in 27 hours, i'm in Tahiti...

that's right, 4 hours to get to the plane, then 23 hours in the air (via Los Angeles).

3 days in Tahiti, then 15 days in the Marquesas islands, then 3 in Moorea and then back to the grey world.
Wish me luck, i don't know if i'll miss the boat somewhere on an island in the Pacific and never come back again...

don't forget your camera...we wanna see photos

Have an awesome trip. Can't wait to see some pics.
I'll talk to you when you get back.

Marquesas Islands! I'm jealous! That's on the top of the list of places in the South Pacific I want to go to! You will LOVE Moorea! It's one of my personal favorite spots on the planet. While in Moorea, check out the Tiki Village, there is a great carver there named Davita who carves Tiki's in lava rock. I have a few of his. Moorea is also a great place to get a tribal Tatu, just get it on your last day so you can enjoy the lagoons, no swimming after a tatu! Please post pics of the Marquesas Islands!

Moorea's the best! I'm getting dizzy just thinking of it. The best place to have jet lag in the world. Warm air, cocnut groves, the best snorkeling I've ever seen, just 20' from shore... Are you staying at the Bali Hai? I wonder if they still have the groovy little bungalos and the big sunken bathtubs and coconut soap dishes hanging from the roof...

Virani, have a great time, and say hi to Didi and Pascal from me...

On 2004-05-26 20:03, Scrimshaw wrote:

Moorea's the best! Are you staying at the Bali Hai? I wonder if they still have the groovy little bungalos and the big sunken bathtubs and coconut soap dishes hanging from the roof...

Unfortunatlely one of the last bastions of original Polynesian Pop in Tahiti, the Bali Hai (BOT p.127) was sold and demolished to make room for a big Hotel complex a couple of years ago.
I am currently researching about the Bali Hai boys, who were perhaps THE quintessential lucky Americans who actually got to realize and live the dream of the 1960s American Tiki fever.

http://www.tahiti-pacifique.com/Articles.divers/BaliHai/BaliHai.html

(the English translation button delivers some funny results, but one can glean enough info from the attempt. If anybody has that old issue of "WEST" magazine, let me know.)

BigBro,

You can still find Muk almost every night at the "Club" Bali Hai in Cooks Bay. http://www.clubbalihai.com/

The original Bali Hai location is now the new Moorea Pearl Beach. I saw it just before it opened a few years back and my in-laws stayed there last year with mixed reviews. Great location though!

Have fun I was just there a last week and I am planning the next trip as we speak.

Hey Tiki Bro - I have the email to Muk in Tahiti. The article you found is probably one of the only ones of recent time. I have tried to get these guys to sit down and let someone write about them but they are not interested. Their hotel empire is gone, they dont even own the rights to their own name Bali Hai Boys. It is ashame. I have a few good stories of the old days thou and I am sure they have tons

Unfortunatlely one of the last bastions of original Polynesian Pop in Tahiti, the Bali Hai (BOT p.127) was sold and demolished to make room for a big Hotel complex a couple of years ago.

I feel like I just got punched in the stomach. I wonder how the new Club Bali Hai compares. It does have bungalows...

I'm going to go lay down now.

Me too! I'm tiki-green with envy! Lucky you! If I was YOU I know I wouldn't come back...sigh...I wanna be a beach bum in the islands! Tahiti...what a dream!!!! You'll have to post pics and tell us all about it!!!

The new Pearl Resort aka Bali Hai does not compare. Its a real nice hotel but it does not have the charm and local feel of the old Bali Hai. The Club Bali Hai is still the same and does have it but the guys are getting old and the parties are long gone. They dont even have a happy hour anymore.

On 2004-06-01 12:19, Pacific Andy wrote:
The Club Bali Hai is still the same and does have it but the guys are getting old and the parties are long gone. They dont even have a happy hour anymore.

PA, do they still have the BYOB happy hour/party? or is that gone now as well?

Club Bali Hai still has one of the best views on Moorea IMHO, but I still prefer lagoons to the bay for swiming snorkeling.

[ Edited by: Kava Dan on 2004-06-01 12:57 ]

They still have it but its not as frequent as it use to be. It seems that they had too many locals coming in and getting drunk and then getting rowdy with the hotel guests. So the stopped it but you can always start a party there. And yes they do have an awesome view. Breakfast at the Blue Pineapple right on the bay is a true Ahhh moment.

On 2004-06-01 13:54, Pacific Andy wrote:
It seems that they had too many locals coming in and getting drunk and then getting rowdy with the hotel guests.

I thought it was Muk starting most of the trouble! :wink: :D

Breakfast at the Blue Pineapple right on the bay is a true Ahhh moment.

AHHHhhhhh Moorea!!!

[ Edited by: Kava Dan on 2004-06-01 18:54 ]

[ Edited by: Kava Dan on 2004-06-01 18:56 ]

Great photos Dan - The Sheraton is a great hotel on Moorea. Still missing the old Tahiti feel thou. The New Pearl aka old Bali Hai is nice and they do have one charcter that goes there. He is an artist named Erhard Lux. A true South Pacific guy. Always drunk and has great stories of old Tahiti and the charcters of Moorea. He also always wears cowboy boots.

[ Edited by: TNTiki on 2004-11-06 18:22 ]

He is a charcter - A lot of fun. I have about four of his works and they are great.
Last time I saw him he was at the bar at the Pearl drinking scotch. He was having a conversation with me, a german couple and a french couple all telling us the same story. Because he was at the bar for about two hours and I bought him a few drinks he was getting the story all mixed up and talking to me in French, the Germans in English and the French in German. A real mess. At about the middle of the story he just goes ahhh its all old news in each language, everyone laughs and buys him another drink. I see my future.

[ Edited by: TNTiki on 2004-11-06 18:22 ]

On 2004-05-26 02:15, virani wrote:
Wish me luck, i don't know if i'll miss the boat somewhere on an island in the Pacific and never come back again...

Come back Virani,
We need some Tiki lovers in France. You are welcome in Nevers to tell us about your trip while siping a Maitai.

Thanks Tikifrog, i'd love to come visit you.

I'm back from the islands...after 3 weeks staying in Paradise.
Plenty of things to tell, plenty of pictures to post, but be patient, i have to come back to earth.