French Polynesia, Part 1: Tahiti and Moorea

Yesterday we arrived in Papeete, Tahiti after 5 full days at sea. Tahiti is lush and green, just as you might expect a South Pacific island to be, with some beautiful beaches and resorts and the like. After quite a bit of preparation and research, Blanche and I embarked on a hike in the Fautaua Valley. I had decided that hiking was what I really wanted to do that day, to really be in the middle of nature on the island. We were able to make it to the valley and find the trail without a guide, and were pretty impressed with ourselves. Time constraints didn't allow us to make it all the way to the falls at the end of the trail, but what we did explore was really amazing. We hiked up into the valley and didn't turn around until absolutely the last second we had available to us. We hiked in a tropical rainforest surrounding, along a river. Everything was so green. At the end of the hike we found a neat deep pool of water surrounded by tall rocks and hillsides, and went for a swim there. The river water felt incredible. We had to cross the river in a couple of places and felt very adventurous. When we made it back to town we treated ourselves to cheeseburgers at a local restaurant in Papeete. We were in port until almost midnight, so I stayed out in town with some of the cast. We ate at the "food trucks", sort of fair-style trucks and vans that park near the harbor and serve all kinds of food into the night, and went out for a drink at another local bar. We got back on the ship around 10:30 pm, and I crashed pretty soon after that.

Today we were in Moorea, another French Polynesian island, quite close to Tahiti. Blanche and I got up early so we could catch the first tender boat ashore (its a tendering port where we anchor instead of dock) at 7am. We were greeted by the locals with a spread of fresh fruit and flowers for our hair (gardenias, the official flower of the islands). We found a local guide and joined a few other early birds for a relatively cheap tour of the island. He drove us to a couple of high lookout points, through a pineapple farm (we got to eat some fresh pineapple...yummy!!), and to a few "Mareas", old polynesian temple ruins. After our tour we did some snorkeling in the amazingly blue waters and then relaxed on the beach. We spent some time at the Intercontinental Resort, where they have bungalows on the edges of little islands literally on the water, with balconies that have ladders leading down into the ocean. I would love to stay there....wow. This island as well is just so green....and the mountains are very steep and unique formations. I think parts of South Pacific were filmed there. So far I am loving french polynesia....I wish we came here more than once!!! We still have two more ports to go, which I'm really looking forward to.

Equator Crossing!!

On our southbound cruise to Tahiti, we have now officially crossed the Equator into the Southern Hemisphere. I suppose I have technically crossed this imaginary line before while flying, but doing it by sea seems more exciting for some reason. To recognize the occasion, we had a ceremony on the pool deck, where by proxy we were all "initiated" from being "pollywogs" (never crossed into the southern hemisphere before) into "shellbacks." To be initiated the crew members and guests who had volunteered were brought before "Neptune" (the cruise direcotr in a sheet and a white beard) the sea god to confess their crimes and that they had entered into his domain without permission and requested entry. Then as penance they had all sorts of food dropped on them, eggs cracked on their heads, and had to kiss a fish. I'm glad I didn't volunteer. At the end of the ceremony, by proxy, we were all inducted into the illustrious "shellback" society. All the crew received certificates for the crossing, as well, which are actually pretty cool. I wonder what they are going to do when we cross the international dateline???

A few quotes from the bandstand this week: During one show where we had a different set up and I was moved to be next to the rhythm section, our Swedish guitarist leaned over to me and said, "Andrea, I have never felt so close to you." After finishing a show where we played along with a clicktrack and doubled parts that were pre-recorded, our bassist said, "That was Track-tastic." While preparing for a guest talent show, one band member likened trying to follow an inexperienced singer to a race where instead of the guest running to the finish line, we have to pick up the finish line and chase them with it.