Fulfilling a lifelong dream has to be the most special reason to take a trip. I got the chance in October 2002 to do just that.  There were bumps along the way that I only  remembered when I began to write about the trip to French Polynesia for this blog, using my journals as a guide.  This first, most wonderful adventure is still my fondest memory, one of misty rain in green mountains, of waterfalls and underwater gardens, of white and black sand beaches, blue lagoons…and growing closer to my daughter.  Sharing these experiences with her solidified a good relationship and bonded us together as only memories can.  It is the one thing I can leave her that she will never forget and time cannot take away.

Now on to the trip

Day 1 & 2

It was an awful flight on Air Tahiti Nui.  My daughter, Kim, had the window seat but there was no legroom at all.  For the whole 8 hours I sat with my knees up to my chest, so uncomfortable and, of course, I couldn’t sleep.  We arrived in Papeete, the capital of Tahiti, in the dark.  Singers and musicians greeted us – sleepy, weary travelers – and we were given our first tiare Tahiti, the national flower, a waxy white, sweet smelling gardenia.  We were met, lei-d, and walked over to wait for the short flight to Moorea which left several hours later.

Morning was bright and clear as we circled over the airport and landed on Moorea.  The driver of Albert’s Transport shuttle met us in the terminal and we boarded his bus.  He checked the other passengers for their destination hotels and we set off on the road that circles the island.  As he drove he told us about the tours his company offers and said that they also rent cars.  He said that Opunohu Bay had not been developed like the coast over the rest of the island because it was considered Tapu by the natives.  To this day there is still very little development.

The road was rough and the scenery not as polished and lush as I had expected.  We pulled into the driveway of the first stop at one of the luxury resorts.  The huge open lobby had an enormous chandelier, hanging clusters of capiz shells.  As soon as the bus stopped, two men in uniforms ran down the steps, grabbing their luggage and helping the couple into the hotel.

We traveled a little further down the road before pulling into the driveway of the next grand resort. This one was even bigger and more palatial than the last, with a huge arrangement of brilliantly colored tropical flowers on a gigantic table that was framed in the entrance.  As the family stepped off the shuttle, they were swept up into the gorgeous lobby and their bags quickly followed.

The next stop turned out to be ours.  The shuttle pulled off to one side of the road and called out Les Tipaniers.  The driver unloaded our suitcases onto the roadside and pointed down an unpaved track that led into the jungle, and then he took off.  As we dragged our bags along the sandy drive, all I could think was – Have I made a huge mistake?  We were here because I had fallen in love with a picture!

A little brown hut came into view and we stepped inside, finding a woman behind the counter.  She smiled and said we were expected, and that the last people had left early (was that a sign?) and our bungalow would be ready in about an hour.  The manager pointed the way to the small café on the beach where we could wait.  I added a few brochures to the ones I had picked up at the airport and we set off to find the café.

A short walk brought us to a little open air restaurant, with a breezy porch set with little tables and backed by a long wooden bar.  At the front of the cafe which overhangs the beach  a panoramic view opened up in front of us.  Little atolls of green fringe a shimmering blue ocean.

Hotel Les Tipaniers, which means frangipani, is located on its own little cove. The white sand beach was edged with palm trees and bungalows were scattered around the property.   A narrow pier stretches out into the transluscent water and small green islets called motus dot the horizon.

We sat at a table and a waitress brought us a basket of warm mixed pastries, croissants and sweet rolls with honey and several pots of jam, as well as a pot of fragrant hot tea.  At the bar there were fresh cold fruit juices, guava, mango and pineapple that we mixed together into our own blend.  It was a lovely breakfast, while we enjoyed the view and a warm breeze scented with flowers.  We were in TAHITI !  It took a while for that to sink in.

We returned to the office and were told the #2 bungalow was ready.  I had tried to get a beach bungalow but only the ones in the garden were available.  Just a short way off the drive and tucked into the trees was the cutest little thatched roof cottage with wide steps leading up to sliding glass and screen doors.  Inside on the right was a full kitchen with a dining table.  On the left side in one corner were twin beds that served as couches during the day or beds at night.  A few steps led up to the sleeping loft with a double bed.  We slept on the twin beds and used the loft as our dressing room and closet which worked perfectly.  On the inside the thatched ceiling was a work of art, with dark crossbeams and layers of woven grasses.  We opened all the windows and turned on the ceiling fan which gave us a constant breeze.   Outside we perched a camera on the stump of a palm and took a picture of us on the steps of our bungalow.  Les Tipaniers was turning out even better than I had hoped.

Having done very little traveling I had contacted a travel agent to handle the details but she wouldn’t book Les Tipaniers. Travel agents want to book the expensive resorts, not the smaller and older hotels.   Les Tipaniers was older and small, but it was right on the beach, had cabins with kitchenettes and the price was very good.  I finally booked the hotel myself directly, which was a bit of a hassle before the internet.

Our luggage arrived and we showered, changed out of our traveling clothes and into bathing suits and pareos and headed  to the beach.  Just a minute’s walk away, the sand was pristine  and the clear water just cool enough to be refreshing.  Because these islands are coral they advise wearing water shoes to avoid cuts which can easily become infected, so although it feels weird we did wear the shoes unless we were walking on pure sand.

Tip: If the destination is exotic, it’s worth getting some information to stay safe.  Whether it is checking for needed vaccinations, the types of snakes that are indigenous to the area, or the stability of the government, an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure.

Just offshore there was a pile of rocks that we snorkeled around, seeing a variety of little colored fishes. This was the first time we had snorkeled and we had such fun because the water wasn’t too deep and we could stand without bruising the coral.

We walked along the water’s edge until rocks blocked our way then headed back in the other direction until we reached a large palm that was leaning out over the water. I knew I would have to come back to have my picture taken sitting on that palm.  The beach bungalows we passed were nice but they were located right on the beach with the other guests coming and going around them.  Our garden bungalow was set back by itself and with the added bonus of a full kitchen it was perfect.

There wasn’t a lot of time left of the afternoon to do much but we wanted some bottled water and a baguette to snack on so we set out walking.  We couldn’t remember which way the shuttle driver had told us, so we just turned down the road to the left.  There were several small shops to check out and, in one open air shed, wood carvings lined the shelves.  On the top shelf I saw my first tiki, dark wood, not elaborate, but well carved.  After a long, dusty walk we arrived at a small magasin in Papeari.  We bought our first monoi oil, a coconut oil infused with the fragrance of vanilla and the tiare blossom.  Once I smelled the fabulous fragrance and brushed on some of the light oil, I was hooked.  I got one of each.  Tiare is a heady scent, not sweet, but like jasmine unforgettable.  I planned to add it to my mosquito repellant as well.  The price of the baguette was 43 cents and the bottled water was cold and delicious.  We were met with smiles and made ourselves understood, using a little of my high school French and paying with Polynesian francs.  After a little rest we decided to return to the hotel for a swim.  I loved the tiki, but it got very heavy on the walk back.

After the long dusty walk a swim was just what we needed.  We had the beach almost to ourselves and it felt wonderful to be cool and clean again.  On the way to the bungalow we stopped for more of the wonderful fruit juices at the bar and checked out the brochures, deciding to book the sunset cruise on the Fetia Ura schooner and a 4×4 safari tour to see the interior of Moorea.

