A three-day journey can be exciting too
From Germany, it takes around 20 hours by plane and two overnight stays (San Francisco & Tahiti) to land on the 600-soul atoll of Fakarava. So it’s worth not only changing planes at the airports, but also using the stops to explore the respective regions a little. The first stopover was San Francisco in California. We only had one evening after arriving from Frankfurt and one morning before travelling on to Tahiti, but it's always amazing what you can experience in just a few hours!
The expedition team’s evening destination was Pier 39 at the famous Fishermans Wharf, where countless sea lions can be seen. We took the cable car down the really steep hills of the city to what is certainly the most attractive tourist area of the city. It's such a great atmosphere to stroll between the buildings by the sea and have a look at the culinary delights. But the stroll of aquarium lovers always looks a little different. A look into the water at the pier is important. Which fish can be seen? And what kind of crabs are trying to break out of their aquarium?
Pier 39 is easy to find. Just follow the stench of the sea lions! The sight of the large marine mammals in a harbour area is somewhat surreal – but great.
The next morning, the team is up extremely early due to the nine-hour time difference. Electric scooters are available for hire in San Francisco and are another good way to get around. The steep hills can be an obstacle, but there are also routes that bypass the steepest hills in the city. So off to the Golden Gate, Fishermans Wharf again, through the Financial District and back to the hotel, from where we head to the airport.
The flight to Tahiti in French Polynesia takes around eight hours. We now know the films on board by heart and enjoy watching the Chinese version. It's quite fun hearing Tom Cruise speak Chinese. It also makes it easier to fall asleep. Arrival in Tahiti is late. There's just enough time for a nice dinner at a local street food market – and then off to bed.
The next morning, the night finishes for us at around five o'clock. The time difference to Germany is now 12 hours and a mentally disturbed rooster does the rest. But we knew about the time difference and had reserved electric scooters. We travelled around the island on them via Tahiti's ring road.
We discovered eels (Anguilla marmorata) at a waterfall. They were much fatter than the European river eels. In the distance we could see the neighbouring island of Moorea, which we visited on a JBL expedition back in 2015. Around midday, the plane took off to the north-east to the island of Fakarava in the Tuamotu archipelago.
We were so looking forward to diving and snorkelling in the crystal-clear water as we landed. From above, the small atolls looked like rings in the blue ocean. We could hardly wait to finally get into the water.
