Day 60 - Moorea - Still Some Stones Left Unturned...

Hmpf. Well, another plugged nose & no plans. Unfortunately I didn't see too much of Moorea. A bit of a pity, considering most of the crew I spoke to claimed it was their favourite island. Looks like I'll just have to return!

Jaco worked for the first half of the day, leaving only a few hours to get off the ship. Neither of us communicated about who was taking what off the ship with each other, so we ended up in the tender with $20. We had talked about hiring a buggy to circle the island, but with $20, I don't think they'd even let us do up the seatbelt! The snorkeling is apparently really wonderful around the opposite side I'd walked a few days earlier & there is also a beautiful waterfall too. Next time!

We sat by the water for a bit & watched the local kids play & have a good time. Jaco decided to head back to the ship & I went with to get some $$ & pick up a few cheap pearls. I must say, hind-sight sucks. We got suckered into some pearls in Bora Bora & I have now discovered GREAT savings. Hmpf again. Oh well. Don't get me wrong, the good ones are EXPENSIVE. But C quality is a (little) bit more affordable & I say, if someone is looking that closely at the pearl earrings I'm wearing, they ought to be nibbling on my ears or they are too darn close! :o)

I decided that my hopes of scuba diving were now dashed. This sinus cold just wasn't going to cooperate, so I applied for a snorkeling tour instead. Hey, I gotta get into the water at least one more time! I dropped off my tour form, stopped by the Purser's Desk & they fixed my cruise card. I don't know why, but it was acting up every time I wanted to go ashore. There was a lovely Purser working named Andriette, from South Africa. It was so nice to hear her say my last name the way it is supposed to be pronounced. That & the fact that she called me Mrs... Tee hee, still gives me butterflies to stop & remember that I am actually a Mrs! I've heard my last name pronounced so many different ways, but no one can seem to figure out the call-its... One day I'll have the world trained. Maybe I just need to become famous or something... Shall I write a book about my travels? Publish some photography? Design some jewelry? :o) A girl's gotta dream!

Jaco also decided to give himself a haircut while I went back ashore... When I returned, he had a bald patch on his left temple. It appears the clippers have quit working. Upon closer inspection, he had them plugged into the wrong voltage. They weren't getting enough juice to work. I plugged them into the other plug & presto change-o! They worked! So, he cuts his own hair. When he proceeds to tell me he's finished, I noticed a large triangle of longer hair in the back. I offer to fix it for him & he reluctantly agrees. I then also offer to trim the top patch, which is also long. He VERY reluctantly agrees. It was my first haircut with scissors & I thought I did a pretty good job. Unfortunately he wouldn't let me even out the 'ocean wave' he has wrapping around his head, but here's hoping he'll change his mind soon. Petro, if you're reading this, it's not as bad as the 'mohawk' from last year! Of course, I think he looks handsome regardless, but I do like his hair on the shorter side. I'll do my best to get him cornered with the scissors & even it out! :o)

Jaco & I went for dinner in the buffet, which I heard someone call the buf-it today. Does that make it Little Miss Muff-it sat on her tuff-it or is it actually Little Miss Muff-eh sat on her tuff-eh? Just a thought. Anyhow, the food is rapidly becoming mundane. I will say the food is somewhat better on here than the other ships I've been on... But with the restrictions I've got, it's not helping. Thankfully we have organized fresh squeezed orange juice every morning & I can count on a baked potato from room service every night. Hey, a good spud when the buffet's a dud. Okay, okay, I won't quit my day job. :o)

I'm very excited for Bora Bora tomorrow... I do love that place! I returned to the cabin to find a tour ticket under the door. Yay! Snorkeling with sting rays & then to the Coral Gardens for a bit more snorkeling!

Sleep well & remember to be nice, not naughty... Santa is watching!
xxxx
Maria & Jaco

We were in port with the Starclipper - a real sailboat! Wow!

The Happy Couple in Moorea!

