Around the World III

Day 17 - Wed 18 #2 Apr 07 - Tahiti

I've worked out what my hotel reminds me of - it's the type of place that James Bond would have stayed at in Goldfinger or Dr. No. There's even a press cutting from 1961 in the reception saying the place is under new management. I've added the taxi back to the airport tonight, and my tour today onto my hotel bill, which I've just paid (25,000), and I'm now sitting in my room waiting for the tour bus to appear

Oh, and I missed breakfast, a continental affair priced up at 11,000! I had a kip while waiting with the AC on full blast, but it wasn't making much headway. At 10 on the dot I got a call to say the tour bus had arrived - I dumped my bag at left luggage and headed off with a group in a Mercedes mini-van. First stop was to the Raddison to collect more people - a group of Americans who have just spent 6 days in Sydney, and are having a spot over here on the way home.

We stopped at a view point on the top of a hill, a beach, a waterfall, a restaurant at the Guigan museum, and a garden come rock pool. I got off the tour in the capital Papeette, and had a wander around, sent an e-mail back home, saw the town hall. I caught a local bus back to the hotel for 200f, but I soon realise that the bus is not on the road I thought it would be. Luckily I spotted the cranes that are building the new hospital next door to my hotel from the bus window. So I jumped off the bus and walked a block to find my hotel - am I lucky or what!?

Watched the sunset from the hotel garden, and then had a quick shower in the staff shower room, and all of this by 18:30. My transport to the airport is booked for 22:30. So that's four hours to kill. The hotel isn't exactly busy, I guess there are about 15 couples here. This is close to my idea of holiday hell - there is nothing to do here, all you seem to do is sit around the pool. I cannot imagine doing this for two weeks. Even if you had a car and you could get out and see the island then there is little to actually see.

Don't get me wrong it's a very nice place, and parts might be beautiful, but I need to do something, or see something. Papeette itself was rather like the hotel - faded glory. My taxi arrives and I head for the airport.