In the Middle of the Pacific!!!

 Saturday, August 11

Up bright and early, bags packed and repacked, breakfast eaten (baguette and cheese, of course) and we headed off to board the Aranui at 8am. We were grateful to Beni, our hotel host for providing transportation. Although we left one suitcase at Hotel Suisse, no one could accuse Jim and I of travelling light.

As we departed Beni’s van, there on a high deck were Barb and John Hurst. It was a bit of déjà vu because we last saw them a year ago in Reykjavik, Iceland and they greeted us from the deck of a cruise ship that time too.

Before many minutes passed, Sue and David and Jim and I were onboard the Aranui and hugs were shared all round. Following the necessary check-in procedure, we went straight to our cabins and were delighted in the size, the design, the cleanliness and the fact that we have narrow French doors that open to the outside. Ahhh, fresh air and great views. We wandered the ship a bit and all ended up in Susan and David’s cabin where the conversation was a bit congested as we all tried to talk at once.

We were also able to watch the final preparations for sailing. Since the Aranui is a combination freighter and cruise ship, we were most interested in watching the loading of the cargo using two very large cranes that are visibie from David and Susan’s cabin. Small boats, a front end loader and even a jeep were lifted on board and lowered into the hold of this ship.

Passengers were all invited to a welcome reception on the deck above the pool and treated to a presentation by a Polynesian drum and dance troupe. Tattoos abound on the scantily clad bodies of both men and women. Native costumes featured grass, flowers and shells as adornments.

And finally we set sail!! A pilot guided us through the busy Papeete harbor and left us we entered the Pacific Ocean. We sailed past Moorea, our home last week, and soon left land behind.

Lunch was served and if this meal is any indication, we are going to be very happy with the quality and variety of the food we will eat.

Events of the day included a safety drill in which we all tried on our lifevests and learned the procedure for fire, lifeboats and medical emergencies. I was pleased to not their commitment to safety on board this ship. There was some time in the afternoon to get settled and unpacked. Jim and I even had a few minutes for a nap on our ‘new bed’. And just before dinner, Jorge, one of th cruise employees, made a presentation about Life on Board the Aranui, followed by describing the plans for tomorrow. We were going to trave through open water all through the night and disembark at Fakarava Island, one of many islands in the Tuamotu Islands. It was going to be exciting to go ashore and explore this tiny and remote island when we arrived.

Sunday, August 12

When dark fell last night, we were in open water with not a speck of land within sight. We travelled all through the night and were thrilled to wake up to the view of Fakarava Island right out our window. This island was formed millions of years ago by and underwater volcano that erupted. Over time the caldera of the volcano has filled with water and is now a lagoon surrounded by tiny strips of land with occasional breaks through which ships can pass. The mountaintop has disappeared and the island itself is less than 1/2 kilometer wide. As global warming continues and water levels in oceans and lakes rise, this island and others in the Tuamotu archipalego are in geat danger of disappearing back into the sea forever.

After breakfast, we disembarked the Aranui by tender and had about 2 hours to explore the landscape of the island. The others in our group decided on a longer walk to the lighthouse but Jim and I preferred to remain close to town. We located the school, the administrative buildings, a small market and the post office. All these services were within a two block radius from the peer. We admired the beautiful flowers in private gardens and took pictures of the array of coconut palms. Dried coconut meat and coire, the exterior shell of a coconut which can be transformed into sturdy carpets and other products.

We walked across the island to see the ocean view, We were struck by the enormity of this body of water and really how little land is within it. The beach in this area is strewn with old coral pieces which made for interesting picture-taking.

We explored an old cemetery, came upon what appears to be a crumbling memorial.

We returned to the lagoon shore and wandered through the little market that had been set up expressly for us, the cruise passengers. Seashell jewellery was abundant and some of it was actually quite striking. Black pearls were abundant with several vendors offering their pearls. There are at least three black pearl fams in the island lagoon. Lots of pearls are produced there although the highest quality pearls are sold for export..

We walked down the paved road to the Catholic Church about 30 minutes before the service was to begin. Worshippers had already started to gather and beautiful music poured out of the church and filled the air with song. As on other south Pacific islands, the residents of Fakarava could produce 4 part harmony music without benefit of a musical score. It was beautiful to listen to.

All too soon our time of Fakarava was over and we tendered back to the ship. It had been an early morning and we were back on board and on our way again by about 10 am. It was already a hot day so a cool swim in the fresh water on board pool was very refreshing indeed.

The rest of this day was unstructured for the most part as the ship continued its journey north toward the Marquesas Islands, our next destination. It is a long way because we will be travelling for 2 days and 2 nights before we arrive at our next island.

Lunch and dinner were delicious; my afternoon nap luxurious; and the Polynesian dance lesson just plain fun. I look forward to another lesson tomorrow.

Monday, August 13

This was our day at sea. The Marquesas Islands are a l – o – n – g  way from Fakarava and even further from Tahiti. It is difficult to imagine living in such a remote location with so few people around and no where to go, even for a weekend. Many of these small islands do not even have an airport and are totally dependent on the Aranui and other watercraft to transport goods to them or to take the off the island to get anywhere else. This lifestyle takes isolation to a whole new level. More about that in later journal entries though.

I have to say right away that the size of the Pacific Ocean is absolutely amazing and humbling. We have already travelled for 36 hours at a fair speed across calm waters and we are still at least 10 hours from our destination. And along the way we have seen not a single spot of land!