I'm thinking a sandal tan in December is a GOOD THONG, I mean, THING! :o)

Michael, Accommodation Attendant, on his 2nd day of a 10-month contract! 10 Months away from home!!! Crazy!!!

The Locals hanging out!

Side A

Side B - Whoopsie! Don't worry! It's better now!

Day 59 - Papeete - One Last Time... ** Sniff Sniff **

Sigh, sadly I am coming to the realization that my South Pacific escapades are dwindling to a close. Unfortunately I woke up to a still very plugged nose & splitting headache, but I'm NOT complaining! :o) I think a little fever was mixed in there throughout the night, but thankfully I was well enough to wander around Papeete for a bit. Jaco had plenty of work to do, so I ventured out to visit the health food shop again & also to pick up some oil I'd found the cruise before.

La Vie Pacifique is the health food shop we visited the previous Papeete. The first time we met the husband & also bumped into the Accommodation Supervisor who has taken great strides to improve his health. This time I met the wife & 2 of their daughters. They were very helpful & extremely welcoming. Their one daughter, Jenny, has just started a company called Tamatea & she makes these amazing creations with silk fabric & shells. She will also combine pearls to make them extra special. When I first looked at them I thought, 'Hmm, nice, but not for me.' Then Jenny showed me how you actually wear them & they are AWESOME!!! The shell gets placed on the side of your forehead & then you tie the silk strands in a knot at the base of your head. They look beautiful! She had so many colours & I have honestly never seen anything like it in all my travels! Kudos to this creative young gal - what an entrepreneur! I've posted a photo of the family - they later toured the ship & had dinner in the dining room with Antonio, the Accommodations Manager. I should have taken a photo then, as they had some of Jenny's creations on, but I wasn't thinking too clearly! Next time!

I wandered around Papeete looking for suitable dress for NYE, but didn't find anything. The affordable dresses would have made me look like a call girl & the nice dresses ran about $400. Believe me, when I say it's expensive, IT'S EXPENSIVE!!!! Needless to say, I didn't find anything to wear! :o( I've packed on the Prednisone Pounds, so I suppose it's best I didn't find anything... I might have to be like the Island Mama's & wear a pareo! :o)

I ventured back to the pharmacy to pick up some more of the Monoi - oil - scented with Tiare - Gardenia. It's such a lovely smell that I've not encountered anywhere else. I love it & the oil has been kind to my skin since the burn. (I'm still peeling, btw, 13 days later!)

Other than that, I picked up a few postcards to fill my sea days with & then it was back to the ship. I crashed early & didn't sign up for a dive in Moorea. :o( These sinuses are throwing me for a loop! Yeesh!

One week until Christmas & I wish you a merry one!

Love & hugs,
Maria & Jaco
xxxx

Tracey, the Senior Nurse, from the UK - note the Santa in the foreground. Tracey created a lovely Christmas Grotto in the Medical Centre. It's very festive!

Jenny, her sister, parents & a few creations on the side... They are a beautiful family!

Day 58 - Moorea

Hello everyone!

Well, sadly, my day in Moorea wasn't as exciting as I'd planned. I woke up completely stuffed up. My sinuses have officially gone on strike! Thus, no diving for me! I didn't want to take the chance & not be able to equalize. Adding to that I felt a little less than sparkly, so I decided to take it easy. I went back to bed & managed to drool all over my hand, thanks to both nostrils being blocked & having to breath through my mouth. Thankfully my husband was at work & didn't see his wife at a less than beautiful state. (!)

FYI, this is my first cold in almost 4 years, so I'm pretty excited to have one! Dr. Castillo said there was a study done in Germany & people who 'never get sick' are 7x more likely to get cancer than those people who get a cold or flu 1-2x/year. I am optimistic that this is a shift in the right direction! Yay! Bring on the sneezes & sniffles!

