In a day that involved two hotels, two taxis, two immigration lines and one flight, we sailed through with no issues except one at the very end. In the life of a traveler, that's pretty good luck. And we are settled into our beautiful (and I mean beautiful) bungalow on what must be among the prettiest islands in the world listening to the waves crashing thunderously on the reef surrounding the Muri Beach lagoon. It was a good day.
The east coast of Moorea
The north coast of Moorea with Cooks Bay on the left and Opunohu Bay on the right
Those familiar motus off the north west coast of Moorea. The one on the right is where G spent quality time with Stevie Stingray.
The whole of Rarotonga with the Muri lagoon on the left.
The four motus in the Muri lagoon. Muri Beach Hideaway is located between the top one and the second one.
Source: Maps.me
Source: Maps.me
We set an alarm this morning for 6am, but...why? We are still waking up around 4am every day. I wish we could break that habit! We went to breakfast when the cafe opened at 6:30am and, in a scene reminiscent of Oliver Twist, I bravely asked, "Please, madam, may we have some eggs?" And, voila!, we received eggs (either scrambled or fried) in addition to juice and fruit and baguette and croissant (sinfully delicious ones) and coffee or tea. Sure wish I had been bold enough to ask two days ago!
We had to get our packing straight, and, now that you know our travel plans, let me tell you about the luggage we have scattered around the South Pacific. Keeping track of what is where has become an impossible exercise. At this point, things are either with us...or they're not. Where they are is beside the point.
We had brought four large suitcases from home, none of them weighing more than 35 pounds or so, but the number of suitcases was key. Our plan was to leave one containing our formal and dinner wear on the Pacific Princess (which had to be sanctioned all the way up to the staff captain), one at the Hotel Tiare Tahiti and then take two with us to Easter Island. The Hotel Tiare Tahiti suitcase contained snorkel and beach gear and three Swimways floats. We brought two our usual, smaller floats (they're called Papasans) and also a longer lounger. The suitcases we took to Rapa Nui contained hiking shoes, warm clothes, rain ponchos and walking sticks. This morning we packed a suitcase with those items (now clean and fresh!) and left it at the Hotel Tiare Tahiti and instead brought the beach suitcase with us and used our second suitcase for clothes and toiletries. Clothes I've brought to Rarotonga? Two swimsuits, two pairs of shorts and three t-shirts, all quick dry. This is very casual living.
Today we even had to leave our carry ons at the Hotel Tiare Tahiti. Air Tahiti limits carry ons to 11 pounds each and they must fit in the small overhead compartments of an ATR-72 aircraft. Neither of ours could begin to qualify. So G used the beach bag as his carry on and I used my backpack and it all worked out.
We finished packing just before 9am, and the hotel had called for a taxi for us at that time. Any other morning we would have simply walked out and hailed one, but with the Pacific Princess disembarking passengers this morning, we wanted to have something firm lined up. Today's daytime taxi fare was only 2000 XPF, about $20; and we were at the airport before 9:30am. It was the first time we'd been in Papeete's Faa'a airport during daylight hours. It's actually pretty nice, and has a beautiful mural just outside the immigration area.
We were getting very excited about our flight to Rarotonga. The weather today was perfect and we would by flying low over Tahiti's neighboring island of Moorea. These tickets to Rarotonga were not cheap, pricier than our tickets to Rapa Nui. (I think they were US $325 pp each way, but, again, they were certainly cheaper than flying to Rarotonga from home...) But our flight around Moorea at low altitude after just taking off from Papeete made them a value. We'd have paid that much for a helicopter ride over the same area without the ride to Rarotonga too. I gave G the coveted window seat but was a verbal back seat driver. "Take that picture! And that one! Don't worry about framing it; just take it and we'll sort it out later!"
G may have wished he was sitting on the aisle instead...until, upon our approach to Rarotonga when he spotted two breaching whales in the water just below the aircraft that I couldn't see. But what we could both see...this island is tiny. It is a spit of land, just 24 sq. miles, mostly mountainous with a coastal road. But the lagoon, and the four motus off the Muri Beach area, are magnificent.
We were momentarily concerned about getting our few remaining Dinty Moores (still with us because we'd ended up without a microwave on Rapa Nui), and jar of peanut butter onto the island so we queued up in the Not Sure line at customs and 'fessed up'. We didn't even have to open the suitcase; if it was pre-packaged and not fresh, we were good to go. We've been working with Vina at the Muri Beach Hideaway, who, with her family, owns the tiny resort. She had emailed a day ago with all the specifics regarding who to ask for about our transfer. Native-born Henry was an entertaining driver as we, along with two other couples (one from Switzerland and one from the Czech Republic) were driven along the coastal road- the only road- south down to the Muri Beach area. He even phoned each property owner ahead to let them know that he'd soon be dropping off their guest, and we were met and welcomed personally by Vina.
Muri Beach Hideaway is exactly as shown on their video, but the atmosphere of the property is even better. There are only five units: one directly beachfront (we couldn't get that one because it was already reserved and are now very happy we couldn't, its deck has no privacy and is feet away from the deck on the next property); ours, the angled one directly behind, which is beach and pool view (we can see the lagoon from our bed!); one more behind us that is pool view and two in the back of the property. As far as I can tell, they are all built exactly the same: a small but modern kitchen, the largest bathroom we've had since we left home (Counter space! We have counter space!!), and the bedroom/ sitting area which opens onto a large deck with wooden tables and chairs covered with a pandanus leaf roof. Two of the four motus, each with long beaches, are right offshore, but do not block our view of the reef. Though kayaks are provided free of charge, the crystal blue lagoon is so shallow that we could almost walk over to the motus.
The view from our deck.
Vina even supplies a few things in the kitchen to get started: two large papayas, coffee, tea, sugar, milk, juice and bottled water, though the tap water is totally safe to drink.
Wucy...we're home!
She told us that the four-times-weekly street market was just a five minute walk away, and would run from 5pm to 8pm. We opened our suitcases, unpacked just a few things, and walked down. G had already gotten some New Zealand dollars before we left home to tide us over until we reached an ATM. NZ$400 are worth about US$ 270, not enough to last the week but enough to pay for our transfer to the Muri Beach Hideaway and get us started. I took an ATM card with us and tried to get cash at the ATM in Muri, but it was promptly refused. Oh no! I have a newer card (but it also lacks a chip) that I'll try, but, meanwhile, we're good for a few days and will try to use a credit card whenever possible.
There was quite a crowd at the market last night, and I went to the tent with the longest line and got a delicious seafood pasta in coconut cream for NZ$15 (enough for two meals). G got chicken kabobs on fried rice for NZ$10. We happily sat at communal picnic tables, listening to music ranging from local stuff to Elvis Presley and enjoying the totally laid back atmosphere. That everyone speaks English (albeit with a New Zealand accent, so if they talk quickly things do get lost in translation) certainly makes this an easy place to visit.
We fell asleep surrounded by the sound of waves crashing on the reef in the distance. This is our first island stay (ie not on a cruise ship) in 15 years, and it's a wonderful change from the familiar. I know cruising remains G's very favorite way to travel, but, to me, this little cottage on beautiful Muri Lagoon is a slice of heaven on earth.
