#87786 - 12/02/10 01:07 PM
Moorea November 2010
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DenverJoe
Expert Advisor
Registered: 09/10/02
Posts: 1878
Loc: Denver, Co.
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We flew from LAX on 11/19/2010 with Air France in their new Premium Voyager class. It’s between business and coach. It has 24 seats in your own cabin. The seat is a hard case shell that does not recline backward. Instead the seat cushion portion slides forward and a calf support also. No more seat back in your lap. It has a foot rest under the seat in front of you. The seat is not as wide as business, but almost. The seat has 2 individual LED reading lights on flexible necks, and you also get the Business goody bag with eye shades, ear plugs, a comb, a toothbrush and so on. The video screen is twice as large as coach and has a wide selection of movies, games and other entertainment. The only drawback is the food. You eat what coach eats. But at half the price of Business class on ATN, it’s a great way to go.
We arrived in Papeete at 4:45 AM. I had made arrangements with Fifi Taxi (thanks Barbi) to pick us up and take us to the ferry dock. She was waiting outside customs with our name written on a white board from a tour company. We loaded the luggage and off we went.
Arriving at the dock, we loaded our luggage into the boxes at the loading area and went to the little café across from the ticket counter to have coffee until it opened. We met a couple from California who were staying at Club Bali Hai also having coffee. We answered some questions and chatted about our stays. We told them where we were staying and said come by for a cocktail. We bought our tickets and boarded the ferry. We went up top for the ½ hour crossing. It was a beautiful day and the crossing went quickly.
At Vaiare we were met by Jeanine. She gave us each a welcome lei made from Tiare flowers from her yard. They smelled great. We grabbed the luggage and went to find Fiston and the big truck. We were having a cocktail party that night so I had asked Fiston to bring a cooler for our use at the party. I was afraid the beer we were planning on buying at the Champion wouldn’t be cold enough by party time. As we loaded the bags in the truck, Fiston opened the cooler. There was a case of the large Hinano’s and 2 bottles of wine already on ice. What great friends! We all jumped in and headed for supplies at the Champion. We bought more beer and wine at the store, along with some party munchies. Next stop, Les Tips.
When we arrived at Les Tips and unloaded the truck onto a cart, it looked like we were moving in for a month. Suitcases, a case of beer, boxes with groceries, a fan and a cooler. Lots of stuff for only a week. We pushed the cart down to the bungalow and unloaded and started putting things away. After working up a sweat getting set up, we took a very well deserved swim to cool off, then a little rest. At 11:00, Bob Hammar (Hamara) and Jacques dropped by for a beer or two. After an hour or so they left and we then started getting ready for Happy Hour.
At 5 PM our guests started showing up. Fiston and Jeanine, Jacques, Maluha, Patea, and Ava-iti. Pacific Andy even stopped by before going to dinner at Les Tips. The only one missing was Poehere, as she was in the Tuamotus. But she was there in spirit. We sat around for several hours before everyone left. Bev and I then cleaned up and collapsed into bed to get a good night’s sleep, as we had been up and at it for over 24 hours. That was the end of day 1.
Sunday we did nothing but relax. We ordered lunch from the beach bar and lounged around in the water or on the terrace all day. Went to Les Tips restaurant for dinner that night. They have a wonderful Crème de Vana (sea urchin) sauce that I had on Sea Bass. Bev had scallops and shrimp with Uru (breadfruit) fries. Great food. It was late when we finished and we returned to our bungalow and turned in.
Monday was pretty much the same. We invited Jacques to lunch at Snack Mahana. He would come by and pick us up. While waiting for him, the Danish couple from California showed up and we had a beer. When Jacques arrived, all 5 of us went to lunch. Jacques had curry shrimp. Bev and I had sashimi, carpaccio and tartare, all tuna. Ken had something, I don’t remember what and Beirtha had sashimi also. Lots of food, many beers and a couple hours later, Jacques took us back to Les Tips. Needless to say, we skipped dinner that night and spent the rest of the day just relaxing. We did run into Pacific Andy as he was leaving the Beach restaurant at Les Tips for lunch. We talked with him and his wife Stacey for a while. We told him we were thinking about using Harold’s Dolphin Expedition on Tuesday for a boat trip. He said his bunch was going out Wednesday with him, so we changed our plans to all go together. Monday was over.