Dinner was at Les Tipaniers’ restaurant, Italian, with French and Polynesian specialties. After a very full day and no sleep, we were too tired to think.  We ordered pizza.

French Polynesia is loaded with Italian restaurants and pizza places are everywhere.  We never did find anyone who could tell us why.  The pizza was very good.  We saved the leftovers and took a tira misu back to the bungalow.  Kim found the mosquito coils and got them burning and we settled in for the night.  There is a very LOUD cricket.

Day 3

I woke up early to the sound of birds chirping and a rooster crowing.  It was a beautiful morning with a cool flower scented breeze blowing in the window.

Moorea is circled by a coast road with little shops and inlets to explore along the way, so renting a car seemed the best option as we had seen no public transportation. With directions from the woman at the front desk, we walked to La Petite Village, a cluster of shops in the opposite direction our first walk had taken us.  It was also where the rental car agency was located.   We waited with a few others for the office to open and got our little car, but then realized it was a stick shift.  Kim looked at me and I looked at her and we both said “I can”.   She drove and I navigated.  We stopped to get gas and bought bottles of water and fruit juices.  The brand of water we chose is Volvic, flavored with orange, lemon or peach.  The orange is especially good, tasting like a whole orange was just jammed into the bottle, skin and all.  Absolutely incredible taste; we were hooked.

It took only a few minutes to get used to the stick shift before starting off around the island.  Our first stop was Le Sylesie for a huge breakfast of croissants and lovely warm sweet breads with jam and tea.  One breakfast and an extra juice was plenty for two.  How these people eat!

The coast road is perfect for discovering Moorea. We drove slowly, pulling over to let others who weren’t sightseeing drive by.  Little shops are close together just off the two lane road.  We stopped for photos of coconut groves, and pearl shops, artisan galleries and little homesteads set back within tall palms.  There are views over water that is so clear the small boats moored off shore look like they are floating in the air.

Craggy mountains are lush with greenery; their tops crowned with puffy white clouds.

Bright blue fishing nets with weighted with floats hang drying in the sun. There was a hollowed out tree stump that looked like it could have been a shrine.

In one shop a woodcarver was just finishing a table; his outdoor workroom decorated with other pieces waiting for a buyer.

           

At intervals along the road are Moorea’s heart-shaped mile markers which mimic the shape of the island. From Lookout Point there is a beautiful view of the Sofitel Ia Ora Resort with their overwater bungalows reaching like fingers out into the sea.

Kim is already driving like a Tahitian, backing up and turning around on a very narrow road.  She is amazing.  My seat belt works occasionally and her door has to be pushed from the inside to open.  It was funny rather than annoying, just adding to the adventure.

We stopped at Linareva, the floating restaurant, for a fruit drink.  The wooden boat is much smaller than I had imagined, but it is well cared for and beautifully furnished as a ship would be.  The fitted carpentry of the walls is a nice background for the memorabilia; sepia postcards of Paris and the world attest to its age and maybe its adventures.  We sat at our hatch cover table and took a deep breath.  The scenery from the wide windows is lovely, but it would be difficult to tell when you are drunk; the boat rises and falls with the waves.

Kim was shooting in both color and black and white. I had color film and several one-use underwater cameras.  We learned that the mayor of Moorea had started a program to put the electric and telephone lines underground so there are no poles and wires to get in the way of the beautiful scenery.

Every turn in the road reveals another breathtaking view or another cute shop and we stopped at almost all of them. The most fun were the curio shops with a wonderful variety of shells, jewelry, fabric, little tiki gods carved in different kinds of wood,  and, of course, pearls of every size and color.

When we stopped to take photos we often saw Tapu signs warning tourists about trespassing, so we were careful, especially around the sacred sites called marae.

Tip: Follow the local customs and respect their culture.  You would expect the same.

In a shop with a huge carved stone outside, I bought a little charm with a piece of black coral set in a gold tiki.

At La Maison Blanche, the White House, Kim found pareos she liked, taking them right off the line where they were displayed. The patterns and colors were different from most we had seen.  I found some small tiki figurines carved in wood, another tiki on a key chain, and some tiki soaps.  Do you sense a trend here?

I started a collection of little cards with temporary tattoos called tatau. Tahiti Tatau, the company that produces the cards, has many different designs, including sharks and dolphins, bands of native symbols and some wonderful masks almost hidden within a scrollwork turtle.  They are the only tattoo I will ever get, pain free and washable.

In Sabine’s Creations in Maharepa Kim found her pearl or rather her tiki in gold holding a pearl in its hands.  The pearl was too big so they let her choose another.  They will put it together and we will pick it up another day.  We completed our circuit of the island and heading back to Les Tipaniers to meet the van that would take us to the Fetia Ura (Red Star) for the sunset cruise.  From high on a hill we saw the Wind Song, a large cruise ship anchored in Cook’s Bay.  It was getting late and we kept our fingers crossed that our ride would still be there.  Sure enough, the van was waiting so we dropped all of our goodies in the bungalow and headed off for another adventure.

The Fetia Ura is a 110 foot, 2 masted schooner with an aluminum hull and teak decks.  A Zodiac took us to a rope ladder on the side of the boat.  We boarded and I scrambled to find the tickets I had put safely away!  They handed us glasses of strong punch (would that be grog?) and the captain called everyone to the stern to tell us what we would be doing and give a little history on the schooner and the crew.  They raised the sails and we glided out of Opunohu Bay through the reef and into the open ocean.  As the sails caught the wind the schooner swept ahead; it was exhilarating, just as I had always thought it would be.  The day was glorious; the air cool and fragrant.  The sea wasn’t rough but several people got seasick.  I was grateful I wasn’t one of them as I handed out the Dramamine I had brought just in case.   When I booked the cruise I wondered what kind of a sailor I would be.

We sailed into Cook’s Bay. Cook actually landed in Opunohu Bay, but we won’t quibble about the name.  Gliding past the Wind Song, the Fetia Ura was dwarfed by the cruise ship.  Mina, a crew member, served trays of fresh fruit and coconut, and then tried to get people up to hula while Hinanui, her daughter, danced on a hatch cover.  We took pictures and asked questions and all too soon it was time to head back.

Mt. Rotui and Cook’s Bay

Because the wind was against us, they had to use the motor, so the cruise back was not as pristine as the voyage out. We waited for sunset out in the open ocean and watched the sun go down through the rigging.  Back at Opunohu Bay we were ferried back to land and reluctantly said goodbye.  It would be a wonderful memory.

I’ve loved everything Polynesian, especially tikis since I was a kid watching Adventures in Paradise on television.  I wonder what Gardner McKay is doing now and if he is still having Adventures in Paradise.  That’s when I first fell in love with Polynesia and Moorea has not let me down.

The van dropped us off at the hotel and we got ready for bed.  Kim was writing a diary and that made me think I should too.  When it was time to shower we discovered there was only cold water.  The pilot on the water heater had gone out.  There was no one in the office at this time and no one to fix it.  It was late and would have taken hours for the water to get hot.  We showered very quickly and settled in for the night, knowing we would probably be waking up early.