After breakfast this morning, Victoria , an archeologist with specific knowledge about French Polynesian history and culture, presented an introductory lecture for the Aranui passengers. While much of what she spoke about was a bit dry (it will be more meaningful once we have seen the islands), the statistics she shared about the size of French Polynesia and its land mass were startling. For instance, the entire land mass of all the islands in French Polynesia, if compressed together, would fit in a space about 1/3 the size of the state of Connecticut. You probably do not even have to look at a map to realize just how small an area that would be. And the area of the Pacific that they occupy is less than 10 % of the entire ocean. I walked around our ship today marveling at how small we are in this vast body of water and how we are trusting our captain and crew to get us safely to our destinations. Early explorers were indeed brave souls as they headed out in wooden ships with little navigational knowledge, save the sun and stars, to seek destinations they had only heard about. What high risk voyages those were and how remarkable it was that any of them were successful.

After the archeology lecture, I chose to go for another swim in the pool on board.  Others in our group participated in a hat weaving workshop, in which long tropical leaves are used to create fresh green headwear. It is said that a Polynesian person can create one of these hats in less than 10 minutes with one hand tied behind their back. Watching the non-Polynesians take on the challenge of learning this craft made me very happy that I was floating in the lovely pool water under the blue sky with not a care in the world. As I got out of the pool and sat on the ship’s deck to dry off, I did take note of some pretty peculiar hats that had been created. I guess it does take some practice to create a thing of beauty.

Lunch, another delicious meal, was followed by a second presentation, this one given by the cruise director who provided very detailed information about the excursions that we will have available as we visit a number of the Marquesan islands. Once again, a great deal of detailed information was shared without much context. Each day will take on its own character as we visit the islands that were described.

Tomorrow we will visit Nuku Hiva, the first of the Marquesas Islands that we will visit. A hike, a jeep ride and a delicious-sounding lunch all lie ahead.

There was a moment this afternoon when we wondered if we were going to make it safely to land (kind of ironic given that I was thinking about the perils of earlier journeys this very morning). Our group of 6 was sitting in a cabin enjoying a beverage of choice when the ship seemed to change direction and then simply stopped moving forward. The engine was ominously silent. As we watched through the cabin windows, checking David’s compass to ensure that our sense of direction was accurate, the captain made an announcement throughout the ship. All announcements are first made in French, followed by English. Sometimes we can decipher the French and sometimes not. This time we understood that there was a problem and that the captain hoped to have it solved and be underway in about 15 minutes. During the English announcement did not add a single detail to that information.

So, we calmly drank our beverages and reflected about being afloat in the midst of this vast ocean. Since no alarm was sounded, we held firm to the stance that all would be well. Really, what other choice did we have? In due course, about fifteen minutes later, the engine started again and the captain corrected the direction of the ship and we continued on our journey. However, we were asked if we would mind rescheduling our trip to the bridge of the ship to another day. 

Following dinner and our emerging practice of moving to the lounge for a cup of tea after each meal, Barb and Sue and I made our way to the video room on A Deck to participate in our second Polynesian dance class. The young man who is instructing the class makes it all look so easy – just move your hips but not your shoulders, move your arms so they tell a story (he demonstrates) and then put it all to music. No problem!!! But it is gracious dancing (at least, the way he does it) and it is also lots of fun.

Today the clocks moved ahead by 30 minutes so tomorrow morning will start even earlier. 6:30 breakfast and 7 am disembarkaction. I guess it is time to close our eyes to another day and gently roll side to side into slumber.

Night, all.

Tuesday, August 14

At last we can see land!! The island we will visit today is called Nuku Hiva, one of the Outer Marquesan Islands approximately 1400 kilometres north of Tahiti. We slept much better last night, having become accustomed to the gentle rocking and rolling of the ship as it travels. So we were ready to go exploring!

We landed at the peer at Taiohae which was bustling with activity. The Aranui not only brings passengers to support the tourist trade but it also brings cargo for the residents. It seemed like every vehicle on the island was at the peer. Some of the residents were there to collect cargo; some were there to distribute merchandise from large shipping containers; some were there simply to watch the action (or so it seemed) and some were there to collect the Aranui passengers and take them to town.

There were really two options to get to the centre of town, about 2 kilometres from the peer. One was to walk along the coastal road and the other was to ride in a very quaint school bus. We opted for the school bus which was a long bus with open windows with 3 long boards for seating. One board was attached to each side of the bus and the third formed a bench right down the middle. By the time we got onto the bus, the only space available was on the middle bench. The roads in Taiohae were not in good repair and the bus lurched from pothole to pothole as it made its way toward town. My right hand became very well acquainted with a gentleman’s right knee as a means of remaining on the seat rather than landing on the floor.

In Taiohae, we were able to visit the small fruit and vegetable market and the larger handicraft market before commencing on our tour of the island. I was thrilled to find fresh local bananas in the market and have been enjoying them in our room ever since.

We then joined Hursts and Morgans and crowded into a 6 passenger jeep as a means of transport for the rest of the day. It was quite a parade of jeeps that travelled through the countryside carrying the Aranui passengers from place to place.

The topography is mountainous and the population is sparse on this island. The roads were rugged and narrow, meandering up and up and up the mountainsides requiring treacherous hairpin turns and tight curves around corners with plunging cliffsides. We asked our driver how often the roads got repaired and his immediate and emphatic response was, “Jamais!” “Never!” We all laughed …. And held onto the armrests even more tightly!

