three ports

Raratonga, Cook Islands
We can’t get into the port as the ship is too large so we have to tender in on the smaller crafts they have. I find this very exciting, but long time cruises find it a hassle which I can understand, but it’s not like we have to do it in every port! The service is very effective and efficient in getting such large numbers of people to and from the ship. I thought it all worked extremely well as we didn’t have to wait long at any time.

The port seems quite busy and they use the New Zealand dollar here – there appears to be a lot of expats working here and many on holiday. I met a girl on holiday to visit her friend and she couldn’t believe how little there was to do on the island and moaning about it. Granted, there didn’t seem to be much, so we wander the shops in search of something interesting to purchase….BIG PROBLEM! Can’t remember my pin number even through I haven’t been gone THAT long! You don’t need cash on the ship as everything gets charged at the end so I haven’t used my card for a while! I am grateful the machine didn’t swallow my card, but returned it even though I got the number incorrect four times in a row! So shopping will be limited….
End up getting nothing – no due to lack of funds on the day, but not much to purchase….So decide to take the bus to the public beach. It’s an eight mile sandy beach that is supposed to be lovely…..and it is! Upon arrival, I see a couple we have been friendly with and she assures me that I will love the beach – and it couldn’t be more picturesque. There is another small island in the distance, crystal clear waters, golden sand – bright blue skies and bright fish swimming so close to the shore! I jump in to have my first taste of the South Pacific….Having never been here before it’s such an adventure and I feel so childlike as a result! I feel so far away from everything and so excited and peaceful….I spend around two hours wandering the beach and take the last shuttle back to the ship with two local beers in my pocket to taste later….
The beach was the best part of the day so I am pleased that shopping was not successful!

French Polynesia
Bora Bora – the tropical paradise that is lush and green and very scenic no matter where you look. Everyone has seen the hotels in movies, websites, ads – huts on stilts in the ocean. You know you are somewhere exotic and tropical – even though the weather was over cast and rainy. But we couldn’t let that dampen our mood! These were the stops I was most keen to make and can’t believe I am here seeing it for real!

The ship is too large to pull into the tiny port and we have to tender in again on the boats. We go out as early as possible as most people won’t want to walk in the rain, but it looks like it will clear up so I’m not too worried and Dad is game.

The big market here is for black pearls and even though they appear to be everywhere, they don’t come cheaply. Haven’t seen really anything I want – I just want to explore the town and maybe go to the beach again after doing some shopping and looking around. But still can’t remember my pin number and am refused cash at the cash point! Need to ask Roby to find out my number as I cannot remember it!

So after the shopping (which didn’t prove THAT fruitful as things are getting more expensive with each port and the variety isn’t getting any more varied) and when the sun had appeared, dad decides to head back to the ship before we go on our snorkling afternoon trip and I hope a bus to the local beach. The bus also stops at a restaurant called ‘Bloody Mary’s’ which is where THE STARS eat when in town – They are all listed on a large wooden board outside the restaurant. So…to keep my anominity on this trip – I didn’t hop off, but went straight to the beach, hoping for an adventure like the previous one! The public beach is right beside the Intercon hotel having passed similar hotels - the Bora Bora hotel and another one (all huts on the stilts). The beach isn’t as large as the one on Rarotonga, but it isn’t as crowded as well! The water is crystal clear and even feels a bit warmer. Not as many fish in the water but it’s wonderful nonetheless.

Many of the ship’s company from the Phillipines – mainly men and one woman – show up on the next bus and ran screaming to the beach. It was so fun to watch them taking each other’s photos doing funny poses on the sand and in the water – then running to the bar to get a beer and then reviewing their photos on the cameras to take better ones to send home. They were having such a good time and I knew that if I had asked how they were during their time off and they responded with the usual ‘wonderful’ at least I could believe it. That is the cordial answer to everyday pleasanties – ‘wonderful’ so it must be the ship’s policy to have this be the standard answer to ‘how are you’. Unfortunately, it isn’t believable after day two on the boat when talking with the crew as no other answer is recited.

The afternoon is taken up with our ‘Bora Bora Snorkel Safari and Ray Ballet’. We board the boat with about fifty other people and when we cast off, we are informed that there isn’t enough snorkel gear for everyone and we were supposed to bring our own. Needless to say, this doesn’t start the trip off well and OF COURSE everyone starts raiding the supplies as fast as they can in order to get a mask and snorkel for themselves and their partner. Neither dad or I race with the masses and just take our chances as I cannot bear this mentality that continues to reign in groups of people. I just leave it up to fate and dad is really angry and just decides to not pay at the end.

So when we arrive at our ‘spot’ for the rays – there just happens to be one mask and one snorkel left which I am able to snag and try to make work as I descend into the cool clear waters. Then the rays arrive and there must be at least six or more and they swim all around you – you can touch them and hold them. I am frightened at first and then as you see they are just swimming and will not harm you – it becomes a magical afternoon. Dad if he had not already swum with rays four times already on previous holidays he would have been upset to have missed it – but he stayed on the boat even though I offered him my mask and snorkel (and you really didn’t need them to play with the rays – god it was amazing!).
Then off to the coral reef…which is very young – only about seven years old and in very shallow water. The colours were bright and there were many different variety of fish – but then the rays arrived again and with my new found braveness I chose to spend time playing with them. I was near to the guide who was feeding them sardines and I guess I started to smell of the fish and one found that very interesting. He followed me as I tried to walk away and get right in my face trying to get my underwater camera – I think he thought that was food as well. Their skin is tough and slick and it’s incredible to touch them – but this one was becoming too friendly and I had nothing to offer….so finally he understood and swam away.

