Take gifts for local children in Tahiti or just Christmas Island?

[Aussie Gal]

Tahiti is a most expensive place to eat. We had a great breakfast at the I.C. each day which meant we didn't need to eat much at lunchtime. We had a couple of meals at night at the I.C. and one night we met up with friends and went to the Sheraton for a meal. Again, it was expensive as we all only had one course and a glass of wine and I think it came to just over $100US per couple.

 

Jennie

[Are we there yet?]

Sounds like a good place to go on a diet before all that food on the ship!:eek:

[AZbeachboy]

We have just returned from the Tahiti to Hawaii cruise which left Papeete on the 5th June and went via Christmas Island.

 

There is not a lot on Christmas Island, it is a coral island and it is where the British tested their Atom Bombs in the 50's. The locals greeted us with songs and we saw about 11 children who also sang. I took them the chocolates from our pillows and they loved receiving the small colourful squares of chocolate.

 

I certainly would not give them money. The currency on Kiribati is the Australian dollar and it is much better to put a donation into the bowl that is provided for their kindergarten. Giving children money in any country is teaching them to beg and that is not what tourism is about. They are a proud people and giving a donation is a much better way of helping them.

 

It is a very hot island and we were only there for a short while, just to give us all a break from the 5 days at sea.

 

If you have any questions re the cruise, ask away. We loved our 13 days on the T.P.

 

Jennie

 

Just getting back on the boards. Jennie you have given great information as You always do.

 

There were four groups asking for donations. Besides the pre-school there were two blind gituar players and another young group singing. There was also a band of older guys playing drum like instruments made out of PVC pipeing and being played with rubber shower shoes. They were a surpriseingly good.

 

Jennie did a great job with passing out candy. I had thought about something but never thought about the candy. The people were extermely friendly. They did have some business on the island including a bank. Jennie can correct me but I thought it was a branch of the Bank of New Zealand.

 

I loved it bacause I like to learn about the cultural aspects of life. They is why I travel to diffenent places. However, I have to admit I travel sometimes to party. If you were looking for a good time and great snorkeling of swimming, Christmas Island is not the place.

 

Many of the houses are on stilts and only used as bed rooms with lean to or covered areas outside for social gatherings and meals. They do have some more modern cinderblock type housing, however most social functions still seamed to occur outside or people sitting outside. I suppose because most of those small rooms were very hot.

 

The one thing that was readily available was beer. The cans were all over. I imagine they have a drinking problem there.

 

To see the island from the ship it is bueatiful. It still is on land, but can use some littler control. I did take some pic's with an disposable underwater cam and have those available when I get them processed. Hope this helps some.

[AZbeachboy]

Aussie Gal,

 

Sound like you're a great source of info. We're leaving on the TP's July 19th Tahiti to Hawaii voyage. Maybe you should start your own thread to answer questions. One quick question for the moment ... how early were you off the ship in Honolulu. We have a 4pm flight home and I'm hoping that's plenty late to see a bit of the Island ... at least Pearl Harbor.

 

BigGuy, We were some of the first off the ship. I had made my own arangement and requested Red Tags and we went off first. We waited for others to come that we were sharing a cab to Waikiki with. We were lucky and were in our hotel room at Hilton Hawaiian Village by 9 O'Clock AM.

 

Remember that was on a Sunday Morning and traffic was not as bad. It is not a long trip. Our taxi ride to HHV was less that $13.00.

 

Just a note. I agree with Jennie about getting your own hotel. You can get them much cheaper. But check the boards for all information and not just cc. Understand what you want in a hotel.

 

Also, even though US dollars can be used. I would have enough to take care of taxis. They try to skew the rates. Our chaged more once we got to the hotel by telling us that he forgot the rate had changed and we need to pay more. It we had had FP it would not have been an issue. Jennie may have something to say about that as well.

[Aussie Gal]

We had no trouble with the taxi from the airport in Papeete to our hotel. Our hotel (I.C.) had advised me that it would cost around 25000PFP and that is what we were charged. We had Pacific French Francs with us so it was easy. We also used taxis to take us to the Le Meridien Hotel one day and then to the pier on the day we joined the ship.

 

Again, no trouble at all and we were charged what we had been told by the I.C. hotel before we left. We always ask at the Concierge desk in a hotel what price a taxi should cost and then we have a good idea of the price.

 

Jim, good to hear from you. Our trip now sounds like a dream. We are back into very cold, wet wintry weather. I wish we were in balmy Tahiti once more.

 

Jennie

[AZbeachboy]

Thanks Jennie. I thought Sue and Rick said something about the cab when you left our hotel after dinner. Didn't know what it was for sure or if it was resolved before you left the hotel.

 

Our weather is not balmy. But is has been over 105 every day since our return. Christmas Island felt like winter compared to this.

 

BTW, I am not sure the kids in Tahiti need anything. It is a world away from the kids on Christmas Island.

 

Blessings, Jim

[Aussie Gal]

Jim,

 

We did have fun and games with the lady taxi driver before we left the Sheraton with Rick and Sue but we sorted it out before she drove us away from the hotel. Peter thinks she was just playing a game with us! She was a very French lady and once Peter started speaking to her in French she was fine.

 

I agree, the children on Tahiti do not need anything from us. They are all well cared for and have a very happy carefree life whereas the contrast is so great when one visits Christmas Island. It is a completely different world.

 

Jennie