#80042 - 04/15/09 02:02 PM
getting to Raimiti
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carrieg
Member
Registered: 04/10/06
Posts: 153
Loc: Los Angeles
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Sorry, another post about Raimiti. Only 21 days to go!
When we arrive at Fakarava, will there be someone waiting for us to tell us where to go? Do you know if the boat is covered or not (I just want to be prepared in terms of hat and sunscreen)? Do you walk in the water to get to the boat (meaning do you need to have the reef shoes accessible)?
Thanks so much for any help you can give me!
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#80043 - 04/15/09 02:54 PM
Re: getting to Raimiti
[Re: carrieg]
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Patti.
Expert Advisor
Registered: 03/28/04
Posts: 2460
Loc: Las Vegas, NV
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Okay...I can only tell you what happened on our trip....
We did not see anyone standing there to greet us at the airport with a sign that said Raimiti! This slightly concerned us, but we had heard about others having to wait a while for their pickup, so we weren't really worried or anything. We just kinda waited and looked around until most everyone had left (about 10 minutes) and a young lady came up to us and asked what we were waiting for. We told her Pension Raimiti and she said to come with her. We got in the back of her truck (put our luggage in another vehicle) and she drove us through the village to our waiting boat. There were a few other people in our truck (and the other vehicle) being driven to another location.
The boat we had was the covered one, but from what I have been hearing from people who have been lately, they are no longer using the covered boat. I would email Florian and ask for sure. The cover will make a HUGE difference in what to wear and how much to cover up.
When we got in the boat, we climbed in from the back. We had to get in the water, about 1-2 feet deep to access the boat. It was a nice beachy area with a very sandy bottom and Paul just took his shoes and did it barefoot, I had a pair of Teva waterproof sandals on, so I just wore them into the water. I suppose you could wear your reef shoes.
If you are in the uncovered boat, I would absolutely make sure you have on some sunscreen and have something covering your legs. You will be in the sun, reflecting off the lagoon for around an hour. Make sure your hat is a secure one or else it'll blow off....Paul lost his eyeglasses to the wind....so if you have expensive glasses or sunglasses, you might want to make sure you have the neck strap to help secure them. I don't know what the heck they do if it starts to rain while they are transporting you to Raimiti. It started to rain a bit on our trip there and Patea stopped the boat in the middle of the lagoon, stowed our luggage in the hold, and got out some rain gear for us to use if necessary...and that was with us in the covered boat!!!. Not sure what it'd be like in an uncovered boat. :-) We didn't need the rain gear, we only got a few stray drops spraying on us.
One word of warning...go to the bathroom at the airport before they pick you up. If your kidneys are anything like mine, you won't survive the boat ride on a full bladder! :-)
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#80044 - 04/15/09 03:00 PM
Re: getting to Raimiti
[Re: carrieg]
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Old Wife
Expert Advisor
Registered: 02/21/03
Posts: 2369
Loc: Burlington, Ontario, Canada
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When we arrived, a woman approached us (after a fair wait) saying "Raimiti". She spoke French (she likely spoke English, too, but we spoke French with her). She loaded us into a truck along with others who were being dropped at another resort and drove quite a distance along the only road on Fakarava to a restaurant where she dropped us off (beside the restaurant). We were met by the boat and had to wait for supplies to arrive. The boat we took was covered, but they have more than one boat so if that one needs repairs, you might end up with one without a cover. Have a pareo and sunscreen handy in case that happens (I put on sunscreen anyway because I wasn't sure if I would be shaded where I sat). And, yes, we walked into the water to get in, which was a bit of a problem since we'd put on our heavy clothes for the inter-island flight (not wanting to get dinged for overweight luggage) and we both had socks & runners on! We went in barefoot (there was no coral there) and stowed our shoes on board. When we arrived at Raimiti, we walked around barefoot, carrying our shoes. My goodness, the crushed coral trails at Raimiti really hurts your feet if you go barefoot & aren't used to walking on it (but it did an incredible job smoothing the rough soles of my feet!). Do have your reef shoes handy...I wish we'd worn ours.
