Fakarava, French Polynesia: Coconut trees and breathtaking coral reefs

Where?

Fakarava, French Polynesia.

 

When?

November 2020, for 5 nights.
I would say if you only stay North, 5 nights are perfect. If you also sleep in the South, maybe take 6 nights.

TIPS:

What to pack?

• Passport

• Wallet. papers etc

• Earphones

• Snorkeling equipment

• Diving equipment (or you can rent it super easily, just bring your mask ideally). Don’t forget your diving journal!

• Light Wetsuit (I am personally always cold) or a t-shirt to protect your skin while in the water

• SwimsuitS

• Sun glasses + cap

• Ecofriendly sunscreen

• Books + a journal to write all your memories

• Pyjamas (+ sleeping mask + earplugs, up to you)

• Camera, Gopro, underwater equipment

• Waterproof bag

• A small bag to put in your everyday bag so you can pick up trash when going to the beach

• Toiletries (ideally eco friendly toothpaste, shampoo and body wash!)

• Mask + Gel (covid)

• If you have a buoy to go swimming and mark your location, perfect

• Monoi / coconut oil / Tamanu (best aftersun, you can by it there too)

• Anti mosquitoes

• Flip flops

• Sport outfit + shoes

• Medicines if you take any

• Super light clothes, it is super warm

• Waterproof jacket, it also rains sometimes, and it is super useful after diving to get warm

• One jacket/pullover for the evening or after diving

• Beach towels

• Water bottle (non plastic)

• All the cables you need for your phone/camera etc

• “Water shoes” to walk on dead reef, really practical!

Where to stay?

• Relais Marama: What a nice place!

Adorable bungalows, 1min walk to the ocean, 3min walk to the lagoon.
Delicious breakfast included.
Common area with a kitchen, so super practical to cook when needed (and to save some money!). common bathrooms (super clean, hot water, space etc).
Bikes at disposal!
Reasonable prices for Fakarava.
Free Wifi.
Manuiti and her boyfriend are just adorable, welcoming, super helpful.
I cannot recommend more this place <3

• Tetamanu village: Paradise at the south path

Gorgeous, right in front the South Pass, so ideal to dive.
A minimum of 2 nights and it is expensive (18000/night/pers but rates are decreasing, see website) BUT it is paradise, it includes the pick up and drop off to main island/airport, all the meals and daily activities.
Dives are at 7000CFP but I am sure you can lower it to 5000CFP and if not, Top Dive as an antenna there and will do a price of 5000CFP.

• Havaiki Lodge: Drink a coconut seating in the lagoon

If you have a bit more budget, you can stay at this hotel. The location is really nice and THE plus are the tables in the water ^^

Also, surprisingly, the restaurant for lunch has reasonable prices. It is called “Le snack du requin dormeur”. They have poke bowls, veggie nuggets and a veggie burger for example. I recommend the “moelleux au chocolat avec glace au tarot” and simply the “coco glacé”. The BIG PLUS: you can eat on the tables in the lagoon!
You often see Nurse sharks too!
Open 11am-2pm
They also have Happy Hours every night at their other restaurant, the “Meko Bar”, and the spot is perfect for sunset. Highly recommended. Cocktails around 1400CFP.

Where to eat?

Your hotel or fare will most probably give you a list of all the snacks. Ask them.

• I highly recommend “Le snack du requin dormeur”. They have poke bowls, veggie nuggets and a veggie burger for example. I recommend the “moelleux au chocolat avec glace au tarot” and simply the “coco glacé”. The BIG PLUS: you can eat on the tables in the lagoon!

• Snack Rotoava is in he city center, on the lagoon, and has cute lights at night.

• Snack Elda, a bit further but on the Lagoon too.

• Snack Korikori, same, a bit further but great spot on the lagoon.

• There is a pizza truck on the left after Snack Rotoava.

Good to know: The pizza truck and Snack Rotoava are OPEN on Sundays, even if their ads say the opposite.

What to do?

• Just chill by the ocean, by the lagoon, at your hotel. Live the Tahitian vibe! If you stay at Relais Marama, it is a very nice spot to just take your time.

