Dans un précédent article, Cécile et Stéphane nous ont partagé leur parcours et leur expérience en tant than the former GO of Club Med. Their stories have plunged us into a world where work mixes with discovery and conviviality. But behind every mission hide unique and unexpected moments !
These two old GOs are talking, and this is not to displease us because today they tell us their travel anecdotes Most memorable, from funny situations to unlikely encounters, Magic Moments that make the life of G.O. unforgettable.
Most memorable moments
Can you tell us about one of your most memorable adventures on your trips with Club Med?
Cecile : There was one place left for the helicopter trip that would fly over Moorea and the boat. So I was lucky enough to board to see the sunset.
Stéphane : Arriving in Polynesia, I didn't know the team I was the last to be integrated. And when I arrived in my cabin, there was a U2 poster and I knew without having seen it, who it belonged to!! From then on, I knew who (among other things) I was going to work with and who was my cabin mate!
What is the greatest unforeseen or incident you have experienced during a trip, and how has this been resolved?
Stéphane : Between a storm in the Golf de Gascogne and a grounding on a sand bank in the Mediterranean with the direction Club Med Cruise on board, both cases were epic!
Have you ever had an unforgettable meeting or experience with a local or other traveller?
Cecile : Une famille brésilienne était venue passer une semaine à bord du bateau. Comme j’étais une des rares GO à parler portugais, j’ai pratiquement partagé tous mes repas avec eux, car en tant que GO nous devions manger à la table des GM (Gentils Membres, à savoir les passagers). À la fin du séjour, je faisais presque partie de leur famille.
Stéphane : There have been many, but giving colour pencils and paper to the children of Ureparapara in Vanuatu remains significant. A striking folklore with costumes like Club Med 2
Was there a time when you found yourself in a messy or unexpected situation?
Cecile : Un collègue GO m’a dit du mal d’une petite fille en surpoids à table… Il croyait que la maman ne comprenait pas le français, mais malheureusement pour lui, elle lui a répondu en français ! L’ambiance a été un peu tendue jusqu’à la fin du repas…
Or when we were at anchor and we were going down to wharf, we had the dirt! We were walking like we were drunk...
Stéphane : Yes, during an evening on land with the entire kitchen team and a delay in boarding for the departure of the boat, we were entitled to a salutation on the scale cut off by the captain and the village chief...
Tell us a fun or surprising anecdote related to a special event you organized for customers.
Stéphane : Un lâcher de pétales de roses par hélicoptère au-dessus de la piscine où les mariés donnaient leurs consentements.
What is the most memorable culinary memory you have brought back from one of your stays?
Cecile : Les langoustes grillées au barbecue au pique-nique de Bora Bora, je ne l’ai pas rapporté mais elles étaient mémorables !
Stéphane : Tahitian cuisine with huge tuna fishing by armament that asked us to cook it. And also the meeting with a master sushi, during an exceptional reception and the season with a Japanese cook.
What was the best sunrise or sunset you had the chance to see during your missions?
Cecile : They were all beautiful in Polynesia.
Stéphane : Bora-Bora during a leave (from CM2) in the village of Club Med
Can you share an experience where you were particularly surprised by local culture or traditions?
Cecile : Visiting a cannibal village in Vanuatu! I also bought a wooden fork for human meat, with 4 forks arranged in square to pull out the apparently threaded meat of man.
Stéphane : The Heiva, in Tahiti with the magnificent shows, the songs, music, costumes and the story that dances tell.
Was there a trip where you had a particularly funny or unexpected situation with your GO colleagues?
Cecile : Quand on m’a montré le costume que j’allais devoir porter pour interpréter Vampirella dans « La Salsa du Démon » avec ma copine qui devait jouer le rôle de la sorcière, on s’est enfilé une bouteille de rosé à table à 2 pour nous donner du courage.
Stéphane : The tour of Martinique including a hike with a fellow baker to the top of the Pelee mountain where we thought to see the sea and finally where the clouds hid this magnificent view...
Special moments
Tell us once you had the opportunity to celebrate a local party or event with the local community.
Cecile : Les fêtes du Heiva à Papeete, une grande fête locale où danses et rites ancestraux sont représentés.
What is the most beautiful landscape you have seen and which has marked you deeply?
Cecile : Bora Bora Island and Raongiroa Seabed (a real aquarium!)
Stéphane : Lors d’une journée OFF (très rare) en Martinique, j’ai vu les jardins de la Balata, les gorges de la falaise et le rocher du Diamant. Je dirais aussi l’île de Virgin Gorda ou Bora-Bora en congés lors de ma saison sur le CM2.
Do you have a story about a project or activity that you have organized that has worked particularly well or that has been a great success?
Cecile : The number « The Salsa of the Demon » where I was Vampirella... The number had been filmed and rebroadcast on the internal TV channel of the passenger cabins. And when I walked through the living rooms, they recognized me by saying, « Here's Vampirella! ». It was very embarrassing...
Stéphane : The celebration of Beaujolais new in restaurant entrance with French charcuteries and special breads, all during a cruise in the Pacific.
What is the most outmoded or incongruous situation you have encountered outside of Club Med, but which has had an impact on your experience?
Stéphane : Meet my future wife!
Is there a moment when you felt that everything that was going on around you was like a movie or a dream?
Cecile : Yes, one day the mission was to « permanent beach « . The goal was to accompany the GM to a privatized island, and I had a cooler with fresh water and a rescue kit + a walkie talkie to stay in touch with the boat. It turns out that on that day, GM preferred to go to excursions. So I was alone on a privatized island. And since I had not taken a swimsuit because at the base I was going to watch people, I bathed naked quietly in crystal water ... and then I thought « And say I'm paid for it! »
Stéphane : Every day aboard the 2 boats in a different place every day!
I hope this second article on the travel anecdotes of 2 former GO of Club Med will get you more. Don't hesitate to ask your questions in comment, I think they will be happy to answer them.
