My Kafkaesque Almost Nightmare in Tahiti

I was held my the immigration police in Tahiti for almost an hour. Here’s why: To get into Tahiti you need to show proof that you have a ticket to leave Tahiti. I guess the place is so expensive that they know there is a good chance you’ll be broke by the time you leave, …

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The Marquesas Islands: Paradise at the Edge of the World

With scenery reminiscent of a Jurassic Park sequel, ancient and mysterious stone temples, and the feeling of visiting a parallel universe – visitors to the remote Marquesas Islands of French Polynesia are in for the adventure of a lifetime. Written and photographed by Avichai Ben Tzur Of the five archipelagos that make up the Islands …

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A Tahitian Treat

Bonjour, and greetings from the island of Tahiti in French Polynesia. I’m sitting at the food court of the airport writing this. my flight doesn’t leave for another twelve and a half hours, but I’m at the airport for good reason. My hotel for the night was within walking distance of the airport. I took …

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Last Thoughts on French Polynesia

Before I get too far away from it, I should add that I did not hate my brief time in Tahiti. While it was expensive and it did seem to overwhelm much of the experience, there were a few things I did enjoy. Poisson Cru. Before I left the island, I made sure I was …

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Numb3rs

I’m safe on Tahiti. Its dark and I can’t see anything other than how bad I’m getting robbed. I’ll get to that in a second. The currency in French Polynesia and all French Pacific Territories is the Pacific Franc (XPF). The Euro is sort of on a 1-to-1 ratio with the dollar. By that I …

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Keep On Truckin

I spent most of today just doing logistical stuff: getting my ransom ticket refunded and getting my tickets to Rarotonga and beyond, moving to the hostel, and taking care of some stuff online. Yes, that took most of the day. I assumed that I would be leaving French Polynesia on Friday, but I found there …

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