We’re here! It’s been a year since we sat here in front of our little bungalow at Tiare Nui and it’s changed not at all.

The flights were the same as I remembered. I also remembered why I hate flying: tiny seats with no leg room. Regardless of the flight, there’s not much room for me to sit. On the 7-hour Air France flight from LAX to Papeete, there was even less room, and sleep was all but impossible. Air France does have a great free movie offering, though, and if I can’t sleep, at least I can watch movies. The food was plentiful and tasty, but eating with my bloody knees in my face was difficult.

The oddest thing about arriving in Papeete was that we remembered where everything was, and how the system worked. We moved through Immigration smoothly and had plenty of time to await our bags, a 40-minute operation. At customs we were simply waved through. We remembered where the Air Tahiti office was for our short flight to Raiatea via Huahine and knew to sit on the starboard side of the plane for the better views. Conni received the two-cheek welcome back kisses from the Pension manager, not what customers usually receive.

The little Fiat auto that is part of our rental fee has a larger capacity than it seems since the three blue boxes, my Bill Bag, and all of our assorted gear fit easily into it. As we left the Raiatea airport, we decided to take a tour of Utaroa, the big town on the island and the second largest in French Polynesia. Amazingly, the Champion, the local super market, was open so we took our first shopping trip. Baguettes and Hinano beer topped our list, of course.

As we were completing all of the grocery buying it occurred to me that it was still only 0900! We had arrived in Papeete at 0500, and when one arrives at 0500, much can be accomplished!

So, we’re back and will probably take a rest day today. I’d like to take a short nap and go see the boat yard. I doubt that we can see Wings today but I’d like to see if her bottom was painted.

OH, NO! The roosters are still here! I just forgot, but they’re making a racket as I sit in the shade. Damned birds! We have sprung for air conditioning and paid a bit extra and perhaps it’ll drown the sound of their 0500 wake-up call. Remind me not to walk about without sandals, too. Chicken poop!

We did take a nap but at 1300 hours it was simply too hot to rest anymore. So, that’s our working day: as early as the yard opens through 1100, then break until 1500 or so. It’s 1539 now and it’s finally cool enough to be outside and not be drenched in sweat.

I've posted some photos on the site.