Day 4

The 10:00 am pickup for our 4X4 safari tour of the interior left us with plenty of time, because we woke around 6:00!    We started off the day with another lovely breakfast in the café on the beach.  Is it possible to become bored with fresh cold juices and warm rolls?  So very good.  Stopped at the office to report the cold water problem.  She apologized and said she would have someone fix it.

Right on time our driver, Chris, picked us up and drove up a winding road on Mt. Rotui to a lookout over the reef.  We hiked a little farther to an even more scenic view.  Our next stop was a pineapple plantation in a large clearing where rows of prickly-looking plants had small pineapples growing out of them on stalks. Mahogany and teak trees lined the road.   The ride was bumpy and dusty but the other people in the jeep were very nice and Chris kept us laughing.  At the Belvedere Mt. Rotui divides Opunohu Bay on the left and Cook’s Bay on the right, forming the top of the heart shaped island.

Opunohu Bay and Mt. Rotui

We bought ice cream cones from a roulotte, a Polynesian food truck, and took pictures of the view and the mileage marker. From the coast road we could see Tahiti, shrouded by clouds across the Sea of the Moon.  From this height the Wind Song was a tiny white toy boat floated in a bright blue pool.

The hike to the Afareaitu (pronounce every letter) waterfall winds up a treacherous path to a huge black wall of rock that glistens damply in the sunshine. Moorea has been dry this year so the waterfall does not gush, but falls in a silver ribbon to a shallow pool lined with large boulders below.  It was beautiful and grand; a quiet glade, open to the sky and very peaceful.

       

Chris gave us a hotu, a flower that looks just like an old fashioned shaving cream brush. It is from the tree of a nut that when ground down is used to drug the fish to make them easier to catch.  He also cut an unusual tropical blossom to show to us.  The petals that formed the cup were bright red and they felt like plastic.  It did not look real.

Our next stop was the Ava Tea Distillery for a tasting. The liquors on sale are too strong for me but the cream of coconut and the vanilla cream liqueurs are really good.  I would have liked small bottles as souvenirs, but they only sell the large ones.  Maybe we’ll find some in another shop.  Chris dropped us off back at Les Tipaniers about 1:30.

We went snorkeling again. Rocks have formed a small reef where varieties of colorful little fish swim in and out.  The bottom is sandy and the water clear.  At first we were uneasy about breathing underwater.  We laughed about wanting to hold our breath but the feeling is still there.   Below the surface it is a magical world and we were quickly drawn into it and forgot our apprehension.  The underwater camera was a lot of fun to play with.

It is natural to want to share an experience, so it was difficult seeing something and wanting to show Kim, but she was a ways away and seeing something wonderful as well.  Kim was fascinated by the sea cucumbers which whoosh out sand and scoot away when they are disturbed.  They became her talisman for the rest of the trip.

Later we drove back to the shops in Maharepa to see if Kim’s pearl tiki was ready. It was, but just.  It is beautiful; a lovely souvenir.

Tip: When you go into a shop, greet the person as if you were entering their home and say goodbye when you leave.  In Tahiti, which is part of French Polynesia, you say bon jour, but they drop the r and you are left with bon ju.  Some times the shopkeeper would assume we spoke French from the little courtesy phrases I did know and they would begin to speak in rapid fire French.  I would hold up my hands and say, je parle un peu francais, un petit peu, meaning a little bit.  Then we would all laugh.  It was a great icebreaker.

In the shop next door I saw another piece of black coral set in a gold tiki. There is definitely a trend here.  The little aquarium museum was closed that day (you can’t see everything) so we headed to Cook’s Bay for the sunset at the Club Bali Hai bar that was suggested in the guide book.  Turned out there was no bar or happy hour, no restaurant and little sunset.   Still it was a pretty view.

We drove back in the incredible, velvety darkness where only the stars and moon pierce the night. A tiny oasis of lights just off the road turned out to be La Licorne D’Or (The Gold Unicorn) restaurant and we decided to try it.  It wasn’t very busy but the owners were very friendly and welcomed us in.   The food was French and excellent.  Having the kitchenette in the bungalow meant that we could take our leftovers for lunch the next day.

Back at Les Tipaniers we took some night pictures. The Milky Way was a bright river of stars across the sky.  The moon was full, lighting a large palm tree from behind.  It was very dark along the shore and across the water and the night was filled with unfamiliar noises.  Loud splashing sounds coming from the dark ocean sounded surprisingly menacing.  It was easy to believe in monsters that live in the deep.

Once again there was no hot water to take a shower and we were starting to get ticked. We need hot water to survive…or at least to feel human.

Day 5   Our last day on Moorea

We are still waking up very early – 5:00 is not unusual for me and Kim is not much later.  For our last day on Moorea we started with a swim.  We are learning to trust the snorkel.  For breakfast we had crepes at Le Sylesie, then shopped at Le Petite Village.  I found a lovely mounting for a pearl at the Sibani Pearl shop, a tiki mask but it has a black pearl in it.  I don’t want the pearl and they won’t sell me just the setting.

Tonight we are going to the Tiki Village at 6:00 for the Tahitian tamaara’a feast and dance show.   This was one of the reasons we rented the car.  It was early in the day when we arrived at the Tiki Village to buy our tickets for that night, but they asked if we wanted to walk around the craft village.  Of course we said yes.  First, a pretty Tahitian woman took us to the water’s edge and introduced us to Timatu, who brought us out to their demonstration pearl farm in an outrigger canoe.  We offered to help paddle but he said “Technology,” and pointed to the Johnson outboard motor.

Timatu showed us how they seed and grow the oysters on nets underwater, then harvest the pearls. When we asked where he was from, he said Rangiroa and told us a little about himself.  He brought us back to shore and told us where to find our guide.  I picked up a perfect half oyster shell while wading in the water; the inside iridescent with mother of pearl.

As we looked through their gift shop, I saw more black pearls but these were carved with tattoo designs.  Because the pearls are a good size but not top quality, they are turned into something completely different and unique.  Black pearls come in many shades and colors.  Usually I liked the silvery iridescent ones.  These, on the other hand, were dark, but somehow very special.  And if I could have it mounted in the tiki mask setting, it would be perfect.

Our guide took us into the village and introduced us to Coco, who was sitting in a hut with masks on the walls and red seed and white shell jewelry on a low table.  He greeted us with a huge smile. Coco walked us around the little village and introduced us to the people who showed us their crafts.  Little thatched huts serve as work places, displaying stone carvings, furniture and handicrafts.  There were little masterpieces made of shells, like the tiny green snail shells strung and then braided together to form a necklace.  Leis, necklaces and bracelets of many colors and styles were displayed along with intricate wreaths made to be worn as headpieces.  In one hut pieces of tapa cloth was sewn into a huge hanging that covered a whole wall.  A tattoo artist spoke about his work and showed us the traditional tools of his trade.  I asked if he would tell us a little about his tattoos but he said they were too personal.  We watched a man working on the costumes used in the nighttime show.  Grass skirts and accessories bright with gaily colored feathers and flowers hung to one side waiting for the dancers who would bring them to life.

