Business at Bungalow Twelve

Saturday, February 26, 2011

The Long Trip Home

After boarding a plane around midnight our time last night, we mostly slept through the 7 plus hour flight. We had a few hour layover in LA, where they tried to scare us and several others in our group that we might not have seats on the plane home, but finally we boarded our flight to Portland and arrived home where the rain had turned icy on the tarmac. Mama wasn't feeling well and fell asleep while Daddy showed CJ some of the photos of the trip.

Thanks to Aunt A for keeping our house in order while we were gone!

Friday, February 25, 2011

Moorea Day 2

Today's we spent the day on a Lagoon Discovery, Snorkel & Lunch excursion. This was not our favorite day, although there were definitely some good parts. Our boat started out having to run an errand - to pick up our captain! I guess he'd slept in. Then we went to swim with sharks and stingrays, which might have been really exciting, if we hadn't already done that on this trip. Plus this time our boat was joined by 2 or 3 other boats and then some other members of our group rode up on jet skis while we were there. There was something a little too commercial about that. And there were a few clouds out so Mama got cold fast, but she did stay in the water this time to meet the stingrays - even though our captain and his crew seemed a bit too excited to have the stingrays swimming right on top of the people.

When we were done with the sharks and stingrays our boat had to head back to shore to pick up our lunch before we could head back out towards the island where we were going to snorkel and eat. Again, the island was filled with several boats and a large group of locals further up. There were a large number of wild chickens running around and quite a few wild cats trying to get a free lunch. Lunch was fairly good with some yummy swordfish, more ceviche, noodles, french bread, etc. But the rum punch was way too strong to drink.

After lunch we snorkeled a bit to the end of the island, past the the sunbathers who were inappropriately dressed. (No pictures of that, thank goodness).

We headed back to land, just in time to watch the coconuts being cracked by members of our group. Fresh coconut is really good. They even shredded a bit for us to eat before we packed up and headed home.

On the way back to the port, Daddy was jealous as we came across a spot where there were some kiteboarders. One even veered right across our boat's path before he crashed to the side of us.

School In Tahiti

Here are the kids, learning to sail as part of school!

Thursday, February 24, 2011

Where Chickens Run Wild

We had a few moments after our hike and before dinner so we took the tender boat back to the port and walked the mile into the town to visit some shops. One the way we saw a fruit stand, a local fisherman selling his catch (when we walked back by all the fish were gone except the silver tuna) and, of course, chickens running wild.

Three Coconut Trails of Moorea Hiking Tour

Today's excursion was a long day of hiking. We were paired up with two couples from Canada and our tour guide and headed to our jeep for a drive up to the Belvedere lookout, where the hike would begin. (You can see the big ship in the background)

Our tour guide was a native Tahitian, who filled the hike with many stories about the nature around us, camping and pig hunts on the islands. He showed us the mysterious "shampoo" plant that is supposed to make your hair thicker and assist it in resisting the humidity. We all tried some.

We passed plants with huge leaves like turtle shells and many wild hibiscus that has many uses. We wandered through a bamboo forest where we heard tales of how they cut the bamboo down and use it for cooking shrimp or pig.

All the while we were climbing and climbing to the upper viewpoint, described by Expedia as "Stand atop the 1,170-foot viewpoint where the two peaks of Mouaroa and Tohivea soar skyward in the distance.

The views were pretty amazing. And it was great to get some real exercise. Although the steepness gave Mama some sore calves for a few days afterwards.