Love Affair with Tahiti and Tattoos

Tahiti Airport Motel

This Motel may not look far, but when you are carting all your worldly belongings up that decrepit staircase on the left, cross a busy street and then haul yourself up a very steep driveway under the unrelenting, searing rays of a tropical sun; it’s a hike. This is, of course, after you have returned your rental car. And when you ask them why they don’t have a little shuttle service to ease the way for a weary traveler, in typical French fashion they say: they just don’t. C’est la vie.

Should I post a picture of the large brown spider I found in the bathroom of my room here? No, I would never sink that low. C’est la Guerre.

Instead, feast your eyes on the view of the Tahiti airport from our room at this motel.

Heavy Police Presence

Well, actually it was only two cops sitting in the lobby. They are there every day all day. I finally asked, “What’s with the cops?” And this is the answer I was given.

People coming from America lose their passport, report it as lost, then they find it and get on the plane with the “lost” passport. Big mistake. Because when they use this passport after it is reported lost, it gets flagged and Interpol is alerted. So when they enter Tahiti with that passport they are detained – at the motel- until the embassy can issue them a new one or do whatever it is they have to do. He said it happens all the time; once or twice a month. He only mentioned Americans though. So, don’t do that!

Our last Tahitian sunset as seen from the motel.

Best Place on the Island of Tahiti

I asked the same French guy at the front desk of this motel where, in his opinion, is the best place to go on all these islands. I always like to ask the locals where they go because they know the best spots. He said, “My house.” “Oh”, I said. “Yes, that’s nice to think that your house is the most beautiful place to come home to. It’s important.” I went upstairs to my room.