• Take a bike an explore the island.
  You have 2 options from Rotoava village.
  Or you go NORTH, until PK10 (so it is 10km). At the very end you have the Pass, gorgeous. Right in front the PK9 landmark, when coming from the village, turn left and then you arrive on THE beach, with THE palm tree (the one on the pics). Schedule some time to go there, first for the bike (it will be 20k total), and then to just take the time to walk along this endless beach, it is breathtaking. Don’t forget to take a lot of water, sun protections AND a bag to pick up trash while you walk there. Also, there is a Marae at this spot so be mindful, respectful, and enjoy the vibe.

Or you go SOUTH, until PK15. Here there is an antenna, you can go even further but it is a dirt road and I do not think the bikes will appreciate. This is a more “monotonous” road and by the ocean and not the lagoon but you can stop all along the way to enjoy the natural pools created by the reef. Super relaxing.

• There are many excursions (“Blue lagoon”, “Green Lagoon”, “pink beach”). I did not do them because we already did one in Rangiroa and it is expensive. But ask at your hotel/Fare AND look online because prices vary.

• Chill at the Havaiki lodge, drink a coconut on the tables in the lagoon, tan, nap, read, wait for the happy hours to start and watch sunset. 3 afternoons in a row we just did nothing there (in the mornings we were doing a lot!).

• Watch shooting stars! Every night, if you lie down on ocean side, you can see insane stars and shooting stars. Amazing moment.

• Run along the ocean road. Nice run, almost no cars.

• The church in Rotoava Village is cute and colourful inside, take 5min to stop.

Diving:

• A dive is around 5000CFP. I recommend Dive Spirit and Top Dive.

• To go to the South Pass (highly recommended), prices are around 30000CFP. This includes 2 dives, lunch and transportation (it is almost an hour of boat back and forth). I Highly recommend to go with Dive Spirit, the team is super nice (and qualified!) and the lunch at Tetamanu Village is a dream. Take sun protection but also warm clothes for the boat.

South pass IS impressive for the number of sharks but do not imagine a “wall” of sharks if you do not go at the right season and at night. The corals are breathtaking in front of Tetamanu Village.

• North pass is also amazing. The number of marine species is impressive AND you have more chances to see Manta rays! The number of sharks was impressive too. If you can go to “Alibaba cave” it is a gorgeous spot (so many fishes and sharks).

Good to know:

• If you come from Rangiroa, seat on the RIGHT side. the views are insane.

• When you fly from Fakarava to Tahiti you most probably will stop in Rangiroa. For Faka - Rangiroa I recommend left side and for Rangiroa - Tahiti you choose: left side to see the atolls and later on Tahiti, right side if you want to fly over Moorea.

• Take a pick up form the airport. I think almost all the hotels/fare offer it

• In Rotoava Village, there are 3 groceries stores in the main village. 2 of them close at 05:30pm and one of then at 05:00pm so go on time for your shopping!
  Groceries stores are closed on Sundays.
  Groceries stores receive fresh vegetables and fruits on Wednesdays so best day to go groceries and take for the length of your stay at once!

• At the big shop in front of the school, they sell local Tamanu and coconut oil.

• Sunset spots:

  • Havaiki Lodge

• Just after the church, when you come from the school/town-hall, there is a phone cabin on your right. Here there is a small beach and it is a know spot to see nurse sharks!

• Grill Rotoava

• Anywhere facing the lagoon is an option to be honest, always beautiful

ENJOY!

Delhi + Agra

Hello everyone!

Many people ask me for all my tips about India.
I usually narrate a lot my trips and include a lot of pics but for time management reasons I will “just” give you all the tips and then I will advise google image ;)

So here it is for Delhi and Agra:

Delhi:

Where to eat?

Sly Granny: “expensive (5-7euros a dish) but amazingly good. It is in Khan Market so nice to mix it with some shopping
Perch: just in front of Sly Granny, delicious too.
Olive Bar and Kitchen: next to Qutub Minar. “Expensive” too and European but gorgeous and delicious.
United Coffee House: delicious Indian food.
The artful baker: amazing patisserie.
The bid chill bakery: SO many cakes and all amazing. There is one in Khan market.
The big chill creamery: for icecream. There is one in Khan Market.
Swiggy: to order food all the time from everywhere :)

What to do?

