Hope you got your washing done in time and have packed sunscreen, sunnies and summer clothes. We have , after a few hiccups, landed in Papeete, the capital of Tahiti. Yes it is French influenced….so much so that the main language is French.

Our journey to the airport was uneventful. Rydges hotel , where the Cruise company booked us in for the night, is right at the airport. The only way we could miss the plane was to stay asleep in the morning. Arrived Auckland airport, no problem. Wandered there for 2 hours……not very interesting. Onto next plane. We sat, and sat, and sat…… in watched all of Moana. Eventually we took of and arrived at 11.30pm. Bundled into the bus, hotel and bed!

Papeete is made up of different suburbs just like any city. The main city centre sprawls around the harbour.

Gardens line the wateredge with exercise areas, quiet gazebos to sit in, stretches of lawn and play areas for children. It was a beautiful relaxing place and it was wonderful to see so many people enjoying it. There was an exhibition of local handicrafts on for four days. We got to watch the opening. I am sure the speeches were informative and encouraging . My French is just not that good. They had a display of traditional dance and that was amazing. It was like watching a Maori haka, colourful , noisy and dramatic.        

There is little evidence of French occupation in the buildings in the city centre, only the Town Hall and Catholic Cathedral.

We returned to the hotel by the local bus. They only carry 46 passengers, no more. We waited, and waited, oooops you have been told the wrong stop. Locate right stop. You are looking for a bus with a pink stripe and it has FAA ‘A on it. Again we waited with heaps of other people. Waiiiiittttttiiiinnnnnng. A bus! The crowd swells towards it. Sorry that’s 46. Wait again. 20  minutes later , another bus. The crowd rushes. We,re on but another lady who had waited as well was still there. She hadn’t made it. It was definitely a case of get your elbows ready and don’t stand back and be polite.

I know it has been wet so I am reluctant to show you what I woke up to……well almost.

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  Tour of the island tomorrow!