All of the people at Tiki Village live and work there, crafting and selling the items they produce, taking people around on tours then performing in the shows at night; they do everything.  They said they like practicing their English (which was excellent) and definitely much better than my little bit of French.   They taught us iorana which is basically hello and goodbye, like aloha, But they were never quite satisfied with our pronunciation which sounded to me like Eoh rah Nah  run together.

The Tiki Village offers a Tahitian wedding ceremony with   singing and dancing and the bride and groom wearing traditional robes. Coco showed us the purification hut where the bride stays before the wedding.  As he explained the ceremony, he asked what we were doing later in the day and invited us back to attend the wedding that was scheduled.  We had more shopping to do but said we would try to get back.

We headed to Maharepa where we had stopped the previous day.  The Van der Heyde Gallery was open with wonderful old wooden objects, statues, fabulous jewelry.  Gorgeous but very expensive.  The aquarium store was still closed.  We were running out of time if we wanted to attend the wedding at Tiki Village, so we headed back and arrived just in time.

Coco took us to seats where we had a perfect view but were out of the way, after all we didn’t know the bride or the groom.  The Tahitians were in native dress, the women in beautiful grass skirts and the men in pareos.  They wore high feather headdresses.  Leis were draped around their necks and wreaths of flowers crowned their long dark hair.  The bride and groom were led off in opposite directions to get dressed in native costumes; she was taken to the purification hut and he was paddled out to a bungalow over the water.

The groom, seated on a raft decorated with flowers and greenery, was rowed back to shore to join the bride. They were led to the marae, the stone temple where the priest stood.  Surprise! Coco was the high priest.  The ceremony was in Tahitian and a translator spoke to the couple.   Then they were carried around the open air arena in a flower bedecked chair while musicians played music and the woman danced. It was really nice and we thanked the couple for allowing us to crash their wedding.  We told everyone goodbye and said we’d see them later for the show.

Back at the hotel we ate our leftovers from La Licorne D’Or for lunch. The food was delicious with a fresh baquette.   French bread does not dry out in a day as it does back home.  The air does not feel damp or humid, but the bread stays soft.  Also, other than using monoi oil for our hair and skin, we didn’t need any lotion.

After lunch we returned to the beach.  Kim calls it swimming with the fishes.  We love visiting our colorful little friends and are getting a lot more confident snorkeling.  We collected some beach sand to bring back home, then went back to the bungalow to dress for the tamaara’s at the Tiki Village.

The van picked us up for the drive and once most of the people had arrived they broke us up into groups by language and began the tour of the craft village.  As we walked through the huts we soon realized what a special tour we had had when we were greeted as friends by those we had met earlier in the  day.  I wish I could remember all of their names, the woman who sold me the pearl, the girl who took us around that night, the young tattooed dancer who was so funny.  Most had taken English names and we asked their Tahitian names but I cannot remember them now, only their friendliness and the impression they left with us.

They took our group to the sand pit where the pig had been buried and we watched as they unwrapped the layers with many funny comments by the cooks.  Then we went back to the arena where tables were set up and soon we were eating.  We tried a little of everything and I liked a strange chicken dish with Tahitian spinach, mixed vegetables, and cooked red bananas.  Everything was really delicious and the pork was especially good, falling apart and spicy.  The people at our table were Japanese and did not speak much English but we had fun trying to make ourselves understood and they seemed to enjoy us as well.

Coco had told us the best place to see the show so when we saw people starting to go up into the bleachers we left the tables and got our perfect seats.

The show was terrific.  By this time it was dark and torches were lit around the open air theater.  The performers were dressed in fabulous brightly colored costumes, huge feathered headdresses, strands of shell necklaces, grass skirts with fat tassels that made their hip movements even more pronounced and thick leis of fragrant flowers draped over their shoulders. Coco came out dressed in full regalia as the high priest and made threatening gestures at the audience   There was drumming and fire-dancing.  The girls danced a hula then the guys would answer back, leaping and dancing the male version of the hula. While one group was performing, the other was changing into yet another elaborate costume and the energy never let up.  It was magical.

As we were leaving our seats Coco walked by and we got a chance to thank him again and tell him how terrific he was in the show.  Some of the performers came out to mingle with the crowd and we were able to find the girls we had met earlier, still in costume, and to tell them how great they were in the show.  Then it was time to find the van and return to the hotel.  It was such a lovely night, but it was also our last on Moorea.

Day 6

We were picked up at 9:00 am for our ride to the airport. In the airport terminal at Moorea, chickens walked around freely, clucking at anyone who got in their way.  It was a short flight to Bora Bora where we were greeted at the airport with tiare leis and our luggage tagged for Pearl Beach.  The launch was waiting and we were whisked off to the resort 10 minutes away.

The dock was impressive, a sweeping roof overhead and an enormous lobby with an amazing curtain of oblong strips of polished oyster shells knotted together.  They checked everything, paperwork and departure.  We said we were not ready to leave yet.  They did not see the humor.  Finally they took us to our overwater bungalow.  It was #2 again, out on the wooden walkway, close to the dock and the lobby.  It turned out to be a great location.  Each bungalow faces the ocean, turned to give privacy and seems like it’s in its own space.  Only on the balcony could we see the other bungalows.

The room itself was large and glossy with blond wood paneling and clean white upholstery.  Sliding glass doors opened to the ocean and a view of Mt.Otemanu. It was very windy as is typical of this side of the island.   In the floor was a glass covered box to watch a variety of fishes.  The top comes off so you can feed the fish as well.  The bathroom was large and had a view from the picture window.  A wide counter with double sinks held a pile of soft fluffy towels and a tray filled with soaps, shampoos and lotions, all with the wonderful scents of vanilla and tiare.  We checked the huge tub and glass-walled shower.  There was lots of hot water!   I think Kim could live here.

We unpacked a little, set up our guardian tiki, put on bathing suits and pareos and were off to check out the resort.  The travel agent I used practically insisted we stay at Pearl Beach and it is beautiful but in a way we also felt trapped.  It is strange being on a motu.  Our first task will be to find a way to get across to the mainland and Vaitape, the largest village.

We asked at the activities desk in the lobby how we could get to the mainland and she said there were no ferries the next day which was Sunday, only a boat taking people to the church.  OMG!  Would we really have a wasted day!

I didn’t eat breakfast because Kim doesn’t.  That was a mistake.  I was cross and put upon when we went to lunch, having just found out that we cannot leave the motu.   Would we really use up our days on Bora Bora without being able to see the island?   Then we ran out of our Volvic flavored water!

It was definitely time to have lunch. Out of the hotel’s pricey restaurants we chose the little café by the pool.  Kim ordered pasta and I had a club sandwich piled high with French fries.  After eating we both felt much better.

While talking to the woman who books the activities for the hotel, panic started to set in.  Sunday it seems the hotel practically shuts down and if we can’t leave the motu until Monday that will only leave us one day to see Bora Bora.  We decided to take the launch going to the church on the mainland, then find a way to get to Vaitape.   For Monday we booked the lagoonarium tour to see the underwater reef garden.  Neither of us wanted to see the shark and ray feeding, but it was included, and at least we will see Bora Bora from the water.   Afterward we would have lunch at Bloody Mary’s and check out the Hotel Bora Bora, the oldest hotel on the island which has a lovely beach and gardens.

