Monday, 23 February. As my flight only leaves Tahiti tonight at 1am, I decided to take the last ferry from Moorea, which arrived at Papeete harbour at 5.40pm. I still have a few hours to kill and I opted for the luxury time killer: I took a taxi to the InterContinental, left my backpack with the concierge and ordered a bombay tonic and a tuna tartar while enjoying the sunset from the bar at the pool… You think this is contradictory to a backpacker’s lifestyle? Well, I am happy to say that I am willing to allow myself a bit of luxury now and then. I am honestly glad that I’m not a student anymore and  thus don’t have to count every penny. And although I try to adhere to a certain budget, these moments of luxury are nice to have. I don’t have any problem to walk into a five star hotel in hiking shorts, old t-shirt and hiking boots, by the way. I’ve done it before and this kind of tranquillity certainly is another plus of being an experienced traveler! (I do not like to refer to myself as an “older” traveler, although I sometimes wonder if, supposedly, I already fall into that category?!)

Cheers to you, wherever you are, from Tahiti (and a special toast to M. at the Intercontinental in Moorea)!