Ladhi Art district: beautiful graffitis. 
Khan Market: good for shopping 
Humayun's Tomb: gorgeous, especially early morning. One of my favourite place.
Red Fort: not my favourite thing so if you have time go there but not a priority
Lodhi Garden: peaceful and beautiful
Qutab Minar: nice to see but not a priority
Lotus Temple: nice to see because it is unusual
India Gate: iconic place and walk until the parliament building at the end of the boulevard. There is the Rashtrapati Bhavan there too.
Jama Masjid: incredible, something to see. Dress up appropriately.
Chandni Chowk: not to be missed. Crazy atmosphere and amazingly cheap shopping :)
Jantar Mantar: I loved it, I learnt so much ^^
ISKCON temple: go for chanting, crazy atmosphere
Agrasen ki Baoli: pass by
Gurudwara Bangla Sahib: go for a ceremony
Purana Qila: nice stroll but not the most important thing to see
Safdarjung's Tomb: another tomb, beautiful but Humayun’s tomb is better.
Akshardham temple: impressive “but” all new. It is unusual.
Anoukhi: I love this brand for shopping
If you want to run, adidas Runners Delhi has many events! (check the group on facebook)

Where to stay?

Jugaad Hostel: close to the airport
Zostel South: clean and renovated, close to the airport but far from all the rest.
Moustache: I did not go but this chain is often a good option.
In general, take a HOSTEL and not a hotel, for security reasons, to meet people and to have access to their tours :)

Transports:

Walking: the best to explore!
Uber: cheap but you have all the traffic.
Ola, often cheaper than uber, just compare. 
Subway: super cheap, clean and safe. There is even a women wagon. It is the best way to move in Delhi. 
Tuktuk: if you really have too but it is more expensive.

Agra:

How to go:

By train from Delhi

Where to stay:

Hotel Sidharta: clean, super nice staff, good food, 3min elk from the Taj

What to do:

The Taj Mahal: book you ticket online, go the earliest possible to be one of the first to enter and see sunrise there. Dress up properly.
Amber Fort: beautiful.
Mehtab Bagh: the gardens are not amazing but the view over the Taj is nice
Itmad-ud-Daula: I did not go but people recommended it
ONE FULL DAY IS ENOUGH

Ragnar Relay Wattenmeer

TIPS:

• How to get ready?

- Read the Ragnar Bible
- Define a captain and 2 co-captains.          
- Divide the responsabilities within all the team.
- Meet with the team several times to go through R&R and the next steps
- Order online all that is needed.
- Start packing early!
- create playlist for the van and your runs
 

• What to pack?

- WARM clothes for at night or to warm up after a rain (especially if rainy...)
- More running outfits than the number of your runs if ever you have to take the leg of a teammate or the weather changes.
- Cables / Plugs to charge sevral phones in the car
- Power banks
- Music booth
- Solar cream
- Cap
- Raining gear
- 2 running shoes (if wet or blisters)
- first aid (especially for cuts, burns, blisters)
- Mosquitoes spray
- Earplugs and sleeping mask
- Pillow
- confy hoodie/blanket/sleeping bag to sleep in the van
- FOOD: you will want to eat all the time almost to bring healthy and power food. 
I also prepared pasta in advance and I really appreciated it at 2am in the morning.
- water bottle
- earphones
- all the equipment required by the Ragnar Race: secutiry jackets, lights etc
- foam rolls / Compex / Voltarene / Tape
- things to decorate the van
- big trash bags for your used clothes
- "clothes wipes": to put with your used clothes to kill the smell
- toilet bag (the usual: deodorant, toothbrush etc)
- toilet paper
- cash
- running pouch/bag if long run

THE TRIP:

So... I’ve done 10km races, half-marathons, marathons... what next could I do? What challenge could I fing in y quest fo always doing something new? 🤔

Fortunately, one day a colleague of mine comes to my desk and ask me if I know about the "Ragnar Relay".
What is that? A 250km run, from Hamburg to the sea, 10 people, 2 vans, 24h.
I am... IN!
Wait... it's only 3 weeks before Berlin marathon. Ok, it's a perfect training then and it's ony an average of 25km per person.
Wait... it's not enough then... 😂
That's when my collegue tell me about the "super difficult leg of the race cold the Ragnar leg", a 16km run in the middle of nowhere at night.
Let's also mention that the crew then have is made of great people so it is decided: I will join! 