I went out later on that afternoon sans Jaco, as he was busy with work. I walked a few kms to a hotel on the waterfront. It was a little disappointing after Bora Bora, but really, how can you compare?!? The water was a little chilly & murky, but apparently there are better beaches around the other side of the island. I guess it's who you know, not what you know. Luckily I have one more stop in Moorea in a few days time, so I'll give the diving another whirl. Hopefully I can convince Jaco to let me dive in Bora Bora once more... That was spectacular, I do say!

I won't post any photos tonight, as I'm about to go for dinner & need to blow my nose (again). The water was beautiful in Moorea & I can't wait to find the right spot to get in it! That said, I did see an awful lot of stray dogs on my walk to the hotel - made me happy I didn't have Lil' Miss V with me! She would have been a sausage snack! Adding to that, I had the daylights scared out of me when I saw something scurrying in the ditch. I thought it was a tarantula at first. (!?!) But luckily, it was only a land crab. There were plenty of them scurrying in & out of their holes on the sides of the road. I was fine with that, but then I saw a rat. Gross. I haven't seen many in my life. I don't mind the odd mouse that Adios catches, but really... A rat?!? Come on!!! What happened to the strict quarantine laws? Stray dogs? Rats? Not winning any brownie points here people!!! I have double checked & they do stock the rabies vaccination on board, so I'm covered if Fido decides to make me lunch! I suppose every island has its shady side!! :o) (But not Bora Bora!)

I did bump into Mr. Parker, whom I dove with in Raiatea & in Bora Bora. He was kind enough to give me a copy of the photos he took with his underwater camera. I will look through & post a few of them when I get a chance. I am excited to see them... The few that I did peek at had great colours & plenty of fish! Yay!

On a side note, I spoke with my dear friend Joanne. I am afraid that things aren't going so great for her. If you can find it in your heart to say a prayer for her & ask God for a miracle, that would be the best Christmas present you could give her & her family & me, too, as I care deeply for her. She has had to rush to the hospital today for emergency surgery & the timing is quite poor, as her family is arriving today for Christmas & also for her son's wedding, which is to happen on Tuesday. It doesn't look as though she'll be able to attend the wedding, so if you could please pray for a miracle & a speedy recovery so she can attend the wedding that would be wonderful. Thank you.

Thank you again for your comments & also for your prayers! Merry Christmas & love & hugs!

Maria & Jaco
xxxxx

ps - I think the comments work, you just need to click post comment 3x then I think it works! Sorry, but I don't know why?!?

Day 57 - Just Another Day...In Bora Bora!

Today was a stunner of a day. Blue skies, a few white puffy clouds & HOT like it should be. Another crummy head ache & sore throat left me a little under the weather, but not for long! Jaco & I headed out just before lunch. ps - Not to worry about the headaches & sore throat. I think it's from all the dry air from the scuba tanks & besides, I'm three years overdue for a good sinus cold, so bring it on!!

We managed to let the lure of Tahitian pearls take us to a shop, where we were both overwhelmed with the selection, options, & PRICES. Oh my word. They are expensive. It was crazy! After I'd spend way too long in the shop, waiting for some crazy passengers to make up their minds, it was time for me to make up my mind. I never did. I can't believe they charge what they do for a pearl! I know they are beautiful, but really?!?! $300 for one? And a mediocre one at that?!?!

We finally left for the beach. Why, oh why didn't we come here earlier!?!? Wow! Endless green/blue waters stretched out in front of us. When I got in the water, it was so warm & shallow. I swam & I swam, or rather snorkeled for ages & I could still touch the bottom! It was fantastic! I couldn't believe it. It truly was paradise! I am so incredibly lucky! I hope you get a chance to visit this magical island one day. Wow.

We bobbed in the water & checked out a few fish before it was time to get back to the ship. We caught a shuttle & Jaco dashed back in time for clinic & I did a little window shopping.