Tuesday all we did was bike up to the IC Moorea. Drank a few beers and swam in their new infinity pool. The remodeled pool area is really nice. They even have a swim-up bar. After we got back to the hotel, we did our version of a drift snorkel. We walked west past Les Tips toward Club Med. We entered the water about at the tip of the first Motu you come to. We swam out to the edge of the channel and just let the current take us. No fins needed. It was like flying. We snorkeled all the way past Les Tips pontoon before coming in. It was a kick. Not as many fish as the past, but I guess that was because of the coral damage by cyclone Oli. That was about as active as we got. Another very relaxing day. I did reserve a car for Thursday to drive around the island from Albert’s by the IC.
Wednesday Morning, Harold picked us up around 8:30 and we started our circle island boat ride. It was Bev and me, Pacific Andy, Stacey, another couple that were with them, and all 3 kids. Patea was on board for filming the day, as were a couple from New Zealand and 2 Tahitian couples. It was a good crowd. Harold runs a really good tour. We saw hundreds of dolphins. We even tried to get in the water with them a couple of times. They just move too fast. We did stop outside the reef by the airport for a cool down swim, and then continued to feed the rays and sharks. The rays were really friendly this time, coming up and touching you even if you had no food. The sharks have to learn to be quicker. The birds stole most of what was tossed out to them. There were about a dozen around us at one point. After that it was back to Les Tips to rest up as Fiston and Jeanine were picking us up for Happy Hour at Legends Resort then dinner at Aito’s. Legends Resort was fun, the view beautiful and the company great. I have to admit, I was very disappointed by Aito’s. The food was nowhere as good as last year. I don’t know if it was an off night or what. We did hear some talk of negative things about the place from various people. Jean-Baptiste was so loaded he could hardly stand. We came to eat just as Pacific Andy and Stacey were finishing up. We kept running into them. Small island. After dinner we were dropped off at Les Tips and hit the rack for the night.
Thursday morning I picked up the car and away we went. Did the Belvedere thing as usual. Even after all these times, it’s still a breathtaking view from up there. They had cut down very big Mahogany trees along the road all the way up. We couldn’t figure out what for. Came down via the pineapple road and stopped at Snack Rotui for a nem or two. Being in Cooks Bay, we stopped by Club Bali Hai to see Ken and Beirtha. They were in brand new overwater bungalow #34. Two bedroom, nice deck, great kitchen. I’d recommend this one if you want to stay there. Had some wine and snacks with them and continued on our way. Did stop at Manion’ Pastry shop and had some decadent chocolate pastries. We drove around until about three in the afternoon and called it quits. When we got back, Pacific Andy and his bunch were swimming and snorkeling at Les Tips. We had a beer and chatted a while as they were leaving the next day. We were having dinner at Maluha and Patea’s that night so we went over about 5 PM for happy Hour. Ava-iti has gotten big and really cute. A mini Polynesian woman. She has, as Maluha puts it, character. For dinner we had marinated marlin kabobs and a Thanksgiving fish head. Patea had a very large Mahi-Mahi head in a bowl. I asked him if it was what was left of the fish. He said no, it’s dinner. He put it on the grill until the skin was charred then put it on the table. We peeled the skin back and underneath was some of the most tasty and moist cooked fish I have ever eaten. The marlin kabobs were like little Filet Mignons on a skewer. All in all a very tasty meal. After dinner we said thanks and left to return to Les Tips.
Friday morning I used the car to go to the ABC store for chocolate croissants, some more beers and ice for the cooler. I returned the car around 10 AM. We just lazed for the rest of the day. About 5:30 PM Fiston picked us up and we left for dinner at his house. We returned the cooler we had been using as he needed it Saturday for a birthday party on Tahiti. For dinner Jeanine had duck pate’, toast, Bonito roe that was pan fried and a big bowl of her famous poisson cru. We ate until we were about to explode. Fiston and Jeanine are two of the nicest people, along with Maluha and Patea, that we have ever met. Fiston was taking his truck over to Tahiti the next day so he offered to pick us up and take us to the ferry with him. He was taking the slow ferry as there is more room for his big truck. We jumped at this as we’ve never done the Aremiti, just the Aremiti 5. We said our goodbye’s and he took us back to Les Tips. Another wonderful day in Paradise!
