Years ago Herb Payson wrote …”It has been said that Tahiti is busy, noisy, expensive and dirty.  Yes, it’s all true…but…It is still Tahiti!” 

We echo that ...but... Busy? Yes!  Noisy?  Not that bad.  Crowded?  Not as bad as we feared.  Dirty?  Not Really.  Expensive?  ABSOLUTELY!  OUTRAGEOUS!  Two pitchers of draft beer--$67.00 US.  Pizza and two beers--$65.00.  Diesel fuel--$12.00 / gallon.   In the grocery store each small plastic bag averaged about $100.00 US  and you had to pay for the bag!

 Now, don’t let that deter you. The baguettes were still only .65 cents.  And if you shopped for what you needed as opposed to what you wanted you could still function.  You just could not go out to a restaurant.  A small bowl of Won Ton soup in a Chinese Restaurant was $12.00.  On the bright side because you could only stay for ninety days your damage was minimal. 

Despite the prices Tahiti was a blast.  It was Festival time and there was music and dancing everywhere.  If you followed the local path it was free if you followed the tourist path you paid… a lot!

Not only was Mr. John in the neighborhood but we again were re-united with Maestro our friends from way back in Seville.  They had been living here for two years (French citizens) while  Alicia and Manuel attended school.  By now  they knew the territory quite well.  There were dance Heivas every night and festivals and competitions all day.

Everyone was here, Maestro, Golden Tilla, Sapho, Aquilla and more!  The only one missing was Mr. John but they were now only a hundred miles down wind and we would meet shortly. It was quite a party.

We made our rendezvous with John and Paula on Huahine and had numerous adventures both there, Tahaa and finally Raiatea.  Our visas were soon to turn into pumpkins and it is here that Entr’acte once again came out of the water.  She will sit here until we are allowed to re-enter Polynesia in March.  Mr. John and the rest of the fleet will carry on to points farther West.

Stay tuned for further developments.