21.11.2021 - 27.11.2021: Oceania: Moorea

Calendar:

Addendum: 19.11.2021
Sculpture hunt in Papeete with Sandra de Kersauson de Pennendreff

21.11.2021
Tahiti – Moorea (by ferry, with scooters)

21.11.2021 – 27.11.2021
Fare Tokoau Moorea, Moorea west coast

23.11.2021
Belvedere point, route des ananas, Ta'ahiamanu beach

24.11.2021
Temae beach, Tiki village

25./26.11.2021
Pfizer booster vaccinations, PCR tests

26.11.2021
Evening: Tiki village, folklore show with dinner

27.11.2021
Return to Papeete, return scooters, airport, departure at 23:40 to Los Angeles - Charlotte - Aruba

Noteworthy:

We originally planned to visit more islands in Polynesia. However, these are mostly very small and have 5-star high-end luxury hotels. Due to the reviews we read, in addition to the already expensive accommodations, there are very high additional costs. For example, a plate of overcooked spaghetti can cost up to $60, or washing individual shirts can cost $180. This is definitely not within our budget. The alternative would have been to stay in a still overpriced bungalow outside of these luxury bunkers and be upset that the most beautiful beaches are reserved for hotel guests. Also not for us. In addition, we felt too comfortable in Villa Te Miti. The Admiral has really good taste!

First, an addendum to Tahiti: On 18.11.2021 (fortunately at noon), the alarm in the villa went off, it didn't trigger an alarm, but it kept beeping annoyingly in our bedroom. Melanie, whom we called for help, couldn't help either. So she called Sandra de Kersauson de Pennendreff, the villa owner who had been back in Tahiti for two days (and requested an audience). The noblewoman arrived personally at the villa shortly thereafter (I shaved quickly beforehand), she quickly managed to stop the beeping (I think she simply unplugged the motion detector...). We started talking, she found it quite interesting to meet someone with a typical old Swiss heritage like mine, but we didn't mention the Freiheitstrychler. In any case, Sandra de Kersauson de Pennendreff (from now on: Sandra!) spontaneously offered to help us with our sculpture hunt after we had revealed our previous failures. She knows a few places in Papeete that offer such things. And so, we spontaneously arranged to meet the next day in front of the Notre Dame Cathedral in Papeete (Wow, a date with French nobility...).

In the city center, it was terribly hot at noon and Sandra took us from one hidden studio to the next. In any case, thanks to Sandra, we were truly successful: In the future, a Polynesian Tiki will also guard our residence in Bern, but have a good trip for now! We have named him Mario (in honor of our boss) and will apply for honorary naturalization as soon as we return to Switzerland, unless the leftists raise justified objections here.

"The wearer of the Tiki is said to have a clear mind, deep loyalty, and a great wealth of knowledge (teacher of all things)."

A big thank you to Sandra: Thanks to her presence, we were not ripped off and could negotiate a fair price! Sandra also told us that her husband (the Admiral) unfortunately had to stay in France for another week: Apparently, there is still work to be done at the Château in Brittany, annoying but also always these problems...

But now to Moorea (Tahitian: "yellow lizard"): The small atoll is Tahiti's sister island, a fast ferry ride takes about 40 minutes and costs a moderate 40 euros (2 people, 2 scooters). In Moorea, things are definitely quieter than in Tahiti. However, this "move" posed a certain logistical challenge. Our scooters are not suitable for luggage, so we looked for a way to store them in Tahiti and then travel to Moorea with only light luggage. Unfortunately, the baggage storage at the airport is closed due to corona, but after a long search on the internet, we found a solution at the ferry port and booked it directly.

On the day of the crossing to Moorea, we had our luggage brought to the internet-booked baggage storage by taxi. The "baggage storage" turned out to be a rather dubious harbour pub in Papeete, on the first floor there is also a relevant nightclub...

The ferry to Moorea departed on time, and we arrived at our new lodge, Fare Tokoau, at the agreed time. Tea and Alex, the owners, warmly welcomed us. The lodge is a very family-run establishment, even cats, dogs, and chickens are part of the inventory, like on a farm.... On the first day, a chicken got lost in our bungalow, the next time it will end up in the oven... after all, we have not reached the top of the food chain to eat vegetarian...

We now have very little luggage, Sylvia picked up the meager remaining belongings that were still stored under my scooter saddle upon our arrival. The saddle can only be opened with the ignition key turned on. After we had settled into the bungalow, we couldn't find my scooter key anymore. Sylvia had actually forgotten to remove it, so the scooter stood there for about 40 minutes with its lights on. After 40 minutes, nothing was shining anymore, and the starter only made a tired and short tick.

Naturally, my scooter model doesn't have a kickstarter, so the only option was to jump-start it. Fortunately, the battery was somewhat accessible under the saddle. Alex even had jumper cables, but they were difficult to attach to the small battery terminals. I was about to call our dear friend Sämu, the best motorcycle mechanic in Bern and the surrounding area, via video conference. In the end, Alex and I managed to jump-start the scooter without Sämu's help, but somewhere during the jump-starting, a thin red wire came loose, what is it for? I'll have to ask Sämu about that sometime. The main thing is, the thing is running again....

In Moorea, we only ate out. On the first evening, on Tea's recommendation, we visited a restaurant that is very popular with locals as well. Great atmosphere and fantastic food, including musical accompaniment. However, the portions were so large that we only managed to eat about half of the plates. It was the first time ever that we had the rest of a rich meal packed up and took it with us. It was still delicious the next day.

The route des ananas and the point Belvedere are located in the interior of Moorea. A partly unpaved road winds through the tropical jungle and past bright pineapple fields along steep volcanic slopes. We were overtaken by a group of exuberant quad riders. 30 minutes later, we caught up with the group (now on the main road) again. One of the quads had gone off the road and crashed head-on into a wall. The police, fire department, and several ambulances were already on-site, it was a terrible scene. Hopefully, the injured will survive.

Ta'ahiamanu and Temae plage are the two most beautiful public beaches in Moorea. Apparently, Temae plage has been sold to private investors to create another 5-star high-end luxury resort. This is strongly opposed by the local population, in our opinion, not without reason; the beach should remain preserved in its natural beauty for everyone.

The last two days in Moorea were mainly characterized by preparations for the trip to Aruba (PCR tests, uploading documents, etc.). We were also able to get the Pfizer booster vaccination because our last vaccination was over 6 months ago. Hopefully, we are now sufficiently protected for the rest of the trip.

Final conclusion about Tahiti: Something is wrong in paradise

The villas on the island are hidden behind locked high gates and walls, just like on the Côte d'Azur. Decaying hotels are dying on the coastal road around the island like wild-growing metastases. France's dominant bureaucracy is reflected in a flood of regulations that can stand up to the island's waves. This requires an overwhelming army of officials: in the morning, they set off for the capital to devise new restrictions in air-conditioned open-plan offices, only to be stuck in traffic on the way home to the south in the evening. Even the Polynesian flics wear the same uniforms as the Gendarmes of Saint Tropez. The rest of the population seems to be waiting... for Godot?

We were travelers here and enjoyed our stay as privileged villa owners. However, there remains a bitter aftertaste that the Polynesians as a whole deserve better.

Nature offers unforgettable experiences every day. It's no wonder that painters like Gauguin found inspiration here.