Day 28 - Beginning the trip home

Time to head home.  Overnight was a wild storm with heavy rain and strong winds, and we are almost out of Vegemite!!

Packing today, then departing by boat late morning tomorrow to Bora Bora airport then fly to Papeete where we will stay the night for a very early start the next morning.  We fly to Auckland, meet long lost friends Ross and Beatrice for lunch and then depart for Melbourne at 5.30 pm.

This has been an amazing journey with variety, scenery, extremes of temperatures and great culture at every stop.  We have been in trains, planes, buses, boats, snow cats, gondolas, a large ship, ski lifts and many walking trails.  We have seen grisly bears, black bears, moose, elk, beavers, bald eagles, hump back whales, deer, mountain goats, long horn sheep, turtles, lobsters and many types of fish and birds.

Judy has had the best time, kept up with the pace and enjoyed many happy encounters. She has made new friends from Australia- this trip is near the best we have experienced thanks all to our travel agent.  

This may be the last blog for this trip, but watch this space as we are off to Europe for 8 weeks on June 12th.

For those who are not bored with following us around, I can give the details of this next blog if you email me. 

Thank you all for the daily emails to keep us in touch with home.   We have had a good run with wifi, and hope the next trip is as easy to access.

Day 27 - Bora Bora

Some information for you.

French Polynesia consists of 118 islands, 70 of which are inhabited.  The capital is Papeete.  Tahiti is only one of these islands, as is Bora Bora.  268,000 inhabitants live in French Polynesia.  The majority of the islands are low atolls surrounded by coral reefs.

The lagoon on Bora Bora is great for swimming and snorkelling, but footwear must be worn to protect against the small sharp pieces of shell and coral on the floor.

Judy edging towards the pool.

Enjoying the peace and tranquility.

Lights across the lagoon at sunset are amazing.

A wedding today.  The bride and groom have been picked up from the chapel and transported across the lagoon to the beach.

The guests await to guide them to the post wedding celebrations.

Day 26 - Bora Bora

Woke to a beautiful morning after some rain over night.  A quick dip in the pool and off to search out the culinary delights of the day.   Went to the Italian restaurant last night, just amazing how they can produce such an array of choices.  Impossible to eat the three courses on this extravagant menu.

What is stated on the menu is sometimes not available, depending on whether the supply ship has arrived. 

At Vaitope yesterday the lunch menu was only partly available and often there is a shortage of petrol for a week or so.  Most locals store fuel at home so they can get to work when there is a shortage.  Those living in town are unfazed by the unavailability of some foods because shortages are common being way out in the middle of the Pacific Ocean.

Very attractive lily pond in the main building.

Overwater bungalows are popular but small and a long walk to the restaurants.

What about the pink chairs at the Italian restaurant !!!  The sand floor was a good look.

I think Judy is about as relaxed as one could get.

Day 25 - Bora Bora

Porters and other Staff drive small electric cars like golf carts to travel around the paths and across bridges in the resort.

Our package here includes a full breakfast and dinner, although we must pay dearly for drinks. Most are double the cost at home !!

If you close your eyes and then open them, the view here is like being presented with a gigantic breathtaking coloured postcard!!

Today we travelled into the only town on Bora Bora (Vaitope) by boat which took 30 mins.  This town depends on tourism for the livelihood of the occupants (about 10,000 people).  It is a rather grubby town with no footpaths, and a few simple stores.  There are lots of shops selling black pearls of various different qualities.  

In a pearl store we met an interesting man from Sydney.  He is of Scottish/English/Welch extraction with a Tahitian mother, and has married a Japanese wife.  He has lived here for more than 10 years and was able to answer many of our questions about Tahiti and Bora Bora in particular.  Employment figures are quite good.  There are few roads, yet everyone has at least one or two cars.  There is some stealing and alcoholism, but little or no drug use.  

Caught the boat back at 4.45 pm.

View of our terrace, showing table setting, personal pool, and relaxing lounges.

A better view of our pool.

Looking over our pool to the lagoon.

Brian's feet, relaxing in our hammock.  Tough life over here !

On the left, the jetty from which the boat departed.

In town on the Main Street there is a shop selling intimate items right next to the church. The story is that you buy first then head next door to confess.

Departing the town to return to Le Meridien.

Day 24 - Los Angeles to Papeete to Bora Bora

From LA airport we flew Air Tahiti 8 hours to Papeete, departing at 11.30 pm.  Then Papeete to Bora Bora also Air Tahiti (40 mins) arriving about 7.30 am.  Next a relatively small boat to the Meridian Hotel which is a tropical paradise with turquoise water, white sand, frangipani trees and tropical vegetation.  (What a great birthday present!!!)

