Well, arriving here last night made me glad I hadn’t missed the flight. Unashamed luxury in paradise. I’d splurged on the Intercontinental - we’re not normally 5* people but all the info I read on Tahiti said ‘it’s so expensive in this hedonistic paradise, you might as well pay a bit more for the best.’ In fact, I got a good rate by booking more than two months in advance, paying in full and agreeing that should I cancel, not only would I not get a single Pacific Franc back but I would probably have to sell my house and my children as well. It is a truly amazing ‘resort’ hotel built around lagoons and infinity swimming pools – beautiful rooms in acres of grounds with jasmine, hibiscus and frangipani everywhere, so it smells as good as it looks. We didn’t fork out the extra for the overwater bungalows, not because of any fears of future tsunamis, but because even we wouldn’t pay those prices.
And in fact we don’t feel we’re missing anything because our room is wonderful and I’m sitting on the terrace of the room now writing this. We have two nights on the main island of Tahiti then we transfer tomorrow to the Intercontinental in Moorea, a half hour boat ride away – I'm looking at Moorea as I write this.
I’ve never seen lagoons before (go on, admit it, nor have you (probably?) and didn’t really know what they were (well, you probably do, but just in case. . .).
They are natural inlets from the sea around the islands like the most beautiful sea water lakes but with all the tropical fish (and huge rays, but for some reason without the sting) swimming in them.
We opted for a sunlounger by the lagoon rather than the huge, huge infinity swimming pool So although it’s a big resort, I guess abut 200 rooms including the bungalows, it’s all low level, very spread out so you don’t feel that there are many other people here. Other than at breakfast this morning, that is (there are three or four restaurants, but they just use the biggest for breakfast). It was a feast of every dish you can imagine from seafood, oysters, the usual bacon and eggs, fruit, vegetables, gateaux etc etc etc. And of course, the Americans, of whom there are many, tucked in, but we were a bit restrained (I just CAN’T gain any more weight!).
The islands are, of course, French and that is the main language used here, so it’s nice to get the chance to use it again. Less English spoken than you’d imagine.
I awoke to the most lovely surprise this morning. The phone ringing at 7.20 am (and I have to admit to hardly knowing what country I was in, certainly not knowing what day it was, and with no clue about the time) – it was Ian wishing me Happy Mother’s Day, so had a lovely chat with him and Aga, with Oscar apparently giving the phone ‘funny looks’. Really delighted as didn’t expect any further pampering here. Then, when I switched on my mobile, there was a text from Mr Uncommunicative, otherwise known as Ben (hope he’s reading this?) who had also remembered and sent me a lovely text. So thanks both. Great.
OK, for those of you who may still be confused about the time – I know mum is: In Auckland (throughout NZ in fact) we were 14 hours ahead of you to start with and by the time we left, 13 hours ahead (remember their clocks went back). In Tahiti we are now 10 hours behind you. All of this is due to crossing the International Date Line. That’s how we had two 18th March 2007.
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