Our first stop was the ruins of an ancient indigenous village, Tohua Kamuihei. It saddened us to learn that most of the history of this place was lost due to one European governor who, during his tenure on this island, banished all native culture and language.  By the time, he was replaced and the next leader reversed that attitude, much memory was lost and there is no written language record. Nonetheless, archeologists have done a great job of researching the site and restoring at least some of it to its original form. Large signboards describe the process of restoration and provide detailed information about the customs of the village. One significant feature of this place is an enormous banyan tree, with a circumference of 60 metres and a diameter of 15 metres. It was magnificent. The earth below the tree served as a perfect platform for a dance presentation by some local Nuku Hivan men. Their deep voices and their rigorous dance routines were magical to watch.

Our next stop was the village of Baignade. It only took 45 minutes by jeep to reach the village that was less than 10 kilometres away. More hairpin turns, treacherous curves and steep slopes punctuated the trip. We were rewarded with breathtaking views and many Kodak moments along the way

Baignade is a tiny village, literally located at the end of the road. A pleasant black sand beach is an attractive feature for bathers. And Chez Yvonne is the restaurant known throughout the Marquesan Islands for its delicious local fare. Yvonne is a 70-ish year old woman who established the restaurant many years ago. She has also become the mayor of this part of the island and her work in that capacity are quite evident in the quality of the town road, the street lights, the park benches etc.

Chez Yvonne had prepared a traditional feast for us. We tasted taro, wild banana, red banana, two forms of breadfruit, poisson cru (raw tuna salad – delicious!!) and smoked pork which had been prepared by cooking 3 young pigs in an underearth oven. No one left the table hungry!!

After lunch, we relaxed for a short while in front of the beach before heading back across the treacherous roads to rejoin our ship. We had a more communicative driver on the way back and he was quite happy to indulge our questions (even if they were stated in poor French). We made a pretty good effort in understanding the answers and generally enjoyed the journey a great deal.

A swim when back on board took the dust and heat away and we settled in for a relaxing Bloody Caesar (yes – Jim and I brought all the necessary ingredients to share this Canadian treat with our Australian friends), another delicious ship dinner and our now habitual cup of tea in the lounge.

Another early start awaits us tomorrow so it was early to bed.

Wednesday, August 15

Overnight, the Aranui transported us to another Marquesan island, this time Ua Huka Island. The entire population of the island is 570 people. It is quite tiny but a totally different landscape than yesterday’s well forested Nuku Hiva. Ua Huka is a dry island with quite a barren landscape. Like other nearby islands, it was formed from a volcano but rather than a crater in the middle, on Ua Huka, there is a large flat plateau. Dry grass covers the landscape with few other natural plants. Throughout French Polynesia, people take great pride in their homes and gardens so there are some beautiful gardens, brilliant with blossoms around homes.

We were also happy to see some animals and birds on this island. Horses and goats roam freely throughout the landscape. And roosters and chickens, of course.

As we found yesterday, the dock at Vaipae, where we landed, was bustling with activity. There was a delicious smelling barbeque underway and many people were purchasing take-away packages of meat, noodles and vegetables. Cargo from the ship had been brought to shore and distribution was underway. And, of course, 200 cruise passengers and enough jeeps to transport us around the island also added to the party-like atmosphere.

We were to sort ourselves into groups of 4 and hop into a jeep. One of the drivers stood out in the crowd, an attractive, tall, slim transvestite. I decided immediately that we could have an interesting day on the island and in the jeep, so we rounded up 2 other passengers (New Zealanders) and climbed into her vehicle. She introduced herself as Vicky and soon proved herself to be a very competent driver and a great conversationalist. She was patient with my broken French and we managed to have several good conversations as the day progressed. I enjoyed her company enough to have a photo taken along the way.

Upon leaving the peer, our first stop today was the village of Vaipae. A few neatly maintained homes, a town office complex, a handicraft shop and a wonderful little museum was the main part of the town. Upon our arrival, we were each given a necklace made of local seeds. And a group of local people shared some of their dances and music with us. Of course, we delighted in browsing the handicrafts. But the museum was the best thing in town. It was filled with local artifacts that told the story of life across the ages in Ua Huka. Replicas of boats, fish hooks, cooking tools, containers, housing, weapons etc were displayed in a tiny building. It was difficult to move around in the crowd yet totally fascinating to look at the items on display.

Following our visit to Vaipae, we travelled by jeep with Vicky to a botanical garden. It has one of the largest collections of tropical fruit trees anywhere in the world. It seems that the intent is to find fruits that will flourish in the dry climate of Ua Huka. Some have been very successful and others have not. Coconuts and bananas are prolific here and used as a staple in the local diet as well as for export.

Another jeep ride across the plateau took us to a breathtaking look-out over the ocean and then to another small town for lunch. Of course, before lunch we had the opportunity to explore their handicrafts and Jim and I did indulge ourselves a bit at this shop.

Lunch “Chex Celine Fournier” in Hane was a feast extraordinaire!! Local dishes prevailed …. Poisson cru, goat with vegetables, barbequed chicken, roasted pork and goat, red bananas, plantain, vegetable salad, and rice …. All served buffet style. What a feast!! The table was decorated with colourful flowers as usual. I was lovely and delicious too. (A side note is that Celine, the proprietor is our driver, Vicky’s. grandmother.)

After lunch, Vicky took us down to the local beach where a whale boat was waiting for us to return us to the Aranui. I am appreciating more and more the skill and confidence of the boatmen on this cruise as they support and guide nervous passengers up and down gangways and on and off tenders and whaleboats to get us to and from land. All I have to do is trust them ….. and they tell me they have not lost anyone yet. Just give them my hands and have faith!

