January 07 2013

Honeymoon Tripping: Part III

(scroll down for I and II)

… anyway, We land in Papeete and we’re both pretty exhausted at this point. On the way there we watched the first few episodes of Lost on the iPad. Probably not the best show to watch on a plane over the South Pacific considering the series starts off with a plane crash over the South Pacific.

When we got there we realized we’d been traveling close to 20 friggin hours. But I’d never been on the other side of the world before! We had arrived! Over there!

Like zombies we wander into the Papeete airport and were semi-pleasantly greeted by a sleepy Polynesian trio — two playing Ukelele’s and one dancing woman who looked like she’d been swaying for a couple hours too long. We headed to the next terminal to wait to get on a propeller plane that looked like this:

But the sky was blue! It looked like that in the picture! The stupid america computer told me it was supposed to rain everyday but the sky looked blue! That perv was right! The Toucan was wrong! I totally got psyched about the fact that the weather was going to apparently be just fine…

We check in through their ‘Let’s Play Pretend’ security and unfortunately my carry-on bag was too big for the propeller plane so I had to check it. I felt kind of naked without my bag of stuff but for an hour long flight I figure I could survive without my books and magazines and iPad of Lost and stuff.

The airport had nothing in it except a small cafe. I wanted to buy something and realized I didn’t have any of their currency. I looked around for a currency exchange place. Nope. I looked around for an ATM. Nope. Another stunning dawning ball drop on our part. Didn’t get any French Polynesian Francs. I guess we assumed it would be sort of like Europe where you can just travel with your bank card. Or deal with stuff at the airport. I look in my wallet. I had like $46.

I head to the cafe to get a couple coffees and it also becomes apparent that the english language had very spotty service in the people over there. So I had to go sifting through my brain to scavenger up my rusted out French that I’ve left in out the backyard of my mind for the past twenty years.

I order a couple coffees and ask if they take American dollars. She rolls her eyes just like someone in America would if a foreigner wanted to pay with Euros. She busts out her calculator and changes French Polyenisa Frances to Euros to Dollars to figure out the cost. $12 for two diner style coffees. I paid it and started digging into my Captain Cook book. I felt a sense of true adventure coming over me as I read about his adventures. A ridiculous kinship. I was just like Captain Cook! We were exploring! On the edge of the world! Who knew what we’d find! Where we’d end up! Would we end up dead?! Excitement! Who knew at that point?! Just like Captain Cook!

After a couple hours of solid boredom, we get on our plane to head to “Raiatea”. No assigned seats on this propeller flight. It was like getting on a train. Pick wherever. We took our seats next the propeller and prepared for take-off. But after 20 minutes on the runway they announced that the plane was broken and everyone had to get off.

We head back into the airport. The next flight time was unknown. It depended if they fixed our plane or if they have to get a new plane. But nicely, (btw everyone was really nice there) they gave us vouchers for food and a sandwich. I asked if I could get my carry-on bag back and that was no problem. She went outside and got it for me. (Imagine asking for a checked bag back at JFK?)…

For lunch we had two longgg bagettes of turkey with mayonaisse and Perrier. We sat there at the airport gnawing on these things wondering how long it would be before they’d get a ‘new plane’.

We realized then we’d been traveling 24 hours… and we weren’t done yet. We still had the plane ride (which had a stop over in friggin Bora friggin Bora) and a boat ride after we landed…

(to be continued)

16

Internet User # 234126 says:

I’ll read this post later. Happy for you Todd, but I need to ask you something. Do you consider yourself “complete” now that your married. Does marriage automatically guarantee happiness?

The Guest says:

What a stupid question and you know it. That’s why you posted it anonymously instead of asking the many married people you know. Nothing automatically guarantees happiness, especially for you.

Internet User # 234126 says:

Thanks for answering.

Internet User # 234126 says:

Posting anonymously? And this coming from “The Guest”. Not all marriages are successful. All I wanted was a civil discussion on the subject.

The Guest says:

My posting as The Guest has absolutely nothing to do with you posting anonymously so nobody recognizes you as the retard asking the stupid questions. You want civil discussion on marriage, go to a shrink or a forum about marriage. It’s not going to happen here.

Anonymous says:

Considering that the majority people on this blog site are rude and don’t use any form of tact whatsoever doesn’t surprise me.

And learn to use the term retard properly. Using it to replace stupid isn’t funny.

The Guest says:

Whatever, retard.

Simone says:

I agree that is a dumb question! I’ve been married for ten years and it is not about being completed!!! If you are not always an preosistent project than you are making a BIG mistake!

Internet User # 234126 says:

Thank you for answering my question.

Blue says:

Learn to use proper punctuation when posting.

Anonymous says:

Love you Todd! Sounds awesome fun!

Angry man says:

Are we on post three and still traveling????????????????????????????????????? Speed it up!!!!

Anonymous says:

“Just like Captain Cook!”

Ummm… not really. Not even close.

No offense.

Gary says:

I remember back in 2001 (12 years ago) when you created this website. It was the same time I was laid-off from a major computer manufacturer in Texas. You really brightened my day to read everything you joked about. Even the bad stuff, like when you went mano-a-mano with unemployment that challenged your “donations” as income.
Looking back, did you ever think you were going to find yourself on a beach in Tahiti 12 years later? Happy to see you’ve made it!
NOW, you need to make a new “OMG, Life is Good after all!” video! d=)

The REAL Angry Man says:

Hope you are having a great time despite the delays, Todd. Great to be following your tales again.

Professional Tourist says:

Todd, I’ve never seen nor heard of “Lost on the iPad”, but I’ve definitely lived it more than once…

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