We walked the beach after swimming; nothing to snorkel but great soft sand, fine, medium and large grains and lots of tiny seashells.  We saw a curious trail, indentations of dots, left in the sand by a creature we would later discover was a type of snail.  We took a handful of sand for our collection and now a few small shells too.  We checked out things that might make good art photos for Kim to use her camera, piles of bamboo and groves of palm trees loaded with coconuts that lean out over the water.

The resort is beautiful. Mt. Otemanu rises behind the overwater bungalows that sweep out into the lagoon.  There is a lovely stretch of beach, hammocks swinging from palm trees, an infinity pool with a waterfall, and old Tamanu trees with their raised and twisted roots lining the waterfront.  Through the property runs a stream overgrown with water lilies, papyrus and other grasses.  A path meanders through the garden bungalows to a Tapu sign tacked to a palm tree at the end of the Pearl Beach resort.  Another palm leaned out over the water with a great backdrop for an excellent photo op.

Travel days are lost days for the most part and now we know for next time that being on a motu has disadvantages.  Good for honeymooners though who don’t expect to leave the room.

Tip: An island can be romantic or just a get-a-way.  Otherwise stay on the mainland which will offer more options.  You can always plan a trip to a motu and have drinks and dinner served to you while sitting at the edge of the water and watching the sun go down.

That night at the hotel there was a demonstration of wreath-making held in the bar which was interesting, pretty and very fragrant. It was taught by the friendly Tahitian woman who had made the reservation for our lagoonarium tour.  She showed us how to weave leaves and flowers with twine to make a hei, or flower crown.  She gave us each a small completed section that is perfect for a wrist or ankle.  Afterward we checked out the restaurant menu and found a room with a pool table under an enormous overhead fan.  We played a game, not an easy proposition with damp hands from a humid climate.

Day 7

I’m still not sleeping much but I feel great. Sunrise came through the sliding glass doors and rosy clouds rose behind the hills.  The sun was warm and bright, but still not enough to wake Kim.  The bungalow is like being on the ship.   I ordered a continental breakfast to eat before the tour.  It was enormous, 4 croissants, 4 rolls, juices, scrambled eggs,  sausage, bacon, tea, and a large plate of cut-up cantaloupe, watermelon, pineapple, and pamplemousse (a sweet grapefruit).  Kim didn’t eat but I kept all the leftovers for snacking later.  We fed the fish through the hole in the floor and watched as more and more species gathered greedily below.  A canoe breakfast was delivered next door, a special service the resort offers.  This must be to keep  honeymooners alive.   We took our morning swim right off the balcony.  The water was warm and clear but there was nothing to see on the sandy bottom, no coral or rocks to tempt the fishes.

The hotel launch took us to the mainland where we caught a le truck bus that would take us to the lagoonarium tour.  After several stops at other hotels along the way to pick up more people, we began to think it might be too crowded, but then we boarded a huge, covered outrigger canoe.    At the shark and ray feeding site, a net separates the tourists from the feeding frenzy.  Small white seabirds were flying overhead while the feeding was taking place.  The underside of their wings reflected the color of the water, a beautiful aqua.  I tried to capture the color on film but I doubt the little underwater camera will pick it up.

Yes, the water really is that color!

I wasn’t going to swim until we got to the coral gardens but Kim was snorkeling away from the net and she waved at me to come in.  I was glad I did.  Pencil-thin silvery fish were schooling right under the surface, moving with lightning speed and shimmering in the sunlight.  Branches of coral clustered on the sandy bottom.  Under the boat was a large rock with tiny turquoise fish swimming around it.

They called us back to the boat and we were off to the coral gardens.  We snorkeled in water only 12 feet deep, through coral mountains and valleys filled with small and large fish.  Kim spotted the large convoluted shell of a white clam and it was alive.  There were many different fish around one of the guides so I swam back to get the camera.

When I got back he was diving down, surrounded by a cloud of colored fish. Suddenly a moray eel rose up out of a deep crevice and I realized the guide was feeding him.  I wasn’t frightened, just surprised and excited.  The whole time I felt very safe and could relax and enjoy it.  It was exhausting though, even with fins my legs were very tired.

The captain of the bateau was French.  He and the crew were all great fun, explaining in four and five languages what was going to happen.  It didn’t seem like they did this every day; that they were doing it especially for us.     Our next stop was the lagoonarium which has wire fences extending out into the water making three large pens with different kinds of fish, some large and some small, all shapes and sizes and colors.  We were divided into groups according to the language we spoke and led into the water to meet four foot long sharks, manta rays, and large, very fast jackfish.  The minute I ducked down into the water, a whole world opened up.  The guide threw a piece of food right by my head and a jackfish raced by me, grabbed the food and was gone before I could blink.  I stood up, shrieking with laughter.  We went from enclosure to enclosure and had an incredible time.  I use that word a lot but with experiences as different and unusual it fits.

We returned to the beach where the crew served us trays of fresh cut-up fruit, cold and delicious and very welcome after hours in and out of the ocean.  Our captain showed us the video he had been making all day.  We had laid out our soaking wet towels in the sun and they were already dry when it was time to get back on the boat.  Just before we left I realized I had left our camera on the table.  Kim ran back and grabbed the one out of several that were there that she thought was ours.  We wouldn’t find out until we got home that it was the right one.

Tip: Mark your disposable camera!  I’m assuming you don’t leave your good one lying around.

The boat continued around the coast of Bora Bora, passing Matira Point and the other resorts as well as the old Hotel Bora Bora.  There were large schooners in the sheltered bays.  The color of the water changed with the depth, deep emerald green, turquoise, aqua, and teal.  In an otherwise clear blue sky, puffy clouds clung to the top of Mt. Otemanu.

Once back at the dock we boarded the bus for a hair-raising ride around the island, while stopping to drop off people at their hotels.  After taking the tour just so the day wouldn’t be a total loss, it turned out to be a fabulous tour on land and underwater.  We were wet, tired, a little sunburned and we felt wonderful.

After a hot shower we headed to the little café by the pool which was now filled with all the ravenous people from the tour.  We ordered the same lunch as the day before and it tasted even better.  Is there anything better than being fresh and clean and full of good food.  We decided to rent a car the next day and try driving around the island.  It had worked so well in Moorea.

  

The afternoon was spent taking photos around the resort, palm trees, bamboo, and interiors of the hotel.  There was a circular roof in the library and a lovely view from the infinity pool.  We swam in the lagoon, then swam in the pool.  Back in the bungalow it is still very windy.  Barely opening the wooden blinds gives us plenty of fresh air and, on the ocean, no mosquitoes.

The bungalow is beautiful, but we are making a break for it tomorrow – to see more of the mainland and bring back some food and more wonderful Volvic water.

After another shower Kim ordered dinner from room service.  I had a fruit soup with sorbet and ate some of the breads from that morning.  For dessert Kim ordered a crème brulee, an $18.00 crème brulee as we found out later.  I often kid her about that dessert telling her I hope she enjoyed it – a lot.