A lovely late afternoon swim followed by an exquisite sunset accompanying drinks with friends has brought us to dinner time.

We shared dinner tonight with Daniel and Rachel, a young couple from Switzerland, who are celebrating their third anniversary aboard the Aranui. They are a remarkable young couple (he is a dentist and she is a doctor), fluent in at least 3 languages and skilled in all sorts of useful ways to make travelling fun. We had a lively conversation over dinner with an Australian couple, s New Zealand woman and Daniel and Rachel. The meal culminated with a Polynesian band serenading the table and giving them a beautiful chocolate anniversary cake.

Later this evening, a film about wood carving in the Marquesas Islands was shown in the lounge. We were disappointed to miss most of it because we were enjoying our dessert.

Another day has come to an end and a plan is already emerging for tomorrow.

Time to get some rest.

More Moorea Photos

 Incredible seascapes.

 Overlooking the coral reef from  tropical garden.

 A very rugged road ... but we made it.

 Fresh fruit grown on the island.

 Amazing views.

 Our home away from home, a little piece of paradise.

The Tiki Cultural Show.

More about Moorea

Monday, August 6

This morning began early, as most mornings do for us here. Daylight comes about 6 am although the sun does not rise over the mountaintops until about 7. Nevertheless, we are up and about just after 6, enjoying the early morning colours in the sky, the gentle lapping of the water in front of our Bangalore and the cool, quiet of the morning. It is a great time to catch up on diary writing or photograph indexing since the rest of the day will be filled with activity and conversation. Today, the fluffy clouds in the sky reflect a soft pink hue and the vast ocean before us is smooth and calm.

Moorea is surrounded by a coral reef which calms the waves before they find land. There are 17 navigational entrances around this island.  As the tide goes up and down, the coral beds lie in shallow water. Boat captains are universally cautious when moving about inside the reef. Not far from here, there is visible evidence that the coral will conquer even large ships that venture off course.

One of the great treats of the early morning is sitting along the edge of the water and watching the many and varied fish dart in and out of the crevasses and cubbyholes created by the strange shapes of the coral. The colours in the coral abound, generally soft and subtle, yet clearly varied with pinks, greens, whites and greys. There is at least one patch of vivid red that stands out in the morning light. Many of the fish we see here are familiar from other tropical reefs but we have also seen some new varieties. One particular fish has geometric patterns of turquoise blue along his back as well as stripes of red. Quite striking! We have also seen a small ray, black with white dots pass through ‘our’ coral reef. The other creature that captures our interest and fascination is the small octopus that lives close to the shore. We have seen him move among the coral, tucking his tentacles into holes in search of something, all 8 of them simultaneously. He the draws that all together near his body and very deftly moves across the sand and coral to a new location. This octopus changes colour frequently and almost instantly, camouflaging himself quite readily, even from those of us who are watching him closely. He is a remarkable creature.

Another early morning sound is the crow of the many roosters who live on the island. Cock-a-doodle-doo is not limited to the early morning, as their voices rise throughout the day. But they do seem to sleep when it is dark and we get a respite from their presence. They rise early each morning and each day there is a gentle cock fight that unfolds in front of our Bangalore. Neither birde gets hurt but it is clearly a feature of the determination of dominance and, I supect, prominence among the hens.

We have rented a car and have several short partial daytrips planned for the balance of this week. One such trip occurred today, simply a leisurely drive around the island. There is only one road and it hugs the seashore for its entire 60 kilometres. We knew we could enjoy this drive and be back at the resort for a late afternoon snorkel. Boy, we were mistaken!!! In fact, we made it less than half way around in the entire driving day, a lowly 25 kilometres in total, … and finally turned around and covered the same road back to the resort as we had already travelled.  We really laughed at ourselves and our inability to cover any distance at all.

No, it was not because of any trouble or mishaps. It was simply due to the fact that the inquiring minds of 4 curious people required frequent stops along the way to explore the culture, the history, the industry, the vegetation, the seashore etc etc. And don’t discount the number of ‘Kodak’ moments that took precedence over forward movement.

Our first stop was a fruit juice factory where tropical fruit was processed into pure juice, juice punch (that meant it has rum in the mix) and fruit liqueurs. There were tastings, of course, and opportunities to purchase their products. We simply purchased pure pineapple juice but we enjoyed tasting a variety of samples. Next stop was a beautiful tropical garden atop a high plateau with amazing seaviews. The garden was beautiful but the main focus of our interest was the vanilla plants that were grown here. Tahitian vanilla is a hybrid which requires manual pollination. It housed in a greenhouse, mostly made of a gauzy fabric, to protect it from outside influences. It was interesting to see each plant growing up a pole, sporting both tiny white blossoms and long, slender vanilla beans. The highlight of this visit though was the homemade ice cream, flavoured with real vanilla and fresh coconut. Yum!!!

The next planned stop (lots of unplanned stops punctuated the day as well) was to see a church that was originally constructed in the 1700’s, the oldest European structure remaining on Moorea. This church has been rebuilt since then but some of the original stones used for construction remain visible.

And then, it was lunchtime. The ever present baguette, cheese and fresh fruit were carried down to one of the most exquisite beaches we have ever been on. Pure silky sand lay underfoot as aquamarine water spilled gently onto the shore. Palm trees provided a shady respite from the hot sun and a grassy knoll became our seat. It was truly idyllic.

