Bora Bora - we must say goodbye but will never forget this magical place!

Haven't posted here on the blog... mostly on Facebook since we have been here.  A very low key, relaxing respite enjoying the quiet time and sights!  Many books read, dips in both the ocean and the pool, snorkeling, walking, and being mesmerized by the Mt Otemanu everyday. 

A few pics this last day... walking back to our bungalow after breakfast... Also, got a new bridge pic!

It's been on our Bucket List! And we are getting to do it now!

Enjoyed our last evening on the boat – a great dinner at Tuscon Steak with a bottle of wine that was also perfect. A nice ending after we had spent the late afternoon packing…You see, we had to be out of our room by 8am.  They gotta turn that room over for the next cruise… it’s a fine-tuned machine and it’s pretty organized!  Having learned from past cruises, we hired a driver to pick us up and take us to the airport.  That way, we aren't competing with the rest of the passengers trying to get to the airport!

We ended up at the airport by 9:15… our flight wasn’t till 1… better early than late.  Checked in and the attendant said she thought she could get us on an earlier flight.  We said sure… and within 10 minutes we were on a flight that was leaving in 10 minutes!  We were headed to BoraBora for a stay in a resort… a bucket list stay for us… in those over the water huts!  But first, we had to bounce around in the plane before we made it to our destination.  First time since I don’t know when, that the plane hit some turbulence and we dropped a couple feet; well, I don’t know if we did, but my tummy sure felt like we did.

Got to the hotel and sure enough, had to kill some time since our room wasn’t ready.  I would rather kill time at the resort than at the non-airconditioned airport.  No complaints came from our lips.  We went to the pool bar, order lunch after a bit, and then just laid around the pool till they brought us to our room.

As for our room… the pics tell it all!  We already went swimming off the ladder.  Pictures of Jerry show a look of shock… He got in, floated on his back and then remembered:  HIS HEARING AIDS!  He paddled on back, I took them in and lightly used the hair dryer to make sure they dried and, happy to report, they are working fine… Whew!!!

Sunset did not disappoint and our walk from our room to the restaurant was quite pleasant on the all the boardwalks and paths.  They have lots of golf carts for taking folks from point A to point B.  This place is spread out.  We’ve opted to walk as we can use all the exercise we can. 

Now… this part of the trip I don’t think you’ll find us doing too much of anything. We shall see… we have made no plans other than snorkeling and swimming. 

  

  

Shaken... AND Stirred ! And not the Martini but US!

Another beautiful island greeted us this morning… Tahiti knows how to do it for sure.  Moorea is the island ‘Bali Hai” is based on.  James Michner based much of his books on Hawaii from his experience here in the South Pacific while in the war. The musical “South Pacific” was based on his book.  Bali Hai… the theme song one thinks of … is based on this island.

  

After a light breakfast, we headed out for our second off road adventure.  Now Moorea is much larger than Bora Bora, the roads are darn nice, BUT, we were in the back of an older Mazda truck, which had bench seats for all 7 of us on the tour to sit on (with thin, plastic covered cushions).  The top was covered with a canvas tarp like thing… but, that makes it very warm but you don’t want to complain cuz you are protected from the sun.  Now this truck is NOT a four wheel drive, and when we went to the out of the way paths… OH MY GOODNESS!!!!  We were shaken and stirred… and not in a great way.  Had to protect your back so you didn’t bounce against the sides.  Gosh, you’d think we were still 16 with some of the stuff we get ourselves into.

So, though I may bring grinch about the vehicle, it still was a nice adventure.  Pineapple fields, vanilla greenhouse (they dry the beans after picked), views, views, views, beach, mountains, and then the trip up Magic Mountain… which is the one that really shook us up!  Not sure what the magic is, other than, if you finish the climb to the top, which we did, you have a grand view. You may be dripping with perspiration, but golly gosh, what a view

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Funny how all these trips take so long to get to the destination, but once you leave to return to the boat, they somehow find a quicker route!

Spent this evening packing… we are leaving the boat… BUT… we are not headed home yet… Wonder where you will find us! 

Vanilla Bean 

Plantains... NOT Bananas... Plantains grow upwards

 Cooks Bay.... named after Captain Cook though he never landed there!

 On the right, is the 'gorilla' that protects the bay from waves, etc.

 Yes the Pineapple has a flower!!!!

 Six hundred years old, remnants of an old temple of the old gods they worshipped! 

 What a hill to hike back down...

 We docked in Tahiti this evening at 5....

 Look at the boats we pulled up next to....