Bora Bora

Another day in Paradise

We were awoken by an annoying telemarketing call to Brian’s cell phone. My annoyance was mitigated however, when I looked outside, and there I saw the towering mountains of Bora Bora right outside our window. What a fabulous sight! I went outside to fully appreciate the splendor, and can you believe it, our neighbors were already out on their balcony having a good old time. I want to have their energy!

We took a tender ashore as soon as we thought the tours had left. There were no queues for the tenders and we were able to go straight ashore. Boy was it hot and humid, but the view of the island is so spectacular you forget about the heat. Our port information sheet said there was an Internet café, but did not mention it’s name or where it was. We turned left when we reached the main road, and about a block down the road was the Aloe Café. Sure enough, it had wifi – it was $5 for 30 minutes, but as it was cheaper and faster than the onboard Internet it was a good deal. If you stay for lunch it’s free. I spent the half hour trying to catch up with emails, and then we wandered around the shops.

There was an excellent supermarket, and a sundry shop which seemed to sell everything, except buttons. One of Brian’s blazers came back from cleaning minus a button, and I have been searching for a replacement or new set of buttons, but buttons and tourist traps don’t seem to go together. They did have some beautiful pareo material, but seeing as my sewing machine is now over 40 years old, and not quite its old self, I decided to settle for ready made pareos rather than making them myself.

We took shuttle bus from near the tender landing to Bloody Mary’s where we met up with Deidre and Kim for lunch. I know it is a really touristy place, but I had really wanted to go there, and it didn’t disappoint! It is right by the waterfront, has a sandy floor, and a beautiful thatched roof. Fans keep it cool, although it was still a bit warm. We had a great waiter, Victor, and an excellent lunch, with a lot of fluid replacement, as it was a hot day. After lunch we sat outside continuing with fluid replacement for a while simply enjoying the atmosphere. There was a brief rain shower, but we had our umbrellas at the ready so it wasn’t a problem at all.

We took a cab back to the ship. There were no queues for tenders, and we were on board in no time. We went out on deck to marvel at the beauty of the island. Bora Bora really is a magical place, with its mystical mountains towering over its palm-fringed shores. It just looks too good to be real, almost like it is a back drop in a play.

Watching us sail away was a wonderful experience. The mountains and islands surrounding us all looking picture postcard perfect. There were many kayaks and canoes in the bay, and I am impressed that we were able to avoid them all; we were totally surrounded by them.

All too soon we were out to sea again, going faster than usual in order to get to Tonga on time.

As I was getting dressed for dinner I checked the programme to see what the

evening’s entertainment would be, and discovered that the late sitting show had been at 7:00. This change was because there was a Mardi Gras party at the Lido Pool tonight. OK, so today is Monday, not Tuesday, but a party is a party as far as I am concerned.

It was another pleasantly warm night out on deck. Synergy provided the music, and for once a lot of people were dancing. Mardi Gras masks were being sold, but I didn’t see anyone wearing them. It would have been a nice touch if they had given out Mardi Gras beads, but I suppose there is a limit to the amount of supplies that the entertainment staff are allowed to provide on board. The party was a great way to end a wonderful day on a truly beautiful island.