You don't come to French Polynesia to hang about in Pape'ete, plain and simple. You get your bearings, stock up on provisions, and then get as far away from there as possible. Before making a run for Mo'orea yesterday I had a bit of work to do, and that's to give a thank you card to Jay and Carol Warren for allowing me to stay in their home even whilst they're away. There are no proper thank you cards on Pitcairn and I knew I'd be hard pressed to find one in English here so I picked up one of the recently published "dark sky" postcards. We ended up meeting and they even invited me to lunch. Whe someone leaves Pitcairn for medical treatment the British government picks up the entire tab as far as accommodation, transport, and food, so they're staying near the hospital and eat out three times a day. As eating out is very expensive in French Polynesia this could be one of the few times to have a really nice meal. We sat for over an hour by the sea talking about my time on Pitcairn, and they said they wish they'd be there to look after me.
After a really good lunch of a big, juicy steak with chips and salad I was ready to high-tail it out of the French Polynesian capital. At the hostel I picked up a discounted ticket for the ferry; normally the fare is 1,500 CFP but I got on for 1,200 CFP. It's also possible to fly to Mo'orea but the ferry only takes 30 minutes, making it one of the most pointless flights in the world.
With jagged peaks soaring like green needles above the sea and a turquoise lagoon surrounding most of it, Mo'orea is truly paradise on Earth. Known as a destination for lovers and honeymooners I wondered if I was going to feel out of place like I did in the Maldives. Would I meet a lovely lady like I did there? Finding a CouchSurfing host was impossible so I booked a bed at Pension Motu Iti, located in Piha'ena. When you look at Mo'orea on a map it's shaped like an angel, and I'm staying in the top of the head. There is no communal kitchen so it essentially forces me to eat out.
A really awesome cultural show took place at the Hilton Resort last night.
Inverted Olympic ring fire dancers?
Rested well last night, I opted to visit Belvedere Lookout today. Ahhh, the balmy breezes and the tropical feel; Mo'orea is lovely.
On the left is Opunohu Bay and on the right is Cook's Bay. Mont Belvedere soars above dominantly in the middle in the "angel's head." The mozzies are awful at the lookout so it was a good thing I brought repellent. It's recommended to have your own wheels in Mo'orea but hitchhiking is easy and simple.
If I had more time I'd go to Bora Bora, Huahine, and some of the more far-flung islands but everywhere else requires either an expensive flight, your own (or chartered) vessel, or a lot of time to wait around for a cargo ship, so I'll have to settle for Mo'orea. A romantic getaway to myself (on a shoestring) I'll be here for awhile. Paradise this is for sure!
