I am confident we will get this dress done before I go home!
I still had to go back to the airport at night to talk to Air France since nobody was there. Unfortunately we didn’t have a car yet so I had to take Le Truck to the airport. I had not even been waiting for Le Truck for 1 minute when a car stopped and offered me ride. I got in and met Tino and his baby-boy, Tom. He said that there weren’t many Le Trucks so that’s why he offered me a lift. He had worked in New Zealand for a while and could therefore speak English very well. He also worked at two hotels in Papeete. I told him that it was so thoughtful of him to offer me a lift (for all I know, I could have waited for a Le Truck for hours!) and he asked me if the Dutch wouldn’t do the same. I told him truthfully: “No, they don’t. We just keep driving.” And he answered: “But why? Is their heart as cold as the weather there?” which I personally thought was a brilliant answer. There should be more people like Tino in this world!
At the airport there was not one person from Air France to be found, so after talking to almost everyone I could find, I had to find my way back again to the Intercontinental Hotel. Fortunately, I was offered another lift after just 1 minute, this time by Oliver. Who was very disappointed that I had “a husband” at home and a family waiting for me at the Intercontinental to have dinner with me, because he would have liked to take me out for a drink. At home I would have been scared but I have learnt over the past weeks that the Tahitians – men and women – are genuinely nice and helpful. We have been offered rides, help and smiles so abundantly that one just can’t help but fall in love with the beauty of the people and their islands.