Bora Bora
We arrive at night in Papeete, but .... arrived yesterday. Yesterday?! Yes, because we started out August 21 from Tokoriki, but we get 20 to Papeete. No time machine, we have simply recovered the lost days at our start rehearsing the lines of data.
The next morning we take an internal flight to
Bora Bora, where we awaited our boat for a week of cruising among the islands of the Company.
Even the plane on landing the show that is before us is incredible, what dazzles us most are the colors that appear evident here than ever: The sun is incredibly strong, the sky is blue and the sea ... .. say that it is crystal clear is just to say .... I have never seen anything like it!
Collect our luggage on their own, we find that the rule is in these small airports, the luggage cart with you just brought the plane to the small bungalow that contains the waiting room and ... everyone recovers their suitcases.
We board to reach the island, the airport was in fact built by the Americans during the Second World War, on a small motu (islet, in Polynesian) narrow and long, given that the island is a mountain peak the sea, surrounded by a coral lagoon.
Arrived at the port is our vessel at berth.
It's called EIAO and named after one of the many islands that make up the Polynesian archipelago. E 'a catamaran of 17 meters and can accommodate 8 people plus two crew. E 'comfortable, with a large outdoor area for sunbathing, a veranda where meals and also a covered veranda, in the case can be used rain or if simply too cool to stay out.
E 'conducted by a pair, which, as will understand later, is rather' a standard in the conduct of tourist boats: he, the skipper, is French and is called Gilles has 30 years and lives in Polynesia since he decided to undertake this profession, you, Noeline, is Polynesian of Tahaa and the role of chef and expects a child from Gilles. E 'on his last journey before you stay at home awaiting the birth and soon discover his amazing culinary skills, because we literally spoil a delicious base for a week.
With us there are 3 other couples, because the boat has 4 double cabins. I am Austrian, French, and another Italian couple like us. Soon we friends with this heterogeneous group in which many languages are spoken: half of us understands Italian, all parlottiamo a little 'in French, and all speak good English as we adopt as an official language. The group has proved decidedly ideally composed of individuals sympathetic and communicative opportunities of the meeting (meals, excursions), but also very discreet and quiet in times of relaxation. There is nothing more rewarding to navigate the sail, in silence, in a dream lagoon, surrounded and followed by races leopard, simply listening to the noise of nature.
The first two days spent at sea in the lagoon of
Bora Bora. Gilles takes us first in pursuit of a whale that is emerging from the bay, followed by its small: just arrived and already an emotion, to hear the sound of whales that are spoken and respond! Gilles abandons the ship in the hands of Noeline and diving with his underwater camera. Spend a beautiful looking after those shots!
We returned on board towards the edge of the lagoon where we explore the reef by snokeling. It 'the first time that swimming at a distance from the sharks so close and I can not deny a certain fear. In fact, after some ten minutes I notice that absolutely do not care about us, and I almost forgot because they swim around us and fantastic giant Napoleon fish and lot of hesitation and a lot of colorful fish which are not absolutely so the name !
At the end of hunger is really a great dinner and reserve one of the many culinary surprises of the week: fresh tuna carpaccio, and never ever, a great Pescioni like a tuna and white meat from widespread in Polynesia.
In our first day is spent in Polynesia is already there seems to be no more never felt comfortable in our of here!
The other Society islands
The next day, wake up at 6. Here you wake up very early because the day has exactly 12 hours of light and dark of 12 and 18 the sun sets, leaving us in absolute darkness, enlightened only by the stars (which are many !!!). For sfuttare available throughout the day you wake up soon, although I must say that after hours of swimming, sun and wind, the evening is not difficult to go to bed soon!
With that which is dark here, and in total absence of light pollution at 21 it seems that it is already night!
We start with the dinghy for a trip to snokeling particular: we go to "hunting" of Mante.
We all dived after a few minutes shooting the chase: a pair of elegant, gigantic Mante (have a wingspan of about 2-3 meters) us close lightning on the bottom. We launch in pursuit, but after a few tens of meters only me, my husband and Gilles are abreast with these fast Pescioni! I can finally capture with my little machine disposable underwater but thanks to the clarity of water to find back home that the photos are really beautiful shot! Gilles is "armed" its powerful underwater camera and makes us see the result in our return to the boat.
Weary dall'inseguirla come back on board dell'EIAO where affamatissimi, have lunch and spend the afternoon in the sun, read and swim undisturbed around the boat between the fish of the lagoon.
After another day to stroll between the lagoon we move to Tahaa. We go to visit the interior of the island, famous for the production of vanilla. Our little tour by jeep will take us up to the top of where you can admire all the small bays that form and its lush vegetation. Just eat coconut and seized huge grapefruits and sweet.
In the evening dinner in a restaurant on the island based on typical local food, but soon regret the kitchen Noeline, higher quality!
We move the following day in Raiatea where after a stop in the harbor of Uturoa we "parked" off to a wonderful beach where the sun waiting lying on bagnasciuga. Noeline goes between the vegetation and leaving with a bag full of strange fruit. Find them for dinner: they are the fruit of the tree pane and a sweet tuber who has cooked as a side dish of fresh fish just caught. Another discovery, some surprising new flavors.
The following day the strascorriamo excursions in the various motu, to depths of discovery full of wonderful and funny fish, fish as the flute or trumpet fish, or in pursuit of the usual breeds leopard!
The sixth day we move to the island of Huahine. And 'our last day on board, the next day we will transfer to the ground and then flying to Moorea. A bit of sadness we take in these 6 days the time has stopped giving you a little piece of paradise on top of all our expectations. Before leaving I was very much informed on the Polynesia and I read enthusiastic reviews but decided stroncature. Our experience has been revealed as just perfect.
Fly to Moorea, where we chose one of the most classical properties: an overwater bungalow. From our room we plunge straight into the sea, or rather, we descend from the ladder because the water is very low because the bungalow backs directly onto the reef.
Here is truly extraordinary populated with fish! For one day we rented a scooter and do the tour of the island, really beautiful. We also hike to the center of which you can see perfectly well what was to be the shape of the volcano sunk that generated it. What was the center of the caldera of the volcano is now a huge park used as a botanical school, rich in every species of plant flowering and fruit typical of the Polynesian islands.
There are also plenty of pineapple crops here are small and sweet.
Moorea to spend 4 days, sufficient to fully enjoy the beauty of the island and the sea that surrounds it.
Return to Moorea from Papeete, which is 5 minutes by plane (yes, including 5 take-off and landing) pathways on a tiny and colorful airplane of Air Moorea.
In Papeete we board for Los Angeles, the last leg of our journey, in fact merely a stop-over in order not to lose the benefits of this wonderful holiday.