The island has a number of hotels, and one town called Vaitape near the centre.

The primary language is French, so all signs and brochures are printed in French with translations into other languages.

The accommodation and facilities here are both extremely good.  There are:

6 x beach bungalows

4 x beach villas (1 or 2 rooms) with private pools

3 x lagoon bungalows

60 x overwater bungalows with glass floor panels

22 x premium bungalows with glass floor panels and larger terraces

1 x overwater bungalow for weddings

Needless to say, there are few children here, and some apparent honeymooners.

There is a multitude of activities available, some of which require payment above accommodation rates.  The list includes beach volleyball, canoeing, turtle sanctuary, coral eco centre, sailing, fishing, windsurfing, scuba diving, waterskiing, shark encounters, hobby cats, parasailing, jeep and quad safaris, 4 x 4 excursions, helicopter flights, rental cars, ferries to other islands, massages and spas.  And of course swimming and snorkelling. 

Tahiti is renowned for high quality black pearls in a variety of beautiful colours.

The floor show in the Tom Bradley terminal at LAX to entertain waiting passengers.  Very impressive.

Turbo prop plane to Bora Bora from Papeete

Early morning glimpse of Bora Bora before landing.

Bora Bora Airport.

Bungalow on the edge of the lagoon.

Overwater bungalows with mount Otemanu as the centrepiece of this heavenly island.

Dining room in background.

View from the pool bar looking across the lagoon.

The front entrance to the resort.

So many picturesque views within this resort.

Each bungalow has a hammock.

The snorkelling is great right here at the resort.

Day 23 - Vancouver to Los Angeles

Last night a surprise early birthday party was held for Judy at dinner, with a rosette, balloons, streamers, hats, whistles and a mini birthday cake.  Of course the usual celebratory drinks!!

Very early start this morning to disembark by 8.00 am.  Transit bus to airport where we needed to pass through immigration and customs, then wait for a 4.30 pm flight.  Unable to check in before 1.00 pm.  

Sorry to leave Canada, a country of great beauty.  We fly overnight tonight to Tahiti so photos of Bora Bora tomorrow. 

 

Creek Street in Ketchikan yesterday.

Day 22 - At Sea

Today we are cruising through the inside passage back to Vancouver.  Tomorrow morning we disembark quite early when a bus will take us to the airport for an afternoon flight to continue our adventurous travels.

Everything about the ship was excellent apart from the rude and unfriendly Asian passengers (mostly Japanese).  As seems to be the usual situation, our cases are bulging even though the number of items contained therein is the same.  Have yet to sort out what to do with my hiking boots!  

Have not yet mentioned that Canads's national animal is the beaver.  There are beaver hats, gloves, soft toys, and other parafinalia everywhere in the gift shops.

Not sure when we will next have access to WiFi.

All aboard for Vancouver.

Day 21 - Ketchikan

Our last stop before Vancouver, Ketchikan is a quaint village, small but busy when the ships come in.

The population when 5 ships arrive at once increases by 11,000.  The shop owners love it and this keeps the local economy going.

The main employment in Ketchikan is the border patrol, fishing industry, timber logging and anything to do with tourism.  

Main Street Ketchikan 

Salmon processing plant now redundant.

Eagle circling our boat to steal bait.

Eagle again successfully catching bait.

Crabs we pulled up prior to our crab feast.

What about the size of this one !

The local brothel at Ketchikan, a tour costs $5, not sure what you would get for that !!

The tramway car up to Cape Fox Lodge.

A fish ladder along the creek to assist the salmon when swimming upstream during spawning.

View over the harbour of Ketchikan.

Shops along the wharf as the ship docked.

Day 20 - Glacier Bay

Awoke today in Glacier Bay National Park.  The top of Glacier Bay is where there is only a very narrow gap between USA and Canada.  Seven tidewater glaciers flow into the top end of Glacier Bay.  A few are healthy and advancing, which is rare these days.  Only two ships per day are permitted to enter Glacier Bay National Park.

It is a beautiful sunny day to view the snow and glaciers - we have been so lucky with the weather.

Margerie Glacier is one mile wide, 250 feet above sea level, and a base about 100 feet below sea level.  It moves about 5 feet per day and "calves" a few times each hour with thunderous loud cracks.

As you can see from the photos, the scenery is spectacular.

The Grand Pacific Glacier with plenty of wildlife.

Calving at the face of the Margerie Glacier.

Seagull likes our balcony rail.

Johns Hopkins Glacier 

Mountain peaks above the Johns Hopkins Glacier.

Hundreds of sea lions on the ice at the foot of the glacier ( 3km away, too far to see!)

View from the top deck.

Sheer face of the Johns Hopkins Glacier.