It was a beautiful balmy night with the sound of the waves lapping against the pilings.  There were lots of clouds so not many stars but the lights on Bora Bora and under the bungalow were very pretty.  We had brought some movies with us and a DVD player and had started Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets but fell asleep.  Tonight we tried to finish the movie but the battery on the DVD player ran out and we had to wait to recharge it in the morning.

Day 8

Even if it was early, the fish were hungry.  We had quite a variety of fish that seemed to be able to tell time, napoleons, angelfish, and a pair of box fish with little horns and pouty lips.  We caught the hotel launch to Chancelade and the pier opposite our motu, then the van to Vaitape, the largest village and hub of activity.  Having reserved a car through the hotel, we started off to circle the island.  Renting a car was a good decision because it was very hot and there is little public transportation.  We stopped mostly at artisan shops and galleries but along the way were many beautiful scenic views and glimpses of life on the island.

Stones marked a marae at the edge of the water. We stopped at a gallery-shop to see the gigantic stone head that almost reached the roofline.  Inside Kim found a stone tiki that she just loved.  It was very heavy but we knew we would return to bring him home.  We did later that day.

We ate at Bloody Mary’s, a great hamburger place with a high thatched ceiling and wooden chairs and tables that looked like the ones we had seen being carved.  The road was narrow and we pulled off to let traffic pass by as often as we stopped for scenery or shops.  We found the large black tiki on the mountain that we had spotted earlier.  When we arrived back in Vaitape we each got 2 scoops of ice cream and Kim sent some emails from an internet cafe.  There were some really cute bracelets in a shop next door but we’ve been told we could find everything we wanted much cheaper when we got back to Papeete, so we will buy our small souvenirs for friends and family there.

We turned in the rental car, but we had missed the hotel van so we waited for the next one in the shade of a large shop.  The stone tiki was too heavy to lug around so that ended our shopping.  Now we just had to figure out a way to get back to the hotel pier.  We asked a few truck drivers for a ride back but they belonged to other hotels and refused.  Finally Kim found one that was leaving right away and made a deal for the ride, so we passed up the last shop which I still regret to this day.

Within the hour we were back at Pearl Beach and diving off the balcony into the beautiful, clear, cool water of our lagoon.  We took more pictures of the beach and around the resort, then got ready for the dinner show at the hotel restaurant, Teviaroa.

The show was much more folkloric, a group of women demonstrated local crafts using flowers and palm fronts.  It was very interesting.  The women danced, drawing people out of the audience to try the hula, then gave out the things they had made.  Kim was given a pineapple woven out of palm fronds and I got a frangipani lei, the petals, cool and fragrant.

The buffet food was good with a huge table filled with small pastries and desserts. We tried three each, the lemon tart and a chocolate cake heart with chocolate filling were great but the little napoleons were the absolute best.  They really know how to make pastries at Pearl Beach.

We returned to the room to pack for our departure the next day, taking a sample of the soaps and lotions with such  heavenly scents of tropical flowers.  We watched HEAT on cable.  The fish aren’t hungry tonight; too many people feeding them.  It will be difficult to leave our pretty bungalow.

Day 9

We will miss the adorable box fish and many of his friends, even the greedy ones.   We took pictures on our balcony dressed in pareos, with the flower crown in our hair.  We felt very Tahitian.  The panoramic view across to Mt. Otemanu from the bungalow is gorgeous.  Kim photographed the crab trails in the sand and some great clumps of bumpty white coral with shaded interiors.  We swam off the balcony for the last time, taking the frangipani lei out into the lagoon and sending it floating off in memory of my mom.

Checkout was at 11:00 so we left our bags for pickup and went for a late breakfast Parisian, croissants, juice and coffee.  Spoke to many of the people we had seen before on the tour and around the hotel.  We took our last stroll around, sitting in the hammocks, saying goodbye to our overwater bungalow, sat under the old Tamanu trees on prickly grass where it was cool and breezy.  We talked to the French owner of the catamaran at the hotel.  He knew about the Aranui freighter that cruises the Marquesas that I had seen advertised while researching Tahiti.  It can be rough water and I still don’t know how good a sailor I would be.  But if we flew to the islands and boarded the ship between the islands, we might do better.  Not packing and unpacking would be nice as well.  You have to book a year ahead of time but it would certainly be off the beaten path.  The Marquesas are famous for intricately carved, huge tikis.  Now that we have begun to travel I wonder where the road will lead us next.

We took the 12:30 launch back to the airport for our trip back to Tahiti.  If we have to leave, going by water is a lovely way to go.  The flight to Papeete was not too long and we were picked up at the airport and driven to Le Royal Tahitian, just outside of the city in Pirae.  The city of my imagination from about 40 years ago does not look good.  The innocent village of Polynesia is a modern city of traffic with little of the magic I saw in Adventures in Paradise, where the young captain of a schooner took people and freight between the islands.

We arrived at the hotel around 3:00.  The grounds are beautiful.  We checked in and, especially after Pearl Beach, the room was a real disappointment.  It looks like a motel, rather shabby and in need of a makeover.  A couple of little foil packets of rosemary shampoo and conditioner are the only amenities; almost funny after the luxurious variety of lotions and soaps at the resort.   I had picked the hotel because the property used to belong to the royal family of Tahiti and as we threw open the doors to the balcony, the view of the gardens was lovely with a huge traveler palm standing near a stream that wound through a grassy lawn.

Knowing we would be traveling, we did not plan any activities for the rest of the day.  Changing into our uniforms,   bathing suits and pareos, we headed to our first black sand beach.  The gardens are full of flowering shrubbery and there were water lilies in the stream.  An artificial waterfall tumbled over a rock wall and down into a pool.

The concrete steps that led down to the beach were littered with trash; the sea wall covered in graffiti, not the artistic kind.   Once again I wondered how big a mistake this was.

The sand was fine, dark, and very soft. We needed a swim after the flight and the water was cool and refreshing.  Using the snorkel, there was nothing to see.  Without the white sand bottom it was black and mysterious, and gave me an uneasy feeling.  The dark sweep of the beach looked like the negative image of a photograph; it was so different.

The manager was helpful, booking the Tahitian dance show at the Beachcomber resort for our last night. The reviews of this show were great.  We arranged for a rental car to pick us up at the hotel.  We would drive to the show and have the car to do our souvenir shopping the next day.  Kim is going to drive again…into Papeete!   Quell courage!  We want to see Le Marche and the harbor as well as some of the historic buildings.  Getting around and shopping will be easier with a car, especially with packages.

We took a bunch of brochures back to the room to find a 4×4 tour of the interior of Tahiti.  The mountain roads are very steep, narrow and dangerous.  Kim thinks that instead of the half day tour of the interior we should do the whole day which covers much more territory.  Since we have such a short time I agreed, hoping it is not too long a day.  We have been very good about scheduling things so that we are not too tired to enjoy ourselves and also have down time.

We ate at the Royal Tahitian’s restaurant which has a view over the water. The food was excellent and plentiful.  Service was slow but I can’t decide whether it is island time, French time or both.  The ice cold coke we ordered was the best ever.

