Raiatea Lodge Hotel

... 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 ...

... and varied. The funniest one was the Love and Marriage Game. You can’t believe what these victims will admit to! I’m astonished they can still show their faces. We’ve had singers, ballroom dancers, magicians etc. Dinner (eating yet again) lasts a couple of hours, and then we usually saunter off to the casino to try and win enough for another cruise. So far we might be able to get to Detroit!!

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 ...

Raiatea<br><br> Since we are still working on Hawaii time and being able to walk off the ship rather than being tendered off and catch a tour from the dock, we decided to have breakfast first. We talked to yet another interesting Aussie couple and suddenly time flew by and it was nine o'clock. We disembarked and were surprised to learn at the dock that there ...

... Tahiti selbst, gar nicht. Wir besuchen eine Perlenfarm, denn aus Franzoesisch Polynesien kommen die richtig schoenen, wenn auch etwas falsch benannten schwarzen Perlen. Sie werden in Austern gezuechtet, wobei die Trefferquote extrem gering und die Wartezeit mindestens 1 1/2 Jahre betraegt. Die besten Perlen (Groesse, Rundheit und Glanz entscheiden) werden dann lose oder als Ringe, Ketten oder Ohrringe verkauft. Sie schillern in allen erdenklichen Farben von ...

... and very different to the diving.<br><br>On our final night we went to the tiny romantic restaurant attached to our hotel. Neil gave me a black pearl as an island memory and we sat watching the sun go down with a colorful cocktail and the waves crashing against the deck - our perfect honeymoon coming to an end. <br><br>The next day we didn't need to leave until 18:00 for our boat so we had a lovely massage in the gorgeous hotel spa. <br><br ...

... the "Captain's Welcome" cocktail party then played a bit in the casino. Just had an AWSOME dinner and we are off to go sing some karaoke! We spend the night docked here and head out tomorrow morning at 6am. I dont think I will be able to upload pictures so ya all will have to anxiously wait until i get back!! :)

... hot box, but this is only a problem when trying to sleep, as there is no point in being in the house at any other time, when we have such a wonderful outside area (Later have to adjust this statement to include being inside when it is raining, which is quite frequently). The patio has a table and various seats, but you miss some of the view because of all the overhanging coconut palm branches. The next area out, the coral sand, has further seating, and better water views. The ...

... a quick lunch, then get 3pm bus to airport for our flight to Easter Island. At the airport we're surprised to find that we are using the domestic terminal, and thus doing our final migration checks at Easter Island. Some others from another lounge join us, maybe from transit. There is no duty free, and the liquor prices in the terminal shops are outrageous. The plane is pretty full. We are hard up against the bulkhead as usual, with the families. One couple has a ...

... out for snorkeling. Ardice stepped on a sea snake. Small, black and white, dinky head, burying under coral. Don said it was a worm; he still refuses to yield me my snake. Stomachs began to holler,and we regrouped for lunch. Unfortunately, so did the mosquitoes. Figuring that what was under water insects could not bite, we all went out and stood in the ocean. Ardice, however, stepped on an innocent bottom fish. Both appeared agitated, and, while the ...