Water sports of all kinds were available. It was fun to watch the snorkelers, the kite surfers, the scuba divers, the canoers, the paddle boat riders and the inflatable motor boat drivers all sharing the beach front with families who were simple enjoying the sun, the sand and the water.

After lunch we continued down the road, still naively thinking we were going to accomplish our goal of circling the island. One of the impediments to this goal was the need to drive back and forth over the same road several times in search of specific sites to be seen. Much laughter ensued as we covered some pieces of the roadway 3 or 4 times. Nonethless, the sea was constantly on our right as we travelled forward with breathtaking views and a reminder that we were on a tropical island in the middle of the Pacific Ocean with great friends …. An idyllic situation for sure.

Finally, returning to our resort, we did don our bathing suits and take our snorkeling gear to the water. It was cool and refreshing and the fish were abundant and colourful. A perfect way to end another day in paradise.  Showers, the late afternoon beer,  a spectacular sunset, a delicious dinner and early to bed …. A wonderful day to be sure!

Tuesday, August 7, 2012

Tuesday began bright and early as all our days on Moorea have.  There seem to be so many things to do and see and already we have only a couple of days left. Today our goal was to make it all the way around the island.  We started in exactly the same place we began yesterday ……. At the juice and liqueur manufacturing plant. Surrounded by groves of fruit – pineapple, grapefruit, mango, limes – this factory is the largest producer of juices and the largest employer on Moorea. Inside this little building, literally millions of litres of juice and fruit punch are produced each year. A tasting at the juice bar certainly confirmed how delicious they are. One interesting product they make is a blend of fruit pulp, sugar and alcohol. It is sold in litre containers just as orange juice is with one big difference ….. it has 10 % alcohol content. Of course, we had to try some. Our guide was very patient with us as we strove to understand the explanations he gave in French and then translate the key components into English for our Aussie friends. I must say that all the French lessons we took before coming here have truly paid off.

Following the tour, we continued around the island in a counter clockwise direction. Having seen most of the highlights yesterday, we were able to move at a faster pace today, stopping occasionally to take photos or buy fruit (love apples, pineapple). We picked up the obligatory baguette for lunch and enjoyed our familiar feast atop a lookout point with views across the waters to Tahiti. The ring of coral was clearly evident and the ocean waves were bright white as they broke on the outer edge of the reef. The waters inside the reef varied in colour from deep aquamarine to pale blue to deep azure. The scene was like a photo right out of a tourist brochure.

We paused at the ferry terminal to watch the boats come and go. We also drove up a steep and rugged track looking for the beginning of a two or three hour trek that Susan and David were interested in doing.  Alas, the road transformed from two lane gravel to one lane rock to grass to something only a four wheel drive vehicle would tackle. That is when I stopped the car and encouraged the others to continue walking until they were sure that this was the correct track.  Confident we were in the right place, Susan and David made a plan to do the trek tomorrow morning with us acting as chauffeurs at the beginning and end of the trail.

By this time it was time to head back to Kaveka so Susan and I could have our afternoon swim and snorkel. The water was clear and reasonably warm. But most importantly, there were hundreds of fish right at the edge of the coral. What a sight to behold. We both stayed in the water until we were cold while we enjoyed every moment of the ‘fish spectacular’.

Late afternoon drinks, some internet time followed by a 7 pm dinner have become our pattern. Dinner is always a treat as we choose from a vast menu and have not been disappointed with anything – appetizer, main course or dessert. Tonight I had tuna carpaggio, a pepper steak and a bite of Jim’s crepe suzettes for dessert.  A cup of tea on the front porch with Susan and David brought this lovely day to a gentle close.

Wednesday, August 8

What a gentle start to the day. A leisurely breakfast followed by a relaxing snorkel. The sun shone brightly on the aquamarine water and illuminated the fish down as far down as several metres. Yes, we were in deep water, yet floating alongside a huge coral wall. Fish of many sizes and hues dart in and out of the coral gardens, some fish familiar and others new to me. There were blues and yellows, silvers and white and black and irridescent, all of them living amicably in this amazing underwater community. The current was quite strong this morning. I swam against the current for about 30 metres and then let the water’s flow carry me back toward the peer. The fish were so abundant that there were times I felt I travelling on a moving sidewalk  through a large aquarium. 

Following this luxurious swim, we prepared ourselves for the rest of the day and then ‘skyped’ Karen and David  and our grandsons. Wesley (almost 3) was full of stories for us. He uses Skype regularly to talk to his great grandmother so it was familiar for him to communicate through this medium. Edward (7 months), on the other hand, was not sure what to do about Grandma and Grandpa being in the computer, yet talking to him. He was fascinated but reluctant to make a sound. It was rather cute actually. We can only hope that he will be less astonished next time and maybe we can at least get him to smile.

Late in the morning, we headed out with David and Susan for our day’s activities. First we drove up and alternate route to reach a lookout on a mountain. It was a rugged road but very scenic., passing through a lush green valley which has some of the most fertile land in Moorea.

We made one stop at a pineapple plantation and took a close look at how pineapples grow. One pineapple per plant per year.  A plant will only bear fruit for three years and then has to be replaced. It is all manual work and a challenge as the leaves on the plants are as hardy and prickly as the tops of a pineapple. What we learned was that each small segment of a pineapple is actually an independent piece of fruit. These segments are all joined together by the thick core in a pineapple, much the same as individual kernels of corn are all connected through the corn cob. The pineapples that are mostly grown in Moorea at called ‘Queen of Tahiti’ and although relatively small, they are known for being sweet and juicy. We can certainly attest to that. Larger varieties are also grown, mostly for export.