I watched the ship sail away & it was kind of sad to say goodbye. We visit Bora Bora once more, but I am secretly hoping it's raining when we leave. I don't want to leave & I hope if the weather is crummy it will at least make it a bit easier to sail away. **sniff, sniff** This place is definitely in the Top Ten List.

We're about to have dinner, so I will have to cut this post a little short... Jenn, I've got a little baggie for you... It's beautiful sand. I promise I won't stick my toes in it before it finds its way to you! :o)

Love & hugs from Bora Bora,
Maria & Jaco
xxxxx

Yours truly in water in Bora Bora!

Ain't nothin' like the sand between your toes!

My Baby soakin' up the sunshine!

The Happy Couple in Bora Bora

Sailaway from Bora Bora

Gotta love the colours of the water...

Day 56 & 1/2 - Night Dive In Bora Bora

Okay, I know I've said it before, but were you listening when I said that Bora Bora is amazing? I think everyone should have the opportunity to come here to appreciate it with their own 5 senses. My word, it is incredible.

Now, where were we? Oh, yes, the night dive. I've never done a night dive before. I was nervous, yet excited to explore the water world with nothing but a light & bubbles. It was so much better than that!

I had got to know several of the passengers who were also keen divers over the past few dives & I was relieved to see some of them on the night dive with me. Gary & Nina, from Anchorage, AK, assured me that I would either love it or hate it & they were guessing that I would love it. They were right.

The same diving crew picked us up at 1750 at the pier. They took us to a new location in the opposite direction of the dives from earlier in the day. We stopped near the Hilton & the Hotel Bora Bora, which is now closed as of this year. It was the first over water hotel to open of its kind in 1961 & closed due to the economic changes taking place globally. Apparently Bora Bora is a steal of a deal these days, but with the Hilton charging $1000/night, I'm not convinced. Supposedly that is cheap. One of the hotels has a suite for $30,000/night. That includes your own chef, masseur, helicopter, etc, etc... Let me know if you need company... :o)

So there we sat, watching the sunset in Bora Bora, preparing for our dive. It was perfect. A moment I will never forget. The sun dipped out of sight, the sky became dark & we fell into the water. Our lights aglow, it was a whole new world. I must admit, it was a a little unnerving to have poor visibility & a dim torch, compared to the other divers. But, I made do. I ensured I stayed close to the guide & kept close watch as to what/who was around me. Don't worry, there weren't any sharks! :o)

We did see some pretty amazing sea life though! My very first Nemo! A real live Nemo! I was so excited! There they were, chillin' out in the Anenomes! Just like in the movies! I couldn't help but have 'P. Sherman - 42 Wallaby Way' repeat over & over in my head... :o) We saw these 'Cow fish'. I am not to certain on the validity of my fish names, but this Cow Fish had horns, more like a bull than a cow, but hey, that's what they called it! We saw a crazy looking crab with this insane 'helmet' on his head. He looked like a Rastifarian with 3 sections of dreadlocks... or maybe it was just more like the one 'tentacle' pirate from Pirates of the Caribbean - in either case, it was crazy! We saw plenty of puffer fish & scorpion/lion fish. But the scariest sighting of the night dive was the massive moray eel. I was thinking I was having an 'Ocean Anaconda' experience. This creature was HUGE! It's head was the size of a basketball. I don't know how long it was because it was curled up amongst the rocks, but the girth on it must've been at least 24"!!! Yikes!

It was a beautiful experience & once we were out of the water, it was time to admire the stars. Oh what a beautiful night. The dive boat took us straight to the ship & we hopped onto the Pacific Princess. My first day in Bora Bora now complete. Well, that is until I find my husband & gush about a the crazy adventure I've just had! He needs to get certified!

Sleep tight & I will see you back here tomorrow!
xxxx
Maria & Jaco

Heading out to the dive site

Do I look excited?!?

Ahh, life in the tropics!

The Hilton Bora Bora - $1000/night (only)

The last few rays of sunshine before we descended in the abyss... or something like that!