Chris and Alla's Excellent Adventure (2024): 34b. Alla goes to Wallis Island…and back (TCC #298)

After our flight from Auckland to Nadi, Fiji, I went to International Departure to check in to Wallis and left Chris waiting for a ride to the Ideal Bed and Breakfast. I had taken off the bottom section of my backpack and Chris took that and my carryon with her to the B&B. The lady at the desk was a little confused by my round trip from Nadi to Wallis and back in the same day, but I did get the boarding passes.

Going through security was easy. I settled in and got a hamburger at Burger King where Coca Cola was served instead of Pepsi. I spent an hour going through and deleting all the past emails about the trip. I still have numerous Visa charges that I will keep to check when I get home. We can charge nearly everything on Visa, and that has worked out well.

I turned on cell roaming even though the airport has WiFi. I have been using Chris’ phone as a hot spot when needed. The AT&T international plan cost $12 a day, so I used it sparingly. Chris was at the Ideal and we communicated using WhatsApp while I waited for my flight.

The flight was on AirCalin, apparently a French airline. The plane was large and fairly new and was filled for the flight to Wallis. I had a window seat near the front. The lunch was a sandwich of cheese and garlicky mushrooms. I saved it for later since I had already had lunch. Of course, I fell asleep so the time went by quickly.

Wallis Island is part of Wallis and Futuna, a collection of islands affiliated with France. Geographically, there are three main volcanic islands, but in administration, there are two island groups: the Wallis Islands (Uvea) and the Futuna Islands. TCC has the entire collective as one of their official list of countries and territories, and we chose to go to Wallis rather than Futuna because it is larger and had more flight options. But the whole reason I am doing an out and back is because AirCalin reduced their schedule from twice a week to once a week and we could not stay for an entire week.

Since I was close to the front of the plane, I was in front of the line at customs. Now the fun began. On my departure card I did not have a hotel listed since I was returning to Nadi on the next flight. I showed my return boarding pass, but the customs guy was still confused and finally found an English speaking Security Guard. I had been standing there for about 20 minutes by this time.

After the Security Guard finally understood what I was doing, he wanted to take me to the departure lounge, but I explained to him that I needed to meet the manager of the hotel where we were originally going to be staying. We had already paid by wire for the hotel, and the best way for a refund was for him to meet me at the airport and give me the refund in cash. By that time I was told I had to go to the end of the customs line. That was another 20 minutes.

I finally got through customs and went outside where the manager located me by a photo Chris had sent him. We spoke to each other the best we could since he spoke French and I spoke English. He handed me an envelope with the refund in Euros. I thanked him and went to the departure lounge since I had been told I had to go directly to the lounge after I went outside. In other words I could not spend a little time outside to take a few photos. The lounge area was packed. Another full flight. When I left the departure gate and got to the stairs to the plane, the English speaking guard welcomed me and said goodbye and the attendants on the plane welcomed me back.

Again I had a window seat near the front. Another sandwich as before. I ate the earlier one and saved the other for later if needed.

Chris had decided to come to the airport to get me. There were a lot of passengers, and it took a long time going through Customs. I also needed to change the $200 Euros to Fiji dollars since the B&B and taxis took only cash. We finally got together and went to the taxi where Joe, the guide who had taken her on a bike tour earlier, was waiting to take us to our home for a couple of nights.