Pension Au Phil Du Temps Tahaa

... Tonight is our last formal night—we’ve gotten some good photos (yes Julie, one for your wall). Everyone has given us advice as how to drive in Oz, where to go in Oz, and generally what we should do. Unfortunately we’ll only have 9 days. We’ll just kind of go with the flow. Looks like the most interesting thing will be driving out of Sydney. One chap made ...

... lost track of what day or date it is. This is the most relaxing thing we’ve ever done. I’ll use this blog to describe some of our shipboard life. We have the cutest cabin attendant, Gene, who sings up and down the corridor as he works. Every night another cute towel animal appears while we’re at dinner. We usually get up, walk a mile on the track top deck, then head for breakfast ...

Once again I stayed on the ship for IPM, but today was rainy and humid. I planned to go to the pool, but the weather caused me to rethink that plan quickly. <br><br>I enjoyed working on some of my photos and creating more slideshows. You may wonder why I don't post more photos, why am I posting mostly just video slideshows?<br><br>As a photographer I don't wish to allow ...

... the pool.<br><br>It was really nice out. Not TOO hot, nice breeze, beautiful day to stay on the ship and enjoy the outside decks. I lounged in the water for about 2 hours. Just when the prunes on my fingers started to annoy I came in to get ready for dinner. <br><br>I love it here in the South Pacific, I can see why movies and musicals have been made about it!<br><br><br>

... We visited the vanilla plantation and learnt how Tahitian vanilla is completely different to the pod style which grows in countries like Madagascar and Mauritius. It takes 3 years to harvest and is a very complicated and lengthy process which relies greatly on the sunshine - best place for it really then.<br><br>We explored the rest of the island, visiting a Pearl farm, a turtle rehab centre and checking out some absolutely stunning coves. We ...

Up at 6, breakfast, bags in hotel storage and then a taxi to the airport before 8. Checked in, security and then onto the 68 seater turbo prop aircraft for the 50 minute flight to Bora Bora. There are about 118 islands scattered all round Polynesia, with Tahiti as the main hub. I had chosen Bora Bora in the Leeward Islands to the east as the typical, lagoon based, tropical island. Besides that it has such a fabulously sounding name. If our time in the islands was limited, then let's ...

We're in heaven today, also known as Bora Bora. Picture a masterpiece of deep green volcanic peaks edged by a ribbon of reef and magnificent white baby powder sand beaches. All of this majesty rises from a spectacular lagoon of jewel-like hues ranging from amethyst or light turquoise. Add to this temperatures in the low 80's, no humidity and some of the best snorkeling I've ever done. The fish are so tame, it was easy ...

... get some passion fruit and paw paw, not fogetting some vanilla beans introduced in 1848 by Admiral Hamelin and a booming industry here, some 30 tons /yr. Paid the guy but before he left, he cracks out his little guitar and sings a few dittys, how cools that !!! We stayed the night and after a dins of grilled red mullet with a shell bisque sauce ( from the crevettes ( French for shrimp) of 2 nights before) followed by passion fruit creme brulee the guests ...

... and pearl farm. We say yes as they are the two industries that form the backbone of the local economy and we have not, as yet, had a chance to visit either type of farm (plus, Taha'a is known as the "Vanilla Island") We are shown the vanilla bean plants and given an explanation of how the beans are cultivated and harvested which is not too far fetched human courtship and marriage. The vanilla flowers must be fertilized by hand ("married") because there are ...

... school? pod? flock?) or dolphins by the airport. We counted at least ten at once. Then they disappeared as quickly as they had come. Outside of the Moorings, we hailed them and quickly got a pilot. We reprovisioned, showered, grabbed more books. We also toured the Beneteau 432 and 51. Very nice, but lacking in character compared to Buttercup. On the way up to Tahaa, we discovered more dolphins --this time, too many to get an accurate count. What fun! They stayed for quite ...