The hotel had an adapter in the room so we were able to charge the DVD player.  Again we tried to watch Harry Potter and again we fell asleep halfway through.  By the time I figured out how to turn the DVD off, I was wide awake again.  I finished my diary, looked at a few more brochures, but I still wasn’t tired.  Will I collapse when I get home?  I can’t believe we only have a few more days before reality sets in.

Day 10

Finally we were off to shop in Papeete.  We should have had the rental car delivered earlier, but I kept expecting my old routine to catch up with me.  Instead, we were up at 7:00 and ready to go.  Kim took black and white pictures of the beach, no cleaner than yesterday, but good for art studies.  We walked along the dark stretch of sand, finding small pieces of green sea glass glinting in the black.   It is like finding emeralds, Tahitian treasure.   We collected black sand to layer with the white from the other beaches.  It looks lovely with the sea grass.  At the far end of the beach, gendarmes, the French police, patrolled with automatic rifles.  That was different.

We had breakfast at the hotel, croissants, chocolate croissants, bread, honey, jam, juice and tea, looking out over the ocean at another beautiful day.  We took some of the bread back to the room for a snack later.  Bread dries out more quickly here than Moorea, we learned later.  How odd.

The rental car showed up at 8:45.  We dropped the driver back at his office and soon we were off for a day of souvenir shopping.  We are also keeping an eye on the weather for our tour of the interior tomorrow.  There were clouds hanging over the mountains, not unusual for Tahiti, but usually mean rain.

It was very bright and hot where we were, maybe the clouds will clear for us. We found a parking lot which had a huge old Tamanu tree draped heavily with vines.  We tried a few pictures but there were too many cars in the way.  Down a little street I saw a fabric store and chose some material to make a double shower curtain.  I was looking for green but the one that caught my eye was a brilliant blue with gold and white flowers and tropical leaves in a very Polynesian design.  While I was waiting to pay I spotted a small piece of material that was just big enough for a pareos for $2.55.  We bought film at a camera  shop.  I had run out in Bora Bora, so I was back in business.

The main street was a marathon of stores from high end galleries with sculptures and paintings to glittering bijouteries filled with every kind of pearl jewelry imaginable.  Among these stores were postcards, ukuleles, t-shirts, bikinis, flipflops and keychains.  We were really looking forward to the Vaima Center, a two story mall and Le Marche, a huge handicrafts center with an indoor-outdoor feel that promised a solution to our search for souvenirs.  At one of the entrances of Le Marche, a group of women sat surrounded by flowers which they were making into leis, heis (flower crowns) and bouquets.  Although we found some small tapa cards and a pareo there, most of the merchandise was the usual tourist stuff and much was priced higher than we had seen.  There were no lotions scented with the tiari blossom, no small tins of solid perfumes with vanilla or other island flowers and no really cool things for kids.  The prices of the tikis, which were plentiful, were at least twice what we had seen.  Nacre buttons were $12. each!  What a disappointment.

One museum store had some lovely cards and a wonderful selection of pareos made in Tahiti, with each island using its own design.  We loved that store and the saleswomen were terrific.  That was where we found the outrigger man stickers.

The guidebooks had warned about traffic in Papeete but we found nothing but courtesy.  Once you put your foot on the crosswalk, traffic stopped and let us pass.

While we waited for a particular curio shop to open, we had lunch at L’Oasis, a small snack restaurant with little tables in a courtyard.  We shared a Panini, soft French bread with feta cheese, basil, and tomatoes, toasted crunchy goodness eaten al fresco in the shade of a huge tree.  We shared the sandwich so we could have the lemon meringue tart for desert, then we were off again.

The shop was not worth waiting for but we bought more tattoos and stickers.  We were growing a little more desperate for things to bring home as gifts.  The Vaima Center was not much better.  There was only a small English section in the bookstore so the Tahitian cookbook or a children’s book of French/Tahitian/English words and stories did not materialize.  The books on tatau designs did not say what the tattoos meant and were very vague on the history.  Books on the common fish and birds of the island just don’t seem to exist.

In Ganesha, a museum store of Art du Pacifique, I fell in love with a wonderful Marquesan tiki, beautifully carved with tattoos.  The shop is filled with wooden items, paddles and battle axes, jewelry and boxes.  The prices are not bad considering the workmanship.  We still have almost none of the little souvenirs for people back home and are now regretting some of the items we passed up in Moorea and Bora Bora.  Never again.  If we see something we think is good and the price is right, we will buy it there and then.  For a moment I even thought about returning to Moorea but we don’t have the time.

We’ve certainly had no problem finding our souvenirs and splurged on matching gold rings with tattoo markings at Michel Fouchard’s Papeete shop.

After a stop at the Papeete post office to get some Tahitian stamps, we went back to the car and headed to the Beachcomber Resort.  It was too early for the dinner show we had reserved but we knew it would be easier to find our way during the day than after dark.  We took a wrong turn and ended up getting there by the side streets which worked out just fine.  The resort is quite large, the restaurant set out with tables facing the stage.  We looked into the shops then drove back to the Royal Tahitian, making only a few wrong turns. Papeete is not set up as a true grid; streets veer off in places and we drove into a tunnel before we realized it.  Luckily the tunnel was going where we were.  Kim kept her cool and soon we were back on track.

We were really looking forward to seeing the traditional Polynesian dance show with the gorgeous costumes and beautiful dancers. The drumming makes you just want to get up and dance and the excitement makes the evening a great experience.  We got dressed for our night out and drove back to the Beachcomber.

The buffet was fine, regular food with a long dessert table with a least 15 goodies.  Two men played a guitar and sang some songs, background music while we were eating.  Around 8:00 there were still no dancers, so when we were presented with the bill and had paid, we asked when the show would be starting.  They said it already had, but it was still just the two men singing.  A short time later a woman came out and said the show was cancelled as the dance troupe wasn’t able to get there.  They did bring out some fire dancers, young kids who did a really good job and their father who was also their teacher.  But still!  There was much grumbling among the customers.  No refund was offered.  Just sorry.  Somebody’s going to get a letter!

They really ruined our last night in Tahiti.  Had we known we could have called around for other shows or gone to the Belvedere restaurant for the sunset.  Oh well.  Having paid with Visa, I called when we got home but they said I should have complained when we were there.  Well, we did but the hotel didn’t offer any compensation.

Tip: Complain loudly at the time and contact the credit card company immediately.

Day 11

I was up again at 5:00 and Kim woke shortly after.

We picked up beach towels to take on the tour of the interior, returned the rental car and went back to the room to finish the Harry Potter movie. It only took us three days.

The mountains were clearer than the day, but the weather is changeable on the islands.  We were told the 4×4 tour would pick us up at 8:30 so we were ready to go but that turned out to be the half day tour; ours would leave at 9:30, so we went for a little walkabout.

The hotel could give us no information about the history of the Royal Tahitian and they do not sell the stickers with the really great hotel logo.  The little I knew came from an article I had read.

