October 22, 2019, was here. Officially my last day in paradise before I was boarding a plane to take me back to Pittsburgh. Back to normal life. I awoke around 8 am, did my normal routine of getting breakfast but I also took an early lunch with the few items I bought at the grocery store the night before, due to having to be checked out of my room by 10 am. I was able to stay in the lobby area of the hostel until I was ready to get to the airport. My flight wasn’t leaving Papeete for San Francisco until 9:15 that evening so I had plenty of time to kill, by reading, hanging out by the bay and walking around the streets, taking in French Polynesia one last time. I packed my bags and clothes, double and tripled-checked my areas around my bed to make sure I hadn’t forgotten anything. So then I went down to the lobby to watch videos on my phone, text, read books, and anything else I could do to fill the time and space.
During that afternoon, I had most of the time occupied while texting a friend while I waited in the lobby of the Mahana. But when I wasn’t talking to her, I took a walk down to the park by the bay with the sun shining brightly, sitting under the palm trees reading. Despite how much time I was able to shave off until around 4 pm when I was planning on getting my taxi ride to the airport, it did seem like I was waiting forever. I reflected a lot on my trip and all that I experienced during that week.
Finally, at 4 pm had I arrived, I was waiting for the hostel when I informed the workers at the front desk that I was going to be leaving. They were kind enough to call a taxi to come to pick me up. I remember texting my friend back in Pittsburgh about how I was “getting all the feels” with my taxi on its way. I wanted to get to the airport earlier so I could get something to eat for dinner there before I boarded my flight. And I could only take waiting in the lobby doing nothing for so long. The taxi had arrived, I got my bags, wished my farewell to the workers in the hostel and headed out the door. Right as I was loading up the taxi with my bags, Fred whom I met the night before, walked up to me and asked if I was leaving, which I said “yes”. He wished me farewell and wanted to stay in touch, should I ever come back to Tahiti. I got into the cab and then we were on our way to the Faa’a International Airport to begin the first big step in me getting back home.
We arrived at the airport, I retrieved my bags, paid the driver and we both wished each other farewell. As you see in the pictures, there are no door entrances or windows to the airport which of course showed me in a small way how different the whole experience there was. So I sat down for about an hour or so in the middle of the terminal, reading (which I had no other option because you’re only allowed a half-hour of free wifi in the airport). After the time had passed I decided to get something to eat. And what did I chose? No other than the McDonald’s Royale Double meal. Yep, there was another McDonald’s in Tahiti. It turns out there are only 3 McDonalds on Tahiti and I had gone to 2 of them. I sat in the courtside of the airport and quickly ate that meal as I was fairly hungry and anxious for the check-in time which was soon to come. (Side note: Even as I write this, it’s like I’m reliving my exit including the feelings of leaving).
After some time of more waiting, I had seen the check-in lines open up and people beginning to get in line. So I decided to get up and see what the line was for it and it turns out it was for my flight. So I got in line to check-in myself and luggage. As I was standing in line I got my passport and ticket ready as they had attendants going around checking passports in advance to expedite the check-in process, The attendant checked my itinerary and saw it was good so I proceeded forward in line. I was still pretty far back as behind me were an American couple with a baby. I couldn’t help but strike up a conversation with them about where they were from, where they were going and how their little girl was doing with the travel. It turns out they were from San Francisco area so they were getting off there, their little girl did surprisingly well with the 8 and 1/2 hour trip the first time around, and they actually had friends in the Pittsburgh area. What a small world! I had made brief friends with them before I was about to check-in. I was held up by a couple of middle-aged ladies who seemed to be waiting on something. One of the ladies who were in their trio had run-up to the line because she must’ve forgotten something. The funny part about this is that when I first arrived in Tahiti the week before, those were the same ladies who held things up at the currency exchange office in the same exact fashion! Take about Deja Vou (pardon my French).
After they finished checking in and I did too, we walked into the waiting area where the gate for the incoming flight would be. It was like a little mall area with a few stores around. The other cool feature was the fact that as you see in the pictures, the courtyard area that is outdoors featured a lounge area without any doors or windows. And after a while of waiting, the plane had pulled up to the gate. My way home had arrived. And then about a half an hour before the official take-off boarding had begun, so I got in line when my time had come. I gave the attendant my ticket and proceeded to walk out the gate. Again, the small difference between getting on a plane in America and Tahiti had come up: No jetway. The entrance to the plane comes up walking up the stairs to the door. I boarded the plane and braced myself for the reality of leaving the land that I had prepared so much and so long for. The paradise that really lived up to its reputation and Instagram images. All of it was concluding. I lived the dream and I was headed back “home”. To simplify the way my trip home went, I left Tahiti at 9:15 pm and arrived in San Francisco at 8:30 am the next morning October 23. After a near hour and a half layover in SF, my next flight went to Denver, Colorado. And then after a 3-hour layover, my flight to Pittsburgh began and I landed in the ‘Burgh safe and sound at 10:30 pm, arrived in my apartment at almost midnight, took a shower and passed out until late the next morning. The Tahiti Adventure was completed. I came back browner, more feeling of accomplished, yet very jet-lagged, and with all my belongings that I went there with.
Back to normal life. For me though, life had become normal for me in the South Pacific. Waking up in the 80+ degree heat and sunshine, surrounded by palm trees and the ocean had grown on me. It is odd to say that in the light of how different the culture and environment was to what I had grown up in. But I am the kind of person who can eventually and easily adapt to their environment no matter what. And that’s what I had done in Tahiti, despite the language barrier and arriving there without knowing a single soul before then. For as much as I missed my friends and family back in the States, it was as if the small remote islands in the middle of nowhere became “home” to me. I loved the people, the weather (a surprise there, right?), the scenery, and the culture. I couldn’t believe that trip became a reality. I can’t say enough about how much I appreciate it. It was a childhood dream of mine to travel the world. I can say that I believe going to Tahiti was the beginning of living that childhood dream. I got hit with the Travel Bug and I intend on doing a lot more exploring this big, gorgeous world as time goes on. Thank you for sticking with me during the Tahiti adventure. I can’t wait to share more exclusive content with you in my Inner Blog Circle. Not just traveling adventures. But even more personal stories of high points and hardships in my career that helped shape how I got to this point. Thank you!
Much love
Joe Gardonis