As we continued up the mountain, we came upon an ancient village settlement. Some of the stone fences and remnants of buildings and the town square were still visible. A trail led to many of the features that were in the area. I remained at the car to read my book while Jim, David and Susan followed the trail. It took ages for them to return because they had actually lost their way and had some difficulty finding the car again. It had started to rain so they were particularly happy to find shelter in the car upon their return. 

We continued up the mountain until the road ended at a location known as Belvedere. From a lookout there, both Cook’s Bay and Opunohu Bay are visible. These bays are separated by a mountain which we look upon daily as we gaze across Cook’s Bay. We have often driven or taken a boat to Opunohu Bay and it was interesting to see the topography of the landscape from high on the mountain. The mountain we were on was actually part of the caldera from the massive volcano that erupted to form the island of Moorea. The volcanic soil is what makes the valley slopes and floor so fertile.

In this valley, there is an agricultural school with many demonstration crops of local fruit, flowers and trees. David, Susan and Jim followed a detailed map that took them to see many of the crops grown at this school. I chose to remain under a massive mango tree where the air was cool while they tramped through the blazing sun. I am enjoying the book I am reading and this was a way a finding some time in a busy day to devour a few more pages.

After a bowl of ice cream made from some of the fruit grown at the school (choices included mango, coconut, vanilla, lime, lemon), we returned to the resort. Jim and I had a skype conversation with Iain while David and Susan went for a swim. As has been our pattern each afternoon, we gathered about 5 o’clock for a pre-dinner drink followed by some internet time (it is only available if you ask for it ….and pay for it too). Tonight we had an early dinner because we had plans to go out for the evening.

We went to a cultural display at the Tiki Village about 25 kilometres away. Although dark, the drive was straightforward because there was absolutely no traffic. I do not think we encountered more than 10 other vehicles along the road. The show we saw tonight was an extravaganza of costumes, storytelling, songs and dance. The fire dancing as the highlight of the evening from my point of view as the male dancers twirled batons of fire, and rolled the fire on their feet, tongues and hands. They even made human pyramids with men at all levels twirling the fire batons. It was a bit frightening and thrilling all at the same time.

A quiet drive home led us back to Kaveka and we were all ready for bed.

Thursday, August 9

Today was a slightly more leisurely day.  We began the day with the sumptuous breakfast prepared by our resort and then I headed immediately into the water for a delightful snorkel. I was excited once again to see all the fish which have become so familiar but this morning held a new surprise, a large sea turtle swimming within a couple of metres of my mask. I was thrilled to have seen this creature at such close range. My eyes followed him until he disappeared into very deep water and I could no longer see him or follow him. 

After leaving the water and readying myself for the day, we headed to a nearby café for a morning coffee. Alas, it was not our lucky day as the café was uncharacteristically closed just for this single day. Oh well …. We headed a short distance further down the road and visited a tiny village with a proliferation of tourist shops. I was particularly interested in a pareo (sarong). So many to choose from, different colours, patterns and fabrics. Finally I was able to make a decision and purchased, predictably, a pareo that features turquoise and green. But, I also selected one with a striking black and white pattern. I look forward to wearing them on board the Aranui as I relax, poolside. 

As we continued through town, we stopped at the supermarket to pick up a baguette for lunch. There were only 4 baguettes remaining in the store and they were all premium ‘campagne’ baguettes, meaning they cost $1.40 rather than the typical 53 cents. We also dropped into a very local café/lunch spot for a drink. Besides coffee, tea and other beverages, this roadside stand offered such delicacies as banana pizza  and nutella Panini. I am not sure that either alternative sounds much like traditional Tahitian food.

Returning to the resort, we enjoyed our daily baguette and cheese lunch with a few grapes today for a treat. Sitting in the shade under a towering coconut tree overlooking the aquamarine water of Cook’s Bay, it was a piece of paradise. We lingered into the afternoon. Finally, David and Susan, our travelling companions headed off for a drive and Jim and I settled in for a quiet afternoon reading and resting. 

Another snorkel finished off the afternoon. No sea turtle this time but the fish were a complete spectrum of colour in the bright sunlight that illuminated the water. Jim also spied a long, brown snake-like creature that was actually quite gruesome. We all stayed well clear of it.

This was our final full day on Moorea. How can a week go so quickly? At about 5 pm we gathered for our later afternoon beverage and chatted about the day’s events, things to come and other topics, including the recent Tahiti-Nui airline strike which has stranded our friends, Barb and John in Los Angeles. The pressure is on to see if the situation can be resolved in time for them to fly to Papeete to join us on Saturday morning to board the Aranui.

Dinner was once more a delicious offering of many, many items. Having now been here for a week, we all have some favourite dishes and many of them appeared on our table tonight. Mahi mahi with ginger sauce is delicious, preceded by a shrimp salad. Susan and I both ordered these. Mahi mahi is also served with pepper sauce which Jim liked and David enjoyed the fish soup. Dessert was a real toss up between bananes flambees and crepes suzette. Jim and I ended up sharing them both.

Packing is never much fun, especially when you are preparing to leave a piece of paradise.  Happily everything fit into the same suitcases we brought with us and we still had time to go out and enjoy the southern night sky. It was as clear as a bell. What a spectacle of stars with a sweep of the milky way, a perfect ending to a perfect week.

Friday, August 10

Breakfast, sadly no snorkeling, last minute packing and then off to the ferry terminal. Greg, the host and owner of Kaveka Resort was kind enough to give us a ride to the ferry (you may recall we arrived at the resort aboard the local bus). We were quite prepared to repeat that adventure but a ride in an air conditioned and comfortable minivan was much preferred.

