My first task in Tahiti: Hitchhike to where I'd be staying for the next 5 weeks.
I began to walk down the one road that skirts the perimeter of the island. Since there are steep mountains occupying the center, there's pretty much one main road that encircles both the big island (Tahiti Nui) and the connected, smaller island (Tahiti iti). I needed to make my way from Papeete all the way to tiny Teahupo'o. The sun hasn't fully risen at this point and I've been walking for about 10 minutes with my two rolling suitcases and a backpack. Every block or so I come across a good spot to stick out my hand with my thumb raised proudly. I hope that the approaching car will see my friendly face and decide to give an eager traveler a lift.
In the back of my mind I'm very much aware that I have no wifi signal, meaning I'm virtually unable to connect to anyone if this whole hitchhiking thing were to go... badly. I have no choice but to put my full faith in the good of humanity and trust that I will get there safely.
I was standing in the same spot for less than 5 minutes when I see a small white pickup truck traveling in the opposite direction that I need to be heading. He turns around and pulls up next to me. Ok, now this is when I'm supposed to say hello and politely ask if he can take me to Teahupo'o... in French. My brain short circuits and I just sputter out "Teahupo'o...?" He tilts his head like he doesn't quite understand. I was under the impression that Teahupo'o is very well-known, being that it's home to the wave that brings in all of the pro surfers each year. So I was kind of surprised that he didn't immediately recognize the name. After I repeated the name a couple more times he understood and said that it was a far drive but he'd take me as far as he could. (Remember he was heading the other way when he turned around and offered me a ride.) I say "Merci, merci" suddenly remembering some basic French.
I load up my suitcases in the bed of the truck and hug my backpack like a baby with me. I actually never got the man's name, which is a perfect example of how my social skills can sometimes fail me. We realize that he can speak English better than I can speak French, which still wasn't much help for understanding each other. I'm back to playing charades with the locals. I learn that he is a farmer who grows tomatoes. He has a young son with a wife (or maybe ex-wife, after he described how his relationship with her was a... struggle.) I can't say I was very surprised when he tested the waters with me and pulled out a joint. He graciously offered me a toke but I had to decline. I wasn't about to impair my judgment while hitchhiking through a country that I was visiting for the first time. Talk about paranoia overload. He smiled and asked if it was ok with me that he smoked some. I didn't mind, I mean he's the one giving me a ride. I guess greedily I figured he'd drive me further if he was a little stoned.
Now that I feel like I've gotten the chance to get to know him- or about as well and one could expect during a short drive with a stranger. I feel myself relax a little and I find that I can't stop looking out of the window. The morning sky is colored in bright pinks and purples with the perfectly white puffy clouds hovering above the ocean. All of that time I spent googling images of Tahiti and here I am. I'm in a car with a Tahitian, I've got the warm, glassy South Pacific Ocean on my right and steep, lusciously green mountains that break through the clouds on my left. I am a kid in a candy store.
After driving me for a whole 45 minutes (in the opposite direction that he was first traveling!!! )the friendly man turns to me and lets me know that this is as far as he can take me. I thank him many times and get out of the truck. As I'm grabbing my luggage he tells me to be careful of others who may stop to give me a ride. He said to be sure they aren't drinking, and if they are just tell them to go ahead without you. I smile because this is coming from the guy who smoked a joint while driving, but he was being genuine and I really appreciated it. He offered me the entire bag of his pork rinds which I had to vehemently decline. He wouldn't let up so I ended up taking a couple for the road.
He dropped me off at a really nice spot actually. It was a spot meant for tourists to pull over and enjoy the view so I decided to take a few minutes in the serene beauty before hustling for another ride.
This time it only took me a whopping 5 minutes before another very nice man in a pickup pulled over to give me a lift. He was extremely quiet, I assumed he didn't know much English if any at all. So I said the magic word (...Teahupo'o of course) and he nodded with a smile. I threw my luggage in the back and I was on my way again. His driving was not as timid as his personality. This guy had the tires almost squealing around the hairpin turns. After a short 30 minute drive I find myself at the end of the road. Literally, the main road ends at Teahupo'o. He drops me off in the parking lot and I look around for the footbridge. I smile with the site of the bridge and start dragging my suitcases through the black sand and rocks, I couldn't careless about damage or dirt.
I love it when I travel somewhere for the first time and I know that I'll always look back at that moment as "the first time". The sense of excitement and anticipation I felt the first time crossing that bridge will always hold a special place in my heart.