You need to know something before joining a Ragnar Relay: it’s a lot of preparation! (See rubric TIPS above).
Build the team, sign-ups, transport, rent the vans, book hotels, read the Ragnar Bible with all the rules, buy the equipment, calculate the paces etc etc.
AND we are lucky: in the team we are all sporty so we did not have to train for it.
But let’s say all of this is taking care of and it’s the day before the event, here is my journey:

DAY 1: on the way to the race.

It's Friday, I am home office so all week long I postponed the packing time to today... but things get super packed and when at last I look at the time I only have one hour left to get ready and pack! Thankfully, I had written done on my phone (another tip here!) a list of what to take so I go through the list and pack ASAP. 
I make it to the airpot more than on time (perks of leaving of Nuremberg: the airport is so small ^^) and meet with the team: we are READY!

The journey continues:
Plane ✅
S-Bahn ✅
Air bnb ✅
Bed ✅ 

DAY 2: let’s get started!

I wake up and look at the window: it is pouring rain...
We knew it (but I guess my brain did not want to accept the info when I packed so I am not equipped AT ALL) but we still had hope the weather channels would be wrong.
We pick up the vans, check out of the air bnb, go grocery shopping for the weekend and here we are: time to say bye to half of the team that will be in van 2 and meet us at the exchange point 1 in some hours.

Indeed here is the principle of the race: we are a team of 10 runners, divided in 2 vans. The first van starts and each runner has one “leg” to run one after the other (relay). The legs vary from 5k to 16k. At the end of the first 5 legs, van 1 meets van 2 with the 5 other runners in and  we give them the baton to continue the relay. They run their 5 legs and our role is to be at the meeting point 2, 5 legs later. Etc etc during 250km! From Hamburg to St Peter Ording.
Yeah, what an idea 😉

Btw, name of our team: Vicky the Viking and the limping Pirates!!!
(Don't ask, long story 😂)

So with my team (van 1) we head up to the start line near San Pauli in Hamburg.
It is still... POURING rain.
Whatever, we pick up the bibs and our first runner gets ready!

Once at the starting line, I realized that we are in the same wave as Midnight Runners, the Reebok French influencers and a team from AR Berlin! I am so happy to see all those faces. It really feels like a bid running family gathering ❤

It's 2pm: 3-2-1-GO! 
Our first runner

starts the relay

The start of the 24hours chrono!

Run 1 passes to runner 2, runner 3 passes to me 💪
I am runner 3. My first leg is a 5,4km at the exit of hamburg and along the sea towards the north. It is GORGEOUS and CLEARLY, all the rich people from Hamburg live here! Amazing houses with private garden on the sea.
I run my leg at marathon pace, under the rain… but well at least it is not cold.

I pass the baton and the race keeps on for 2 more legs and we need to drive to the first major exchange point with van 2.
We arrive there and we receive a text from our last runner: she is lost! Apparently, some people on the road gave her a false indication and she went 3km in the wrong direction. She is with a group of runner and they have to wait for the van to pick them up, drive them to where they dropped off the route and then run to us. We loose a good 45min but to be honest I do not take this adventure as a race so I don’t care, but shhhut 🤫😉
While we wait we decorate the vans and take pics, so all good!

At last we give the baton to the other team and we have approximately 2hours in front of us to drive to the next major exchange point and rest/eat.

It is pouring rain and I am FREEZING.
I did not planned at allthe right way my suitcase and I mainly have short and tanks...
But here again the running community is here and Gabriel from Midnight Runners lends me a warm sweter. It will save my adventure ^^.

I skip the diner so I can sleep in the van while the others go for food. It was much needed! 

Time flies and it is already time for our first runner to receive the baton from the last runner of the other van. We hug the team and already time to go.