The ferry ride back to the main island, Tahiti, was smooth and uneventful. We even got the news on board via cell phone that Barb and John had boarding passes in hand and were going to be on an overnight flight to Papeete, arriving in time to board the Aranui. It will be so much fun to see them and share this part of our adventure altogether.

The catalyst for this entire trip is that John, David and Jim all turned 65 this year. Several years ago, we agreed that in that year, 2012, we would all meet somewhere in the world that none of us has been and celebrate the birthdays together. And that is what we are doing.

As for the rest of this day, I am working on organizing photos and updating our blog while Jim looks to the future and makes arrangements for our travel following the Aranui. David and Susan are exploring Papeete. We will all meet for our daily drink and then set out to the find some interesting street vendors for dinner.

We are staying once again at the very comfortable and affordable Fare Suisse. Our last night on terra firma. The next 13 nights are on board the Aranui.

There will be lots to tell about that adventure as well but, alas, there is no internet connection on board so the blog will be silent for the next 2 weeks.

Moorea Photos

 An octopus on the reef at our resort in Moorea.

 Keveka Hotel, our resort home in Moorea.

 The aquamarine waters in French Polynesia

 One of many spectacular sunsets

The flower arrangement gave me ... and we had to transport by taxi, ferry and bus to Moorea.

Moorea - Such a Tiny Island with So Much to Offer

Friday, August 3

Again, our day began with a leisurely morning. Susan and David set out on foot to explore parts of Papeete. Jim headed to the centre of town to find an ATM and a tourist office. I remained at the hotel to take care of our luggage and generally relax. We were to reconvene at 11 am for the next part of our shared adventure.  While waiting for the others to return, some new guests checked into Hotel Suisse. Coincidentally, they had just disembarked from the Aranui, a cruise that we are taking in a week’s time. Happily, they had nothing but praise for the experience, the food, the accommodation and the crew. It was fun to hear their stories and know that we are going to experience similar things.

11 o’clock came and Beni, the proprietor of Hotel Suisse, drove all 4 of us and our luggage to the ferry terminal where we were to catch the 12 noon ferry to Moorea. One comment about our luggage …. Jim and I do not travel light. We reorganized our luggage upon arrival in Papeete and left two of our suitcases at Hotel Suisse while we went to Moorea. But that did not make the load any lighter, because Jim bought me some flowers to adorn our room at Keveka, our resort on Moorea. The flowers were spectacular, a tropical bonanza of colour and texture. But the arrangement was enormous. More about that later ...

We are now on the island of Moorea with our friends, David and Susan Morgan, from Australia. Moorea is a half hour ferry ride from Papeete, following which we  comfortably settled in our resort called Keveka. To get here we had to pick up our luggage from the ferry and travel on a local bus. It was pretty comical as we are not known for travelling light. And, in gesture of kindness, Jim had purchased some flowers from a local market to brighten our cabin. You can see from the photo the challenge that transporting them presented! The floral arrangement was about 2 feet tall and 15 inches in diameter. It would not travel well anywhere except on someone’s lap and the water it contained regularly dripped over the top. Nonetheless, the gesture was filled with love and the flowers survived the car, ferry and bus rides that followed and still look bright and cheery in our room.

Once in Moorea, we were advised to take a local bus from the ferry terminal to Keveka, our resort. This proved to be an economical and mostly practical idea (except for the amount of luggage and the floral arrangement.). We enjoyed watching the scenery in the towns and villages as well as along the roadside. We arrived at Keveka in mid-afternoon in great spirits.

We spent the rest of the day we getting organized in our seafront cabin called a bangalore and looking around the resort. We were impressed with the number and variety of fish that are visible from the peer and the restaurant balcony. What a colourful display! We even saw an octopus and a manta ray. There will be ample opportunity to snorkel on the coral reef right on the resort. Cook’s Bay is known for the quality of sealife and coral. Dinner at the resort was delicious. I had a shrimp salad and fish curry while Jim had poisson cru (a local delicacy featuring marinated raw fish) and shrimp curry. Fresh fruit is abundantly available at all meals – fresh pineapple, grapefruit, papaya and bananas.

Saturday, August 4, 2012

Today we went into a nearby village to explore the shops. Souvenir trinkets were widely available, of course. Of greater interest were the sarongs (all featuring large flowers and bright colours), wood carvings and black pearls, gorgeous stones produced locally.  Sadly, most of the jewellery we looked at was well above our price range.

We bought a postcard to mail home but the post office was closed. It is only open from 7:30 – 9:30 am on Saturdays. We spent some time in the supermarket exploring the shelves, aghast at most prices and limited selection. It is clear that it is costly to transport packaged food to Tahiti. One exception is anything that comes from France. We are lunching daily on baguettes (53 cents) and brie cheese (lower price than at home). Other staples are beer, bottled water (local water is not potable) and my once a day treat of diet coke. Happily we have a fridge in our bangalore.

We spent the afternoon snorkeling on the coral reef right in front of our cabin. The water was warm, the coral interesting (mainly purples and pinks) and the fish were colourful. It was a great way to spend part of the day. Later, we relaxed with a beverage of choice on the veranda of Morgan’s cabin and watched the sky turn from blue to grey (yes, a bit of rain fell) back to mixed cloud and blue with a gorgeous sunset emerging to mark the end of the day.

