Papeete - early days
We arrived at a time when it was hot and wet. Just before we came there was large scale flooding in part of the island. It's not cheap and we have so little money left after spending too much on three nights accommodation.
Fabrice lost some money on the plane and when trying to get it back today had to walk almost 15km there and back as no one would pick him up and give him a lift. I am not sure that he and Bryan can get any money to stay here and maybe finding exchange is not so easy- with three of us now it is quite complicated anyway.
Bryan is desparate to be with other children who at present, because it is influenced by the northern hemisphere, are all in school. They have a park not far from us where there is an outside gym, a volleyball/soccer playing area and the equivalent of a play park with swings, slide and climbing bars but when it is raining they shut this because it is slippery. Bryan speaks English to everyone automatically although actually his first language is French which all the locals speak - it will only be when he gets to school here that I guess the French will start flowing from him naturally again.
To get to the Marquesea Islands is also not easy since the cheaper freight ferry only takes 12 passengers and these spaces are used for the local people who are involved in agriculture to bring into the city their grown produce and then return home again. There is a cruise ship but it is about 45,000 per person so outside our budget.
The local boys are kind to let Bryan play as being much smaller and less skilled he cannot do what they can with a ball but he tries hard and they are tolerant in my opinion. I really like the idea of the outside exercise machines which is a way of bringing the gym to the people who probably could not pay to join a gym. I have been very careful with the money and so no treats and only 2 meals a day- today at about 11 we had 3 bowls of rice and shared a plate of beef, potatoes and carrots in a stew-very meal is served with some French bread and today there was chilli sauce. That meal cost us 1000 and was both good and cheap as it was a local food place rather than a tourist meal place. I am cross with myself that I didn't find us somewhere cheaper to stay for the first three nights because what I spent on the apartment I got for three days could have sustained us for a week of accommodation and food somewhere cheaper.
Fabrice lost some money on the plane and when trying to get it back today had to walk almost 15km there and back as no one would pick him up and give him a lift. I am not sure that he and Bryan can get any money to stay here and maybe finding exchange is not so easy- with three of us now it is quite complicated anyway.
Bryan is desparate to be with other children who at present, because it is influenced by the northern hemisphere, are all in school. They have a park not far from us where there is an outside gym, a volleyball/soccer playing area and the equivalent of a play park with swings, slide and climbing bars but when it is raining they shut this because it is slippery. Bryan speaks English to everyone automatically although actually his first language is French which all the locals speak - it will only be when he gets to school here that I guess the French will start flowing from him naturally again.
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| The outdoor gym in the park |
To get to the Marquesea Islands is also not easy since the cheaper freight ferry only takes 12 passengers and these spaces are used for the local people who are involved in agriculture to bring into the city their grown produce and then return home again. There is a cruise ship but it is about 45,000 per person so outside our budget.
The local boys are kind to let Bryan play as being much smaller and less skilled he cannot do what they can with a ball but he tries hard and they are tolerant in my opinion. I really like the idea of the outside exercise machines which is a way of bringing the gym to the people who probably could not pay to join a gym. I have been very careful with the money and so no treats and only 2 meals a day- today at about 11 we had 3 bowls of rice and shared a plate of beef, potatoes and carrots in a stew-very meal is served with some French bread and today there was chilli sauce. That meal cost us 1000 and was both good and cheap as it was a local food place rather than a tourist meal place. I am cross with myself that I didn't find us somewhere cheaper to stay for the first three nights because what I spent on the apartment I got for three days could have sustained us for a week of accommodation and food somewhere cheaper.
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| The mural on our apartment |
It is not going to be easy here for Bryan and Fabrice and the city is noisy and a little polluted so on Wednesday we will head to Moorea which is more rural and where hopefully we can find some exchange work as they grow fruit and vegetables there and might need some workers.
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| A Papeete Mural
This city of Papeete is a mixture of Polynesia, Europe and Asia with its architecture, streets, rubbish and Coast- Tourism is of primary importance so the poor live in places where the tourists don't but even in the inner city there are smells from rubbish and sewers that remind me of Asia from the travels of my youth.
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I miss NZ today because there is so much happening there that is negative against my brother and over here I can do little. On the other hand I needed to come because Fabrice and Bryan need me as they have nothing and Fabrice in particular has given so much time and money of his own to the building of the Whangateau Community Earth Oven at Caretaker Farm.
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| Tahiti coral sculpture |
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