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On the Crown: 28 Days in the S. Pacific and it Wasn't Bora Boraing

SailorJack

By SailorJack,
in Princess Cruises

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Ga Peach

Ga Peach

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Sailor Jack,

 

Thanks for your beautiful travelogue.

 

You mentioned sharing a taxi in Papeete with another couple. Are the taxis big enough to accommodate four adults comfortably?

 

My DH and I are going on Pacific Princess in September.

 

Thanks, Ann

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sherifa

sherifa

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This is the TUI Otua Tupua Tamasese Efi Complex...for short - the Efi building! It is another new building in Apia and holds government offices. There are an amazing number of new structures in town!

 

 

DSC_0370.jpg

 

 

Just across the street from the Efi building is a huge shopping area/flea market. There is a real maze of aisles and shops inside - and they bargain. We got some really good deals in here. While I didn't notice it at the time I took the photo, you can see the reflection of the Efi building in the rear window of the parked car.

 

 

DSC_0372.jpg

 

Apparently this is the Samoan version of Internet Dating!

 

 

DSC_0369.jpg

 

 

The busses in Samoa (and several other islands) all have unique names. (Wait to you see the one we were on!). This one is the Queen Poto.

 

 

DSC_0364.jpg

 

I was recently directed to this review by someone on our RC for a HAL cruise that visits some of the same islands. Surely you are a professional writer or comedian or both. My husband and I read the initial review tonight and laughed so hard we were in tears! Thanks for the entertainment as well as wonderful insight to the islands. We are looking forward to our cruise in 2016 more than ever. I'm sure we will be chuckling as we visit and recall some of your comments and "insights." (We had some of the same thoughts about the language when visiting Hawaii years ago. Our family made it a challenge to be able to pronounce the state fish!) We are up to this point, and felt the "Samoan version of internet dating," would be where we would pause, as our sides hurt too much to go on tonight. Amazing blog.

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SailorJack

SailorJack

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Sailor Jack,

 

Thanks for your beautiful travelogue.

 

You mentioned sharing a taxi in Papeete with another couple. Are the taxis big enough to accommodate four adults comfortably?

 

My DH and I are going on Pacific Princess in September.

 

Thanks, Ann

 

 

Not really comfortably for a long drive, but there are so many stops, that there wasn't a major problem for us. Besides the driver, only one can sit up front and the other three must share the back seat. Of course there may be bigger cabs, but the ones I saw all appeared to be the same size. But, as I said, the stops are frequent and we didn't have a problem. We had one of the gentlemen sit up front and the two ladies and other gentleman sat in the back.

 

Enjoy your cruise!

 

Jack

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Ga Peach

Ga Peach

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Not really comfortably for a long drive, but there are so many stops, that there wasn't a major problem for us. Besides the driver, only one can sit up front and the other three must share the back seat. Of course there may be bigger cabs, but the ones I saw all appeared to be the same size. But, as I said, the stops are frequent and we didn't have a problem. We had one of the gentlemen sit up front and the two ladies and other gentleman sat in the back.

 

Enjoy your cruise!

 

Jack

 

Jack, Thanks for the info. Are the taxis that will take you on an island tour designate as such or just any of the taxis at the dock?

 

Thanks, Ann

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SailorJack

SailorJack

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Jack, Thanks for the info. Are the taxis that will take you on an island tour designate as such or just any of the taxis at the dock?

 

Thanks, Ann

 

When you get off the ship you will see a line of taxis. Just go up to the first one. We passed up on the first one or two as we were looking for another couple that wanted to share a taxi.

 

Jack

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SailorJack

SailorJack

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I was recently directed to this review by someone on our RC for a HAL cruise that visits some of the same islands. Surely you are a professional writer or comedian or both. My husband and I read the initial review tonight and laughed so hard we were in tears! Thanks for the entertainment as well as wonderful insight to the islands. We are looking forward to our cruise in 2016 more than ever. I'm sure we will be chuckling as we visit and recall some of your comments and "insights." (We had some of the same thoughts about the language when visiting Hawaii years ago. Our family made it a challenge to be able to pronounce the state fish!) We are up to this point, and felt the "Samoan version of internet dating," would be where we would pause, as our sides hurt too much to go on tonight. Amazing blog.