Saturday morning we got up and packed. We checked out and said goodbye to our friends at Les Tips, promising to email for a reservation again next year. We loaded everything in the truck and went the opposite way from the bays around the island. We stopped at Maluha and Patea’s to drop off the fans for storage until next and to say goodbye. Patea and Ava-iti were there, but Maluha was out at dance practice. We said our goodbyes and received bisous’s from Ava-iti. I had purchased round trip tickets when we left Papeete and they were also good on the slow ferry. The ride was just about an hour and very pleasant. Once we arrived, Fiston drove us to the IC Tahiti and we checked in. They upgraded us to a Panorama view room instead of a Lagoon view. It was a very nice, large room, but I felt like I was in Hawaii or somewhere in the states. It was right by the Lotus pool which was cool. A sand bottom Infinity pool with a swim up bar. Since we couldn’t get in the room until 2 PM, Fiston took us to his favorite Chinese restaurant for lunch. We ate family style on pork, duck chicken, shrimp and rice with fish. There would be no dinner this night either. While we were having lunch, Barbi’s neighbor from Fare Miti came in with his family and sat at the table next to us. We visited a little longer and then left to go back to our hotel. We said our goodbyes to Fiston and Jeanine and went to our room and changed for a dip in the pool. We explored the grounds for a while then came back and changed into ‘appropriate’ clothes to be in the resort’s Tiki Bar. We watched the ‘Grand Ballets de Tahiti’ show. They danced in an absolute monsoon. I haven’t seen rain that hard in quite awhile. But, the show must go on. We called I a night as we had to get up early for the Air France flight back Sunday morning.
Sunday morning was pretty uneventful from here on out. Fifi taxi was there to pick us up. We breezed through check-in as Premium Voyager checks in with business class. The aircraft was late departing due to the numerous and thorough security checks. Didn’t bother me, I’d rather be safe than sorry.
All in all, a great vacation if just too short. I’m already thinking and planning on going back next year.
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Nothing better than a Hinano in hand and toes in the sand.
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#87788 - 12/02/10 01:36 PM
Re: Moorea November 2010
[Re: DenverJoe]
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Old Wife
Expert Advisor
Registered: 02/21/03
Posts: 2369
Loc: Burlington, Ontario, Canada
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Wow, great report. Love the photo, but where's one of Ava-iti? I'm so envious...we'd love to get back to FP. Sigh. One day.
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#87789 - 12/02/10 01:43 PM
Re: Moorea November 2010
[Re: Old Wife]
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DenverJoe
Expert Advisor
Registered: 09/10/02
Posts: 1878
Loc: Denver, Co.
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OW, didn't take many pictures. Ava-iti was very camera shy. Whenever the camera came out, she started to cry. So I quit trying. Maybe I'll get some from Maluha I can forward.
_________________________
Nothing better than a Hinano in hand and toes in the sand.
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#87790 - 12/02/10 02:25 PM
Re: Moorea November 2010
[Re: DenverJoe]
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travelintom
Member
Registered: 05/06/04
Posts: 469
Loc: california
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great report... I too wish I were there...
I think I'll just have another beer
merry Christmas to you both... T.
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#87791 - 12/02/10 02:31 PM
Re: Moorea November 2010
[Re: DenverJoe]
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Patti.
Expert Advisor
Registered: 03/28/04
Posts: 2460
Loc: Las Vegas, NV
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Great report Joe. Sounds like you had a fantastic time.
Soooo...overall, in compariosn to ATN, what did you think of AF? And the Premium Voyager class? Worth the extra or not?
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#87793 - 12/02/10 02:51 PM
Re: Moorea November 2010
[Re: DenverJoe]
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Old Wife
Expert Advisor
Registered: 02/21/03
Posts: 2369
Loc: Burlington, Ontario, Canada
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Thanks, Joe. I do get emails from Maluha with Ava-iti photos, but I'm always looking for more. That's too bad she's shy about the camera (it sure makes it difficult to get good photos).
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#87794 - 12/02/10 03:46 PM
Re: Moorea November 2010
[Re: Old Wife]
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DenverJoe
Expert Advisor
Registered: 09/10/02
Posts: 1878
Loc: Denver, Co.
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Patti, definetly worth it. Plenty of room. The seat bottom could be padded a little more though. Overall, better than coach and half the price of ATN business.
_________________________
Nothing better than a Hinano in hand and toes in the sand.
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#87795 - 12/02/10 05:13 PM
Re: Moorea November 2010
[Re: DenverJoe]
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spotbeagle
Member
Registered: 09/11/06
Posts: 365
Loc: California
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Thanks for the great report DenverJoe!
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#87796 - 12/02/10 06:41 PM
Re: Moorea November 2010
[Re: spotbeagle]
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hamara
Expert Advisor
Registered: 01/07/02
Posts: 2319
Loc: Washington/Moorea
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Good to see both Joe and Bev on my last day before flying home to 17 degrees
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#87802 - 12/03/10 04:11 PM
Re: Moorea November 2010
[Re: hamara]
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Gary & Cath
Expert Advisor
Registered: 04/01/06
Posts: 1284
Loc: Wollongong, Australia
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Great report Joe. I'm in the middle of ours as we speak.
_________________________
Is there anything better than a sipping a Tahitian Mai Tai on an Overwater Bungalow in FP?
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