The Royal Tahitian itself is old and badly needs sprucing up, new bedspreads, blinds for curtains, and grass mats or wood floors instead of carpeting. (Kim is redecorating and I have to agree.)

The grounds, however, are beautiful with a huge old mango tree and a stream that flows through the property with water lilies on the surface and tall grasses edging the banks. A waterfall splashes down into the little pool.  There are enormous fishtail palms and one spectacular traveler palm with fronds that grow flat like a lady’s fan.  It was named because thirsty travelers could cut into the trunk of the palm to get water.

Our guide, Eric, arrived at 9:30 and by 10:00 we were on our way, armored with mosquito repellant, water and plenty of film. We rounded the northwest coast of the island and headed inland into the Papenoo Valley.

This was the most incredible trek into the interior of Tahiti with lush green valleys surrounded by mountaintops shrouded in clouds and streaked with long, thin strands of waterfalls at every turn.  At first we would point out the waterfalls and ask their names as they became visible, but after the fifth one we stopped asking.  There were so many it just became funny.  French soldiers were guarding men working on building the road and we made our way carefully around the construction.

      

We stood up in the open jeep, hanging on to the metal framework, bumping along unpaved roads, as we made our way into the valley.  There were so many shades of green in the hills surrounding us and the mountains kept revealing different faces.  We crossed tiny bridges over rock strewn streams, saw clusters of little pink orchids and giant ferns.   Huge purple-backed leaves held a cup of water in their throats.  Thick vegetation edged the road, spraying us as the jeep pressed through.  Exotic birds colored like lovebirds but the size of pigeons flashed through the dark foliage, their iridescent feathers catching the light.

We crawled and slipped our way up and through and down incredibly steep, muddy, narrow, rocky roads, stopping at special view points along a trek of wonderful sights. There were other 4×4’s making the same tour about a half hour behind us and we would catch a glimpse of them now and then.

Seeing them navigate the same horrendous mountain road that we had just driven was eye-opening and gave us an elevated opinion of Eric’s abilities as a driver. Occasionally Eric would holler “hold on” as if we weren’t.  Our hands were cramped from holding on, but it was exhilarating and so beautiful.

Dark streaks marked places where waterfalls had been and would be again with enough rainfall. The slender silver threads you see from far away make their way down to form little grottos, some visible just off the road.  These half caves of dark, wet stone are cloaked with leafy vines and a haven for tiny orchids and ferns.    In this humid climate where clouds cling to the mountains and release moisture, the water collects, passing over or under the roadway.  The rivulets continue tumbling down to form a larger pool or make their way finally to the sea.  The sound of rushing water is everywhere and the air is cool and damp.  We climbed further into the clouds.  It was difficult to tell whether it was raining or not.

Eric took us to Marae Farehape, a restored marae and village. We had looked for other spiritual sites on Moorea and Bora Bora that are marked on the map, but these sacred stones are often an unmarked cluster of large lava rocks set in a pattern and we were never sure if we had found them.

I walked to the swimming hole.  It was too cool to swim and loaded with mosquitoes but the water was clear to the bottom.  Little colored leaves floated on the surface of the rocky pool.  Above the spot where I was standing, the stream wound up the hillside, spilling over to form little waterfalls at each step as it worked its way to the top.  In the distance a larger pool had formed, framed in lush greenery and slick dark stone.  At the edge poised on an overhanging rock stood a tiny figure which I realized was Eric.  He was very far away but somehow I felt I was intruding on a very private moment.  I slipped away.

Our rest stop was the Relais de la Monoto, a small hotel high in the mountains that used to be a retreat.  It looked like Nepal with low hanging clouds misting through the passes.

We ate lunch with our fellow travelers then headed back down the winding road. A light rain fell off and on, more a heavy mist, but nothing could dampen our enthusiasm.   We stopped at the Urufau tunnel that was carved into the side of the mountain and walked through in almost complete darkness to the other side which was draped with vines.  A few people had flashlights but it was still eerie.  Eric laughed at us when he picked us up on the other side.

Vaihiria is a crater lake with its own waterfall renewing it.  We were joined by other groups on their tours and spent some time enjoying the views over the valley and across the lake.  It was pretty then, but on a sunnier day I think the reflection in the dark green water would have photographed amazingly.  The last two tours of the day leapfrog down the steep, slippery roads so that everyone comes down safely.  Looking back we could see where water had eaten away the soil underneath the road we had just traveled.

Down at sea level again Eric took us to Taharuu Beach at Papara, a black sand beach where we sat and watched surfers as the sun went down.

We drove back to the Royal Tahitian as the lights of Papeete came on.  An incredible day.  It completely wiped out our fiasco of the night before.

Our plan was to shower, wash our hair, pack and prepare for the airport pickup at 8:00 for the 11:45 flight back.  Right in the middle of all this, the front office called and told us we should have checked out at noon.  I said the desk had made our arrangements for the tour, knew our departure plans and had not mentioned it.  I had never traveled much and never even gave a thought to checking out, only the flight time.

We packed in a rush and our bags were brought to the lobby. I apologized and they seemed to accept that. At least they didn’t charge us for the extra half day.   8:00 came and went without our ride to Fa’a’a airport.  Again they had told us the wrong time.  The hotel called to confirm a 9:00 pickup, and since we now had time, we went to the hotel restaurant and had a great dinner.  Our transport arrived on time and we left to catch our flight.

There was a lot of security around the terminal but we had gotten used to seeing armed police and military.  We turned in the VAT paperwork, running outside to mail them, and sent our luggage off.  We had a little more than an hour to wait and were still bemoaning our lack of souvenirs when we passed an airport store.  It turned out to be one of the best shops we had seen, loaded from top to bottom with all kinds of really interesting and good quality merchandise.  Kim went in one direction and I went in the other.  We held up items for comments and made a pile at the counter, raiding the store for little gifts for family and friends back home.  We bought little shell necklaces and beaded bracelets, monoi oil, keychains, and candy.  I even found a few more tikis.  With shopping completed in what must have been a record for time and money spent, we left the smiling salesgirls carrying our bag of swag, happily relieved that we had accomplished the last thing on our to-do list.  We boarded the plane for the 8 hour flight home.

Thinking Back:

Tip: When people give you tips, usually they come from their experiences and are colored by that.  Take all advice with a grain of salt.

There were hardly any crowds except for the market in Papeete when a cruise ship was in port.

Tip: Check for festivals and holidays when choosing when to go on a trip.  I want to avoid these busy, crowded times, but that might be what you are looking for.  A simple check on-line will give you that information.

Very cool: All the brochures were printed in English, French and Japanese.

Baguettes stayed fresh for several days on Moorea!

Moorea had the sweetest pineapple. It was incredible, the best ever.

I went back to Sibani and bought the tiki mask setting with a black pearl in it. Then when I got home I had it reset with my carved tatau pearl.  Sibani was not cooperative but I got what I wanted.  It’s an unusual necklace and a wonderful souvenir of Moorea.

There are always little things that go wrong, from flights that are delayed to a cold shower or a performance that doesn’t meet your expectations. Try to just let it go and move on.  You get out of a trip, just like anything else, what you put into it.

                    

my tiki and flower bracelet       Tatau Turtle Mask