My second leg is a 8k at 22pm. I am freezing but once I am out of the van and with the runners waiting for their relay I feel motivated. It is raining and windy so I am wearing all the time a gorgeous “kaway poncho”, you know the high quality poncho you can find almost everywhere for 2euros! 😂 I kind of create my own adidas x Alexander Wang style... 👌

The run is more challenging than I expected: in the middle of the fields, pitch darks, some fences to climb, SO windy because along the sea and no trees around. But weirdly enough, to run under the rain, to fix the light spot on the ground that my headlamp creates, to ear the wins... is kind of cradling… I like it!
The 8k goes really well and I pass the baton earlier than expected.

The rest of our legs goes well, we even take a ferry at one point! ^^

We make it to the second exchange point and wait for the last runner of van 2.

I don’t even know how many layers of t-shirts I have on me. All that I took in my suitcase and that was not already used for a run is on me!

I should launch my own running collection seriously...

DAY 3: I don't know anYmore what dry means...

We all have a short nap in the Van, then our first runner gets ready to receive the baton around  3am.
I eat my pasta at 2am because at 4 I will be up for a 16km. 
Team 2 arrives, the passation is done, hug to the team and time to go!

Run 1: done.
Runner 2: running.
So here I am… 4am and ready to go. We have a 45min delay all in all so I will start my run around 5am. The rain and wind are insane. I am crazy, I know, but actually I find it challenging and super rewarding to be outside running under those conditions. In my mind I am like “wtf MC, it is 5am in the morning, it is pouring rain and windy, you are in the middle of nowhere with a headlamp and you run 16km”. I love this feeling…

Apart from the rain (that actually stops around the 10th km!) the run is really nice, in the middle of Nature and thanks to our delay I witness the sunrise! 
I think it is my most memorable moment of the race, this sunrise in the middle of nowhere, with the headlamps of some other runners in the landscape behind me.

FINISHER! I finished the famous Ragnar Leg (most difficult of the race)! I even receive a special medal. I also finished my work for the Ragnar Relay all in all, I am done! 

We have 2 runners left and then our van is done! We made it!
We give the baton to van 2 to for them to finish the race. Once again I meet friends at the passation spot ❤

My team has some energy left and wants to “drive around”, personally, I eat my daily amount of porridge and fell asleep 😉

We then drive to St Peter Ording where the finish line is.
We even have the time to cheer on the last runner on van 2 beofre the finish line. Then we meet with the rest of Van 2 and we all wait for him to arrive.

We all run (or try to, he is so fast) with him the last 100m and here we are... FINISHERS!

Our captain gathers the medals and give them to us one by one, really nice moment AND the sun is shining.

It is then time to celebrat => Beer time! (Alcohol free for me, marathon prep is still on).
We chill at the finish line spot all together and I can see most of my friends in other teams arriving so it is so nice!
It is still early but we head for BURGERS in a closeby restaurant, Die Insel. The place is nice but I DO NOT recommend the veggie burger. It is a huge piece of cheese, way too fat and nothing elaborated.

Then we drive to our air bnb, 20min from the center, in the middle of nowhere (apart from thousands of sheeps) and in a former school! We even have bunkbeds in dorms, and eat in a canteen style, pretty fun.
But... there is NOTHING to do… The team is tired and happy about it but it is so painful for me to do nothing, I hate this… I do my best: I sort out the pics of the weekend, I expand my clothes outside, I call my parents etc etc, but then I cannot anymore and decide to go to bed at 8pm... Better to capitalize on sleep than to get bored.

DAY 4: Back to reality.

We all wake up in this old school: I have the feeling we will actually have classes! 
Breakfast all together and time to leave.
We drive first to Hamburg to give back one of the van and we have lunch at Froindlichst. SUPER nice. I recommend it: a vegan restaurant with so many choices!

Then direction Nuremberg!
Long ride but the stops are pretty fun with all of us stretching by the road. I am almost all the way plugged to my Compex 😂

At last we arrive at Nuremberg and time to say bye 😢

What an adventure... What I will remember:
-      The rain and wind
-      The proudness when running under this weather at night
-      The team <3
-      The meetings with the other teams at the exchange points and see all my friends from different teams and cities/countries
-      The finish line, trying to catch up with our last runner.

I would be definitely in for another Ragnar Relay BUT:
-      Ultra-team: 5 runners instead of 10
-      A place with no rain ^^
-      Pack better
 

So maybe another Ragnar Relay article next year! 🔥