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#80045 - 04/15/09 03:07 PM
Re: getting to Raimiti
[Re: Old Wife]
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DenverJoe
Expert Advisor
Registered: 09/10/02
Posts: 1878
Loc: Denver, Co.
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We arrived at the airport with another couple. We stood around for a while until we were the only 4 people left. I finally asked if they were going to Raimiti. Denis, the husband, spoke limited English. His wife Monique spoke very good English. Yes, they were going to Raimiti also. After about an hour wait and a few Hinano’s, a pickup pulled up and we were off to the boat. Rotoava is about 4 km from the airport. We were dropped at a snack and pareo store where Junior and Eric were waiting. The boat was a covered one, but I think they now use a boat without a cover. So.. bring plenty of sunscreen and a hat and something to cover your legs with. The sun is intense.
_________________________
Nothing better than a Hinano in hand and toes in the sand.
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#80048 - 04/15/09 04:17 PM
Re: getting to Raimiti
[Re: DenverJoe]
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Andie
Member
Registered: 06/05/07
Posts: 404
Loc: Ottawa, Canada
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Carrie,
Florian and I have been exchanging a few emails in the last few days. I asked him who would pick us up and how we would know. He said he wasn't sure who it would be, but not to worry as they would "spot" us. (I figure they'll pick up the whitest people on the atoll...!)
Can't believe we're almost there...!
_________________________
*When we can picture ourselves there, living our dreams, we know it's time...*
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#80049 - 04/15/09 04:30 PM
Re: getting to Raimiti
[Re: Andie]
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Patti.
Expert Advisor
Registered: 03/28/04
Posts: 2460
Loc: Las Vegas, NV
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Andie...it is all so informal and seemingly unorganized...but...somehow it works. Even though it may not be obvious to us, they do have a system in place that works. There will be someone there for you...eventually. :-) Maybe 5-10 minutes....maybe an hour. I think they pretty much look around for the confused people that are still left after everyone else has been picked up. :-)
It would be great if someone made them a nice little hand carved wooden paddle sign that said Pension Raimiti to wave around at the airport exit! Many of the other places have them....or hand written signs.
Edited by Patti. (04/15/09 04:34 PM)
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#80050 - 04/15/09 04:33 PM
Re: getting to Raimiti
[Re: Patti.]
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Poehere
Expert Advisor
Registered: 08/18/07
Posts: 2362
Loc: FP
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LOL Patti, indeed don't worry it'll always work out some way or another!
BTW Andie are you still going to Blue Heaven?
_________________________
* with sunshine *
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#80053 - 04/15/09 05:18 PM
Re: getting to Raimiti
[Re: Poehere]
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Andie
Member
Registered: 06/05/07
Posts: 404
Loc: Ottawa, Canada
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Oh i'm not worried at all..! I'm already on island time. I'll just work on my tan until someone drags me to a boat...!
Poehere, yes still going to Blue Heaven. I've been in touch with Raphaël and Monique (the owner). I'll be at the BB Pearl from May 17 to 20 and at Blue Heaven for 2 nights, May 20 and 22.
_________________________
*When we can picture ourselves there, living our dreams, we know it's time...*
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#80057 - 04/15/09 06:53 PM
Re: getting to Raimiti
[Re: Andie]
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Poehere
Expert Advisor
Registered: 08/18/07
Posts: 2362
Loc: FP
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Best way to do it Andie! Cool, I was talking to Raphaël yesterday and just wondered if you needed special stuff to be taken care of (you're celebrating something if I recall correctly??)
_________________________
* with sunshine *
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#80060 - 04/16/09 06:22 AM
Re: getting to Raimiti
[Re: Poehere]
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Andie
Member
Registered: 06/05/07
Posts: 404
Loc: Ottawa, Canada
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This will be a full week/month of celebration! I'm reaching a milestone birthday on May 19 actually, but I will be celebrating all week long in BB! Maybe I'll try to get a beach party going at Blue Heaven! Drop by with your friends, Hinanos and yukuleles!!
_________________________
*When we can picture ourselves there, living our dreams, we know it's time...*
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