French Polynesia - Heiva and other animals

The story of why I didn't visit Estonia in summer 2012 and swapped it for 2 weeks of winter in French Polynesia. From China it must be just a short trip further to make it to Middle of Pacific Ocean, so why not to do it?! This was my first impression when the whole idea started to roll...

... If there is a small island at the very edge of the world with a pearl farm on it, then this has to be THE destination. Actually it all started few years back in 2008 in Australia, where I met university time friend Männi, who was living at that time on the beach near Brisbane and did nothing but surfing. Checking out the beaches of Queensland lead to talks of all kinds of crazy corners of the world, as a result the project Tuamotu was initiated. Well, few years passed, till in 2011 December I got to know that Männi had actually made it to Ahe atoll in Tuamotu Islands and is living in one remote pearl farm.

Tokyo

After researching flight deals through Europe and the U.S., managed to finally discover that Polynesia can be reached by Air Tahiti Nui. Flights from Tokyo - perfect - just "next to" my current home and as Japan is one of these mystery destinations it was all GO for me. Even though it was just a night-over in Tokyo, hotel location selection was inspired by Murakami's book. Selected hotel - obviously the capsule type - "room" size is 2x0.9x1m, large enough for TV, radio, alarm clock, and me. Bonus was the rooftop with a proper bathhouse - classic Japanese style.

Graffiti art. Morning started with Lost in Translation feeling, looking for ATM able to deal with foreign cards, this took about half the time available before heading back to airport :)

Japanese fashion

French Polynesia

On the plane.

Heiva
12 hours over the Pacific Ocean and my feet touched the ground on Tahiti. Dateline and the equator crossed, winter had started and it was bloody hot. Then 1 hour flight from Tahiti to Raiatea island, and from Raiatea it was just a short crossing on boat to Taha island. Männi waiting for me in the airport in true Tahiti style - bare foot, motor boat as the vehicle parked in the airport boat parking lot.

Despite the closeness of Bora-Bora 5-star hotels, I spent the first nights on the old sailing boat parked in the middle of a secluded bay. Then moved to the island to live in Polynesian family home - a house with walls, windows, roof and floor, only doors had been forgotten. Rooms were full of cats, chickens and occasional!

Polynesian Heiva - historic dance and song festival - groups come together from all over the archipelago. The family offering me a place to stay was deeply involved in organizing the Heiva, father had choreographed Taha dances, mother sang in the choir and one of the sons was in a dance group.

Building his boat.

Heiva dances

and songs

Männi and the host family's son giving "all cool" or "give me a call" sign.

Moments before getting on the dancing arena

After Heiva and Taha island it was time to leave the crowded civilization behind and fly 3 hours further to Tuamotu archipelago, the place that is almost at the vey end of the world. Ahe atoll  - collapsed volcano that has only the edge rim out from the ocean, the 10-20km in diameter, oval ring with huge lagoon inside, the dry land rim 3-400 meters wide. All very simple, there was a runway for airplane to land, shed served as a terminal. To leave the terminal there has to be somebody to pick you up by boat. No road will lead to the village on the other side of the atoll.