Adventures in Grocery Hunting

One of the things we genuinely love when travelling the world—especially for extended stays—is ditching the hotel life and moving into an Airbnb like we’re trying out for Local Life: The Budget Series.

I can already hear the gasps:“But… what about the room service? The daily towel swans? The buffet breakfast with pastries galore and ten types of tea

Yes, I love being pampered occasionally. Who doesn’t want someone else to fluff their pillows and slice their mango? But when you’re away for three months—or even three weeks—there’s something grounding and soul-settling about making your own toast. Even if it’s burnt. Even if it’s topped with Vegemite that customs officers around the globe eye suspiciously.

Yes, we’re those travellers. The ones who carry Vegemite in their carry-on like it’s an emotional support condiment.

Hunt & Gather (Suburban Edition)

So, while Rowdy hits the golf course to live his best retirement fantasy, I’m on the noble quest of hunting and gathering. Okay, fine—shopping. 

But it feels very primal when the footpath disappears and you’re walking beside a road that clearly wasn’t designed for pedestrians, hoping a car doesn’t nick your elbow.

Today’s target: the charmingly named Happy Market, just 600 metres away. I step out solo, feeling like Dora the Explorer but with more anxiety and SPF 50.

And let me tell you—those 600 metres? Not exactly a lazy stroll.
It was 600 metres at breakneck speed, sweat pouring off me as I dodged cars, motorbikes, and possibly the odd scooter gang. I must’ve looked like I was training for a low-budget action film: Mission: Grocery Impossible. If there had been a medal at the end, I’d have earned it purely on adrenaline and cardio alone.

 Cheese Mountains & Avocado Gold

Now let’s talk produce politics.

If you’re after camembert, brie, or a cheese with so much flavour it slaps you awake—no problem. This was a French colony, and they’ve clearly kept their dairy priorities straight. Every aisle looks like a scene from Ratatouille. There’s also an unsettling amount of really good pâté. Like, do people eat it for breakfast here? With a baguette instead of cereal? We might try it.

But tomatoes? Cheddar cheese? A ripe avocado that doesn’t require divine intervention? Not so easy.

The avocado drama deserves its own series. One man wanted 10,000 francs for one avo. That’s $15 AUD. For the price of a small pizza, I could get half an avocado. With no garlic bread.

Luckily, I eventually scored a couple from a roadside stand. I left them on the kitchen bench for two weeks, watching them like a science experiment. You know that feeling when you cut one open and brace for brown mush and broken dreams? But no! This one opened like a dream—buttery, bright, and the size of a small watermelon.

Worth the wait.

Fresh Fish or Fishy Fresh?

On today’s shopping list: fish for our poisson cru (the island version of ceviche, and officially my new obsession). Sadly, Happy Market didn’t live up to its name in the seafood department.

The question is: do I wait for Rowdy to come back with the car, or take a gamble on roadside fish from a man selling it out of plastic bags hanging in a tree in the sun?

It’s a no from me. I love adventure, but I draw the line at mystery fish with a side of potential food poisoning.

Baguettes, Glorious Baguettes

Fun fact: not all baguettes are created equal. Sure, they’re everywhere, but we’ve discovered that the best one on the island comes from the tiny convenience stall 300 metres from home. For just 60 francs (about 90 cents AUD), it’s crunchy perfection on the outside and warm clouds on the inside. I’m now emotionally attached to this baguette. If they stop baking it, I think Rowdy may spiral. (He always buys 2. One to bring home and one to eat on the way home!

We were thinking with all the great French bread, cheese, and wine that there should be some decent pastries available and then voila we stumble across one hidden behind an automatic pizza machine in a car park (I know, strange, and a story for another day) I wish it had stayed hidden because there right before our eyes is every fantastic French pastry you could want, dripping with cream, sugar, chocolate and calories. (Would it be unreasonable to have one of everything!) instead we choose one each, but the place is now on our map, and just like Arnold Schwarzenegger in Terminator “we will be back!”

 This is Why We Travel

Honestly, what I love most about DIY travel—beyond saving money and avoiding hotel buffets—is the daily unpredictability. 

You set out for tomatoes and come back with cheese you can’t pronounce, an avocado that could double as a bowling ball, and a fresh story to tell.

It’s not just shopping. 

It’s connecting with the culture, fumbling through conversations with no French and two words in Tahitian, with friendly locals, having a laugh, sampling new flavours, and learning the rhythm of a place. It’s feeling less like a tourist and more like a slightly confused resident.

French Polynesia has been all of that and more. The people? Warm and welcoming. The lifestyle? Relaxed and full of charm. And the food? Equal parts delicious and hilarious to source.

Who needs room service when you’ve got this kind of adventure?

Waaaay more to come. Hope you’re enjoying it as much as we are. 🙂

Would you buy fish (or anything else) from the side of the road while travelling?

Drop a comment—we want to know how brave (or hungry) you are!