Last week I had the pleasure of getting to know Gaelle and Henry two tourists from Wallis and Futuna visiting Kiribati. Thanks to them I have discovered that Wallis and Futuna is a French overseas collectivity, it seems that I am worse in geography than I thought.
This nice couple was blocked on the island because there was a hole on the airport runway and no plane could land as long as the runway wasn’t fixed. The problem is that there are only 2 flights a week-end between Fiji and Tarawa and there is even less flight between Fiji and Wallis (one a week). Moreover Air Kiribati which is in charge of the runway was forbidding planes to land, the planes from Air Fiji couldn’t come to the island anymore and the couple had to take a flight from Air Calin to Wallis; who was responsible for what? As long as they were in Tarawa, Air Kiribati would take care of their accommodation but once in Fiji who would pay for the hotel bill as they were waiting for their flight with Air Calin? As Air Kiribati only flies to Kiribati’s islands, they have no office in Fiji for my Wallisian friends to go ask questions. Of course other people were blocked on the island but their bill would be paid by their companies as they were not tourists.
Gaelle is one of the 5 physiotherapists of Wallis and Henry is a teacher at the agricultural high school. He used to be a farmer and travelled a lot in Africa as a French aid worker, they met in Chad were she was working for an ONG. We spent the week talking about the different things we have seen in the world, it was great to share experiences. I didn’t ask them why they decided to settle down in Wallis after so many travels, maybe they needed to be in a quiet place after seeing so much of the world. I wonder if it is a feeling I will have when I stop travelling.
The runway was finally available a full week after being broken and they went to Fiji to wait for their next flight. I have to admit: waiting for a plane in Fiji is much better than waiting for a plane in Kiribati.
What exactly is the purpose of your visit Mr Iam nowhere?
ReplyDeleteIt seems like you are blind. Can't you tell the difference between Kiribati and Fiji? Kiribati has limited resources and it tries to cope with the international standard. Please open your eyes wide and then write.
Thank you
Where in this post do i make a comparison between Fiji and Kiribati?
ReplyDeleteCould you please explain to me why i would have to open my eyes wide? I am merely explaining a complex situation that some travelers face.
I suggest you actually open your eyes wide and reread this post.