Time for our daily half hour internet allocation followed by another delicious dinner before sinking into our beds and quickly falling asleep.

Sunday, August 5

Today, we are going on a catamaran cruise of Cook’s Bay and an a second adjacent bay. We will have a chance to feed stingrays, swim with reef sharks and prepare picnic food (fish with coconut) and snorkel on the reef at a private island.  The water was a vivid range of greens and blues and coral was visible just below the surface most of the way along our course.

The boat captain had to steer very carefully to avoid collision with the coral. He was attentive to his task and we relaxed and enjoyed spectacular scenery.

French Polynesia, of which Tahiti and Moorea are part, was created through volcanic activity in the mid Pacific. Thus, mountain peaks soar high into the sky and descende precipitously to the  very edge of the ocean. Lush green vegetation covers most of the islands except on the dramatic vertical rock faces. And the ocean water is aquamarine with rich shades of green and blue and turquoise marking the various depths and corals.

As we travelled along our route, a school of dolpins frolicked around us. We passed by small communities, private homes, and exquisite resort properties. We stopped at our first destination and were invited to disembark into the water with our snorkel gear so we could feed and watch the sting rays who came to see us. There were at least 15 of them milling about our feet. They swam beside, in front, behind and under us. We reached out to touch …. Such a soft, delicate flesh they have. Then, along came a school of about 15 reef sharks. That was enough to send some of our companions back onto the boat. Those of us who were braver at heart remained in the water and floated with our snorkels as the reef sharks searched for food remnants not consumed by the stingrays. What a highlight this snorkel has been.

We finally reboarded the boat and continued on our journey. As promised, we enjoyed a delicious and plentiful lunch on a tiny  private island Poisson Cru was a featured local dish (marinated raw fish). Once again, we enjoyed it thoroughly.

Eventually, it was time to turn homewards and we enjoyed a beautiful, if somewhat windy and wet ride home.

Once cleaned up and settled with our late afternoon beverages, we turned our attention to organizing the next several days. We decided that renting a car would provide great flexibility and access to the things we want most to do. David and Jim went to organize the rental while Sue and I enjoyed the shade in front of our bangalores.

We all paused to watch the glorious sunset. Of course, Sue and I took copious numbers of photos. A leisurely dinner followed and then to bed

Landed in Tahiti!

Landed in Tahiti!
Friday, August 3
We arrived in Papeete at 8 pm Tahiti time last evening. I have lost track of what that is on the Eastern Daylight clock. It was a smooth and uneventful flight from LA on Air Tahiti Nui. Little turbulence, adequate food and relatively clear skies for most of the way. The sunset from the aircraft was absolutely spectacular!! The sky turned vivid red and orange as the sun sank quickly (that's what happens at the equator) below the distant horizon. The most amazing part of the journey for me was that with clear skies throughout most of our 8 1/2 hour flight, I was able to see the waters of the Pacific far below us. The Pacific is surely an enormous body of water ...... and we did not see a single speck of land over all those miles.
Beni, from our hotel, Hotel Suisse, picked us up at the airport and whisked us quickly along the dark streets of Papeete to our waiting Australian friends. The streets transformed from wide thoroughfares, to narrow residential streets to a tiny dark alleyway that took us steeply up to the hotel courtyard. Susan and David were standing at the rail awaiting our arrival. From the hotel terrace they had actually watched our plane come in and knew that we were close at hand.
A lovely cup of tea, made in the hotel community kitchen, and 2 local beers were the beverages that accompanied a lively conversation of catching up and moving forward. In the words of Sue, "It feels like we just saw you yesterday." We are blessed to have such good friends!
This morning, the sky is clear, the sun is bright and the day is taking shape with a good plan. The vegetation around our hotel is lush and green .... and tropical. Palm trees abound! Jim has run an errand and soon I will go for a walk. Then, off we go on the next phase of our adventure!

A Plan Comes Together

Thursday, August 2
Jim and I both arrived in Los Angeles yesterday. Yes, we began this adventure travelling separately as we often do. It has something to do with booking airmiles flights and I always think that 'free' is a good price to pay even if it means long layovers and non-direct flights. Last year, Jim got me a membership in the airline lounges so at least I get to wait in comfort and style. Jim purchases his ticket and accumulates airmiles and I use the airmiles to get around. In this case, literally around the world ... not a bad way to go for a couple of retirees.
For the remainder of this trip, though, all our flights have been booked together and I am very happy about that. We will board our first 'together' leg of this journey in about 5 hours and presto, 8 hours later we will land in Papeete, Tahiti.
The planning for this trip began about 5 years ago. We made an agreement with two other couples in Australia that, in 2012, when all the men turned 65, we would all meet somewhere in the world to celebrate the occasion. The only rule was that it had to be somewhere that none of us has ever been before. All avid travellers, that limited the options but we were able to settle on Tahiti as a place that is of interest and met the criterion.
Susan and David Morgan are already in Papeete awaiting our arrival and enjoying the palm trees in the meantime. They travelled from Australia through Thursday and back to Wednesday to arrive there yesterday (you have to love the international dateline). They will stop for a while in New Zealand on their way back home. Barbara and John Hurst, also from Australia, have been to Europe and are currently in Seattle to visit their son. They will join us in Tahiti in a few days, having already almost circumnavigated the globe. So, you can see that we all saw this as an opportunity to not only go to Tahiti but also to explore other parts of the world as well.
We are all very excited about seeing one another in Tahiti and creating some new memories together. After years of preparation, the time has arrived for this plan to come together!! We can hardly wait to get there!!