After 18 months of planning, a 25-hour voyage on a French Navy vessel, four airplane trips, several taxis, five time zones, crossing the international dateline, and two stressful cyclone-filled days in Fiji, Steve has a visa to work with Singers Of United Lands 2010!
Steve arrived in Flint, Michigan on December 20. His final day of travel took more thank 12 hours on four planes: LA-Phoenix, Phoenix-Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh-Detroit, Detroit-Flint. (Don't ask about this last flight. We realize it doesn't make sense. The airlines would say, "read the fine print" to try to explain why this flight segment MUST be flown.
He missed his first of five flights to get from Suva, Fiji to Detroit. It's a long story, but Air Pacific changed the departure of this first flight from 9:15pm to 7:00pm and didn't even try to contact Steve to tell him. So when he got to the airport at 7:30pm, of course he had missed his flight.
SPECIAL THANKS:
Sylvia LaPratt- French to English Translator
Mareine Moskovitz- Steve's L.A. Hostess and President, Friends of Tahiti in Los Angeles
Suzie Yee Shaw- Hostess in Suva, Fiji at The Colonial Lodge
Joyce Lala-Camillo- Reservations Manager of Holiday Inn Suva, Fiji
Captain Bruno Deméocq- French Naval Attaché in Washington DC
Admiral Jean-Louis- Commander of French Forces in French Polynesia
Mayor Puanainai- Primary contact and supporter of Steve on Rapa Iti Island
Pat Andrews- Case Worker in the office of US Representative John Dingell
Steve Angia will join S.O.U.L. 2010. Steve lives in Ahurei, Rapa Iti Island (French Polynesian territory) in a remote part of the Pacific Ocean. He has a French Passport and is therefore technically a citizen of the European Union. As a French Passport holder, he does not need a US Visa to visit the USA as long as his visit will be less than 90 days. However, S.O.U.L. needs Steve for a five-month tour. Unfortunately, any resident of French Polynesia who needs a US Visa must apply for this visa in Fiji.
The only somewhat logical option to travel from French Polynesia to Fiji is, ironically, through Los Angeles. (If you are familiar with GoogleEarth, mapquest, or a globe, I encourage you to spend a couple of minutes finding these locations to imagine this 12-day journey that Steve will take to get from Ahurei to Dearborn.)
Steve's Itinerary...
Dec. 6:
25-hour Boat Trip on the French Navy's "La Railleuse" (see photo) from Rapa Iti to Raivavae.
Dec. 7:
2-hour Plane Trip (Raivavae Island to Tahiti Island)
Taxi (to Host Home for 3 nights)
Dec. 10:
Taxi (to Tahiti airport)
8-hour Plane Trip (Tahiti Island to Los Angeles)
Dec. 11:
1-hour Shuttle Ride (to Host Home for 1 night)
Dec. 12:
1-hour Shuttle Ride (to Los Angeles airport)
12-hour Plane Trip (Los Angeles to Nadi, Fiji)
Dec. 14.:
30-minute Plane Trip (Nadi, Fiji to Nausori, Fiji)
30-minute Taxi (Nausori airport to Hostel)
10-minute Taxi (Hostel to Fiji Post Office to pay for Visa Application)
10-minute Taxi (Post Office to US Embassy)
10-minute Taxi (US Embassy to Hostel for 3 nights)
Dec. 17:
Was SUPPOSED to take the following itinerary, but was delayed two days (airline error).
30-minute Taxi (Hostel to Nausori airport)
30-minute Plane Trip (Nausori, Fiji to Nadi, Fiji)
9-hour Plane Trip (Nadi, Fiji to Los Angeles)
Dec. 19:
1-hour Plane Trip (L.A. to Phoenix)
4-hour Plane Trip (Phoenix to Pittsburgh)
Dec. 20:
1-hour Plane Trip (Pittsburgh to Detroit)
40-minute Plane Trip (Detroit to Flint)
1-hour Drive (Flint to Dearborn)
Planes: 10
Boats: 1
Taxis: 9
Shuttles: 4