On August 22nd, we were once again at the Tahiti airport. At 2.40 pm our flight to Tikehau was announced. This island is part of the Tuamotu and lies 420 kilometers away, for once the aircraft started – this time heading north – almost on time. As always, it was occupied to the last seat.

After an hour a beautiful island appeared below us: Rangiroa. The pilot skillfully set down the plane on the short runway and taxied to the airport building, which also looked more like a shed. Around thirty passengers got off and just as many got on again. Soon we were airborne again and twenty minutes later we descended on Tikehau. During the approach we saw how small this island with thousands of coconut palms is. It covers only 2.5 square kilometers of land but 461 square kilometers of atoll.

We unbuckled our seat belts, packed our things and got out. From here the plane flew back to Tahiti which is part of the Society Islands. We were picked up by Terava, the owner of the Airbnb, and – as is customary on all islands – donned with a garland made of white tiara flowers. We will forever associate its sweet scent with French Polynesia …

PS. It is custom on all islands that guests are welcomed with a flower garland and bid farewell with a shell necklace. It’s great that such customs have survived to this day!