TAMPA TO FRENCH POLYNESIA

FLYING:                  Flying is never fun and getting here was no exception.  Our short flight on Delta from Tampa to Atlanta was late and crowded (no space in overhead bins) and we worried about our connection to L.A.  However, we made it in time and the next foodless flight had the pleasant surprise in that I could watch the Superless Bowl.   We had a four-hour layover in LA, but with miles to walk to reach the international terminal, a 50-minute line at the Air Tahiti check-in counter, and a 40-minute line at security we made it just in time to not grab a $ 14. hamburger.

We had been warned on Cruise Critic (an essential website for anyone contemplating taking a cruise) that Air Tahiti was fanatical about luggage weight so we left Tampa a pound under for each case.  The couple ahead of us in line were 8 pounds overweight on their carryons and had to pay $ 150. to get on the plane.  This is a good news story in that whenever Betty shops and buys an item on this trip she will have to throw away something of equal weight.  I hope that doesn’t mean that she foregoes shoes, etc. for precious gems.

After more than 24 hours in transit we arrived at 6:00 a.m. at the Papeete Airport.  An ATM spewed out enough funny-looking money to pay for a cab downtown.  Reception at the hotel was very nice and gave us a key to the spa so we could shower, etc.  Papeete is a rather seedy looking town with few sights of interest.  Tourists are advised to ferry to the next island or at least go out into the countryside.  We considered renting a car but exhaustion overruled and we wandered around the farmers’ market in the morning and spent the afternoon having a snooze and a swim in the rooftop pool.  This is the rainy season so the weather switches hourly from bright sun to torrential rain and then back again an hour later

Cuisine may be a bit strange here.  At the market they sold French Fries pizza (that means French Fries are mixed in with the cheese) and lots of people were eating French Fries subs.   For our evening meal we sat on our private balcony with a view of the mountains and shared a baguette and pate with a bottle of Chilean wine.  Then we walked to the Port where each evening several trucks set up barbecues and sell local food.  This was very pleasant although the clouds opened just as my Mahi Mahi was being served.  However, there was an occupied table under and awning and we were welcomed by other patrons.

This morning (Feb. 4) we boarded the Marina and now everything feels like home as this is the same ship that we were on in November.

BORA BORA:  This morning (Feb. 5) we arose very early in order to enjoy the sail-in through the barrier reef into the lagoon.  The novelist James Michener described Bora Bora as the most beautiful island in the world.   My experience is not sufficient to confirm, nor can it deny the assertion.

We joined a group of 12 (pre-arranged through Cruise Critic) for a 5-hour water tour of the island.  This tour run by a local family was a delight indeed.  We stopped 3 separate times to snorkel.  The first time was among a school of black-tipped sharks and we were assured that they didn’t bite.  Interspersed with the sharks were huge sting-rays.  I never did muster the courage to touch the sharks but I did run my hand over the back of a sting-ray.  On the second stop I saw a huge moray eel and on the third stop we swam over a school of much larger lemon sharks.  At one point one of the guides yelled sharply at me that I was swimming with my feet too low in the water (which apparently might be tempting to the huge shark.)  I reacted by quickly climbing back into the boat.  I did also make a rookie mistake of getting my back badly burned while swimming.

We sailed by several of the typical Bora Bora hotels with thatched roofed rooms built on stilts out in the lagoon.  We were told that the average price per room was $ 3,000. per night.  Bora Bora is a small island with a population of around 5,000 and is visited (at least those who stay overnight on the island) by primarily the rich and famous.

For lunch we stopped at a motu (a small empty island) owned by the tour family and they barbecued steaks, sausages and tuna for us.  This small island was totally covered in sand but had mature palm trees everywhere.  The only thing missing was a cluster of beautiful people to replace our group of 12 seniors.

Finally on the last lap of the trip an old man with flowing white hair sang native songs while accompanying himself on a strange 8-string ukulele.   While he was singing a young scantily clad girl, who looked like she stepped out of a Gaugin painting, did several sensuous swaying-type dances.