Five wonderful sea days to French Polynesia. 18th to 2nd September.
September 21st
Started with the Australian’s on board and wanting to get value for their drinks packages. At 11 am people were two deep at schooner Bar and the poor staff were running themselves ragged.
I went to the main dining room and had the pancakes. Awesome. Almost like Brunch at home.
Crown and Anchor do.
Chip and Michele were top cruisers.
The least viable captain ever. This was one of two occasions I saw him in 18 days.
Bridge Tour.
And the drinks kept flowing.
Izumi. Awesome.
September 21.
Equator Crossing.
September 22nd
Last night we crossed the wiggle in the date line. Twice.
So last night became tomorrow.
Therefore today is also the day after tomorrow. And yesterday was a few days ago.
Soon we will cross the date line wiggle again so tonight becomes the night before last night. Therefore tomorrow is actually yesterday.
Does that mean I missed my booking in Tahiti?
And then we cross the day line again for a Third time and it all jumps around again.
Hahahahha.
Also crossed from the northern hemisphere to the Southern Hemisphere and in a few days will go from western to eastern hemisphere.
4 hemispheres and many days – counting the yesterday and tomorrow thing.
September 23rd.
Papeete
Fun day with Jamie and Scott. Hired a taxi and did a round island tour.
Blowhole
Waterfalls
Gardens
Grottos
Fun supermarket with 24 kinda of Magnum. And scary looking food.
And many lovely places
Sun dried banana.
Then ridiculous prices at the only restaurant open. Windjammer it was. And a Polynesian theme.
My ankle was a bit cross after 10,000 steps.
September 24th
Moreea
Fun day. Did a round island tour with Scott and Jamie.
Amazing views.
“Bali Ha’i”, sight of the song from the 1949 Rodgers and Hammerstein musical South Pacific. 
A stunning lookout to see the classic scene, and yes, it is just like the brochures.
An ancient Mara.
More great views.
We saw a guy sitting up here with small bandage on his leg. As we left an ambulance game racing up the hill with lights and sirens blaring.
Pineapple plantation.
Rum factory
We had a bonus stop then. We were driving along ‘discussing’ the next stop – the Vanilla plantation.
“we think you have a flat tyre Oliver!” After 10 minutes we convinced him to stop and check. Yep…… flat tyre.
We then spent the next 60 minutes involved in a comedy show of this gang trying to change a flat tyre. It took 20 minutes to find the jack and work out how to extract it. Lucky there was a book in the glovebox. Another 20 to drop the spare down form under the car. Meanwhile Radiance was less than one kilometre away. One km “as the fish swims that is”. Luckily we were at the pretty beach – -not at some ugly spot!. The ship was in sight – but a long way from the tender dock.
Visitors an agricultural school that sold their jams etc.
How can a tiny place like this manage to afford compostable containers but we cannot? Oh thanks right. They have a government with balls!
We had a bonus stop then. We were driving along ‘discussing’ the next stop – the Vanilla plantation.
“we think you have a flat tyre Oliver!” After 10 minutes we convinced him to stop and check. Yep…… flat tyre.
We then spent the next 60 minutes involved in a comedy show of this gang trying to change a flat tyre. It took 20 minutes to find the jack and work out how to extract it. Lucky there was a book in the glovebox. Another 20 to drop the spare down form under the car. Meanwhile Radiance was less than one kilometre away. One km “as the fish swims that is”. Luckily we were at the pretty beach – -not at some ugly spot!
And a vanilla plantation. This was great as the operator we chose for our tour…was not exactly truthful! She told us the vanilla plantation was her “point of difference” from other tours. The driver then told us outright that a vanilla plantation did not exists. After much arguing….we got to go to an amazing vanilla plantation…that did in-fact exists. And it was fantastic.
The vanilla grows on thick vines with very thick leaves. The Vanilla Orchid flower is beautiful.
One flower = on vanilla pod. This the price – 4 pod for $25 US.
Watched vanilla sex (hand pollination). They are a hermaphrodite but cannot pollinate themselves. It is done with a toothpick.
Drank amazing pineapple juice. Pure pineapple juice.
Glad we didn’t walk up there.
Then Finished off at a lovely resort beach for lunch.
After an amazing sunset……
We drank a carton of Rum Punch – it was in a cardboard carton. hahaha. Thanks x-ray machine.
A full moon crept out from behind the mountains then bid us farewell.
It’s a spectacular place.
September 25th
Bora Bora
Great day in Bora Bora. I went out on a whale boat and saw around 15 Humpbacks.
Lots of breeches and flukes.
Bora Bora is an island surrounded by a reef, most of the way round. Some of it has vegetation, some is just the reef up to above the water level, causing the huge lagoon around the island. We went outside the reef and had a lovely time.
The water was a bit rough – only about 1 metre, but higher then the R.I.B. boat we were in, so very problematic for focus! LOL
Coming back on the tender, local guys in kayaks would paddle fast to catch up with the tender, then ride the wave we made all the way to the ship. Very cool. It looked like they were being towed.
That evening we had a Pinnacle sail away party with mazing drinks and food. So pleasant witting there eating plates and plates of crab claws!
Wow.
And then five sea days onto New Zealand.
Next Page – To New Zealand.