Day 21 Papeete, Tahiti

I must admit that my excitement level wasn’t the highest this morning… Papeete, Tahiti is not one of my favorite places. Some of that may have changed today. We arrived around 0900 this morning. The sail in was very nice. I was going to take a tour today but it wasn’t going to leave until 1:30 in the afternoon so I got off the ship first thing and wandered around town, checking out the markets, doing a bit of looking at the stores and checking out the locals. I did get some pretty good people shots. After wandering around for a few hours I went back to the ship, had a diet coke and hooked up with my tour. Here is a description of my HAL tour today: Off the Beaten Track: Tahiti by 4-Wheel-Drive
Board a 4x4 vehicle for a great adventure deep into the unspoiled interior of Tahiti. You will head towards the East Coast, and make your way to the Papenoo Valley. Pass cascading waterfalls, luxuriant tropical vegetation and exotic flowers, and discover an array of unspoiled treasures. Make sure you bring your camera to capture the beauty of the scenery and the breathtaking views from this valley. Time permitting; take a refreshing dip in the river en route. The tour was pretty much as described. The scenery was magnificent! The mountains, waterfalls and rim of the volcano were fabulous. I really enjoyed my day in Tahiti. Tomorrow we leave at 0500 and sail to Moorea. We will make the trip very slowly (I think we circle the island) and arrive at 0800. I will be doing an independent tour tomorrow. It is broken into two pieces, the first is an island tour and the second half is snorkeling. Here is the description of the island tour: This is a leisurely half-day island tour in an air-conditioned bus. You will visit all of the important natural and cultural sites on Moorea. With two major research institutions here now, including UC Berkeley’s Gump Research Station, it is also now likely the most studied island in the world. We have taken all of the available information generated by researchers and local elders and woven it into a tour that will introduce you to how the island of Moorea came to be as it is today, in all of its natural splendor and cultural richness. We will explore beaches, forests, and take a walk through an ancient village where archaeologists are piecing together the pre-history of the Polynesians. Our leisurely pace will allow for plenty of photo opportunities and discussions. This tour will leave you with a new appreciation for this wonderful island and its people. And for the snorkeling tour here is the description: This excursion will explore the lagoon and coral reef system of Moorea. You will have a chance to snorkel both inside the lagoon and on the outer reef and see a myriad of tropical fish and coral formations. You will also visit a motu (islet). This half-day tour will take you out on the coral reef and introduce you to the geology and ecology of this vibrant ecosystem. Your guide will take you to the best spots to snorkel and see fish, corals, and other reef organisms. It should provide for a very informative and fun day….