Then our guide appeared with a little octopus he found so I raced down to hold him and touch him. It was wonderful and they really do latch on to you with their ‘suckers’ which are very sticky and strong. I just couldn’t believe my luck to have such an interactive day with these creatures. It truly was special….I just wish I had been able to do it with Dad, but maybe another time….

We were late getting back as we took the long way around the little island and got to see the hotel development there – the Sheraton – which has build additional islands for new huts and also transported all the white sand to the beach (Bora Bora has black beaches as most volcanic islands….). The sun has finally come out and the sky was illuminated with orange, red, yellow and blue while in the distance there appeared to be a storm approaching – I hope we are going the other way as the ocean has been smooth and it’s been a very good first voyage for me. I haven’t lost my lunch yet!

Tahiti
Papeete:
Back to an island urban environment – a bustling city and so much traffic it’s like London – no joke. We arrive at 7am and off the ship shortly after and the traffic in town is already so bad that it’s not moving freely and backed up all along the shoreline. But we are greeted with song and an ukelele and flowers to put behind our ears. God they smell like heaven! Flowers that have a lovely sweet aroma – and just simple tiny white ones.

So off to the market and it’s a huge covered building that’s about the size of the one in Valencia – ones side for food, the other for flowers and clothing, gifts items. The upstairs for local crafts and a restaurant and outside there are more sellers with cloth on each side of the structure. There is so much colour for the eyes yet the atmosphere is completely relaxed with no hassling or haggling – just wandering.

Got my pin number from Roby thank goodness so I am able to get some cash for final shopping if I see anything. I had COMPLETELY forgotten my number – somehow I was trying to use my old pin number from my previous bank account for this card and yet I’ve had this account for almost two years!!! I am going potty in my old age….

Again there’s not much really to purchase as we’ve seen so much of it before – many shell things, tee-shirts, woven bags, coco oils, sarongs, etc. not many things I can see that people will use in their urban lifestyle so shopping has not been very successful at all on this holiday (which you will be pleased to know, honey! ) and I don’t have many more stops along the way…..but as my baggage weight coming over was pretty heavy – it’s probably just as well as I don’t think I could get much back anyway!

After spending our morning in the market, we return to the ship briefly to drop some things and then catch our afternoon tour. The bus collects us 20 mins late and when it finally arrives – I kid you not – these two men start fighting about who was first in the queue to board the bus! They were both English and they had words for a good 20 seconds and the poor Tahitian woman who was in charge didn’t know how to handle the situation – and I felt most embarrassed about the situation. But these people wil mow you down for a better spot in the queue. Every time it moved to allow for traffic or to make more room for others, everyone was trying to get to the front and elbow you out. I was just amazed and continue to be so every day!
So finally on the bus and it is boiling hot with no properly working a/c and no large windows to open. Once seated, I started to get a panic attack as I felt so hot and it was so oppressive that it also made me feel claustrophobic, but then I looked around and saw no one else passing out and considering their age, I thought if they can hang in there I could as well.

Becoming part of the traffic jam – we finally get into the suburbs where it was a little less hectic and you can see the green of the mountains. They do not build into the mountains so they are kept lush and green. The roosters and chickens are ever present on the roadside. Their feathers are so lovely and colourful – they are not scrawny or bald, but beautiful creatures completely free range all over the island. You have to catch them to eat them as they are completely wild and roam everywhere.

Went to la maison de James Norman Hall. I didn’t know who he was until our bus got there and he was the co-author of ‘Mutiny on the Bounty’which I have never read. Although he was American, he also lived in Tahiti – very lovely house and must have been gorgeous to live there during his time. Then off to see cliff top views of the sea and city, plus waterfalls, the lighthouse where Cook landed and kids surfing in the waves. It was a good tour as it got us out of the city to see more of the island. You can’t do everything in eight hours on land, but it’s nice when you can see more than the actual port and experience the beauty the island and people have to offer.
We are last to board the ship as since our us was late in arriving, we are late in getting back, We had to be on board at 3:30, but we arrived at 4pm….so we used every second! I would definitely return as we couldn’t see and do it all being there such a brief time….I really love French Polynesia as there is the diversity of a quite modern city mixed with the philosophy of island lifestyle. And you do feel so far away from everything – you know you are somewhere that takes time and effort to reach.
So back on board….and sailing off to the islands of Hawaii….

Another observation of my cruisin’ companions… most seem to wear where they have been. All clothes seem to have names of countries, cities, towns, restaurants, beaches or any location they are from or have visited. And if the men aren’t wearing an item with some writing on it, then they have their tropical shirts on – I don’t think I have been in one place where so many people have worn these shirts voluntarily and boast of having so many in the closet!

Can’t say I look forward to four days at sea as it’s a ‘lock-in’ with staff and fellow travellers. We keep pretty to ourselves by watching movies, reading and playing games. It’s surprising how fast the day goes by when you are doing nothing!

I will be busy with movies, eating, spa, eating, yoga, eating, drinking, and eating…..