 

Glad you enjoyed it! The state fish name was a real tongue twister for us. At dinner that evening we had a contest to see who could come closest to actually pronouncing it.

 

Enjoy your cruise - we have sailed on HAL twice and enjoyed the line very much. Links to those two reviews can be found in my signature.

 

Jack

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SailorJack

SailorJack

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After the cultural show preview we went back aboard the ship for a late lunch. Here are some shots from the ship of Papeete.

 

 

 

 

18735808780_8b9776b5f4_b.jpg

 

 

 

 

The green promontory sticking out into the bay is a very nice park. Great jogging paths and nice exercising area. The next morning we saw a lot of people from the ship getting their early morning walks and jogs.

 

 

 

 

18897225476_a10e33bdf6_b.jpg

 

 

 

 

18897228496_13a1e50b55_b.jpg

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Baatman

Baatman

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When you get off the ship you will see a line of taxis. Just go up to the first one. We passed up on the first one or two as we were looking for another couple that wanted to share a taxi.

 

Jack

 

When we were there they also had some buses that sat 20 or so people. Can't remember what the cost was, however. So there are some options for larger groups of people.

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SailorJack

SailorJack

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The cultural show put on in the theatre was one of the best we have seen. Forgive the quality of the photos as I could not use a flash.

 

 

 

There was the audience - a packed house!

 

 

 

 

18949820542_2d9fc5a04e_b.jpg

 

 

 

 

There was the band.

 

 

 

 

18928929976_1fd63af853_b.jpg

 

 

 

 

 

There were the male dancers.

 

 

 

 

18767478050_2397453f8a_b.jpg

 

 

 

 

 

18928926176_0087046f88_b.jpg

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DavyJoneses

DavyJoneses

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The cultural show put on in the theatre was one of the best we have seen. Forgive the quality of the photos as I could not use a flash.

 

 

 

There was the audience - a packed house!

 

 

 

 

18949820542_2d9fc5a04e_b.jpg

 

 

 

 

There was the band.

 

 

 

 

18928929976_1fd63af853_b.jpg

 

 

 

 

 

There were the male dancers.

 

 

 

 

18767478050_2397453f8a_b.jpg

 

 

 

 

 

18928926176_0087046f88_b.jpg

 

 

 

Even without a flash there are some good shots here...I love the tats on that guy!

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SailorJack

SailorJack

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When we were there they also had some buses that sat 20 or so people. Can't remember what the cost was, however. So there are some options for larger groups of people.

 

We actually got on one of those buses, but it was in such poor condition that we got off and got a taxi.

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Barbie075

Barbie075

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I thought I posted this question -- but I don't see it here. We are planning on driving in Pago Pago, Papeete, Apea, Moorea and Tahiti. How were the roads? Was their much traffic. We are six people and I don't believe they are going to have larger taxis.

What port was it you took the local bus? Do they have these buses on all of the islands? Great pictures. Thank you for any information you can give me.

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SailorJack

SailorJack

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I thought I posted this question -- but I don't see it here. We are planning on driving in Pago Pago, Papeete, Apea, Moorea and Tahiti. How were the roads? Was their much traffic. We are six people and I don't believe they are going to have larger taxis.

What port was it you took the local bus? Do they have these buses on all of the islands? Great pictures. Thank you for any information you can give me.

 

 

The roads were all in great shape you should have no trouble. There was virtually no traffic - except for Oahu. The only bus tour we took was on Pago Pago and it was quite good. I think we paid $20 each and we had a very pleasant tour of the island. I did not see these types of buses on any of the Hawaiian Islands or on Samoa or Moorea. They may have had them, I just didn't see any.

 

 

Jack

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